A Focus
Intermittent fasting: From Pythagoras to Fung
May 22nd, 2019 Intermittent fasting has been around since Pythagoras but has now reached new heights of popularity because of extravagant claims by the likes of Dr Jason Fung, a Canadian nephrologist, and self-labelled ‘world expert’ on IF, writes...
Training for a first marathon reverses vascular ageing
May 15th, 2019 Novice marathoners experienced a four-year reduction in arterial age and a 4 mmHg drop in systolic blood pressure.s, found a study on London Marathon participants. Older and slower runners benefited the most. The research was presented at...
New findings may mean hundreds of thousands misdiagnosed with Alzheimer's
May 15th, 2019 Hundreds of thousands of older people diagnosed with Alzheimer's disease are probably suffering from a different disease, which is why drugs trials keep failing, scientists have concluded. The Daily Telegraph reports that experts, who hailed the...
SA policies on medical treatment for aliens again face court scrutiny
May 15th, 2019 An Ethiopian asylum seeker who was after three months of treatment denied dialysis at Helen Joseph Hospital in Johannesburg because she lacks the "appropriate" documentation, has again placed the policies of the SA Department of Health of...
IAAF decision on testosterone 'a victory for female athletes everywhere'
May 8th, 2019 There has been widespread condemnation of the International Association of Athletics FederationS ordering the control of natural testosterone levels in female athletes in some events. But, writing in Quilette, Duke's Prof Doriane Coleman,...
Work stress and impaired sleep linked to 3x higher CVD risk
May 8th, 2019 Work stress and impaired sleep are linked to a threefold higher risk of cardiovascular death in employees with hypertension, found a German study with an 18-year followup. Work stress alone had a 1.6-fold higher risk while only poor sleep had a...
Gynaecologist’s jail sentence for negligence a worrying precedent — SASOG
May 1st, 2019 The SA Society of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists has "noted with significant concern" a High Court judgment that upheld the sentence of of five years direct imprisonment for Dr Danie van der Walt, a gynaecologist who caused the death of a...
Drugs to prevent stroke and dementia show promise in small trial
May 1st, 2019 Treatments that prevent recurrence of types of stroke and dementia caused by damage to small blood vessels in the brain have moved a step closer, following a small UK study of two existing drugs used to treat other conditions. The drugs –...
Report on 'breakthrough' slimming pill — European Congress on Obesity
May 1st, 2019 A "breakthrough" slimming pill that expands in the stomach was twice as successful as a placebo, according to research presented at the European Congress on Obesity. Of those taking the drug, already given regulatory approval in the US, 59%...
High Court rejects gynae's appeal against 5-years' jail for deadly negligence
April 24th, 2019 The Gauteng High Court (Pretoria) has confirmed the conviction and sentence of five years direct imprisonment for Dr Danie van der Walt, a gynaecologist who caused the death of a woman in labour through negligence. The Health Professions Council...
Misdiagnosis of multiple sclerosis found to be common
April 24th, 2019 The misdiagnosis of multiple sclerosis (MS) was almost 20% in a US study, which found that of the people misdiagnosed, many received MS treatment for four years before receiving the right diagnosis. Multiple sclerosis (MS) is a widespread...
First malaria vaccination for children launched in Malawi
April 24th, 2019 Malawi will begin immunising young children against malaria this week, in a landmark large-scale pilot programme of the first vaccine to give partial protection against the disease, the World Health Organisation said. Although the vaccine...
Novel 5-minute breathing workout improves BP, may boost brain function - clinical trial
April 17th, 2019 Researchers found significant drops in blood pressure, improvements in large-artery function, and improved performance on certain cognitive and memory tests, by subject who performed Inspiratory Muscle Strength Training, which involves breathing...
Nutritious foods but not dietary supplements linked to lower mortality risk
April 17th, 2019 Adequate intake of certain nutrients is associated with a reduction in all-cause mortality when the nutrient source is foods, but not supplements, according to a study. There was no association between dietary supplement use and a lower risk of...
Large UK study finds statins fail to lower cholesterol in over half of patients
April 17th, 2019 Experts have warned a more tailored approach is needed to the prescribing of statins, following a study suggesting they are ineffective at lowering cholesterol to target levels in more than half of patients. The research by primary care experts...