Health News
News Archive
News articles from April 2009
Aneurysm screening set to save thousands of lives (02/07/2009)
A new programme to screen 65-year-old men for weaknesses in the body’ s biggest artery could save nearly 2,000 lives a year, according to new research. Ultrasound scans will be used to check for weak spots in the aorta, which can be strengthened with surgery if necessary. Without treatment, there's a danger the aorta could rupture, causing fatal bleeding...
New drug increases options for arthritis patients (29/06/2009)
Drugs that suppress the immune system have been a major breakthrough in the treatment of rheumatoid arthritis. Unfortunately, these drugs don't work for everyone, and not all patients can put up with the side effects. A new drug, called golimumab, has now been shown by researchers to help people who haven't benefited from other medicines...
Older Americans beat English counterparts in memory tests (25/06/2009)
Older people in the US do better than older people in England on a standard memory test, researchers have found. They're not sure what accounts for the difference, but suggest that better treatment of high blood pressure and high cholesterol may be involved...
Weight loss surgery cuts cancer risk in women (24/06/2009)
Surgery to make the stomach smaller reduces the chances of very overweight women getting cancer in future years, a long-term study from Sweden suggests. But we don’ t know yet whether men would get the same benefit...
Nine in ten could survive bowel cancer if discovered early (23/06/2009)
Bowel cancer patients have more than a nine in ten chance of surviving their illness if it is caught early enough, new figures show. But at present, only 13 percent of patients have their cancer discovered early enough to have the best chance of surviving...
Should fussy babies have a change of formula? (19/06/2009)
Is switching formula milk the solution to ‘ fussy’ behaviour in a young baby? Parents often interpret babies’ crying, vomiting, or refusing to feed as a sign of intolerance to standard cow's milk formula and try a modified formula instead...
What can we learn from past pandemics? (17/06/2009)
The World Health Organisation has declared swine flu a global pandemic. More than 1,300 people in the UK have been infected, and sadly we've recently seen this country's first death. What does pandemic flu mean, and what lessons can be learned from past pandemics?..
Heart risk advice for people with psoriasis (16/06/2009)
People with the skin condition psoriasis have a higher risk of getting problems such as heart attack and stroke, so they should have their cholesterol and blood pressure checked regularly, researchers say...
What to do when a child gets concussion (10/06/2009)
Children and adolescents who get concussed need complete “ cognitive rest” for the brain to recover - with no TV, texting, gaming or any similar activity that could put stress on the brain, according to new guidance. Children’ s growing brains are more at risk from concussion and may take longer to recover, it says...
Sleeping pill suicide risk for older people (04/06/2009)
Older people who take sedatives or sleeping pills may have an increased risk of suicide, a study in Sweden has suggested. The authors say doctors should check older people carefully for suicidal tendencies, before prescribing these types of medicine...
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