This Morning | Health | Health Headlines, Dr Chris

Health Headlines

Published: Tuesday, 25 March 2008, 4:39PM

Dr Chris brings good news for arthritis sufferers plus how owning a cat can greatly benefit your health.

Smart drug for arthritis by 2009
A smart drug that cuts the symptoms of rheumatoid arthritis by up to 70 per cent could be available on the NHS within a year. Almost half of adults with moderate to severe symptoms had a 20 per cent reduction in their problem, while one-fifth gained the highest level of relief from using the drug, tocilizumab.

Cod liver oil cuts arthritis drug dose
According to Dundee University researchers, taking 10g of cod liver oil a day reduces the need for non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) by 30 per cent. Almost 60 patients completed the nine-month trial which found 39 percent taking cod liver oil reduced their daily dose of NSAIDs compared with 10 per cent taking a placebo.

Parents pass high blood pressure to sons
Men are in danger of inheriting high blood pressure if their parents suffer from the condition, researchers have warned. Their study suggests that those with one or two parents with raised blood pressure are at a 'significantly' increased risk. If both parents were sufferers at a young age, the risk could be 20-fold higher of becoming a sufferer by the age of 35.
Hypertension, the medical term, affects 16 million Britons and is a major risk factor for heart disease, stroke and kidney failure. It is associated with obesity, diabetes and high cholesterol levels.

Drinking during pregnancy risks autism in babies
Women who drink alcohol during pregnancy may be putting their babies at risk of developing autism, according to new research. The consultant psychiatrist who alerted the medical profession to the finding that drinking while pregnant can give babies a condition called foetal alcohol syndrome (FAS) has now found that the consumption of alcohol by expecting mothers can also cause autism.

Can Glue fix a broken heart?
Glue made from blood could save the lives of some heart attack victims. The glue is injected through the chest to plug a hole in the wall of the heart caused by the stress of the attack. Once in place, it seals the hole and stops the massive loss of blood that can prove fatal. The substance, called fibrin glue, has been used in surgery for nearly 20 years. Every year, around 270,000 Britons suffer a heart attack.

Owning a cat can cut the risk of suffering heart attack and stroke by 40%
Owning a cat can cut the risk of suffering heart attack and stroke by 40 per cent. Boffins at the University of Minnesota in the US found that stroking a cat can relieve anxiety by lowering levels of stress hormones in the blood. Less stress means reduced blood pressure and heart rate - and less risk of a heart attack or stroke.

Health: Folic acid may improve chances of fatherhood
Men should consider taking folic acid supplements to improve their chances of fathering a child, according to a US study in the journal Human Reproduction. It found a link between high levels of the nutrient in men's diets and the genetic quality of sperm. Men with the highest levels of folic acid had the lowest proportion of sperm harbouring genetic changes that could lead to miscarriages.