(Canadian Press) — Patients whose emergency surgeries are delayed due to a lack of operating room resources have an increased risk of death or a need for extra recovery time in hospital, a Canadian study suggests.

Researchers at the Ottawa Hospital found surgical delays for patients with serious injuries or life-threatening conditions  …

(Amy Norton, HealthDay News) — When people work the night shift, their bodies might have less capacity to repair everyday damage to cells’ DNA, a small study hints.

The research found that people excreted lower levels of a chemical called 8-OH-dG when they worked at night. That might be a sign that the body’s ability to repair  …

“Not only does gluten not cause heart disease in the general population, but people who go gluten-free seem to actually be putting themselves at an increased risk of heart disease, insofar as it means eating fewer whole grains,” says James Hamblin, MD, a senior editor at The Atlantic.

“This discovery is among   …

The majority of people with conjunctivitis have a viral form that does not respond to antibiotics, CBC reports. “People with red, itchy eyes and light sensitivity from pink eye are often prescribed antibiotic eye drops that are rarely needed and in some cases prolong symptoms, according to ophthalmology researchers in   …

Biologists at McGill University say that if there is a limit to how old human can live, they haven’t found it.

“We just don’t know what the age limit might be,” Siegfried Hekimi told CBC. “In fact, by extending trend lines, we can show that maximum and average lifespans could continue to increase far into  …

According to Toronto Star medical columnist Dr Nicole Anderson, many older adults mistakenly interpret normal effects of ageing on memory for the onset of Alzheimer’s. While forgetting the names of one’s loved ones may be a sign of dementia, forgetting the names of acquaintances is pretty normal for anyone over 40, she writes.  …

According to Time Magazine, the reason why a summer cold may feel so much worse than the winter variety is mostly psychological.

“My view is that severity [of a summer cold] is perceived as worse than a winter cold because summer colds are not so common,” says Dr. Ronald Eccles, professor emeritus and former director of the Common Cold Centre  …

The province is hoping to save Quebec prescription drug users $300 million a year by forcing manufacturers to pitch their products to the health ministry rather than to individual pharmacies, CBC reports.

“We think that we’re paying too much for generic drugs in Canada,” Quebec Health Minister Gaétan Barrette  …

“Amid criticism that Canada’s Food Guide was influenced too heavily by industry and too little by solid research,” the Canadian Nurse website notes that “Health Canada is conducting a comprehensive revision of the guide as part of a broader strategy for healthy eating in Canada.”

“The current food guide  …