January 1, 1996
Web posted at: 12:55 p.m EST
DALLAS, Texas (CNN) -- Heart bypass patients risk needing further surgery if they smoke, according to the American Heart Association. A study published in the group's journal Circulation concluded that patients who are smoking one year after bypass surgery have twice the risk of certain complications than those who stopped smoking.
Researchers followed more than 400 bypass patients over 15 years. More than a fifth of the patients had another bypass surgery, and those who continued smoking developed cardiac problems more quickly. The study found that the longer the patients smoked after surgery, the more likely they were undergo surgery again.
WASHINGTON (CNN) -- Hormone replacement therapy significantly reduces the rate of death the rate of death among women, according to a study published in the journal of the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists.
Researchers evaluated the medical histories of more than 450 women. Those who took estrogen pills had a 46 percent reduction in the rate of death from all causes. The researchers said estrogen therapy is especially effective in preventing heart attack and stroke, the leading killers of women.
WASHINGTON (CNN) -- Scientists have uncovered a link between one gene and a certain set of personality traits, according to a study detailed in the journal Nature Genetics.
The researchers found a pattern in the D4 dopamine receptor gene among people who scored high on Novelty Seeking psychological tests. High scorers tend to be exploratory, excitable, fickle, extravagant, and quick-tempered. Low scorers tend to be reflective, stoic, loyal, frugal and even-tempered.
An editorial in the journal noted that mapping genes for normal personality traits could help researchers understand abnormal traits, such as schizophrenia.
Copyright © 1995 Cable News Network, Inc.
ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.
External sites are not endorsed by CNN Interactive.