Here are some of the latest health and medical news developments, compiled by editors of HealthDay:

Cancer Drug Raises Risk of Heart Problems

Avastin, a drug used to treat colorectal cancer, increases the risk of heart problems such as stroke, heart attack, chest pain, and mini-strokes, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration and drug manufacturer Genentech, Inc., warned Friday.

A company spokesperson said that some patients taking Avastin had died from heart problems, but couldn't give a precise number, the Associated Press reported.

The FDA and Genentech sent letters to doctors warning them that the risk of serious heart problems was doubled in cancer patients who took Avastin with their chemotherapy.

The drug received FDA approval early this year. Avastin works by blocking new blood vessels in order to deprive cancer cells of the nutrients and oxygen they need to survive.

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Sighs Reset Babies' Breathing Patterns

Sleeping babies' sighs seem to help them reset their breathing patterns, says a study by Swiss and Australian researchers.

The sighs, which occur every 50 to 100 breaths in healthy babies, reopen tiny lung airways that are prone to collapse, the study found.

The researchers studied the heart rate, blood oxygen saturation, and other measurements of 25 healthy, month-old infants as they slept, CBC News Online reported.

The study found that the babies sighed when their breathing became too regular. That suggests that sighing creates healthy changes in their breathing patterns, the researchers said.

The findings appear in the online issue of the Journal of Applied Physiology.

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Man Claims Wal-Mart Mistakenly Gave Him Estrogen

A Washington state man charges that his local Wal-Mart pharmacy mistakenly gave him estrogen instead of testosterone, an error that resulted in the growth of breast tissue, shrinking genitalia, and heart problems.

Longview resident Keith Sabey, 63, was prescribed testosterone injections after blood tests showed his body wasn't producing testosterone. He bought his first round of testosterone injections at a Safeway pharmacy but then switched to Wal-Mart, where the drug was cheaper, reported The Daily News in Longview.

Sabey said the Wal-Mart pharmacist made an error and gave him an estrogen-based product instead of testosterone. Sabey didn't notice the mistake until he'd already started injecting the estrogen product.

In order to correct the error, Sabey had to take drugs to stabilize his lipids, cholesterol, and blood pressure. Wal-Mart originally agreed to pay for those drugs and for Sabey's testosterone injections but then reneged on the deal, Sabey claimed.

He's hired a lawyer but hasn't yet decided whether to sue Wal-Mart. The company is working closely with Sabey in order to resolve the situation, a Wal-Mart spokesman said. However, the spokesman added that Sabey cut off contact with the company, and will proceed through the courts if it has to.

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U.S. Posts Fewest Measles Cases in Nearly a Century

Just 44 cases of measles were tallied in the United States in 2002, the lowest number in the 92 years since records have been kept, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said.

Only 216 cases of the virus were recorded in the three years from 2001-2003, compared with more than 55,000 cases between 1989 and 1991, the Associated Press reported.

Thanks to preventive vaccinations and other public health efforts, the CDC declared the U.S. measles-free in 2000, meaning that virtually every case reported since then has been traced to people visiting the U.S. from places like Europe and Asia, the agency said.

For that reason, measles shots among Americans are still a must, the CDC warned. Among people who aren't immunized, the virus can cause pneumonia, diarrhea, encephalitis, and death, the wire service said.

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Greek Olympic Athletes Accused of Dodging Drug Tests

On the day the 2004 Olympics were to begin in Athens, two of Greece's top athletes were being investigated Friday for allegedly failing to undergo required drug testing.

To make matters worse for the pair, their hearing on the matter was postponed when sprinters Kostas Kenteris and Ketrine Thanou were hospitalized with injuries suffered in a motorcycle wreck, the Associated Press reported.

Kenteris is the defending 200-meter champion, and Thanou was the 100-meter silver medalist at the Sydney games four years ago. They weren't seriously hurt, police said, but were expected to remain hospitalized for two more days, the AP report said.

It isn't known yet whether the pair will be well enough to compete in this year's games. They recently returned to Greece after a training session in Chicago, but failed to report to International Olympic Committee officials for a drug test, the AP reported.

Neither athlete has tested positive for drug use, and a Greek Olympics official called their failure to show up for the tests a misunderstanding, the wire service said.

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Epilepsy Drug Approved to Counter Migraines

The anti-seizure drug Topamax (topiramate) has been newly approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration to treat frequent or severe migraine headaches.

In clinical trials, patients who took the recommended daily dose showed a significant reduction in monthly migraine attacks compared to those who took a non-medicinal placebo, marketer Ortho-McNeil Pharmaceutical said in a statement. The drug is already approved for migraines in 22 countries, the company said.

Migraines are a chronic, debilitating condition characterized by sharp, throbbing pain on one side of the head. Other symptoms can include nausea or vomiting, visual disturbances, and sensitivity to noise and light. Some 14 million Americans experience severe or frequent cases, Ortho-McNeil said.

Common side effects reported among Topamax users include tingling in the extremities, fatigue, loss of appetite, and a change in taste sensation.

Last Updated: Aug-13-2004