health $wellness blog

Women have a four times higher risk of dying from cardiovascular disease if they have an infection with a high-risk strain of the human papillomavirus (HPV), according to research published in the European Heart Journal. HPV is a very common infection and high-risk strains are known to cause cervical cancer. Previous research has suggested that HPV may also contribute to the build-up of dangerous plaque in the arteries. However, this is the first study to show a link between high-risk HPV infection and deaths from cardiovascular disease. The research was led by Professors Seungho Ryu, Yoosoo Chang and Hae Suk Cheong from the Sungkyunkwan University School of Medicine, Seoul, Korea. Prof. Ryu said “Despite remarkable advances in controlling well-known risk factors for heart disease – such as smoking, high cholesterol, hypertension, and diabetes – heart disease continues to be a major cause of death. Interestingly, these conventional risk factors don't explain all heart disease ca...

In a groundbreaking effort to allay concerns surrounding the safety of COVID-19 vaccination during pregnancy, a recent population-based cohort study, covering all infants born in Sweden and Norway from June 2021 to January 2023, has delivered reassuring findings. With a specific focus on evaluating potential risks of neonatal adverse events after maternal COVID-19 vaccination, the study, involving an impressive 196,470 newborns, brought forth compelling findings. The study results were published in the journal JAMA Network. Also Read:  High maternal cortisol, associated with unpredicted birth complications COVID-19 vaccination during pregnancy, recommended by various authorities, demonstrates reduced rates of infection in pregnant individuals and infants. Concerns persist, prompting a detailed study on neonatal safety, especially cerebrovascular outcomes. Hence, researchers conducted a population-based cohort study to evaluate the risks of neonatal adverse events after exposu...

Assam- The Public Works (Buildings and NH) Department (PWD) in Assam is actively working on the construction of a new medical college and hospital in the Morigaon district of Assam. This endeavour is to meet the increasing demand for health facilities in the state of Assam. This project involves the acquisition of a land parcel spanning 31.28 acres, accommodating a construction area of 1,062,333 square feet. The medical college and hospital have been constructed at an estimated cost of Rs 596 crore. Also Read:  Assam govt releases budget for eight new medical colleges Apart from this, the medical college and hospital infrastructure will be constructed with modern facilities. This encompasses a 430-bed teaching hospital, academic block, hostels for both girls and boys, residential blocks, and other allied facilities. Talking about the hostels, there will be a capacity of 250 for both Undergraduate (UG) boys and girls, and 50 for intern boys and girls. Furthermore, the nurs...

People who have had the herpes virus at some point in their lives are twice as likely to develop dementia compared to those who have never been infected. A new study from Uppsala University confirms previous research on whether herpes can be a possible risk factor for dementia. The researchers studied 1,000 70-year-olds from Uppsala over a period of 15 years. The study, now published in the Journal of Alzheimer's Disease , found that people who had been infected with the herpes simplex virus at some point in their lives were twice as likely to develop dementia, compared to those who had never been infected. The herpes simplex virus is very common and up to 80 percent of Swedish adults may be infected. The infection is lifelong, but the symptoms can come and go over different periods of life. Many people never get any symptoms linked to their infection. “What’s special about this particular study is that the participants are roughly the same age, which makes the results even more...

New findings from researchers at the University of British Columbia suggest that cannabis could play a role in addressing the ongoing opioid overdose crisis. A new publication from Dr. Hudson Reddon, alongside UBC Okanagan’s Dr. Zach Walsh and UBC Vancouver’s Dr. M-J Milloy, observed that using cannabis is associated with decreased use of crystal methamphetamine among people at highest risk of overdose in Vancouver’s Downtown Eastside. About 45 per cent of the study’s participants reported using cannabis to manage their cravings for stimulant drugs in the last six months, including powder cocaine, crack cocaine and methamphetamines. A notable reduction in crystal meth use was observed among those who used cannabis for craving management. This association was not significant for crack cocaine users. Dr. Reddon, the study’s lead researcher, emphasized the potential of cannabis as a harm-reduction strategy. “Our findings are not conclusive but do add to the growing scientific evidenc...

Switzerland: A recent study published in the journal Radiology revealed higher effectiveness of real-time functional MRI (fMRI) neurofeedback therapy for treating chronic severe tinnitus than cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT). The researchers found a greater reduction in tinnitus distress with real-time fMRI neurofeedback therapy than the current standard treatment of CBT. Chronic tinnitus is common, but no evidence-based universal cure exists, and currently available therapeutic options are of inconsistent benefit or limited efficacy. Cognitive behavioural therapy is the current standard treatment for the condition, intending to reduce distress and debilitating impact caused by tinnitus by having patients focus on "realistic and positive thoughts," but it doesn't address tinnitus' "auditory percept" – that is, what previous research has indicated is excessive activation in the auditory cortex. Preliminary evidence has suggested that real-time functi...

USA: In a recent study published in the journal Stroke , the researchers found an association between assisted reproductive technologies (ART) and stroke after adjustment for measured confounders, using population-level data among women hospitalized for delivery in the US. After accounting for stroke risk factors, those who had an assisted reproductive technologies code in their record at the time of the delivery hospitalization had significantly higher rates of any stroke, subarachnoid haemorrhage, acute ischemic stroke, and intracerebral haemorrhage compared with those without any prior ART use, Alis J. Dicpinigaitis, New York Presbyterian-Weill Cornell Medical Center, US, reported at the International Stroke Conference. Some, but not all, previous studies have shown that infertility treatment with assisted reproductive technologies has been linked with adverse vascular events. This association may be explained by endothelial damage, prothrombotic factor release, and a higher pre...