Heart Devices, Teens and Depression, Medications, Physical Fitness | Health

Heart Devices, Teens and Depression, Medications, Physical Fitness

Maureen Fitzgerald,

May 14, 2008, 10:57 AM EDT

The food and drug administration has just signed off on two new heart devices.

Both are defibrillators made by Boston scientific.

One is called Cognis and the other Teligen.

The company is also working on a new line of pacemakers, which still need FDA approval. Just how common is depression among teens?

The answer may surprise you.

The numbers are pretty high.

1 in 12 teenager is coping with depression.

That's according to a new federal report. It was done by the substance abuse and mental health services administration.

The group says about 2-million teens, ages 12 through 17 deal with serious depression ever year.

More girls are diagnosed with depression than boys.

And of course, severe depression can lead to suicide.

And suicide is the third most common cause of death, among 15-24 year olds. If it seems like more people are taking more medications these days,

They are!

Turns out, half of all Americans are battling chronic health problems.

That means they're taking something for it on a daily basis. The most common prescriptions?

Blood pressure and cholesterol drugs.

That's according to a new five-year study by Medico solutions.

Why so many medications?

Researchers say it's because doctors are more aware of health problems now.

They've also become more aggressive from diagnosis to treatment. One way to take care of your health is to exercise.

Do remember the president's physical fitness test?

It was a big deal a while back.

And even go. Schwarzenegger was in favor of it, back in the 80's.

Now, we're all grown up and getting a second chance.

Today, an adult version of that physical fitness test will be announced.

It includes three parts:

Aerobic fitness.

Muscle strength

And flexibility.

It was actually inspired by baby boomers, which wanted a test like the one they took back in school.