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Community based digital eye screening programme set to expand

Community based digital eye screening programme designed to detect and treat diabetic retinopathy, the leading cause of blindness in the developed world, is being rolled out to other locations, following its huge success since launching seven months ago.

24 Apr 2007

Telephone support reduces depression for older HIV survivors

Many patients diagnosed with HIV in the 1980s and 1990s have survived and now are entering their golden years.

24 Apr 2007

Sticking with guidelines for acute coronary syndromes benefits even very elderly patients

Some say age 90 is the new age 70. If so, there's never been a better time for elderly patients to discuss with family and physicians just how aggressive medical care should be in case of a threatened or definite heart attack.

24 Apr 2007

Obesity may be associated with disability in workers

Obese individuals appear more likely to file workers, compensation claims for injuries on the job, according to a report in the April 23 issue of Archives of Internal Medicine, one of the JAMA/Archives journals.

24 Apr 2007

Low vitamin D levels linked to poor physical performance in older adults

Older adults who don't get enough vitamin D - either from their diets or exposure to the sun - may be at increased risk for poor physical performance and disability, according to new research from Wake Forest University School of Medicine and colleagues.

24 Apr 2007

Developing world can expect a 'pandemic of cancer' by 2020

The developing world is expected to account for more than half of all cancer cases in the world by 2020 say medical experts.

23 Apr 2007

Latest food scare in the U.S.A. - ground beef contaminated with E. coli

In the latest food scare in the United States seven brands of frozen ground beef have been recalled because it is feared some of it may be contaminated with E. coli bacteria.

22 Apr 2007

Green tea may help protect against Sjogren's syndrome

They found significantly less salivary gland damage in a group treated with green tea extract, suggesting a reduction of the Sjogren's symptom commonly referred to as dry mouth. Dry mouth can also be caused by certain drugs, radiation and other diseases.

20 Apr 2007

Prazosin shows promise for post traumatic stress disorder sleep disturbances

For sufferers of Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD), sleep disturbances are among the most treatment-resistant symptoms and can lead to drug and alcohol abuse and even suicide.

19 Apr 2007

Flu can actually trigger heart attacks

Doctors need to take concerted action to ensure that people who are at risk of heart disease receive the influenza vaccine every autumn, according to the authors of a new report published in the European Heart Journal.

19 Apr 2007

Omega-3 fatty acid may help prevent brain lesions

A type of omega-3 fatty acid may slow the growth of two brain lesions that are hallmarks of Alzheimer's disease, UC Irvine scientists have discovered.

18 Apr 2007

Escalating violence and widespread insecurity worsens shortage of health workers in Iraq

Escalating violence and widespread insecurity, combined with a worsening shortage of health workers, are putting severe pressure on the health of the Iraqi population. This pressure increases as people move within the country and into neighbouring countries in search of safer places to live.

18 Apr 2007

Advanced age associated with poorer bladder cancer-specific survival in radical cystectomy patients

Traditional wisdom taught in urological residency has been that healthy octogenarians with bladder cancer may be offered radical cystectomy without a significantly increased incidence of postoperative complications.

18 Apr 2007

Faster diagnosis of early-stage Alzheimer's disease

Research by faculty and staff at Rowan University, Glassboro, N.J.; the University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine; and Drexel University may lead to better diagnosis of early-stage Alzheimer's disease.

15 Apr 2007

Health care reconsidered: Options for change

The Hamilton Project, an initiative at the Brookings Institution, hosted a forum, "Health Care Reconsidered: Options for Change," today at the Brookings Institution in Washington, D.C. At the event, policy papers on reforming Medicare Part "D" (including closing the "donut hole" gap in prescription drug coverage), improving preventive care and promoting greater affordability through progressive cost-sharing were released by The Hamilton Project.

11 Apr 2007

Restless legs syndrome increases risk of cardiovascular disease

People with restless legs syndrome (RLS), especially the elderly, may be at an increased risk of developing cardiovascular disease, according to a study published in the April 10, 2007, issue of Neurology, the scientific journal of the American Academy of Neurology.

10 Apr 2007

European research helps people with dementia improve their quality of life

As approximately 1.9 million elderly people in Europe experience a form of dementia. A pan-European research project is seeking to help them 'navigate their day' and improve their quality of life.

9 Apr 2007

FDA warns consumers on health risks of keeping pet turtles

The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is urgently reminding the public that contact with baby turtles can pose a serious health risk to infants, small children, and adults with impaired immune systems as they can be natural hosts to Salmonella, a group of bacteria that can cause severe illness and death.

8 Apr 2007

Tai chi helps seniors avoid shingles

According to recent research the ancient Chinese martial art of Tai chi offers benefits beyond improving fitness and balance for older adults.

8 Apr 2007

Implantable cardioverter-defibrillators offer lifesaving benefits, return to active life, and reduced cost

Researchers at the University of Pennsylvania's School of Medicine have discovered that implantable cardioverter-defibrillators (ICDs) -- electric monitoring devices that deliver a lifesaving shock in the event of a cardiac arrest -- help patients with heart problems live longer more active lives.

7 Apr 2007