Hamilton, ON (Aug. 29, 2021) – A combination therapy of aspirin, statins and at least two blood pressure medications given in fixed doses can slash the risk of fatal cardiovascular disease (CVD) by more than half, says an international study led by Hamilton researchers. The fixed-dose combination (FDC) therapies were examined both with and without aspirin...
Month: <span>September 2021</span>
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4 in 1 blood pressure pill: Safe and much more effective than usual hypertension treatment
by University of Sydney Credit: Pixabay/CC0 Public Domain High blood pressure is the world’s leading killer but poor rates of blood pressure control remain common. A new strategy where patients are started on a pill containing four medicines, each at a quarter of their usual doses, has been shown to be much more effective in getting...
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Cancer’s ‘Achilles’ heel’ discovered by scientists
ANCOUVER, British Columbia — Scientists may be one step closer to defeating cancer after finding what researchers at the University of British Columbia call the disease’s “Achilles’ heel.” Their study has uncovered a protein that fuels tumors when oxygen levels are low. It enables the cancerous growths to adapt and survive and become more aggressive. The enzyme, called...
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AstraZeneca hails trial results for COVID treatment
Credit: Unsplash/CC0 Public Domain Drug firm AstraZeneca on Friday announced positive results from a trial of a treatment for COVID-19 symptoms. The drug, made from a combination of two antibodies, was initially developed as a treatment for those who had already been exposed to the disease. A new trial of 5,197 participants who had not been...
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YouTube’s Plan to Showcase Credible Health Information Is Flawed, Experts Warn
By Grant Currin on August 27, 2021 YouTube’s new strategy aims to elevate credible health information. Credit: Getty Images When someone searches YouTube for a health-related term such as “COVID-19,” most results will now prominently feature content from government agencies and health care organizations that the platform trusts to provide reliable information. The World Health Organization, the Mayo Clinic...
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Alcohol can cause immediate risk of atrial fibrillation
by University of California, San Francisco Credit: Pixabay/CC0 Public Domain A single glass of wine can quickly—significantly—raise the drinker’s risk for atrial fibrillation, according to new research by UC San Francisco. The study provides the first evidence that alcohol consumption substantially increases the chance of the heart rhythm condition occurring within a few hours. The findings...
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Autistic individuals have increased risk of COVID-19
by Drexel University Credit: CC0 Public Domain Autistic adults, adults with intellectual disability, and adults with mental health diagnoses have multiple risk factors for infection with COVID-19 and for experiencing more severe disease if they contract COVID-19, according to research from the A.J. Drexel Autism Institute at Drexel University. Identifying risk factors for COVID-19 among autistic...
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Got a child with COVID at home? Here’s how to look after them
by Brendan McMullan, Philip Britton, The Conversation Credit: Shutterstock The Delta variant is more infectious and is leading to more COVID-19 cases in children than previous strains. Many parents are wondering whether Delta is making kids sicker, and how to care for their children if they get COVID. It can be a nerve-racking time for parents, but there...
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Research finds few US workers aware of COVID sick leave protections
by E.c. Barrett, Cornell University Credit: Unsplash/CC0 Public Domain Even with federal provisions aimed at protecting workers, instances of sick people being unable to take time off tripled during the pandemic and fewer than half of workers were aware that emergency COVID-19 sick leave was available, new Cornell research has found. In the study, “Awareness and...
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Why sports concussions are worse for women
As women’s soccer, rugby and other sports gain popularity, scientists are racing to understand how the female brain responds to head injury. Football players jump for a header at a UEFA women’s Champions League match in Décines-Charpieu, France, in March 2019. Credit: Jeff Pachoud/AFP/Getty Liz Williams was standing pitchside at a women’s rugby match, and...