Health Report

By Alice Park

THE GOOD NEWS

ONE MORE DRINK Consuming plenty of liquids, especially coffee, tea and, in moderation, wine, may prevent kidney stones in women.

REDUX REDUX Taking the diet drug for several months does not cause heart-valve problems, at least according to a study by its manufacturer. The finding contradicts earlier reports of heart-valve troubles in Redux users, some of whom took the pill for longer periods of time.

NOT JUST FOR BABIES Ultrasound, most commonly used to monitor a growing fetus, is as effective as the routine MRI in detecting blood-vessel blockages after a heart attack.

Sources: Annals of Internal Medicine; American College of Cardiology scientific sessions (2)

THE BAD NEWS

DANGEROUS STEPS? Climbing stairs and other everyday activities nearly double the risk of premature birth among low-income pregnant women.

EQUAL BUT UNEQUAL Even in the military, where living conditions and access to health care are relatively uniform, black women are more likely to die of breast cancer than their white counterparts.

HEART DIFFERENCES Women are more likely to die of a heart attack than men partly because they tend to suffer milder symptoms--shortness of breath and neck aches, vs. the more familiar chest pain--that can delay the trip to the hospital.

Sources: American Journal of Epidemiology; Cancer; American College of Cardiology scientific sessions

--By Alice Park