Medical Matters We are now well into the phase of ‘living with Covid’ with the vast majority of the population either having been vaccinated or contracted infection. Hospitalisation rates have dropped and newly confirmed cases are also in decline. It is also estimated that those who are incompletely or not vaccinated continue to be disproportionately…
Medical Matters Vitamin D has been catapulted into a ‘hotspot’ of discussion in the field of nutritional health science over the last decade. There are now nearly 100,000 published peer reviewed studies on the topic of “vitamin D’ and over 1,000 specifically related to vitamin D and Covid. So what’s our understanding of vitamin D…
Medical Matters Nearly one in five people or just over 1.25 million have tested PCR positive for Covid in Ireland since the pandemic began. With hundreds of thousands more infected but not officially tested the proportion of the population that have escaped Covid may be a lot smaller than many would have anticipated. The death…
Medical Matters There are approximately 500 people living with motor neurone disease (MND) in Ireland with about 140 cases diagnosed every year. Though rare, in recent years, the stories of several well-known people with MND has been highlighted in the media and has increased awareness of the condition. The globally recognised ‘Ice Bucket Challenge’ that…
The impact of the Covid-19 pandemic on mental health has been considerable with a marked a rise in loneliness and social isolation over the past 18 months. While studies show that all ages of the population have been affected, it points to a disproportionate impact on younger adults who have felt the brunt of Covid…
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…