Health Highlights: Jan. 21, 2008

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

FDA Approves New Hypertension Tablet

A new blood pressure tablet called Tekturna HCT was approved Monday by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, according to drug maker Novartis AG, theAssociated Pressreported.

The new tablets contain the hypertension compound aliskiren (brand name Tekturna) and hydrochlorothiazide, which inhibits the kidneys' ability to retain water. Tekturna HCT is meant for patients whose blood pressure hasn't been brought under controlled by a single drug.

It will be available in the United States in February, theAPreported.

Dizziness, flu-like symptoms, diarrhea, cough, tiredness and skin rashes are among the side effects associated with Tekturna HCT.

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Lack of Food Not Linked to Obesity in Low-Income Children: Study

A new study challenges the common theory that lack of food explains why children in low-income families are more likely to be overweight than children from higher-income families, theAssociated Pressreported.

Previous research suggested that children in low-income families didn't get enough nutritious food and ate hot dogs and other poor-quality foods instead. It's also been suggested that some children eat well when there's enough money but skip meals when cash is short -- a cycle that may slow their metabolism and lead to weight gain.

But this Iowa State University study of 1,031 children living in low-income homes in Boston, Chicago and San Antonio disputes those theories. The study found that while half of the children in the study were overweight or obese, only about 8 percent weren't getting enough to eat, theAPreported.

While the Iowa State researchers concluded that there's no link between lack of food and overweight/obesity in low-income children, they couldn't say why so many children in low-income families have weight problems.