DMC plans $50M outpatient facility in Royal Oak

The Detroit Medical Center and its parent Vanguard Health Systems Inc. want to open a $50 million, nearly 100,000-square-foot outpatient facility for children and adults in Royal Oak, the DMC confirmed Thursday.

Heart valve problems not always serious

Dear Dr. Donohue: I am 89 years old and in good health. I do not have high blood pressure, and I do not have diabetes. The only big problem I have had for a long time is aortic stenosis. I am still pretty active, but this concerns me. Will you inform me of my prognosis?

Doctors telling more adults to get out, exercise

Atlanta — A new study shows more and more U.S. adults are being told by their doctor to get off their duffs and exercise.

Hold the mystery meat: Military food gets upgrade

Washington — Hold the mystery meat: Military bases will soon be serving more fruits, vegetables and low-fat dishes under the first program in 20 years to improve nutrition standards across the armed services.

Study finds doctors are not always honest with patients

Washington — Trust your doctor? A survey finds that some doctors aren’t always completely honest with their patients.

Fatigue, muscle pain signs of post-polio syndrome

Dear Dr. Donohue: I am 78 and had polio when I was 17. I have lived with weakness on my left side. About a year ago, I started feeling a lot of fatigue. I saw an endocrinologist, who tested for low testosterone and thyroid. I took medicines that fixed both problems, but I still feel very fatigued. How do I determine if the fatigue is caused by post-polio syndrome?

Late-night meals can spoil efforts to get into shape

He was a big guy. I would guess he was around 350 pounds. Sweat poured from his face as he walked away from the treadmills at Lifetime Fitness.

Reproductive issues spark fight

Dayton, Ohio — Political turmoil over abortion and birth control spread suddenly on Tuesday. A high-ranking official resigned from the Komen breast-cancer charity after its backtracking treaty with Planned Parenthood, and Republican presidential candidates blistered the Obama administration for a recent ruling on Catholic hospitals and contraception.

Chronic pulmonary disease therapies don’t include cure

Dear Dr. Donohue: My wife was diagnosed with COPD. She is on medicines and has been given lung tests that confirm COPD. Is there a cure?

Komen exec Karen Handel quits after Planned Parenthood funding flap

Karen Handel, the charity’s vice president for public policy, told Komen officials that she supported the move to cut off funding for Planned Parenthood. She said the discussion started before she arrived at the organization and was approved at the highest levels of the charity.

CDC: Bread beats out chips as biggest salt source

Atlanta — Bread and rolls are the No. 1 source of salt in the American diet, accounting for more than twice as much sodium as salty junk food like potato chips.

Pennsylvania vending machine dispenses ‘morning-after’ pill

Students at Shippensburg University in central Pennsylvania can get the "morning-after" pill by sliding $25 into a vending machine installed at the request of the student government.

Patient cannot tolerate sleep apnea mask

Dear Dr. Donohue: On my own, I went to a sleep clinic to be assessed for sleep apnea. After two nights there, I was told I need a CPAP machine. They decided I needed a full-face mask because I am a mouth-breather. After the first night, I knew I could not wear that mask. Finally, after five months of stress, I went to my heart doctor and a lung doctor. They told me not to put myself through such stress.

White House hints at compromise on birth control to tame uproar

Learn proper flu etiquette

Henry Ford Health System opens center in Bloomfield Hills

Rules to spare kids smoky cars urged

Big medical bills may add up to qualified tax breaks

New program to improve poor's access to medicine

Whooshing in ear could be serious, must be checked

Six-organ transplant saves girl, 9

Coach’s emphasis on stretching stirs debate

The gift of organ donation is priceless

Backlash hits cancer charity

Marijuana isn’t as destructive as nicotine because you smoke less

Firm recalls hard-boiled eggs, sold in Mich., for possible listeria

Boehner: Feds should back off birth control order

All of us, even Princes, need diet discipline