Heartburn is a signature symptom of gastro-oesophageal reflux disease (GORD), which is a cluster of symptoms and signs associated with regurgitation of stomach acid up to the pharynx and mouth. Patient-based studies of GORD have shown high prevalence and chronicity, particularly in Western societies. GORD is associated with significant health-care utilisation and diminished quality of life. [To
Whether or not you know any high school students that actually get nine hours of sleep each night, that’s what federal guidelines currently prescribe. A new Brigham Young University study found that 16-18 year olds perform better academically when they shave about two hours off that recommendation. “We’re not talking about sleep deprivation,” says study author
Many people are addicted to medicines – and it’s often the over-the-counter medicines that can be bought without prescription. Medicines that can be bought in this way and that may be addictive include the following: Medicines and cough syrups containing codeine Slimming remedies containing ephedrine and/or amphetamine Although men and women can both become addicted
Why do heavy coffee drinkers have a lower risk of developing type 2 diabetes, a disease on the increase around the world that can lead to serious health problems? Scientists are offering a new solution to that long-standing mystery in a report in ACS’ Journal of Agricultural & Food Chemistry. Ling Zheng, Kun Huang and colleagues explain that previous
A saliva test used to diagnose the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV), is comparable in accuracy to the traditional blood test, according to a new study led by the Research Institute of the McGill University Health Centre (RI-MUHC) and McGill University. The meta-analysis, which compared studies worldwide, showed that the saliva HIV test, OraQuick HIV1/2, had the same
Grief over the death of a loved one can cause a huge spike in a person’s risk of heart attack, especially in the early days after the loss, said a US study. The research tracked nearly 2,000 adults who survived a heart attack and found that among those who had just lost a loved one,
We all make many good resolutions at the start of a New Year, but, being human, most of our earnest resolutions probably will not be kept. Within a week, or two or three of 2012, you may well find that you have broken your resolve. Rest assured that you will not be alone! When it
The HIV-prevalence among pregnant women in the country has increased from 29.4% to 30.2%, Health Minister Aaron Motsoaledi said in Pretoria. “We’re still far from winning the war, but we are getting somewhere,” Motsoaledi said, releasing the National Antenatal Sentinel HIV and Syphilis Prevalence survey. It was made public eight months later than expected. Motsoaledi said there
With record levels of student stress reported in a recent UCLA survey, can a simple stress-reducing meditation technique be a viable solution? A new study published in the Journal of Instructional Psychology found the Transcendental Meditation (TM) technique significantly decreased psychological distress in public school students. The study, conducted with at-risk minority secondary school students, showed a 36 percent reduction in overall
The Pharmaceutical Industry Association of South Africa (PIASA) has welcomed the findings of the Council for Medical Schemes (CMS) annual report 2010/2011 which support the view that medicines are not a key cost driver in the private healthcare funding environment. Less encouraging, however, is the pattern whereby patients are increasingly carrying the burden of their