“Let them drink coffee!” say the newspapers
Last week we saw glorious news for coffee addicts: drinking coffee prevents myocardial infarction, as well as famine, poverty and global warming (okay, maybe not). “Coffee prevents heart attacks”, read...
View ArticleEdzard Ernst’s A Scientist in Wonderland
So what is this book about? In his book, A Scientist in Wonderland: A Memoir of Searching for Truth and Finding Trouble, Edzard Ernst describes his life and career starting from his early years in...
View ArticlePredictive value: an introduction
The terms ‘positive predictive value’ and ‘negative predictive value’ seem like difficult and confusing concepts; not least because of how similar they sound. Fundamentally, they are terms used when...
View ArticleThe difference between ‘Effect Modification’&‘Confounding’
Students can often struggle to understand the difference between effect modification and confounding. In order to help with this problem I have put together a simple guide to explain ‘effect...
View ArticleThrombolysis for acute ischaemic stroke
Emily’s Prezi, ‘Thrombolysis for acute ischaemic stroke’ won 3rd prize in the Cochrane UK & Ireland Student Symposium Competition 2016. In the UK it is estimated that one stroke occurs...
View ArticleA new dawn for stroke treatment
David’s Prezi, ‘A new dawn for stroke treatment’ won 1st prize in the Cochrane UK & Ireland Student Symposium Competition 2015. Thrombolysis with alteplase is the gold standard for treating...
View ArticleTesting diagnostic tests: Sensitivity and specificity
A diagnostic test is a useful tool which lets us feel confident about the diagnosis of a patient’s illness. However, in medical practice we are excessively confident about what our mentors say are the...
View ArticleCan two chocolate bars a day really keep the doctor away?
A recent study was published in the journal ‘Heart’ which looked at ‘Habitual chocolate consumption and risk of cardiovascular disease among healthy men and women’ has been widely circulated across...
View ArticleUnexplained symptoms: somatoform disorders
The issue It never is easy when you feel something is wrong but don’t know what it is, so if you’re a patient you’ll visit the doctor. The real question is; what if even your doctor doesn’t know the...
View ArticleTime to change how we treat deep vein thrombosis
What is a DVT? Deep vein thrombosis (DVT) is a medical condition that results in a clot forming in your veins. Most commonly these clots develop in the veins of leg, but can actually form in any vein...
View ArticleSystematic Reviews in Health Care: A Practical Guide – Review
Systematic reviews are at the cornerstone of evidence-based medicine and healthcare. They give us the opportunity to combine data in order to improve consistency of results demonstrated in randomised...
View ArticleHow should we treat bronchiectasis?
What is bronchiectasis? Bronchiectasis is a long-term respiratory condition which occurs when parts of the bronchial tree become abnormally and permanently dilated (widened). This often occurs...
View ArticleDetox tea: What’s the skinny?
For years celebrities have been using so-called detox tea to keep them at optimum health – catwalk model Kendall Jenner, One Direction star Louis Tomlinson and former professional boxer David Haye are...
View ArticleHealth in the Media: Iodine Nutrition
When we think about the nutrients we need each day vitamins C, D and E, calcium and folate may be the first ones that spring to mind. What about iodine though? Iodine is a trace element naturally...
View ArticleVoice of Young Science –‘Peer review: the nuts and bolts’ workshop review
Last week I had the opportunity to attend a Voice of Young Science (VoYS) workshop at Glasgow Caledonian University, focussing on peer review. Take a look at my review of the workshop for some of the...
View ArticleVoice of Young Science –‘Standing up for science’ media workshop review
Recently I had the opportunity to attend a Voice of Young Science (VoYS) workshop at University of Science, focussing on science in the media, and how we as early career researchers can stand up for...
View ArticleHealth in the Media: Fizzy Drinks
This week the media picked up on health risks associated with consumption of fizzy drinks – the Scots among us may use the term ‘fizzy juice’; I call it ‘pop’. Perhaps an example of my own personal...
View ArticleNew Cochrane evidence on Ritalin for ADHD
A new Cochrane Systematic Review highlighted the need for caution when prescribing Methylphenidate (also known as Ritalin®, Concerta®, Medikinet®, and Equasym®) for the treatment of attention deficit...
View ArticleEminence-Based Medicine vs. Evidence-Based Medicine
In the current clinical practice that we have seen, many health professionals are moving on from the traditional approach to health care known as eminence-based medicine to an evidence-based approach...
View ArticleAirway clearance techniques for bronchiectasis: evidence gap
What is bronchiectasis? Non-cystic fibrosis bronchiectasis is a chronic respiratory condition where the airways dilate abnormally and irreversibly. It can be caused by several factors including...
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