Medical conditions

HRT linked with increased stroke risk, conclude Cochrane reviewers

HRT has little if any benefit in the prevention of cardiovascular disease and causes an increase in the risk of stroke and venous thromboembolic events.…

Epileptic seizure: urgent action

Find out what to do if a patient experiences an epileptic seizure in our step-by-step guide.…

Obtaining consent from patients is not always straightforward

How do you obtain consent when the patient is unable to give it?…

Finnish study explores association between statin use and diabetes

Researchers have shown that statin use increases the risk of type 2 diabetes and suggest that the higher risk is due to decreases in insulin sensitivity and insulin secretion.…

Psychosis may have immune-mediated cause, study suggests

A study of children with a first episode of psychosis reveals that a subset produced specific autoantibodies, supporting the involvement of immune-mediated mechanisms.…

Paediatric antipsychotic prescribing guidelines are not adhered to, study suggests

Best practice guidelines for treating children and adolescents with antipsychotics are only followed around half of the time, according to research published in Pediatrics.…

Paroxetine improves symptoms of heart failure in mice

The selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor (SSRI) paroxetine inhibits G-protein-coupled receptor kinase 2, an enzyme that hastens the onset of heart failure.…

Low and high levels of vitamin D associated with cardiovascular deaths, study suggests

The association between cardiovascular disease mortality and vitamin D levels has been investigated in an observational study.…

Reformulated OxyContin reduces abuse but many addicts have switched to heroin

Reformulation of OxyContin into an abuse-deterrent formula has reduced its illicit use but has caused people to switch to other opioid drugs, a US study finds.…

Zoledronic acid ‘patient card’ would reduce risk of bone tissue death

Use of a patient reminder card has been recommended by a committee of the European Medicines Agency to minimise the risk of jaw osteonecrosis associated with zoledronic acid.…