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New surgical treatment for cervical degenerative disc disease
Degenerative Disk Disease is a common painful condition experienced by many for whom treatments are limited by the anatomy of the spine. The FDA’s Orthopedic and Rehabilitation Devices advisory panel announced the approval of a new medical device late last year; a Cervical Disc System designed to alleviate some of the symptoms of cervical disk…
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Verbal repetition as an early sign of dementia
We tend to associate Alzheimer’s disease with progressive memory impairment. Forgetfulness, a common symptom, is one of several indicators of cognitive decline. A new Canadian survey of caregivers of Alzheimer’s disease patients found the most common symptom identified next to forgetfulness was verbal repetition, which has been shown to be an early sign of dementia.…
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Does it matter where a woman source of calcium comes from?
Does it matter where a woman source of calcium comes from? Does it make a difference for bone health? This question was posed by Washington University researchers in a study published in the May 2007 issue of the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition. Dr. Reina Armamento-Villareal, assistant professor of medicine in the Division of Bone…
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Frostbite treatment with clot-busting drug tPA
People with frostbite who were treated with a clot-busting drug typically used in stroke patients had fewer amputations than those who were not. Dr. Amalia Cochran, Assistant Professor, Faculty of General Surgery at the University of Utah Health Sciences Centre
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Asthma risk in children with antibiotic use during infancy
Antibiotics play a pivotal role fighting pathologic bacterial infections. However, there use is being redefined for some conditions. For example, the standard of care in some countries for treating middle ear infections in children is to treat the pain and wait a few days because it can resolve on its own. This prevents bacterial resistance…
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CMA president discusses Medicare Plus
This week, the CMA issued a proposal to help correct some of the problems in our health care system. The plan entitled Medicare Plus envisions cooperation between public and private providers of health care services to better serve the needs of Canadians. Predictably, the bipolar nature of the debate has elicited strong statements on both…
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Canada’s Drug Price Paradox 2007
What is the true cost of prescription medications in Canada compared to other countries? It is generally assumed that the cost of prescription medications is increasing at a rapid rate. Governments looking for ways to control spending may not be saving as much as they could according to a new study, Canada’s Drug Price Paradox…
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Initiation of benzodiazepines in the elderly after hospitalization
Many people have difficulty sleeping in hospitals. Noisy wards to visits to the loss of a person’s lack daily routine are some of the contributing factors to insomnia. A new ICES study, Initiation of benzodiazepines in the elderly after hospitalization, in the July 2007 issue of the Journal of General Internal Medicine looked at prescribing…
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New molecule marker may help predict heart disease risk
Several months ago we talked with Dr. Paul Ridker about his study of heart disease risk markers in women that contributed to the development of the Reynolds Risk Score using C-reactive protein as a marker or indicator of the ten-year risk of developing a heart attack. Research into the prevention of cardiovascular disease continues apace.…
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