Get the USA TODAY app Flying spiders explained Start the day smarter ☀️ Honor all requests?
NEWS
France

Health roundup: Study questions 'aspirin resistance'

Kim Painter, Special for USA TODAY
The idea that some heart patients are resistant to aspirin's anti-clotting effects is questioned by a new study.

Your Wednesday morning health roundup:

Aspirin effects: The idea that some heart patients are resistant to the clot-prevention powers of aspirin -- and in need of other medications -- is questioned by a new study that found no such problem among 400 healthy people. The study did suggest, however, that the coating on some aspirin tablets might alter blood and urine test results in a way that obscures benefits. (New York Times)

French sperm: The sperm counts of men in France fell by a third between 1989 and 2005, a new study finds. Though the counts still are within normal limits, the findings add to concerns that environmental or lifestyle changes could be affecting sperm counts around the world. (BBC News)

Doctors' choices: Most doctors completing residencies in internal medicine do not plan to actually become general internists -- the primary care doctors who care for many adults -- a new study finds. Instead, 64% want to specialize, most often as heart or lung doctors or oncologists. Such choices could worsen a growing shortage of primary care physicians. (Reuters)

Today's talker: Are guilty pleasures more fun? A new series of studies suggests they are -- finding, for example, that people enjoyed chocolate more when they were made to feel a bit guilty first. Now if someone could just figure out a way to make us feel guilty about eating lima beans and doing push ups... (Time)

Featured Weekly Ad