Sick leave linked to early death

By: Laura May, PA, The Independent
Friday, 3 October 2008
Employees who take regular periods of long-term sick leave die earlier than their colleagues, a study by the British Medical Journal said today.
Researchers found that workers with more than one absence requiring a doctor’s note on their records were 66 per cent [...]

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Aspirin resistance in cardiovascular disease

BMJ 2008;336:166-167 (26 January).Editorials by Giuseppe Biondi-Zoccai, assistant professor in cardiology et al.
Aspirin resistance in cardiovascular disease carries a worse prognosis, but may be indicative of pre-existing higher risk.
Aspirin has clear benefits in cardiovascular disease. It reduces total mortality, cardiovascular mortality, and cardiovascular morbidity in people with cardiovascular disease or those at high risk of [...]

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Calcium supplements may increase heart attacks in older women

Mark J Bolland and colleagues, Department of Medicine, Auckland, New Zealand,  - BMJ, 15 January 2008
In 1400 healthy postmenopausal women, daily calcium supplementation was associated with a higher risk of myocardial infarction over five years. This effect could outweigh any benefits on bone from calcium supplements.

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Management of sepsis

Clinical Review, BMJ  2007;335:929-932 (3 November).
Summary points

A favourable outcome depends on early, aggressive, treatment
Antimicrobial treatment must take into account both patient susceptibilities and local resistance patterns; advice from infectious disease or microbiology colleagues is often helpful
Volume resuscitation and cardiovascular support should be titrated to simple clinical end points
Subtle signs of organ hypoperfusion should be sought in physically robust [...]

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ORGANISED MARATHONS NOT ASSOCIATED WITH INCREASED RISK OF SUDDEN DEATH

BMJ 21 December 2007;
Organised marathons are not associated with an increased risk of sudden death, despite the media attention they attract. In fact, marathons lower the risk of fatal motor vehicle crashes that might otherwise have taken place if the roads had not been closed

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Triglycerides have an independent effect on risk of heart disease

BMJ  2007;335:639 (29 September) NEWS:
Serum concentration of triglycerides is an independent risk factor for coronary heart disease.
Because triglycerides are so closely linked to obesity (p 425). Losing weight and taking more exercise is one of the best ways to keep triglycerides under control. In this study, lower concentrations were also associated with eating a decent breakfast.

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PAINKILLERS MAY BE DAMAGING YOUR HEART

BMJ 2005;330 (11 June).
ANTI-INFLAMMATORY MEDICATION (NSAIDs) MAY BE BAD FOR YOUR HEART
All drugs in the study were associated with an increased risk of myocardial infarction, which was statistically significant for rofecoxib, diclofenac, and ibuprofen; no protective effect was seen for naproxen.
If you want to read more JUST CLICK HERE.

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CHEST PAIN UNITS: NOT EFFECTIVE

BY: Mike Clancy, ER consultant, BMJ 2007;335:623-624 (29 September)
Acute chest pain is responsible for one in four emergency medical admissions in the United Kingdom observation and investigation is not easy, especially when the consequences of misdiagnosis include infarction, arrhythmia, and death.
The strategy of evaluating such patients in a chest pain unit based within or near [...]

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CHEST PAIN: CALL AN AMBULANCE AND NOT YOUR DOCTOR

Patients with cardiac chest pain should call emergency services 
BY: Will T Roberts, research fellow, Adam D Timmis, professor of clinical cardiology BMJ  2007;335:669 (29 September). 
In acute myocardial infarction, the risk of ventricular fibrillation is highest in the first 12 hours after onset of symptoms.
Key points
In acute myocardial infarction the most important means of saving life is to [...]

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