Health Report

THE GOOD NEWS

-- One consequence of diabetes is a greater risk of kidney failure. A new study suggests that captopril, a drug used to lower high blood pressure, strengthens the kidneys, halving serious kidney problems for diabetics.

-- Women who take estrogen to control symptoms of menopause and reduce the risk of osteoporosis may be reaping an unexpected bonus: estrogen seems to lessen the risk of Alzheimer's or to decrease its severity in those who do get it.

-- Balloon angioplasty -- inflating a tiny balloon to widen a clogged artery -- is much less expensive and dangerous than a heart-bypass operation. Unfortunately, the artery tends to squeeze shut again. But inserting a tiny wire coil to prop the artery open appears to solve the problem.

THE BAD NEWS

-- Three drugs given to heart-attack victims -- magnesium, nitrates and captopril (the drug just found to be good for diabetics' kidneys) -- are surprisingly ineffective. Still worth taking: aspirin, clot dissolvers and beta blockers.

-- Tobacco is the primary nongenetic contributor to death in the U.S.; among other things, it doubles the chance of having a stroke. Poor diet and lack of exercise are second, alcohol abuse is third, and microbes and viruses are a distant fourth.

-- Large-scale clinical trials of several promising anti-AIDS vaccines, originally scheduled to begin later this year, may be put off indefinitely. The vaccines unexpectedly failed laboratory tests that decide whether they're worth trying in humans.

[TMFONT 1 d #666666 d {Sources--GOOD: New England Journal of Medicine; New England Journal of Medicine; American Heart Association.}]BAD: American Heart Association; Journal of the American Medical Association; Science.