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Schizophrenics who fail to take their medicines are over one-and-a-half times as likely to be rehospitalised

Patients with schizophrenia who fail to take their medicines as prescribed are over one-and-a-half times as likely to be rehospitalised and use in-patient services as patients who stick to their medication regimen. Non-adherence predicted an excess annual cost per patient of £5000 for total service use.

2 Jun 2004

Mixed attitudes among staff towards smoking in large psychiatric hospital

A new survey has found that smoking habit and type of profession influenced staff responses to a questionnaire about smoking at work in a large psychiatric hospital.

2 Jun 2004

FDA clears first computer-aided device to assist in the detection of heart murmurs

Zargis Medical Corp., a majority-owned subsidiary of Speedus Corp, announced today it has received U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) clearance to market Zargis Acoustic Cardioscan (Cardioscan), the first and only computer-aided medical device to support physicians in analyzing heart sounds for the identification of suspected murmurs, a potential sign of heart disease.

2 Jun 2004

Radiological imaging system that will give medics a clearer view inside the human body

EUREKA project E! 2427 PERMON is developing a radiological imaging system that will give medics a clearer view inside the human body by accurately monitoring organ blood flow during operations. This essential information will lead to an increase in techniques such as laser surgery over more invasive methods.

2 Jun 2004

Students win awards for research into liver disease, cancer and insomnia

Targeting a range of diseases and disorders, three University of Houston students won awards at a recent symposium for research in liver disease, cancer and insomnia.

2 Jun 2004

Prescribing ACE inhibitors to in-patients is important, but outpatients need ongoing support

Use of angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) inhibitors by heart failure patients drops sharply within a month after they go home from the hospital and then continues to decline, according to a new study in the June 2, 2004 issue of the Journal of the American College of Cardiology.

2 Jun 2004

FDA revises guidance on reprocessing of single-use devices

Dr. Lester M. Crawford, Acting Commissioner of the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) today announced the availability of a revised guidance covering the agency's procedures and timeframes for reviewing the validation data submitted to FDA for certain reprocessed single-use devices (SUDs).

1 Jun 2004

Marijuana use does not appear to be associated with an increased risk of developing oral cancer

Contrary to previous research findings that have suggested a link, marijuana use does not appear to be associated with an increased risk of developing oral cancer, according to a large, population-based study led by researchers at Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center.

1 Jun 2004

West Nile set to explode in summer 2004

Experts predict the continued spread of West Nile virus this summer, with the potential for serious outbreaks in numerous states, including California.

1 Jun 2004

Yo-yo dieting may have a lasting negative impact on immune function

Yo-yo dieting, in which a person repeatedly loses and regains weight, may have a lasting negative impact on immune function, according to new findings by researchers at Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center.

1 Jun 2004

Being tired can be as bad as being drunk when driving

"Being tired can be as bad as being drunk, in terms of its effect upon performance," says safety expert, Dr Ann Williamson, who led the study by the University of NSW Injury Risk Management Research Centre.

1 Jun 2004

Vermont announces free or discounted nicotine patches and gum

Free or discounted nicotine replacement therapy (NRT) - nicotine patches and gum - will be provided for a limited time to all adult Vermonters who want to quit smoking cigarettes, thanks to a significant expansion of the Vermont Department of Health's NRT program announced.

31 May 2004

New monitor can reduce patients experiencing awareness during an operation by more than 80%

An Australian study headed by Melbourne’s Alfred hospital and published in The Lancet today is likely to change the way surgical anaesthesia is conducted throughout the world.

31 May 2004

Women who regularly take aspirin at lower risk of breast cancer

Women who regularly take aspirin seem to be at lower risk of the most common type of breast cancer than those who do not take aspirin, report researchers from Columbia University's Mailman School of Public Health and College of Physicians & Surgeons, Weill Cornell Medical College , and New York-Presbyterian Hospital.

31 May 2004

AMA call for Australian government to stop playing politics with health

The first limited after hours GP clinic will open at Royal Perth Hospital this weekend spelling the end for suburban after hours clinics and increasing pressure on hospital emergency departments.

30 May 2004

New Australian after hours bulk billing medical centres

Two new after hours bulk billing medical centres have been opened as part of a joint Commonwealth-State initiative to improve access to doctors outside of working hours.

30 May 2004

Physicians need to understand comorbidities to better help cancer patients

Findings from a new cancer study may seem obvious — a patient’s overall health is a critical factor in assessing prognosis. But the study’s authors say data about patients’ non-cancer ailments, called comorbidities, are not currently incorporated into cancer statistics.

27 May 2004

Clinical trial of 5 day treatment for earliest form of breast cancer

Researchers at Virginia Commonwealth University’s Massey Cancer Center have begun a clinical trial testing the effectiveness of an established balloon catheter radiation delivery device on the earliest form of breast cancer, ductal carcinoma in situ.

27 May 2004

American Heart reports on acute ischemic stroke and increased risk of bleeding in the brain

High blood levels of a cell-regulating protein in patients with acute ischemic stroke can identify those with an increased risk of bleeding in the brain, according to a report in today’s rapid access issue of Stroke: Journal of the American Heart Association.

27 May 2004

ABIOMED has announced the 14th implantation of replacement heart

ABIOMED, Inc. today announced the 14th implantation of the AbioCor® Implantable Replacement Heart. The implant was performed on May 24 in Louisville, KY by a Jewish Hospital/University of Louisville medical team led by surgeons Laman Gray, M.D. and Rob Dowling, M.D. The procedure went well and without complication. The patient is recovering, and is in critical but stable condition.

27 May 2004