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New Tools help cut post-surgery infections January 2010 Two new studies in the New England Journal of Medicine are offering new ideas for preventing the thousands of post-surgery infections that affect patients in Canada every year. One study looked at a new form of antiseptic that is applied right before the first incision, and appears superior to the iodine typically used today. The other looked at swabbing the noses of surgery patients to test for bacteria, and then treating them for infection before starting surgery. Infections that develop during or soon after hospital care are one of the top 10 leading causes of death nationwide. Each year, between 8,000 and 12,000 Canadians die because of hospital-acquired infections. While current methods to stop the spread of superbugs have focused on encouraging hospital staff to be more attentive to sanitizing, patients can also be contaminated by the germs they carry on their own bodies. In the first study, U.S. researchers looked at 849 patients who were having surgeries with a moderate risk for infection, at six U.S. hospitals. Half the patients had their incision area cleaned with the commonly used povidone-iodine scrub, while the other half had a mixture of chlorhexidine and alcohol used. (Both are common ingredients in mouthwash.) -- read the full article at CTV News – Health. Sugary pop nearly doubles pancreatic cancer risk February, 2010 Drinking two or more soft drinks per week nearly doubles a person's risk of developing pancreatic cancer, concludes a huge new study released Monday. Researchers examined the health risks among those who drink sugar-sweetened carbonated drinks, versus those who don't consume these beverages. Lead researcher Mark Pereira of the Division of Epidemiology and Community Health at the University of Minnesota led a team who followed the health of 60,524 men and women in Singapore. They calculated how much juice and soda the participants drank on average and followed them for 14 years to see how many developed cancer. |
 Knowing the facts is the best preparation for H1N1. Accessing accurate and reliable information is important. Visit the Public Health Agency of Canada at their website. www.phac-aspc.gc.ca
Pancreatic cancer is one of the most deadly forms of cancer, and only five per cent of people who are diagnosed are known to survive five years later, according to the American Cancer Society. About 3,900 Canadians were diagnosed with pancreatic cancer last year. Globally, that number is about 230,000. -- read the full article at CTV News – Health. |
Migraines appear more common in women with MS February 2010 Women with multiple sclerosis are more likely to suffer from migraine headaches than those without the illness, say researchers. But that doesn't mean that migraine sufferers should be worried about developing MS. But the authors caution that the results don't mean that migraine sufferers are destined to develop MS, which affects an estimated 55,000 to 75,000 Canadians. "While having a history of migraine diagnosis was linked to MS, women with migraine need to know that over 99 per cent of them will never develop MS," said neurologist and study author Dr. Ilya Kister, of the New York University School of Medicine. "Thus, having migraine should definitely not be a reason to worry about getting MS." Kister said more research is needed, since it's still not known whether migraine is a risk factor for developing MS, if it is one of the early symptoms of MS, or if it is a condition that occurs at the same time as MS. -- read the full article at CTV News – Health. ASA increases chance of breast cancer survival: study February 2010 Breast cancer survivors who regularly take acetylsalicylic acid may be less likely to see their cancer return, a new study suggests. The study of more than 4,000 nurses with breast cancer, published Tuesday in the Journal of Clinical Oncology, showed that those who took ASA -- most often to prevent heart disease -- had a 50 per cent lower risk of dying from breast cancer and a 50 per cent lower risk that the cancer would return or spread. ASA -- more commonly known in Canada by the brand name Aspirin -- is a medication used to relieve minor aches and pains and as an anti-inflammatory. According to Health Canada, trans fats should account for no more than five per cent of a food product's total fat content. For cooking oils and soft margarines, it should be no more than two per cent. -- read the full article at CTV News – Health. |
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