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Residents face increased safety risks when subjected to extended work hours

The United States' largest, independent medical student organisation, The American Medical Student Association (AMSA) has commended a new study which will be published in the forthcoming edition of the New England Medical Journal. The Study "Extended Work Shifts and the Risk of Motor Vehicle Crashes Among Interns" highlights the need for improvements in intern work hour regulations.

17 Jan 2005

Home HIV-AIDS test could be a reality within two years

A portable device similar to a home pregnancy test that can quickly detect the presence of infectious diseases, including HIV-AIDS and measles as well as biological agents such as Ricin and anthrax, is the goal of a new joint research project

17 Jan 2005

More data needed on what's effective for hot flashes

A University of Michigan expert on menopause says a new study that indicates placebos work as well as antidepressant drugs to help hot flashes shows how much more research is needed about what gives patients relief.

17 Jan 2005

American endocrinologists aim to keep patients safe

As medicine becomes more complex and patients live longer and better lives, it also becomes more difficult to keep them safe.

17 Jan 2005

Millions of Canadians at risk because of avoidable delays in diagnosis and treatment of high blood pressure

New guidelines released by the Canadian Heart and Stroke Foundation reveal the health of millions of Canadians is being placed at risk because of avoidable delays in diagnosis and treatment of high blood pressure (hypertension).

17 Jan 2005

Alternative therapies and conventional medical therapies should be held to same standards

Stating that health care should strive to be both comprehensive and evidence-based, a new report from the Institute of Medicine of the National Academies calls for conventional medical treatments and complementary and alternative treatments to be held to the same standards for demonstrating clinical effectiveness.

13 Jan 2005

Steady points to need for more rigorous evaluation of complementary & alternative medicine use

In a comparison of complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) use by adults in 1997 and 2002, researchers from Harvard Medical School found more than one in three U.S. adults (36.5 and 35.0 percent, respectively) used at least one form of CAM.

12 Jan 2005

Study links meat consumption to colon cancer

A major American Cancer Society study finds people who reported the highest consumption of red and processed meat had a significantly higher risk of colorectal cancer than those who reported the least consumption.

12 Jan 2005

Screening for malaria necessary for U.S. soldiers returning from Afghanistan

Nearly 40 U.S. Army Rangers returning from Afghanistan in 2002 may have contracted malaria because of inadequate use of preventive measures, according to a study in the January 12 issue of JAMA.

12 Jan 2005

First new guidelines in more than a decade for managing asthma during pregnancy

The report reflects new medications that have emerged and updates treatment recommendations for pregnant women with asthma based on a systematic review of data on the safety of asthma medications during pregnancy. An executive summary ("Quick Reference") of the guidelines is published in the January issue of the Journal of Allergy & Clinical Immunology.

12 Jan 2005

A little anxiety can be a good thing when it comes to cancer symptoms

A little anxiety can be a good thing when it comes to cancer symptoms according to researchers at Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis. They report that people with low overall anxiety levels were more apt to ignore symptoms of rectal cancer for long periods of time, thereby delaying treatment.

12 Jan 2005

School strategies to combat obesity epidemic

Skyrocketing obesity among young children and the ways in which schools can help address the epidemic, as well as educating students about healthy lifestyles, is the focus of the newest edition of the State Education Standard, the journal of the National Association of State Boards of Education.

12 Jan 2005

Patient education on aerosol therapy key to effective asthma control

New evidence-based guidelines for the selection of aerosol medication devices conclude that health-care providers should avoid basing device selection exclusively on device efficacy. Instead, the choice should be based on other patient-related factors.

10 Jan 2005

Macular degeneration patients benefit from self-management training

A 12-hour self-management program for individuals with advanced age-related macular degeneration (AMD) leads to lasting improvements in mood and function, especially in depressed patients, and decreases the development of clinical depression in AMD patients over time, according to a University of California, San Diego (UCSD) Shiley Eye Center study published in the January 2005 Archives of Ophthalmology.

10 Jan 2005

New portable infectious disease detector

A portable device similar to today's home pregnancy tests that can quickly detect the presence of infectious diseases, including HIV-AIDS and measles, as well as biological agents such as ricin and anthrax, is the object of a new joint university/industry research project.

10 Jan 2005

Herpes virus is everywhere and it's unavoidable

While not the first, the researchers report that this study uses the most sensitive techniques in a cross-sectional assessment performed to date of the presence of HSV-1 DNA in the eyes and mouths of healthy individuals, in terms of population size and total samples collected.

6 Jan 2005

Easier access to emergency contraception would not increase the risk of STDs

Making it easier to obtain emergency contraception would not increase unprotected intercourse, lead to abandonment of regular contraception, or increase the risk of sexually transmitted infections (STIs), according to a study in the January 5 issue of JAMA.

5 Jan 2005

Elementary school intervention boosts positive functioning in early childhood

An elementary school intervention program that taught children impulse control and gave their teachers and parents better management skills has long-lasting effects extending into early adulthood, showing that the children are more productive and well-adjusted members of society at age 21, according to a new study.

4 Jan 2005

Chronic users NSAIDs have greater risk of bleeding and visible damage to their small intestine

According to a study published today in the American Gastroenterological Association (AGA) journal Clinical Gastroenterology and Hepatology, chronic users of non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) have an increased risk of bleeding and visible damage to their small intestine.

4 Jan 2005

No link between immunizations and autism

Over the past 20 years, there has been speculation about a connection between immunizations and an increase in autism. However, a study by Mayo Clinic researchers published in the January issue of Archives of Pediatrics and Adolescent Medicine suggests the increase may be due to improved awareness, changes in diagnostic criteria and availability of services, not environmental factors or immunizations.

4 Jan 2005