Medical Matters September has been designated ‘Sepsis Awareness Month’ in a campaign to increase knowledge and recognition by the public of one of the most common yet poorly understand medical conditions. In fact, sepsis occurs more frequently than heart attacks affecting about 17,000 people each year in Ireland and is the leading cause of death…
Medical Matters The Fair Deal Scheme has once again come under increasing pressure and scrutiny this year as costs rise and concerns loom that delays will ensue for older adults waiting to access nursing home care. Introduced in 2009 as a new way to help finance long term care, it replaced a wholly inadequate…
Medical Matters Doctors are often asked to do blood tests or checks on people as they get older to make sure all is well and give reassurance to their patients. The old adage of “prevention is better than cure” is so true and indeed early detection and treatment can also make a big difference.…
Medical Matters Last week saw the signing of new legislation that will allow for the operation of a Medical Cannabis Access Programme in Ireland. The law allows a medical consultant to prescribe cannabis-based products for patients who suffer with any one of three specified conditions. These include spasticity due to multiple sclerosis, intractable nausea due…
One year has just passed since the referendum paved the way for the introduction of abortion services in Ireland in January. The Regulation of Termination of Pregnancy Act 2018 permits abortion during the first 12 weeks of pregnancy without any specifed reason and in cases where there is a serious risk to the health or…
Medical Matters It’s now just over 50 years ago since it was first announced that smoking causes lung cancer, a moment which spelled the beginning of a decline in tobacco use. Despite all of the negative effects from smoking and restrictions on its use in public places, a considerable number of people still use…
Medical Matters Music has been used for millenia to raise our spirits. The ancient Greeks recognised that physical and mental well-being could be enhanced by music. Indeed, music was used to improve performance in athletes at the ancient Olympic games. Pythagorus believed that it could soothe ailments of the spirit, body and soul and…
Medical Matters The issue of fitness to drive has garnered some media attention in recent weeks after Britain’s Prince Philip was involved in a road traffic accident that came close to inflicting serious injury. Undoubtedly, if he had youth on his side and wasn’t in his 98th year many eyebrows may not have been…
Medical Matters Speed is of the essence when faced with a stroke. The latest figures for life expectancy in Ireland have once again improved with the average age of death for males now at 79.9 years and females 83.6 years. This puts life expectancy for males here at higher than the EU average and…
Medical Matters Aspirin remains one of the most widely used drugs globally, yet its use as a medicinal agent can be traced to as far back as the ancient Greeks who realised its anti-inflammatory properties. In fact, they used the bark of the willow tree from which it derives. Today, Acetylsalicyclic acid or the…