Newly-diagnosed cancer patients are substantially increasing their risk of death by delaying treatment. Cleveland Clinic researchers reviewed more than three and a half million records. They found patients waited 29 days on average to begin treatment in 2013. They also found the risk of death increased by about one to three percent every week treatment was delayed.
A review of 80,000 mental health treatments in England found older people are less likely to be referred for mental health help than those much younger. The highest referrals came to those who are 20 to 24 years old and the fewest for those 70 to 74. Researchers encouraged doctors to do more to discuss the mental health of their older patients.
A study led by Australian researchers found taking multiple blood pressure medications, but each in smaller doses, is just as effective, and causes fewer side effects, than taking the full dose of a single drug. But the researchers cautioned that more study needs to be done before recommending doctors adopt this new approach.
Sources:
1 – Cleveland Clinic
2 – University of Plymouth
3 – American Heart Association
