SUBJECT WrongDiagnosis.com Newsletter: Latest health news Latest health news from wrongdiagnosis.com October 5, 2005 Hot Topics Real-Life Medical Mistakes ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Hot Topics Reckless teen behaviour and depression link The risk of developing depression has been found to follow risky teen behaviour such as drug use and ambiguous sex for girls, and heavy drinking and drug use for boys within a year of onset of the behaviours. Drug use and sex precedes depression, but not vice versa. http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,169961,00.html Green tea benefits forgetfulness A recent study has shown that an antioxidant constituent of green tea can be protective against degenerative brain changes that normally take place in people who develop Alzheimer's disease. http://newindpress.com/NewsItems.asp?ID=IE320050921054924&Page=3&Title=Featu res+-+Health+%26+Science&Topic=-162 Viral meningitis claims young victim A 27 year old mother of one died from cerebral oedema secondary to viral meningitis after she sought treatment for a persistent headache, visual problems and nausea. The viral form of meningitis is not usually fatal, but can cause swelling around the brain which results in fits and brain damage. http://icwales.icnetwork.co.uk/0100news/0200wales/tm_objectid=16161159&metho d=full&siteid=50082&headline=meningitis-killed-young-mother-name_page.html Miscarriage influenced by excess weight Obesity can impact on a woman's desire to successfully achieve a healthy pregnancy. Excess weight increases the risk of gestational diabetes, pre- eclampsia, spina bifida in the baby and labour complications, often requiring caesarean section. http://www.ediets.com/news/article.cfm/2/cmi_1429265/cid_1 Depression and sleep apnoea link Treatment for sleep apnoea with CPAP has been shown by a recent study to improve depressive symptoms, such as tiredness, moodiness, poor concentration, daytime somnolence, and anhedonia (loss of interest in normally enjoyable activities). The results imply that symptoms for depression and sleep apnoea can often be confused which should encourage physicians to screen for both conditions. http://www.nytimes.com/2005/09/20/health/psychology/20sleep.html Call to discontinue prescribing antibiotics for colds The common cold is caused by a virus, which does not justify using antibiotics (fight bacterial infections) to treat the illness, if anything the patient runs the risk of developing side effects to the medication. http://www.emaxhealth.com/90/3342.html Booster vaccination for whooping cough encouraged by doctors Whooping cough commonly affects the young and infirm causing a mild to debilitating cough, rhinorrhea (running nose), fever and often persists for a few weeks. The disease was fatal prior to immunization and beliefs now are that the protective benefits of the vaccination wears off by adolescence, necessitating booster shots. http://www.greenbaypressgazette.com/news/archive/local_22626134.shtml Research into HIV vaccination impresses scientists The use of an experimental vaccination to protect against AIDS on healthy volunteers has surprised researchers with a better result than hoped with a very positive increase in immune response. http://www.physorg.com/news6739.html Complications of pregnancy link to future stroke risk A study has found that women suffering from pregnancy complications such as gestational diabetes and pre-eclampsia, have a two fold risk for developing cardiovascular disease, focusing on stroke, after ten years compared to women with no complications. http://www.medpagetoday.com/Neurology/Strokes/tb/1833 Good hygiene wards off parasites A recent outbreak of Cryptosporidiosis has prompted health officials to encourage people to be more aware of washing their hands frequently. Cryptosporidia is a parasite that causes diarrhoea, stomach pains and nausea for 1-2 weeks and is easily spread from animals to humans, and humans to humans, and in swimming pools. http://news.enquirer.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20050929/NEWS0103/509290 359/1059/NEWS01 Real-life Medical Mistakes: Dental instruments involved in malpractice suit A dental clinic is being sued for negligence after a patient was made aware that dental instruments were not sterilised after use. Free blood tests, for such diseases as hepatitis B and C, and HIV, and follow up consultation with other dentists were offered to patients. http://www.post-gazette.com/pg/05264/575077.stm Negligence over young boy's death in hospital A four year old boy was rushed to hospital with severe abdominal pain from a bowel obstruction by his parents, but remained misdiagnosed in the emergency department for hours before he died. The hospital is being sued for negligence by the boy's parents. http://www.citizensvoice.com/site/news.cfm?newsid=15247034&BRD=2259&PAG=461& dept_id=455154&rfi=6 Medical malpractice prevents doctor from practising A neurosurgeon has agreed to discontinue practising after he was tried for medical misconduct due to inadequately documenting the location of spinal surgery that was being planned by him. Allegedly the surgery was performed by another surgeon on the wrong site as documented in the patient's notes, which were later tampered with to correct the error. http://www.thejournalnews.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20050923/NEWS02/509 230314/1019/NEWS03 Doctor tried over misdiagnosing epilepsy in children A hearing to try a doctor who incorrectly diagnosed over 600 children with epilepsy has been delayed for the second time, due to an illness. The doctor is being tried by the General Medical Council over prescribing medication for the disease which caused permanent visual disturbance in the children and motor dysfunction reducing their ability to walk. http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/england/leicestershire/4280552.stm Antibiotic causes kidney failure in negligence claim Prolonged treatment with an antibiotic left an 81 year old woman with kidney damage that requires 5 hour long dialysis every second day, greatly depreciating her quality of life. The woman was initially admitted to hospital with a knee infection where she received the antibiotic. http://www.starnewspapers.com/star/spnews/news/29-sp4.htm ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Sender Information Web site: www.wrongdiagnosis.com General support: support@wrongdiagnosis.com Newsletter administration and unsubscribe: newsletter@wrongdiagnosis.com Unsubscribe Information To unsubscribe from this message, simply reply to this message with the word "REMOVE" in the subject of the email. If you have any problems unsubscribing, please contact us at support@wrongdiagnosis.com.