Health News

Study illustrates challenges of lowering tetanus mortality

The overall mortality in patients suffering non-neonatal tetanus is high. Efforts to reduce mortality in one sub-Saharan African intensive care unit (ICU) by implementing a standard tetanus protocol did little to change mortality rates, although they shifted causes of deaths, researchers have now reported in PLOS Neglected Tropical Diseases. Tetanus is a vaccine-preventable neglected disease […]

Health News

Effects of deep brain stimulation in patients with Parkinson’s disease: Improved effects on motor function and fewer side effects possible

Researchers from Charité — Universitätsmedizin Berlin have studied motor and cognitive effects of deep brain stimulation in patients with Parkinson’s disease. Their results show that the adverse cognitive effects of deep brain stimulation are linked to a different neural pathway than that responsible for the treatment’s desired motor effects. This finding will help optimize treatments […]

Health News

How low is too low? Study highlights serious risks for intensive blood pressure control: Kaiser Permanente study finds aggressive blood pressure control efforts can lead to falls and fainting, especially in elderly patients

Kaiser Permanente research published today in the American Journal of Preventive Medicine found if patients with hypertension taking prescribed medications experience unusually low blood pressures — systolic blood pressure under 110mmHg — they are twice as likely to experience a fall or faint as patients whose treated blood pressure remains 110mmHg and above. This research […]

Health News

Exercise shown to improve symptoms of patients with chronic kidney disease: Leicester’s Hospitals and University of Leicester lead research into CKD

Just 12 weeks of aerobic and strength-based exercise reduces symptoms and levels of fatigue in patients with chronic kidney disease, a study in Leicester has found. The study was carried out by Leicester’s Hospitals and University of Leicester Kidney Lifestyle Team, led by Professor Alice Smith. The researchers randomly divided 36 non-dialysis patients with chronic […]

Health News

Can radar replace stethoscopes? Procedure for touch-free monitoring of heart sounds

In conjunction with researchers at Brandenburg University of Technology (BTU) in Cottbus and the Department of Palliative Medicine at Universitätsklinikum Erlangen, electronic engineers at Friedrich-Alexander-Universität Erlangen-Nürnberg (FAU) have developed a procedure for reliably detecting and diagnosing heart sounds using radar. In future, mobile radar devices could replace conventional stethoscopes and permanent touch-free monitoring of patients’ […]

Health News

Over-the-counter drugs, dietary supplements and their effect on lab test results: Patients’ reluctance to disclose OTC drug use can lead to inaccurate test results

Over-the-counter (OTC) drugs and dietary supplements are widely used and popular, with US households spending an average of almost USD 350 annually on OTC products. In 2006 an average of EUR 67.50 was spent per person on OTC products in Germany. The use of various OTC drugs and dietary supplements is highly prevalent in Europe […]