The Life- Saving List

THE 14 DISCOVERIES, DRUGS, AND DEVICES THAT WILL CHANGE OUR LIVES

Anyone with access to Google can come up with a list of medical advances of the week, month, or year - but the headlines and hits are no guarantee of true significance. The most important health news advances, the best researches and clinicians are (ask yourself): Of all the symposia you attended and studies you read, what got you most excited? What did you find yourself discussing with colleagues in corridors and late - night emails? Most important, which developments are going to change the way you treat your patients? The answers you'll get will be surprising and inspiring. Here, a peek at 14 advances - some in your doctor's clinic now, other coming soon - that will change the way ailments are treated and just might save your life.


1 EASIER, MORE EFFECTIVE CPR

Cardio- pulmonary Resuscitation (CPR) saves life. Now its accepted that a hands-only method is preferable to the classic push -and -breathe: This pared down method saves more lives. Here's why:

• Studies show that if your heart were to suddenly stop as you walked down the street, you'd have a little chance of getting CPR from a bystander - unless you're lucky.

• If someone did lead forward to perform effective CPR..... READ MORE..>

2 A BETTER BLOOD THINNER

For the nearly 2.5 million people with heart - rhythm abnormality called atrial fibrillation,
the blood thinner with genetic name warfarin, is a lifesaver .. and a major problem. It's a lifesaver because it helps prevent blood clots - the in  creased risk of stroke is the scariest thing about atrial fibrillation. It's a problem because preople taking warfarin need frequent . . .... READ MORE...>

3 STEM CELLS TO HEAL HEARTS

"People think stem cell therapies are 10 or 20 years away. The reality is that they're right around the corner," says Joshua Hare . . . . READ MORE..>



4 HEART REPAIR WITH BARELY A CUT

Until now, there haven't been a lot of options for someone whose aortic valve (the one that lets blood go from the heart to the rest of the body) has got gummed up by calcium deposits. Surgeons had a crack open the sternum to get. ... READ MORE..>



5 NEW HELP AGAINST THE DEADLIEST SKIN CANCER

Until last year, it had been 13 years since the [USA} FDA last approved a drug to treat advanced melanoma, a brutal skin cancer that can kill patients within sin months. But two new options - with jaw - droping results were.... READ MORE..>



6 A LIFESAVING TEST FOR LUNG CANCER


If you're a heavy smoker - or used to be - getting screened with a low dose chest CT scan may cut your risk of dying of lung cancer by 20 percent, a major study reported in November 2012.. READ MORE..>


7 PAIN RELIEF THAT HAS A STUNNING BONUS

When someone has a terminal illness, a doctor's emphasis may eventually shift from attempts at a cure to relieving pain managing symptoms. It's not surprising that a approach, called palliative care, improves quality of life. What was surprising in a recent study.. READ MORE..>


8  DOING LESS FOR BREAST CANCER BENEFITING MORE

It has been clear for years that a women who has a lumpectomy to treat breast cancer must get a radiation too - otherwise, her risk of dying from the decease increases. But many women skip the treatment, partly because it's so inconvenient...READ MORE..>


 9 TRAINING THE BODY TO FIGHT CANCER

What if you could dispense with chemo and radiation and use your immune system to destroy cancer cells. That's the principle behind Provenge, a vaccine used to treat prostate cancer, recently approved by [US] FDA.. READ MORE..>



10 MORE CAUTION ABOUT TESTS

A CT scan is a terrific medical tool - just note its benefits for people with lung cancer ( A LIFESAVING TEST FOR LUNG CANCER is one the list ) - but there's now a long overdue fot its potential dangers. "A remarkable series of studies showed that CT scan.. READ MORE..>


11 A DAILY PILL MAY PREVENT CANCER

A pill in your medicine cabinet might be a powerful cancer fighter. In an analysis of four large studies, people who took a daily low- dose aspirin cut their risk of dying of colon cancer by as much as  as 35 percent. And that's not the only common drug that might offer this bonus... READ MORE..>



12 BETER PROTECTION AGAINST HIV

After years of disappointments and dead ends, HIV researchers reached a long - sought goal, finding a way for women to reduce their risk - even if their partner won't use a condom... READ MORE..>



13 SAVING THE BRAIN

Thanks to numerous studies - and heart breaking stories from onetime pro athletes - we know that concussions can cause immense.. READ MORE..>



14 A NEW WEAPON AGAINST AN OLD SCOURGE

You should care about this while - you - wait tuberculosis test: it will rein in one of the biggest killers in the developing world (according to WHO, TB caused some 1.4 million deaths worldwide in 2012, more than a fifth of them in India).

Tuberculosis can be cured if its diagnosed and treated properly. But because the standard test is slow and unreliable, many people in countries across, many people in countries across the globe go undiagnosed - or are treated ineffectively, which makes it more likely that the bacteria will become impervious to medication.. READ MORE..>