(HealthDay News) -- Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is an umbrella term for chronic lung diseases that can severely undermine breathing. Examples include chronic bronchitis or emphysema.

(HealthDay News) -- If a family member or loved one begins to display strange behavior, an underlying health issue could be responsible, the U.S. National Library of Medicine says.

THURSDAY, July 21 (HealthDay News) -- Wisdom is gained by looking at things from a distance like a "fly on a wall," a new study contends.

THURSDAY, July 21 (HealthDay News) -- People reading text messages or browsing the Internet on their smartphones tend to hold the devices closer than they would a book or newspaper, forcing their eyes to work harder than usual, new research shows.

THURSDAY, July 21 (HealthDay News) -- The epidemic of excess weight gain and obesity among young Americans began about 15 years ago, a new study finds.

THURSDAY, July 21 (HealthDay News) -- New research links medical problems caused by blood transfusion to the breakdown of red blood cells during blood storage. The findings suggest that a better way to store blood is needed.

THURSDAY, July 21 (HealthDay News) -- The informed-consent documents that study volunteers must sign before joining HIV/AIDS research trials in countries around the world -- including the United States -- are too long and complicated, researchers say.

THURSDAY, July 21 (HealthDay News) -- The more optimistic you are, the lower your risk of having a stroke, a new study suggests.

THURSDAY, July 21 (HealthDay News) -- The risk of heat-related illnesses, such as heat stroke and heat exhaustion, increases with age, experts at the U.S. National Institute on Aging warn.

THURSDAY, July 21 (HealthDay News) -- Most Americans are not prepared to keep their refrigerated food safe in the event of a power outage that lasts for more than a day, the results of a new survey suggest.

WEDNESDAY, July 20 (HealthDay News) -- Tall folks may be more likely than shorter people to develop cancer, new British research says.

THURSDAY, July 21 (HealthDay News) -- Newer "biologic" drugs for multiple sclerosis do benefit some patients, a new study finds, but they are extraordinarily expensive and may not be cost-effective when compared to more basic treatments.

THURSDAY, July 21 (HealthDay News) -- Babies who are exclusively breast-fed for six months or more are less likely to develop symptoms of asthma in early childhood, new research suggests.

WEDNESDAY, July 20 (HealthDay News) -- In a long-awaited move, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration late Wednesday approved the blood thinner Brilinta (ticagrelor) for use in patients with acute coronary syndromes, to help lower their odds for heart attack and death.

THURSDAY, July 21 (HealthDay News) -- A survey of college students suggests that "sexting" is rampant: More than half said they have received sexual images on their phones, and almost eight in 10 said they've gotten suggestive text messages.

THURSDAY, July 21 (HealthDay News) -- Experts are warning that clogged arteries can do more than contribute to heart disease. They can also affect blood flow to the brain and cause dementia.

THURSDAY, July 21 (HealthDay News) -- A new U.S. survey finds that women are more likely than men to use the Internet for medical information, and whites are more likely to do so than minorities.

Here are some of the latest health and medical news developments, compiled by the editors of HealthDay:

THURSDAY, July 21 (HealthDay News) -- Brilinta (ticagrelor) has been approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration to help reduce the risk of heart attack and cardiovascular death among people with acute coronary syndromes (ACS).

THURSDAY, July 21 (HealthDay News) -- New research finds that the targeted cancer drug Tarceva nearly triples the amount of time lung cancer patients survive without a recurrence and has fewer side effects than standard chemotherapy.