Health Highlights: Nov. 25, 2008
Nov. 26 -- Here are some of the latest health and medical news developments, compiled by editors of HealthDay:
Web Health Searches Often Result in 'Cyberchondria'
People who use the Internet to self-diagnosis health problems often mistakenly end up thinking they have a rare illness, according to Microsoft researchers who analyzed Web search results and surveyed 515 people about their online health information search experiences.
"Common, likely innocuous symptoms can escalate into the review of content on serious, rare conditions that are linked to the common symptoms,"said study authors Ryen White and Eric Horvitz, Agence France Presse reported.
An example of "cyberchondria" is someone with a headache who concludes it's a sign of a brain tumor.
"A brain tumor is a concerning possibility when a searcher experiences headache. However, the probability of a brain tumor given a general complaint of headache is typically quite low," the researchers said, AFP reported.
"Such escalations from common symptoms to serious concerns may lead to unnecessary anxiety, investment of time, and expensive engagements with healthcare professionals," they added.
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Epilepsy Drugs May Cause Skin Reactions in Asian Patients: FDA
Some Asian patients may suffer severe skin blisters and bleeding whentreated with certain epilepsy drugs such as Dilantin, Phenytek and Cerebyx,the U.S. Food and Drug Administration says.
Preliminary data indicate that people with a gene called HLA-B1502 may be at increased risk of developing skin problems when taking these drugs. Ten to 15 percent of people from China, Thailand, Malaysia, Indonesia, and the Philippines may carry the gene, as well as 2 to 4 percent of South Asians, the Associated Press reported.
Doctors should monitor patients closely, but there isn't enough information yet to recommend genetic testing, the FDA said. Many patientswho develop skin problems do so in the first few months after they starttaking the epilepsy drugs.
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