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Data show that HIV-infected older people not taking HAART have double the risk of death

HIV is often regarded as a disease of young people, due to its status as a drug-related or sexually transmitted disease. However, the number of people over age 50 who are infected with HIV is significant--and growing--according to an article in the Sept. 15 issue of Clinical Infectious Diseases, now available online.

30 Aug 2005

Better management of asthma possible

Better management of asthma in the community is not only possible, but has the potential to reduce the impact of the disease on people’s lives, according to a report by the Australian Centre for Asthma Monitoring (ACAM) , a collaborating unit of the Australian Institute of Health and Welfare.

30 Aug 2005

Vitamin D puts a brake on activated macrophages - newly discovered mechanism keeps inflammation under control

When macrophages, the first line defender cells of the immune system become activated, they produce an inhibitor, which acts back on them to suppress their activity.

29 Aug 2005

Before hitting the beach, learn the signs of skin cancer

With summer coming to a close, the American Society for Therapeutic Radiology and Oncology has published a new brochure to help the public understand the signs and symptoms of skin cancer as well as learn the treatment options for the disease.

29 Aug 2005

Acupuncture relieves symptoms of fibromyalgia

Fibromyalgia patients treated with six sessions of acupuncture experienced significant symptomatic improvement compared to a group given simulated acupuncture sessions according to a new Mayo Clinic study.

25 Aug 2005

Appropriate tests need to be done earlier for ovarian cancer

A new study to be published in the journal CANCER in October has found that many women diagnosed with ovarian cancer actually complained of symptoms of the disease at least four months before they were diagnosed.

23 Aug 2005

Women think very rationally about breast cancer surgery from their own perspectives

When a woman is diagnosed with breast cancer, her top priority is to get the cancer out and reduce the odds that it will ever return. But for some women just getting the cancer out doesn't feel like enough.

22 Aug 2005

Detailed picture of migraines

Every eight adult Swede suffers from migraine. Using a new method, researchers at Göteborg have managed for the first time ever to provide a detailed picture of an untreated attack. This will be of great significance for the development of new forms of treatment.

22 Aug 2005

Chicken pox vaccination has decreased hospitalizations and doctor visits over the last 10 years

Since the introduction of the varicella (chicken pox) vaccine in 1995, hospitalizations and doctor visits because of chicken pox have dropped dramatically, according to a study in the August 17 issue of JAMA: The Journal of the American Medical Association.

18 Aug 2005

Mission to teach patients about modern treatments for sinusitis

Coughing, headaches, fatigue, post-nasal drip and intense pressure throughout the face. For millions of Americans, these aren't just the side effects of a short bout with the flu, but what they experience every day living with sinusitis.

16 Aug 2005

How patients deal with disparities in patient medical care

A new pilot study out of the University of Cincinnati takes a new look at how patients deal with disparities in patient medical care – disparities that have been documented in hundreds of studies in the past.

16 Aug 2005

Complications from angioplasty much lower among patients whose doctors perform a large number of those procedures each year

Before patients get their clogged heart arteries re-opened, they may want to ask their doctor just how many such procedures he or she has done, a new study finds. The answer may make a big difference in each patient's risk of suffering a major setback before leaving the hospital.

15 Aug 2005

Australia needs consistent uniform national abortion laws to protect women and doctors

Australian Medical Association (AMA) President, Dr Mukesh Haikerwal, said today that the charging of a doctor in NSW with manslaughter and procuring an unlawful abortion sends a clear warning to all doctors and women that they must fully understand the law in their State and Territory in regard to the termination of pregnancies.

15 Aug 2005

Leading British doctor says free NHS is unsustainable

One of Britain's most senior doctors says that the National Health Service (NHS) in the UK is unsustainable and needs to be reformed.

14 Aug 2005

Infusion nurses examine need for standards of practice in immunoglobulin therapy

A review article published in the July/August 2005 Journal of Infusion Nursing examines the need for established treatment guidelines to support doctors and nurses in correctly dosing and administering intravenous immunoglobulin (IVIG) as replacement therapy in patients with primary immunodeficiency (PI) disorders, who do not produce adequate levels of antibodies essential in fighting infectious diseases.

13 Aug 2005

Standardized guidelines for stroke care offer improved outcomes and fewer complications

Patients suffering from a stroke are more likely to have improved outcomes and fewer complications when hospitals use standardized guidelines for stroke care during a patient's admission and discharge from the hospital, according to a study led by researchers at UCSF Medical Center.

11 Aug 2005

Morning after pill - FDA must decide by September

Apparently federal health officials will soon decide whether to allow the sale of emergency contraception without a prescription.

10 Aug 2005

Quality of the doctor-patient relationship can greatly affect patients' medication use

Patients who trust their doctors are more likely to stick to their prescription medicines, even if they face high out-of-pocket costs, a new study finds. But patients who have lower levels of trust in their physicians, or who have depression-like symptoms, are much more likely to skip doses or refills when costs become a problem for them.

10 Aug 2005

New study says HRT risks far lower

Women battling to deal with the miserable effects of the menopause, will be even more confused by the release of a new Australian study, which says that a woman's risk of developing breast cancer after taking hormone replacement therapy (HRT) might be lower than previously thought.

7 Aug 2005

Australian doctors are well connected to information technology in their practices

Australian Medical Association (AMA) President, Dr Mukesh Haikerwal, said this week that doctors are well connected to information technology in their practices, with over 90 per cent of GPs using electronic prescribing and communications systems.

4 Aug 2005