Healthwise     October 2008      

Healthwise is a regular column written especially for laterlife.com members and visitors. Welcome to healthwise 103.

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NEWS AND VIEWS

3D Scanner arrives in Britain

The first state-of-the-art three dimensional CT scanner which can improve diagnosis and treatment of heart and cancer related illnesses has arrived in the UK.

The scanner is unlike other scanners in that it can capture entire organs, such as the heart or brain. An added benefit is that the scans only take a fraction of a second. This short time means exposure to radiation is reduced by 80 per cent compared with conventional CT scans.

The equipment cost £1.6 million and is based at the University of Edinburgh’s Queen’s Medical Research Institute. It is expected thousands of patients a year will benefit from the new scanner.

Thalidomide comes back

The use of thalidomide in the treatment of multiple myeloma is becoming more accepted.

Thalidomide had been banned for nearly five decades because of its links to severe birth defects. However, earlier this year the European Commission gave full marketing authorisation for its use for certain groups of myeloma patients.

Now Japan may see the sale of thalidomide after their health ministry has approved an application from a drug maker and its benefits become more widely accepted.

More cardiac care staff needed

Heart patients’ lives are being put at risk because of a shortage of cardiac care.

According to the British Heart Foundation, only 40 per cent of patients receive rehabilitation after a heart attack or heart surgery, despite a government target to offer it to 85 per cent.

Studies show that patients who do not receive cardiac rehabilitation are 26 per cent more likely to die within five years than those who do.

New drug to help osteoporosis

Denosumab is claimed to be a revolutionary new drug which has been shown to play a major role in easing the symptoms of osteoporosis.

The drug, developed by the Californian biotechnology company Amgen, works by stimulating patients’ immune systems to block a protein called rank ligand, which triggers the breakdown of bone strength in sufferers.

Research indicated that some women can regain 40 per cent of bone density by having an injection of the drug every six months.

The National Osteoporosis Society has given a cautious welcome to the news. Additional testing needs to be undertaken before the drug becomes generally available.

If in any doubt about any of the information covered in healthwise articles and it's relevance for you, consult your GP.

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