FRIDAY, Aug. 22 (HealthDay News) -- Suffering respiratory or ear infections in early childhood, having a dog in the house as a newborn, and even being raised in a large family all appear to increase the risk of snoring later in life, new research suggests.

The findings may seem incidental but, the study authors point out, snoring has been linked with an increased risk of cardiovascular disease, not to mention the obvious problems of sleep deprivation for those who snore and those who have to listen.

Watch Dr. deGuzman's Video Gallery.

MONDAY, Aug. 4 (HealthDay News) -- People who drink too much have increased odds of developing metabolic syndrome, a series of risk factors and conditions that are strongly related to cardiovascular disease, a new study says.

The study, expected to be published in The Journal of Clinical Endocrinology & Metabolism, defines excess drinking as more than two drinks per day for men or one drink a day for women. Binge drinkers are also considered to be at an increased risk.

Conditions of metabolic syndrome include obesity, high blood pressure and diabetes.

TUESDAY, June 17 (HealthDay News) -- Low testosterone levels put men at high risk for cardiovascular disease, diabetes and early death, but testosterone replacement therapy may help better the odds, according to new studies.

Some experts believe that low testosterone levels, which become more common with age, are linked to several health conditions. These include loss of bone and muscle mass, depression, decreased libido, and, most important, the metabolic syndrome -- a cluster risk factors that increase the chances of developing heart disease, stroke and type 2 diabetes.

MONDAY, June 16 (HealthDay News) -- Women with type 2 diabetes and heart disease often receive less of the medical treatment they need than men, making their ability to control both diseases more difficult, a new study reports.

The research findings, expected to be presented at the Endocrine Society's annual meeting in San Francisco, probably explains why death from heart disease is being lowered in male diabetics but not among females.

WEDNESDAY, May 21 (HealthDay News) -- Metabolic syndrome increases the risk of diabetes, but not cardiovascular disease, in the elderly, a new British study finds.

People with metabolic syndrome have at least three of the following five health problems: elevated blood sugar levels; high blood pressure; high waist circumference; decreased levels of "good" HDL cholesterol; and elevated levels of triglycerides (fats) in the blood.

By Amanda Gardner
EmpowHer's HealthDay Reporter

FRIDAY, May 16 (HealthDay News) -- Adults who had cancer as children or teens are more likely to experience cardiovascular disease, a new study found.

By Ed Edelson
EmpowHer's HealthDay Reporter

WEDNESDAY, May 14 (HealthDay News) -- A bundle of four offbeat biomarkers accurately predicted the risk of death from cardiovascular disease in a study of older Swedish men, researchers report.

WEDNESDAY, May 14 (HealthDay News) -- While research suggests that moderate alcohol consumption may have health benefits, heavy drinking increases blood pressure, stiffens blood vessels and causes more rigid heart muscles in men and enlarged hearts in women -- all risk factors for cardiovascular disease, a new study warns.

By Ed Edelson
EmpowHer's HealthDay Reporter

TUESDAY, May 13 (HealthDay News) -- Smoking marijuana increases the body's production of a protein that raises levels of blood fats associated with heart attack and stroke, government researchers report.