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Antipsychotic medication use in Ontario nursing home residences
If you are a resident in a nursing home, what is the likelihood you will be prescribed an antipsychotic medication based on a clear indication that it is a required therapy? This question was addressed in an ICES study that looked at the prescribing rates in different Ontario nursing residences. The results published this month…
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Possible link between a specific bacterial strain and depression
Depression will affect up to 25 per cent of Canadians during there lifetimes. There are different hypotheses that try to explain why depression rate seems to be increasing from sociological factors to improved detection and diagnoses and one’s environment. When we talk about the person’s environment, we tend to think of life stresses, traumatic life…
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Risk of recurrent head injuries in children
What is the risk of a child who suffers a head injury to suffer a subsequent head injury? A study, published in the April, 2007 issue of the journal Pediatrics, sought to answer this question? Dr. Bonnie Swaine, PhD., Associate Professor, Physiotherapy Program, School of Rehabilitation in the Faculty of Medicine at the University of…
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The Canadian contribution to the US physician workforce
A study, The Canadian contribution to the US physician workforce published in the April 10, 2007 edition of the Canadian Medical Association Journal (CMAJ) shows that one in nine trained-in-Canada physicians practices in the United States and clearly illustrates the hurdles faced by governments trying to stem the shortage of physicians in their provinces. Dr.…
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Exceeding our recommended daily salt limits
How much table salt do you consume each day? What are the short and long term health consequences of excessive salt intake? A study by Statistics Canada published this week in Health Reports has determined the majority of Canadian men and women exceed the upper recommended limit. Most Canadians consume far more salt in their…
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CT angiography efficacy in chest pain assessment
Cardiovascular disease is the number one cause of death in Canada. When a person presents to the emergency room with chest pain a battery of tests and monitoring are done to determine if the patient is experiencing a heart attack. For some patients, these tests are not conclusive but doctors are reluctant to let them…
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Pharmacists gain right to prescribe in Alberta
Under the new Alberta Government Pharmacy and Drug Act that came into force April 2, 2007, patients running low on prescription drugs will be able to get an emergency refill from their local pharmacy. The Alberta Government’s intention is to help improve access to drug treatment by expanding the role of the province’s pharmacists and…
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Improving cardiovascular disease risk assessment for women
One of the challenges has been to accurately predict a person’s risk of heart attack and stroke. Various risk calculators have been developed based on 50 years of research. With each revision of the tools used to calculate heart disease and stroke risk, new evidenced-based information is added to improve its accuracy and prevent disease.…