http://medicalxpress.com/ en-us Medical Xpress internet news portal provides the latest news on Health and Medicine. Canada should ban off-label use of antibiotics in farm animals because it contributes significantly to antibiotic resistance in humans, states an editorial in CMAJ (Canadian Medical Association Journal). http://medicalxpress.com/news/2012-06-canada-off-label-antibiotic-agriculture-cmaj.html Diseases, Conditions, Syndromes Mon, 04 Jun 2012 12:00:03 EST news258026289 Overcoming a learning disability to become a physician will actually help in being compassionate toward patients, writes a medical student of his struggle with a severe reading disability in CMAJ (Canadian Medical Association Journal). http://medicalxpress.com/news/2012-05-disability-physician-in-training-doctor.html Health Mon, 07 May 2012 12:00:02 EST news255605444 Patients with advanced chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) and shortness of breath found that opioids provided relief and improved their quality of life, states an article in CMAJ (Canadian Medical Association Journal). However, physicians are reluctant to prescribe opioids for this condition, meaning many people will not benefit from this treatment. http://medicalxpress.com/news/2012-04-opioids-effective-relieving-severe-shortness.html Diseases, Conditions, Syndromes Mon, 23 Apr 2012 12:00:07 EST news254395311 Bedwetting in older children is common, but it can be distressing. An article in CMAJ (Canadian Medical Association Journal) outlines possible causes and evidence for current treatments. http://medicalxpress.com/news/2012-04-bedwetting-older-children.html Diseases, Conditions, Syndromes Mon, 23 Apr 2012 12:00:02 EST news254395719 Canadian provinces should adopt a patient charter of rights with independent enforcement as part of the move to patient-centred care, argues an analysis article in CMAJ (Canadian Medical Association Journal). http://medicalxpress.com/news/2012-04-canadian-provinces-patient-charter-rights.html Health Mon, 23 Apr 2012 12:00:01 EST news254395631 Salt levels vary significantly in the fast foods sold by six major companies in various developed countries, which suggests that technical issues, often cited as barriers to salt reduction initiatives, are not the issue, according to a study in CMAJ (Canadian Medical Association Journal). http://medicalxpress.com/news/2012-04-salt-fast-food-vary-significantly.html Health Mon, 16 Apr 2012 12:50:18 EST news253799410 Canada should show leadership in supporting adoption of the rotavirus vaccination in developing countries, but it must also ensure that all Canadian infants are vaccinated against the virus, states an editorial in CMAJ (Canadian Medical Association Journal). http://medicalxpress.com/news/2012-04-waging-war-rotavirus.html Diseases, Conditions, Syndromes Tue, 10 Apr 2012 12:00:05 EST news253273911 Cancer is a growing health concern in low- and middle-income countries, and there is an opportunity for Canada to make a significant contribution to help tackle the disease, states an analysis in CMAJ (Canadian Medical Association Journal). http://medicalxpress.com/news/2012-04-canada-role-global-cancer-epidemic.html Cancer Tue, 10 Apr 2012 12:00:02 EST news253273805 For obese patients, losing weight may require a different solution than calorie reduction and exercise, writes a formerly obese physician in CMAJ (Canadian Medical Association Journal). http://medicalxpress.com/news/2012-04-words-fat-physician.html Health Tue, 10 Apr 2012 12:00:01 EST news253273850 Drugs that are commonly used to prevent osteoporosis may increase the risk of serious inflammatory eye disease in first-time users, found an article in CMAJ (Canadian Medical Association Journal). http://medicalxpress.com/news/2012-04-osteoporosis-drugs-eye-disease.html Ophthalmology Mon, 02 Apr 2012 12:00:10 EST news252584667 The notion that senior drivers have higher rates of crashes because they are poorer drivers is largely a misconception, according to a commentary in CMAJ (Canadian Medical Association Journal). http://medicalxpress.com/news/2012-04-defense-older-drivers.html Health Mon, 02 Apr 2012 12:00:08 EST news252584705 Suicide rates in Canada are increasing for girls but decreasing for boys, with suffocation now the most common method for both sexes, according to an article in CMAJ (Canadian Medical Association Journal). http://medicalxpress.com/news/2012-04-suicide-canada-girls-aged-.html Psychology & Psychiatry Mon, 02 Apr 2012 12:00:03 EST news252584597 Introducing graduated drivers' licenses for seniors in Canada might help improve road safety, states an editorial in CMAJ (Canadian Medical Association Journal). http://medicalxpress.com/news/2012-04-drivers-seniors.html Health Mon, 02 Apr 2012 12:00:01 EST news252584951 An updated policy guiding pelvic examinations of women under anesthetic in Canada has created a gap in terms of consent, states an analysis in CMAJ (Canadian Medical Association Journal). http://medicalxpress.com/news/2012-03-policy-consent-pelvic-exams-canada.html Obstetrics & gynaecology Mon, 26 Mar 2012 12:00:05 EST news251981675 Blood testing to determine a link between food and illness is increasingly common, but some tests are not considered diagnostic and can lead to confusion, according to a primer in CMAJ (Canadian Medical Association Journal). http://medicalxpress.com/news/2012-03-blood-sensitivity-allergy-intolerance-food.html Health Mon, 19 Mar 2012 12:00:04 EST news251375147 Statins may prevent pneumonia, according to a new study in CMAJ (Canadian Medical Association Journal). Researchers from Israel and the United States analyzed data from the JUPITER trial, a randomized, double-blind trial with placebo control groups conducted at 1315 sites in 26 countries to look at the use of the statin rosuvastatin in disease prevention. The trial involved 17 802 men aged 50 years or older and women aged 60 years or older without a history of heart disease or diabetes. http://medicalxpress.com/news/2012-03-effect-rosuvastatin-incident-pneumonia.html Diseases, Conditions, Syndromes Mon, 19 Mar 2012 12:00:03 EST news251375206 Medically prescribed heroin is more cost-effective than methadone for treating long-term street heroin users, according to a new study by researchers at Providence Health Care and the University of British Columbia. http://medicalxpress.com/news/2012-03-medically-heroin-effective-costly-current.html Addiction Mon, 12 Mar 2012 12:28:33 EST news250774107 For assessing severe trauma, single-pass whole-body computed tomography (CT) can prove but not definitively exclude the presence of injuries and should be performed later than 30 minutes after admission to an emergency department for optimal results, according to a study in CMAJ (Canadian Medical Association Journal). http://medicalxpress.com/news/2012-03-whole-body-ct-scans-trauma-exclude.html Health Mon, 05 Mar 2012 12:00:04 EST news250166128 An irregular heartbeat -- atrial fibrillation -- is a strong predictor of cognitive decline and the loss of independence in daily activities in older people at risk of cardiovascular disease, according to a study in CMAJ (Canadian Medical Association Journal). http://medicalxpress.com/news/2012-02-irregular-heartbeat-strong-predictor-decline.html Cardiology Mon, 27 Feb 2012 12:00:01 EST news249565244 Physicians take two types of approaches to palliative sedation, either mild sedation or deep sedation from the start, and it is important to understand the reasons behind each approach, states an article in CMAJ (Canadian Medical Association Journal). http://medicalxpress.com/news/2012-02-physician-approaches-palliative-sedation.html Other Mon, 13 Feb 2012 13:16:10 EST news248361355 An analysis of research on physical punishment of children over the past 20 years indicates that such punishment is potentially harmful to their long-term development, states an article in CMAJ (Canadian Medical Association Journal). http://medicalxpress.com/news/2012-02-physical-children-potentially-long-term.html Health Mon, 06 Feb 2012 12:00:11 EST news247751956 A visit to the emergency department during nonsummer months was associated with a three-fold risk of acute respiratory or gastrointestinal infection in elderly residents of long-term care facilities, according to a study in CMAJ (Canadian Medical Association Journal). http://medicalxpress.com/news/2012-01-three-fold-infection-elderly-emergency-department.html Health Mon, 23 Jan 2012 13:21:42 EST news246547282 One in ten Canadians cannot afford to take their prescription drugs as directed, according to an analysis by researchers from the University of British Columbia and the University of Toronto. http://medicalxpress.com/news/2012-01-ten-canadians-prescription-drugs.html Health Mon, 16 Jan 2012 12:00:02 EST news245926601 Canada should prohibit disclosure of the sex of a fetus until after 30 weeks of pregnancy to combat female feticide which is practised by some ethnic groups in Canada and the United States, states an editorial in CMAJ (Canadian Medical Association Journal). http://medicalxpress.com/news/2012-01-female-feticide-canada-requires-action.html Health Mon, 16 Jan 2012 12:00:01 EST news245929924 A simple physician notification system can help prevent further fractures in osteoporotic patients who have had already had fractures, according to a study in CMAJ (Canadian Medical Association Journal). http://medicalxpress.com/news/2011-12-physician-notifications-postfracture-patients.html Diseases, Conditions, Syndromes Mon, 19 Dec 2011 12:00:03 EST news243516985 The tradition of fighting in hockey should be stopped, as research shows that repeated head trauma causes severe and progressive brain damage, states an editorial in CMAJ (Canadian Medical Association Journal). http://medicalxpress.com/news/2011-12-violence-hockey.html Health Mon, 19 Dec 2011 12:00:03 EST news243517070 Physician preferences and hospital characteristics influence the type of procedures performed on blockages of the heart, leading to significant variations in rates of bypass, stent or angioplasty procedures, found an article in CMAJ (Canadian Medical Association Journal). http://medicalxpress.com/news/2011-12-variations-cardiac-procedures-physician-hospital.html Cardiology Mon, 12 Dec 2011 12:48:46 EST news242916517 A new study published in the CMAJ (Canadian Medical Association Journal) reports that hospital-acquired Clostridium difficile infection increases length of stay in hospital by an average of six days. http://medicalxpress.com/news/2011-12-difficile-lengthens-hospital-days.html Diseases, Conditions, Syndromes Mon, 05 Dec 2011 12:37:28 EST news242311035 Female physicians, smaller patient loads and electronic reminders are associated with better delivery of preventive health care to patients, rather than the way in which primary care practices are funded, states an article in CMAJ (Canadian Medical Association Journal). http://medicalxpress.com/news/2011-12-funding-delivery.html Health Mon, 05 Dec 2011 12:33:30 EST news242310795 Labour economics can provide a valuable perspective in addressing the supply of doctors and access to care, states an analysis in CMAJ (Canadian Medical Association Journal). http://medicalxpress.com/news/2011-11-physicians-.html Health Mon, 28 Nov 2011 12:57:31 EST news241707445