Performance monitoring should take costs to heart

Should You Take Aspirin to Prevent Heart Attack?

The majority of physicians in the USA recommend aspirin for prevention of first heart attacks to almost everyone over the age of 50, even though women have not been included in the clinical trials of aspirin. While aspirin does prevent about 1/3 of first heart attacks, its side-effects are so severe as to cause a higher death rate overall than placebo. Non-fatal side-effects, such as internal b...

Should Men Take Prenatal Vitamins?

Congenital abnormalities are the leading cause of infant mortalities in the United States (25%) and across the world [1]. Public health interventions have included reducing maternal disease, prenatal care of mothers, reduction of exposure to teratogens (agent that can disturb the development of an embryo or fetus), and nutritional interventions [2]. Potentially the most significant nutritional ...

Which pill should we take?

When Dr Pless presents his qualifications “to pontificate” on preventing child injuries, he forgets to mention that he has nurtured, cajoled, nagged and inspired a generation of researchers and practitioners in the field to strive for a better deal for children. I am among those so privileged. Perhaps for this reason more than any other, I find myself contemplating his convictions along with th...

What action should we take to save the health service?

How can the NHS cutbacks, downgrading, restructuring and job losses not affect the quality of care we are able to give patients? The NHS will cease to exist as we know it if we allow Andrew Lansley's Health and Social Care Bill to be implemented.

Should we take patients to hospital in cardiac arrest?