Only half of all patients at high risk of heart disease are given correct targets for lowering their cholesterol levels according to a study of 25,250 patients in Germany published online today (Thursday 11 March) in the European Heart Journal [1]. The study investigated the way primary care doctors assessed their patients’ risk factors and […]
2010
Behavioural problems in childhood doubles the risk of chronic widespread pain in adult life
Bad behaviour in childhood is associated with long-term, chronic widespread pain in adult life, according to the findings of a study following nearly 20,000 people from birth in 1958 to the present day. Chronic widespread pain is a common complaint that can have a major adverse effect on quality of life, often requiring referral to […]
Too many of Europe’s top football venues are not adequately prepared for treating spectators who suffer heart attacks
Too many major sports arenas in Europe do not have adequate equipment and procedures in place to save the lives of spectators who suffer heart attacks while watching a sporting event, according to new research published online today (Wednesday 3 March) in the European Heart Journal [1]. In a study of 187 top sports arenas […]
World first: woman gives birth to two healthy babies in separate pregnancies after ovarian transplant
For the first time, a woman has given birth to two children after her fertility was restored using transplants of ovarian tissue that had been removed and frozen during her cancer treatment and then restored once she was cured. Following her ovarian transplant, Mrs Stinne Holm Bergholdt gave birth to a girl in February 2007 […]
Risk of stillbirth is four times higher after IVF/ICSI compared to pregnancies achieved spontaneously or after non-IVF fertility treatment
Women who become pregnant with a single foetus after in vitro fertilisation (IVF) or intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI) have an increased risk of a stillbirth, according to new research out today (Wednesday). The study of over 20,000 singleton pregnancies, published in Europe’s leading reproductive medicine journal Human Reproduction [1], found a four-fold increased risk of […]
Inadequate access to opioid-based pain relief is a human rights issue for cancer patients
Many cancer patients in Europe are being denied access to adequate pain relief because of over-zealous regulations restricting the availability and accessibility of opioid-based drugs such as morphine. Authors of the Europe-wide study say that restricting access to pain-killing drugs in this way is a breach of patients’ human rights, and they conclude that “there […]
Don’t worry, be happy! Positive emotions protect against heart disease
People who are usually happy, enthusiastic and content are less likely to develop heart disease than those who tend not to be happy, according to a major new study published today (Thursday 18 February). The authors believe that the study, published in the Europe’s leading cardiology journal, the European Heart Journal [1], is the first […]
ECCO supports a revision of the EU Clinical Trials Directive
In response to a European Commission consultation on the EU Clinical Trials Directive, ECCO – the European CanCer Organisation – has supported proposals by its member organisations for adapting the Directive’s requirements to reflect practical necessities in cancer research and treatment. Since the implementation of the Directive in 2004, ECCO and its member organisations have […]