August - 2016

Third 'given wrong initial heart attack diagnosis'

Almost a third of patients in England and Wales are being given the wrong initial diagnosis after a heart attack - with women having a far higher chance of being affected, a study suggests. University of Leeds research examined NHS data on about 600,000 heart attack cases over a period of nine years. Women were 50% more likely than men to have an initial diagnosis different from their final diagnosis, it said. NHS England said it was working to improve the diagnosis of heart

Dad of Sick Baby Warns of Devastating Consequences of Not Washing Hands

A father who “almost lost” his baby daughter to a series of sicknesses including the über-contagious respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) has taken to social media to warn others about the dangers of not washing hands “before handling little ones.” The Memphis-area father (whose name is not known) detailed his infant daughter’s scary saga Wednesday on Imgur, where his post with a note and two photos of the baby he calls a “little fighter” has gone viral. The child was admitted t

Cot deaths at lowest recorded level in England and Wales

Sudden unexplained infant deaths, or cot deaths, have reached the lowest level on record in England and Wales, according to the latest figures. In 2014 there were 128, compared with 165 the previous year and 207 in 2004. Fewer women smoking and campaigns to teach new parents the safest sleeping position for their newborn - on their backs - are both factors, experts say. The Office for National Statistics said the fall was driving the downward trend in overall unexplained infa

Asthma pill 'promising' for people with severe symptoms

An experimental pill could help adults with severe asthma, an early study in the Lancet Respiratory Medicine journal suggests. In the small trial, patients who were given the drug, known as Fevipiprant, had less inflammation in their airways. And some patients with uncontrolled asthma felt their symptoms improved. Charity Asthma UK said the research showed "massive promise and should be greeted with cautious optimism". More than five million people in the UK have asthma, a lo