U.S. study finds ‘no clear rationale’ for 45% of antibiotic prescriptions
(Robert Preidt/ HealthDay) — Nearly half of antibiotic prescriptions for U.S. Medicaid patients appear to be inappropriate, new research suggests.
That kind of overprescribing raises risks for everyone, experts say, as bacteria gain more chances to mutate around the life-saving drugs.
For the study, researchers analyzed 298 million …
Massive cancer genome study shows DNA errors can lurk for years before other signs emerge
(Tom Hale/ IFL Science) — A gigantic new project has sequenced the genomes of dozens of cancers, revealing an unprecedented look into the fundamental nature of cancer. Among the research’s many fresh insights, it revealed that the genetic glitches responsible for cancer can sometimes appear years or decades before any other signs …
This is how Yale researchers say to approach the Keto diet
(CW Headley/ Ladders) — The Keto diet has managed to break out of its label as the latest trendy diet because of its proven rate of success with weight loss.
However, a new study conducted by a team of Yale researchers addresses the potential setbacks associated with adopting the Keto diet long-term with the help of mouse models.
The report, …
Smart bandage changes color to indicate infection – and fights it
(Michael Irving/ New Atlas) – Bacteria are fast evolving resistance to antibiotics, and it takes time to figure out if a particular infection is drug-resistant or not.
Now, researchers from the Chinese Academy of Sciences have developed a smart bandage that changes color to signal the presence of either drug-resistant or drug-sensitive …
Canadians seeing more doctors after hours but electronic medical-record use lags behind
(Canadian Press) — Family doctors in Canada are providing increased access to care compared with most of their counterparts in 10 other countries but still lag behind when it comes to using electronic medical records, findings of a survey show.
The Commonwealth Fund Survey also found few doctors can share patients’ lab and diagnostic …
U.S. FDA just approved its first drug to treat peanut allergies in kids
(Ellen Cranley/ Science Alert) —The US Food and Drug Administration approved a drug to treat life-threatening allergic reactions for the approximately 1 million children in the US with peanut allergies.
The drug, Palforzia, can be used by children aged between 4 and 17 years old to mitigate potentially deadly reactions to peanut exposure. …
1,000 patients a day left Quebec emergency rooms last year without being treated: study
(CTV News) — More than 1,000 patients a day left Quebec emergency rooms last year without seeing a doctor because of overcrowding and lengthy wait times, according to a new study.
Some 380,000 patients, many of them with urgent health issues, simply gave up and left without being treated, according to the study produced by the Montreal …
Having a bigger brain doesn’t mean you’ll have better memory
(Ben Renner/ Study Finds) — When it comes to certain areas of the brain, bigger isn’t always better. According to a study at Michigan State University, a larger hippocampus does not always mean an older adult has strong learning or memory skills, or is immune to cognitive decline.
Research has long shown that the hippocampus shrinks as …
Miscarriage trauma can last far longer than we realized
(Catherine Pearson/ HuffPost.ca) — Rachel Whalen’s first miscarriage happened fast. Six and a half weeks into her pregnancy, she took a test. Two days later, she started to bleed.
“It was just a really lonely experience and I was scared,” Whalen, now 34, told HuffPost. “Then I was also kind of like, ‘Am I being silly to feel this way?’” She …