Howard Wolinsky is a medical journalist in Flossmoor, Ill., who knows better than to go forward with potentially life-changing surgery without first seeking a second opinion. Nine years ago, at age 63, when a PSA blood test followed by a biopsy revealed cancer in his prostate gland, the diagnosing urologist said he could operate to…
Hotter and longer heat waves might increase the rate of preterm birth, new research suggests. Birth before 37 weeks of gestation is a leading cause of infant illness and death. The reasons for it are multiple and complex, but some previous studies have found evidence that one contributor could be extreme hot weather. This new…
Losing an hour’s sleep at the spring change to daylight saving time is at best inconvenient. Now new research suggests that it may be dangerous. A study in Current Biology reports that the risk of having a fatal traffic accident increases significantly in the week following the spring clock reset. Researchers used a federal government…
Cases of potentially deadly brain damage as a result of stroke could be reduced after new research identified a pathway in the brain that causes swelling, and which responds to an innovative treatment. Research led by the University of Exeter, and published in Nature Communications, has discovered how a malfunction in the way key proteins…
A practice article provides 5 things to know on how drugs can interact with cannabinoids in CMAJ (Canadian Medical Association Journal). 1. The antifungal drug ketoconazole was shown to nearly double cannabinoid levels. Similar effects might be seen with commonly used drugs, such as macrolide antibiotics, increasing the chance of cannabinoid-related adverse effects. 2.…
As Canada’s population grows and ages, the cancer burden will remain high and even increase in 2020, according to a study on projected cancer rates published in CMAJ (Canadian Medical Association Journal). Nearly 1 in 2 Canadians are expected to receive a diagnosis of cancer in their lifetime, and cancer is the leading cause of…
New direct-acting antiviral therapies are highly effective at eliminating the Hepatitis C virus infection, according to a systematic evidence review by researchers at Oregon Health & Science University. The review, published today in the Journal of the American Medical Association, informed a new recommendation by the U.S. Preventive Health Task Force for universal screening of…
Innovative, Indigenous-led health care partnerships and cultural healing practices have shown improved health outcomes and access to care, and have become important features of the medical landscape in Canada, according to a new analysis in CMAJ (Canadian Medical Association Journal). Indigenous-led heath care partnerships incorporate traditional Indigenous knowledge as key in their approach to treatment…
Plexin-B2, an axon guidance protein in the central nervous system (CNS), plays an important role in wound healing and neural repair following spinal cord injury (SCI), according to research conducted at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai and published today in Nature Neuroscience. The study’s findings could aid the development of therapies that…
ROCHESTER, Minn. — Chronic pain affects a large proportion of older adults and most long-term care residents. Managing chronic pain effectively is essential but challenging, and it has been complicated by concerns about opioid abuse. Pain management can be safely optimized with a plan that balances the risks and benefits of treatments, according to a…