Laparascopic repair of ventral hernias has advanced and overcome many challenges during the past two decades, and patients who are obese, diabetic, and have a hernia no larger than 10 cm in width are best suited for this evolving minimally invasive approach. New types of…

Tetanus-diphtheria-acellular pertussis (Tdap) vaccine is recommended for all pregnant women in the U.S. as the key medical intervention to protect newborn infants from pertussis (whooping cough). However, the safety of giving the Tdap vaccine to pregnant women has not been fully determined. According to a…

Children who start to walk and jump earlier are more likely to have stronger bones later on in life, research shows.A study, published in the Journal of Bone and Mineral Research, has demonstrated an association between children’s abilities in common movements like jumping, running and…

A review of nine observational studies found evidence supporting an increased risk of heart attacks in patients taking antipsychotic drugs. The review expands previous knowledge by demonstrating an increased and more pronounced risk in short-term users of these medications.

Chemical found in some plastics could increase risk of obesity, study finds Benzyl butyl phthalate (BBP), a chemical commonly used in the food manufacturing process, can increase fat stores in the body even before we’re born, according to a new study published in the Journal…

Intensive therapies to reduce high blood pressure can cut the risk of heart disease in older adults without increasing the risk for falls, according to doctors at Wake Forest Baptist Medical Center.In the United States, 75 percent of people over age 75 have hypertension, which…

A drug commonly used to treat pain, epilepsy, anxiety and other brain health disorders may be associated with an increased risk of major birth defects, according to a study published in the May 18, 2016, online issue of Neurology®, the medical journal of the American…

Study featured in the American College of Sports Medicine finds exercise has significant impact on fat tissue, metabolism and gut microbes Two factors—metabolism and gut microbes – have been credited by researchers as key players in the fight against obesity. However, there is an ongoing…

Therapeutic hypnosis is an effective and safe complementary technique in surgery and the treatment of irritable bowel syndrome. This is the conclusion of a systematic review by Winfried Häuser and his co-authors in the latest issue of Deutsches Ärzteblatt International (Dtsch Arztebl Int 2016; 113:…

Urine tests should not be used to measure dehydration among the elderly – according to new research from the University of East Anglia (UEA).Water-loss dehydration happens when people don’t drink enough fluid. Urine tests are widely used by medics, nurses and other health professionals to…

Scientists have shown that ketamine is far more effective than the more commonly used haloperidol for treating highly-agitated patients prior to hospitalisation. Patients were sedated in five minutes on average when treated with ketamine – 12 minutes faster than the average sedation time using haloperidol….

European Society of Cardiology (ESC) Guidelines for the diagnosis and treatment of acute and chronic heart failure are published in European Heart Journal and the European Journal of Heart Failure, and presented at Heart Failure 2016 and the 3rd World Congress on Acute Heart Failure.Around…