The heart relies on efficient blood flow to be able to pump blood around the body, supplying tissues with oxygen while removing carbon dioxide and waste. However, damaged heart vessels can result in abnormal blood flow, potentially causing tissue injury … Read More
How 3D printing is revolutionising cataract treatment
My only experience of 3D printing is a piece of art but, astonishingly, it could be the answer for people with cataracts and other conditions such as near and farsightedness. To this end, University of East Anglia researchers developed a novel resin … Read More
Area of your brain controls how nice you are – and it changes as you age
Would you believe there’s a special part of the brain that encourages you to be helpful to others? It also helps you see the bigger picture and motivates you to tackle large global challenges, such as climate change. Now researchers at … Read More
Change to vital signs check could boost patients’ hospital care
How often do you think your vital signs should be checked when you’re in hospital? My reply would be more often than they are now. So what’s the ideal frequency? That depends on how ill you are. And now a … Read More
Lonely children to be prescribed gardening, fishing and art to help their mental health
Loneliness is painfully common among young people compared to other age groups in the UK – with one in 10 between the ages of 10 to 15 saying they often feel lonely. So a new national programme working with schools to … Read More
Epidurals can cut the risk of heart attack and sepsis in new mums
Epidurals were in their infancy when I had my first baby. In fact, there were only a couple of hospitals in which they were available. Despite their newness, I wanted one, so opted for the Westminster Hospital and had both my … Read More
Bowel cancer trial sees all patients disease-free
Shrinking a tumour with chemotherapy before surgery has long been established as leading to better results. Well, immunotherapy before the op can do even better. Researchers have shown that significantly more patients with a certain genetic profile are cancer free … Read More
The long-term benefits of early diabetes treatment
It’s a no-brainer really – if you diagnose and treat type 2 diabetes early so that blood glucose can be controlled, the risk of diabetes complications like heart attacks, strokes, kidney failure and amputation will be reduced. These are the … Read More
Dr Miriam urges women not to refuse chemo and calls Elle cancer advice ‘bizarre’
The 60-year-old Australian supermodel Elle Macpherson revealed that she treated breast cancer seven years ago with “heart-led holistic therapy” and refused chemotherapy, despite being advised by 32 doctors. While self-advocacy is important for cancer patients, the Daily Mirror’s Dr Miriam … Read More
Good night’s sleep might not flush out brain toxins
There are many theories about the purpose of sleep, one of them being the chance for the brain to clean out toxins that have collected during the day. Well, maybe not. The brain’s ability to rid itself of toxins may actually … Read More