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2010 Quality Index Reports on Ontario's Cancer System

Wait times for cancer radiation treatment continued their decline across Ontario during 2009, despite a more than 10 per cent increase in the number of patients receiving treatment, according to the 2010 Cancer System Quality Index report issued today.

28 May 2010

International HBSC network expands to study health behaviours of young people

This is a unique international project held in collaboration with WHO Europe. The international HBSC network is constantly expanding in order to include all European countries with the goal to study the dynamics of health and health behaviours of young people in the process of uniting Europe. Bulgaria participated for the first time in the HBSC, together with 40 different countries and regions from Europe, Canada and USA.

28 May 2010

Consistent consumption of alcohol contributes to high blood pressure

High blood pressure is a leading cause of deaths in the world. Apart from millions with diagnosed hypertension, still many others are borderline hypertensive. High blood pressure increases the risk of a person to develop cardiovascular diseases, kidney problems, heart attack and even a stroke. One of the major contributors to high blood pressure is the consistent consumption of alcohol. Regular alcohol drinkers increase the risks of elevated blood pressure because it affects the normal functioning of the body by reversing what it needs to remain healthy.

28 May 2010

Individuals with poor oral hygiene at increased risk of heart disease

Individuals who have poor oral hygiene have an increased risk of heart disease compared to those who brush their teeth twice a day, finds research published today on BMJ.com.

28 May 2010

Study measures effects of BPA on male reproductive system

Increasing Bisphenol-A levels in urine are associated with worsening male sexual function, according to a Kaiser Permanente study appearing online in the Journal of Andrology.

28 May 2010

Last defendant in 6-year Calif. Medicare fraud case sentenced

The Associated Press/San Jose Mercury News: A $15 million Medicare fraud case in California has ended as the last of 17 defendants was sentenced this week to 30 months in prison.

28 May 2010

Canadian Diabetes Association urges people with diabetes to quit smoking to improve overall health

Smoking while having diabetes is a deadly combination - in recognition of the World Health Organization's World No Tobacco Day taking place on May 31, 2010, the Canadian Diabetes Association is urging Canadians living with diabetes who smoke to take charge of their health by knowing their risks and to take action to quit smoking.

27 May 2010

Mayo Clinic research reveals increase in incidence of rheumatoid arthritis in women

The incidence of rheumatoid arthritis (RA) in women has risen during the period of 1995 to 2007, according to a newly published study by researchers from the Mayo Clinic. This rise in RA follows a 4-decade period of decline and study authors speculate environmental factors such as cigarette smoking, vitamin D deficiency, and lower dose synthetic estrogens in oral contraceptives may be the source of the increase.

27 May 2010

Report: Use of indoor tanning beds increases risk of melanoma

Use of indoor tanning beds increases risk of melanoma between twofold and fourfold depending on the device and length of time indoor tanning is used, according to a report in Cancer Epidemiology, Biomarkers & Prevention, a journal of the American Association for Cancer Research.

27 May 2010

UCSF research shows brief exercise buffers the effects of stress-induced cell aging

Exercise can buffer the effects of stress-induced cell aging, according to new research from UCSF that revealed actual benefits of physical activity at the cellular level.

27 May 2010

GSK Consumer Healthcare announces update of alli product label

GSK Consumer Healthcare today announced it will update the alli product label to alert consumers to certain symptoms that have been associated with rare instances of severe liver injury reported in people taking orlistat, the active ingredient in alli. This update follows FDA's completion of its safety review of orlistat and is being implemented in conjunction with Roche, the manufacturer of the prescription dose of orlistat (Xenical). The agency stated that a cause and effect relationship has not been established.

27 May 2010

Good number of natural bypass vessels an 'insurance policy' against blockage

When the arteries delivering oxygen to our vital organs are obstructed by atherosclerosis or clots, the result is almost always a stroke, heart attack or damage to a peripheral tissue such as the legs (peripheral artery disease). But the severity of tissue injury or destruction from a choked-off blood supply varies from person to person, and may depend in large part on whose circulatory system has the best back-up plan to provide alternate routes of circulation.

26 May 2010

Nurses use up-to-date techniques to help smokers quit, says RNAO

As World No Tobacco Day 2010 (May 31) approaches, Canadians thinking about quitting smoking can rely on nurses to help them butt out. The Registered Nurses' Association of Ontario says nurses are using the most up-to-date techniques to help smokers quit, which is reducing the number of smokers and preventing diseases.

26 May 2010

Today's OpEds: States must take on public health challenges; Placing blame for high health costs

Britain's 'reform' will do little to improve access to life-extending drugs (5/25).

25 May 2010

New study suggests protective effect of alcohol consumption on risk of AD in female nonsmokers

Knowledge regarding environmental factors influencing the risk of Alzheimer's disease is surprisingly scarce, despite substantial research in this area. In particular, the roles of smoking and alcohol consumption still remain controversial. A new study published this month in the Journal of Alzheimer's Disease suggests a protective effect of alcohol consumption on the risk of Alzheimer's disease, particularly in women who do not smoke.

24 May 2010

Poor survival rates in non-Hodgkin's lymphoma patients attributed to lifestyle factors

A new study led by researchers from Mayo Clinic in collaboration with six other U.S. institutions has found that patients with non-Hodgkin's lymphoma who smoked, consumed alcohol or were obese before their cancer diagnosis had poorer overall survival, compared to patients who did not have these risk factors.

24 May 2010

Researchers test NicVAX vaccine to help people quit smoking, avoid relapses

In a unique twist to a decades-old health crisis, Michigan State University researchers are testing a new vaccine to help people quit smoking and avoid relapses.

21 May 2010

Washington State Department of Health shows smoking inside homes drops by 61% since 2000

New research released today by the Washington State Department of Health shows the number of people smoking inside homes in our state has declined by 61 percent since 2000. The drop is more than double the overall decline in adult smoking during the same period.

21 May 2010

Smoking cessation treatments effective and safe for people with schizophrenia

In a study published today in the journal Addiction, researchers have determined that treatment for smoking dependence is as effective among people with severe mental illnesses as it is for the general population. Importantly, they also found that offering such treatments does not appear to cause deterioration in mental health.

21 May 2010

Arizona's smoking ban reduces hospital admissions for stroke, asthma and angina

Two University of Arizona researchers have studied the relationship between Arizona's 2007 law that bans smoking in public places and hospitalization rates for a range of ailments related to secondhand smoke exposure.

21 May 2010