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Editor's Pick
Extreme exercise and middle-aged athletes' hearts
For the past decade or so, there's been increasing concern that high-volume, high-intensity exercise could injure the heart. A large US study found that...
2011 guidelines on management of gonorrhoea updated
A new guideline on the management of gonorrhoea has been issued by the British Association for Sexual Health and HIV, says a MDmagazine report....
Fasting may boost metabolic activity, slow ageing
Fasting may help people lose weight, but a small new Japanese study suggests going without food may also boost human metabolic activity, generate antioxidants,...
More post-surgery deaths than from TB, HIV and malaria combined
Around the world 4.2m people die every year within 30 days after surgery – with half of these deaths occurring in low- and middle-income...
Intensive BP control reduces risk of mild cognitive impairment
Intensive control of blood pressure in older people significantly reduced the risk of developing mild cognitive impairment (MCI), a precursor of early dementia, in...
High waist-to-stature ratio reflects increased CVD risk
Health experts have warned for years that men and women with excess abdominal fat run a greater risk of developing cardiovascular problems. However, individuals...
Early rising linked to greater well-being — large genomic analysis
A large-scale genomic analysis has revealed some of the inner workings of the body clock, shedding new light on how it links to mental...
Body-painting protects against bloodsucking insects
A study by researchers from Sweden and Hungary shows that white, painted stripes on the body protect skin from insect bites. It is the...
Early treatment of MS symptoms delays progression to disability
An international study finds multiple sclerosis treatments have long-term benefits, and that early treatment is important. The Royal Melbourne Hospital and University of Melbourne-led...
Neck-strengthening exercises to mitigate concussion risk
Researchers have proposed a way to mitigate risk for football and soccer players and others at risk of concussion: Protect your head with neck-strengthening...
Psychological distress a factor for future dementia risk
A new study suggests that vital exhaustion – which can be perceived as an indicator of psychological distress – is a risk factor for...
Missed GP appointments 'substantially' increase all-cause mortality
Missing GP appointments is associated with early death, and those with long-term mental health conditions are at particular risk, according to a large Scotland...
Sight-saving treatment for eye infection or trauma
Scientists at the University of Birmingham have developed a novel eye drop that rapidly reduces sight-threatening scarring to the surface of the eye.
The surface...
Experts recommend haemorrhage control kits for public venues
As mass-casualty events and violent attacks in the US continue to increase, military and emergency medicine experts are recommending that public venues install bleeding-control...
Botox jabs reduce frequency of chronic migraines — French meta-analysis
A growing body of evidence supports the effectiveness of botulinum toxin injections in reducing the frequency of chronic migraine headaches, concludes a French meta-analysis.
Based...
Gently stroking babies 'provides pain relief'
Gently stroking a baby reduces activity in their brain associated with painful experiences, a small UK study has found. Researchers from University of Oxford...
Safety measures 'stifling' children's physical development
Children's physical development is being "stifled" by health and safety as teachers are too scared to let them play outside, The Daily Telegraph reports...
Fewer registered nurses linked to increased mortality risk in wards
Admission to a hospital ward with below average numbers of fully trained (registered) nurses to care for patients is linked to a 3% rise...
Resistance to second-line ARTs increasing in SA
An increasing number of HIV patients in the Western Cape and other parts of South Africa are experiencing resistance to second-line antiretroviral therapy (ART)....
Promising results from treating childhood epilepsy with cannabinoids
Interest has been growing in the use of cannabinoids – the active chemicals in cannabis or marijuana – for the treatment of epilepsy in...
Why patients lie to their doctors
A study has found that 60% to 80% of people surveyed have not been forthcoming with their doctors about information that could be relevant...
Uninfected babies born to HIV-infected mums face higher risks
HIV-uninfected children born to mothers with HIV are prone to more severe infections, almost double the risk of dying before their first birthday, and...
Extreme heat exacerbating global health risks — UN scientific report
Crop yields are declining. Tropical diseases like dengue fever are showing up in unfamiliar places, including in the US. Tens of millions of people...
Approval for first medical Tx for children with peanut allergies in 2019
The first medical treatment for children with peanut allergies is likely to be approved next year but there are concerns about its affordability, even...
Allergy shots may help with severe atopic dermatitis
A medically-challenging case presented at the American College of Allergy, Asthma and Immunology (ACAAI) Annual Scientific Meeting found that allergy shots provided significant benefits...
Half of older patients exposed to potentially inappropriate prescribing
Around half of older patients are exposed to potentially inappropriate prescribing, each year, and hospitalisation is independently associated with an increased risk, finds a...
Sweetened drinks pose greater diabetes risk than other sugary foods
Sweetened drinks pose a greater risk of type 2 diabetes than most other foods containing fructose, a naturally occurring sugar, finds an evidence review....
Sucking baby's dummy clean lowers child's allergic response
Research presented at the American College of Allergy, Asthma and Immunology (ACAAI) Annual Scientific Meeting suggests a link between parental sucking clean their baby's...
Thrill-seeking heart patients rarely experience significant events
A significant number of patients participated in thrill-seeking activities even after hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM) diagnosis and while these activities are often associated with mild...
Energy drinks notably diminish blood vessel function in young adults
Young, healthy adults experienced acute, significant diminished blood vessel function soon after consuming one energy drink, according to preliminary research from a small study...
Many benefits of singing for Parkinson's disease patients
Singing may provide benefits beyond improving respiratory and swallow control in people with Parkinson's disease, according to a pilot study from Iowa State University....
First causal linking of social media use and decreased well-being
The link between the two has been talked about for years, but a causal connection had never been proven. For the first time, University...
Abstention from cannabis improves memory in regular users
A Massachusetts General Hospital (MGH) study finds that one month of abstaining from cannabis use resulted in measurable improvement in memory functions important for...
Back pain associated with 24% increased mortality in older women
Researchers at Boston Medical Centre found that frequent, persistent back pain is associated with earlier death in a study of more than 8,000 older...
Blue light light exposure decreases blood pressure
Exposure to blue light light significantly decreases blood pressure, reducing the risk of developing cardiovascular disease, a study from the University of Surrey and...
Free, new reasoning test to challenge the widely used APM
A team of psychologists at the University of California has now developed a free test to measure reasoning ability in undergraduates that takes roughly...
Barefoot SA children have better balance but may suffer later
South African children – who usually do not wear shoes during physical activity – have better balance and can jump farther than their German...
Most UK doctors fearful of prescribing cannabis despite law change
Despite the law change on 1 November, few patients in the UK will be able to access medicinal cannabis because the legal implications of...
Less aggression among the young when corporal punishment banned
An international study shows that in countries where there is a complete ban on all corporal punishment of children there is less fighting among...
Radiotherapy plus standard treatment improves prostate cancer survival
Radiotherapy on top of standard treatment, hormone therapy, could significantly increase survival in metastic prostate cancer, according to results from the Stampede trial of...