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Not exercising as a young adult increases the risk of high blood pressure in later years, new research finds. The study kept track of 4,618 men and women for 20 years. At the start of the study, they were 18 to 30 years old. They completed a treadmill test and a questionnaire about their exercise habits. Researchers examined them again 6 times in the next 20 years. About 1,000 people developed high blood pressure. Researchers adjusted their numbers to account for factors that raise high blood pressure risk, such as smoking. They found that people’s early exercise habits still were a good predictor of risk. People who were inactive or not fit as young adults were more likely to develop high blood pressure. Researchers estimated that more physical fitness could prevent 1 out of 3 cases of high blood pressure. The study appeared in the journal Hypertension.

Frequent use of a tanning bed greatly raises your risk of the most deadly form of skin cancer, a new study finds. Researchers used a state database on cancer. They collected data on 1,167 people who had melanoma. They were compared with 1,101 people who never had melanoma. This second group was randomly selected from driver’s license records. People in the study filled out mail questionnaires. Then they were interviewed by phone. Researchers adjusted results to account for sun exposure and other factors that affect skin cancer risk. They found that people who had ever used a tanning bed were 74% more likely to develop melanoma. Risk was even higher among frequent users. These were people who had used tanning beds for at least 50 hours, or regularly for at least 10 years. Their risk of melanoma was 2.5 to 3 times as high as for people who never did indoor tanning.

Bacterial infections cause only about half of the hospital stays linked to a common lung disease. But it may be best to give everyone antibiotics right away, a new study finds. Researchers looked at records for 85,000 people. All had been admitted to hospitals with problems related to chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). This lung disease hinders breathing. It’s almost always caused by smoking. In the study, 8 out of 10 people got antibiotics during their hospital stay. Doctors may not prescribe them unless tests show an infection. But people who got these drugs within the first two days had better results, the study found. They were less likely to need a ventilator or to have their treatment fail. Their hospital death rate was lower. And they were less likely to be readmitted quickly The Journal of the American Medical Association published the study.

Visiting the doctor more often can help diabetics control their blood pressure faster, a study concludes. The study included more than 5,000 people. All were being treated for diabetes and high blood pressure. Sometimes, even with treatment, people’s blood pressure readings were above normal. But blood pressure dropped to normal in an average of 1.5 months for those who visited the doctor at least every month. The drop was fastest for those who went to the doctor every two weeks or less. For those who waited more than a month between doctor visits, blood pressure readings stayed up for a year. The study appeared in the journal Hypertension. HealthDay News wrote about it May 24.

Having fewer sweetened drinks can reduce blood pressure, new research suggests. The study included 810 people. Their average age was 50. Their blood pressure was high or just under the high range. When the study started, they drank an average of 10.5 ounces of sugary beverages per day. That’s just under one serving, a 12-ounce can. Sweetened drinks included regular soda, fruit drinks and lemonade. After 18 months on a weight loss program, the average person was drinking half a serving less per day. Researchers calculated that cutting back by one whole serving per day led to a drop of 1.8 points in systolic pressure. This is the first and larger number in a blood pressure reading. Diastolic pressure, the second and smaller number, fell 1.1 points. Weight loss caused some of the drop. However, researchers said cutting sweetened drinks had a significant effect.

Looking at the rate of change in a blood test may be a good way to screen healthy women for ovarian cancer, a new study suggests. This form of cancer usually is diagnosed late, when it is hard to cure. The new study included a test for the protein CA-125. Blood levels are high in many women with ovarian cancer. But this protein can be high for other reasons, too. More than 3,200 older women were tested for CA-125. Researchers calculated each woman’s risk based on her CA-125 level and how it changed over time. Women at low risk were tested each year. Medium-risk women got tests every three months. The study lasted nine years. In this time, 85 women with the highest risk received ultrasound tests to look for signs of cancer. Eight of them were referred for surgery. The surgery found three invasive cancers, all in early stages. Two women had “borderline” tumors.