Medical Matters Have you had your blood pressure checked recently? Well, measurement of blood pressure, as we all know, is a fundamental part of the routine clinical examination – and for good reason. This is because high blood pressure or hypertension is for the most past a silent condition which, over time, may have far-reaching…

Medical Matters This month figures show that the number of confirmed cases of Covid-19 in the Republic of Ireland has surpassed 400,000 since the pandemic began. The death toll due to the coronovirus now stands at more than 5,000 of which about 75% occurred in those aged over 75. In fact, half of all deaths…

Medical Matters Every year in Ireland, there are approximately 2,500 out of hospital cardiac arrests, with a rising proportion of cases that occur outside the home having CPR performed by bystanders. The cardiac arrest of the Danish footballer Christian Eriksen on live television has highlighted the importance and success of rapid CPR and defibrillation. Indeed,…

Medical Matters Reducing alcohol consumption in Ireland has become an important public health policy that has received much recent attention. A report conducted by the Health Research Board in 2013 showed that more than half (54.3%) of drinkers aged 18-75 in Ireland were classified as harmful drinkers, with approximately two fifths (37.3%) practising binge drinking…

Medical Matters The good weather has seen many of us take to spending a lot of time outdoors, soaking up the sun and enjoying the heat. But it’s also the season to be reminded of the need to protect ourselves from sunburn and heat stroke. This month the HSE launched its ‘Sun Smart’ campaign to…

Medical Matters We are now nearly 15 months into a pandemic that has claimed the lives of nearly four million people globally and resulted in about 5,000 deaths in Ireland. However, we are now at a juncture where the vaccination programme is well under way and hospitalised cases of Covid are at their lowest in…

Medical Matters Discomfort in the legs is not an uncommon complaint encountered by older adults and can significantly affect quality of life. Restless leg syndrome can occur at any age but is more common as one gets older. It’s characterised by an uncomfortable sensation that results in an uncontrollable urge to move your legs. This…

Medical Matters Over one billion people globally have now received at least one dose of a Covid vaccine. While this may sound encouraging, it only represents about 14% of the world’s population with notable differences in vaccine roll out by country. Israel now takes the place at the top of league table with over 50%…

Medical Matters Memory decline is common in older age and indeed about 20% of adults over 65 have some degree of clinically significant cognitive impairment. Notably, the incidence of dementia also doubles every 5 years from the age of 65 reaching a prevalence of about 20% by the time one achieves octogenarian status! Despite the…

Medical Matters Every year in Ireland, over 3500 hip fractures occur in older people most of whom have no prior diagnosis of ‘brittle bones’ or osteoporosis. While the term osteoporosis was first coined in 1835, it’s a condition that has actually been identified in humans over several millenia. Today, an increased lifespan has been one…