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Early statin therapy may be essential for reducing mortality and other complications in heart attack victims

In the largest clinical study of its kind, UCLA researchers found that early treatment with a statin drug within 24 hours of having a heart attack reduced in-hospital mortality rates by over 50 percent.

29 Aug 2005

Unusual type of antibiotic shows promise in defeating deadly "superbugs"

An unusual type of antibiotic being developed by chemists at Notre Dame University shows promise in defeating deadly "superbugs" - highly drug-resistant staph bacteria that are an increasing source of hospital-based infections.

29 Aug 2005

5-year-old British autistic boy dies after alternative therapy in U.S.

A 5-year-old British autistic boy has died after undergoing a controversial form of alternative therapy.

29 Aug 2005

Minimally invasive prostate removal aided by a robot has possible benefits, high cost

Although minimally invasive prostate removal aided by a robot can lead to less blood loss, shorter hospital stays and fewer complications, there is no evidence that the procedure improves cure rates, according to a new technology assessment.

29 Aug 2005

Over 200 dead as Japanese encephalitis spreads further in India

The outbreak of Japanese encephalitis has now spread further in India's northern state of Uttar Pradesh.

29 Aug 2005

Continued race and sex disparities heart attack care

Differences based on race and sex in treatment patterns for hospitalized American heart attack patients have remained unchanged over an eight-year period, despite improvements in quality of heart attack care during this time, Emory and Yale School of Medicine researchers write in the August 18 issue of New England Journal of Medicine.

28 Aug 2005

Elevated blood lactate levels may indicate poor prognosis in liver failure

A new study on fulminant hepatic failure (FHF), a sudden and severe shutdown of the liver, examined ways of determining early on whether patients would benefit from a transplant as opposed to responding to other medical treatment. The results showed that elevated blood lactate levels indicate a poor prognosis and thus the need for a transplant.

28 Aug 2005

Scientists have developed a new dye that could offer noninvasive early diagnosis of Alzheimer's disease

MIT scientists have developed a new dye that could offer noninvasive early diagnosis of Alzheimer's disease, a discovery that could aid in monitoring the progression of the disease and in studying the efficacy of new treatments to stop it.

26 Aug 2005

Teen cancer patients need specially designed wards

According to an National Health Advisory Body in the UK, most children and teenagers with cancer are treated on adult or paediatric wards.

25 Aug 2005

Children are worst hit as India's encephalitis toll reaches 175

Reports say the number of deaths from an outbreak of Japanese encephalitis in India's Uttar Pradesh state has now risen to at least 175.

25 Aug 2005

Making human lungs in the lab a future possibility

Scientists in the UK say they have made a significant step towards making human lungs for transplantation.

25 Aug 2005

Stress does not appear to influence the outcome of IVF

New research from Sweden has shown that psychological stress does not appear to influence the outcome of IVF – good news for women who fear that the understandable anxiety that they suffer during fertility treatment might damage their chances of conceiving.

24 Aug 2005

Americans in every state, apart from Oregon, are getting fatter!

According to the Trust for America's Health, it was found that Mississippi had the highest rate of obesity, with 29.5 percent of adults classified as obese in 2004, while Colorado was the slimmest state, with just 16 percent of adults classed as obese.

24 Aug 2005

Taking aspirin longterm could reduce colorectal cancer risk

According to new report from the Nurses' Health Study (NHS), regular, long-term aspirin use can significantly reduce the risk of colorectal cancer.

24 Aug 2005

Pennsylvania law allows motorcyclists to drive helmet free - who pays the medical bills?

Pennsylvania passed a law to allow motorcyclists to drive without wearing a helmet. But who pays the medical bills when a motorcyclist suffers a catastrophic brain injury, and how does this law affect our overall medical policy?

24 Aug 2005

Scientists convert human embryonic stem cells into lung cells

According to research to be published in the journal Tissue Engineering, the team from Imperial College London, took human embryonic stem cells and 'directed' them to convert into the type of cells needed for gas exchange in the lung, known as mature small airway epithelium.

24 Aug 2005

No intervention is necessary for most children with fluid in their ears

A Children's Hospital of Pittsburgh study finds that prompt insertion of tympanostomy tubes (small ear tubes) does not improve developmental outcomes of children at 6 years of age as once thought.

24 Aug 2005

FDA Approves Aceon to reduce risk of cardiovascular mortality in patients with stable coronary artery disease

Solvay Pharmaceuticals and CV Therapeutics have announced that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved Aceon (perindopril erbumine) Tablets for the treatment of patients with stable coronary artery disease to reduce the risk of cardiovascular mortality or non-fatal myocardial infarction (MI).

24 Aug 2005

A preoperative testing strategy may help determine stage of lung cancer more accurately

A preoperative testing strategy combining two procedures may help improve the accuracy of determining the stage of lung cancer, according to an article in the August 24/31 issue of JAMA: The Journal of the American Medical Association.

23 Aug 2005

European Rare Diseases Therapeutic Initiative could provide an important new mechanism for developing new drugs

Because of the very high costs in developing drugs for rare genetic diseases, and the low return on investment, the pharmaceutical industry has rarely developed specific treatments for many of these diseases.

23 Aug 2005