“Impact of air pollution on health may be far worse than thought,” reports The Guardian. Air pollution by what is known as fine particulate matter has been linked to increased risks of several conditions, including heart attacks, strokes and breathing difficulties. Fine particulate matter are tiny particles of solid and liquid pollutants smaller than 2.5
“One-off ketamine dose may reduce heavy drinking, say scientists,” reports The Guardian. In an experimental study, researchers used a single injection of the drug ketamine to disrupt the pleasurable memories that heavy drinkers associated with drinking alcohol. Previous studies have shown that ketamine can disrupt, or “rewrite”, stored memories. So the researchers wanted to see
“Air pollution linked to condition that causes blindness in major UK study,” says The Independent, as a new study looking at links between exposure to air pollution and glaucoma has been published. Glaucoma is an eye condition where the pressure in the eyeball builds up. This causes compression and damage to the optic nerve at
“Induction recommended for women still pregnant at 41 weeks,” reports The Guardian. Most women give birth when they are around 37 to 40 weeks pregnant. After this time, the chance of problems begins to rise. If a woman in the UK has not given birth after 41 weeks of pregnancy, most will be offered an
“Statins do NOT cause memory loss despite fears they could harm cognitive health,” reports the Mail Online. Statins are widely prescribed to lower cholesterol in people at risk of a heart attack or stroke. However, some people have reported problems with memory or thinking abilities (cognition) after starting statins. Previous trials of statins did not
“Smokers can improve the health of their hearts within weeks of switching to e-cigarettes, the largest trial of its kind shows,” BBC News reports. The number of people using e-cigarettes, or vaping, has grown rapidly over the past decade and they have helped many people to give up smoking cigarettes. However, as e-cigarettes have only
“Blood test for sepsis could save lives of thousands of children,” reports the Mail Online. Researchers in the US have developed a test for 5 proteins, which they say allows them to identify people with sepsis who have a high, medium or low risk of dying from the condition. They hope this will eventually help
“Kids become dramatically less active over their years at primary school, study warns.” This is the headline from The Sun reporting on a study of more than 2,000 children from primary schools in and around Bristol. Physical activity is important for physical and mental health. UK recommendations are that children aged 5 to 18 should
Today Mail Online reported that hiccups help babies to control their breathing. This follows a study in which 13 newborn babies who were hiccupping had their brain monitored using an EEG (electroencephalogram), which records electrical activity in the brain. The study was based on the working knowledge that when muscles contract they send feedback signals
“Can’t sleep? Insomnia means you’re at risk of heart attack and stroke,” warns The Sun. Insomnia is a common problem. Symptoms can include trouble getting to sleep, trouble staying asleep or waking too early, and this can make it hard to focus during the day. The condition is often linked to anxiety or stress. A
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