Recent study showed that smoking before age 17 increases the risk of developing multiple sclerosis. Research team led by Joseph Finkelstein, MD, PhD, at Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine in Baltimore studied data collected from 87 patients with multiple sclerosis (MS).

The study subjects were divided into three categories: nonsmokers, early smokers who started before age 17, and late smokers who started at 17 or later. Research team also studied factors like sex, race, age, marital status, education, income level, and region.

This Thursday the Ottawa Hospital announced the launch of the Emergency Department Reporting System at www. ontariowaittimes. com.

The local hospitals have also welcomed other provincial initiatives including the Wait Times Strategy, the Aging at Home Strategy, Tele-Health and Health-Care Connect, in an attempt to strengthen emergency wait time performance.

"Our government is creating an unprecedented level of transparency and accountability in hospital emergency care with the public reporting of time spent in the ER," said Health and Long-Term Care Minister David Caplan.

According to FDA statistics, about 2 million Americans take warfarin, also known as Coumadin, the top-used blood thinner. It helps in preventing potentially dangerous blood clots that can cause strokes. Proper dose of warfarin is estimated by trial and error method which is very risky because small dose will increase risk of stroke while high dose can lead to fatal bleeding. Recent study showed that a DNA test can help in determining proper dosage of warfarin for a patient.

As the weight loss industry grows fatter by the day, it might be making you lose much more than your weight, say the doctors.

A report in the Canadian Medical Association Journal says that losing a couple of pounds a week isn't good for you and desperate attempts to live up to the promises made in the packages may be psychologically damaging.

"Unfortunately when it comes to weight management, there's still this social factor where we feel that it's our fault," describes Dr. Sean Wharton, a bariatric medicine specialist.

Washington, Feb 19: Researchers have found that a combination of two blood-pressure-lowering drugs cuts the risk of kidney disease by about 20 percent in type 2 diabetes patients.

In the ADVANCE study involving 11,140 diabetics, one group received a combination of two BP lowering drugs: the angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) inhibitor perindopril and the diuretic drug indapamide. The other group received inactive placebos.

London, Feb 19: Poor sleep could actually lead to illnesses including psychiatric conditions, attention deficit disorder, post traumatic stress and depression, according to a new study.

Sleep problems have long been associated with mental health conditions, but it was believed that they were a side effect of the disease.

Now, however, American scientists reckon that sleeping difficulties could be the causes of some mental health problems.