q CANNABIS ON PRESCRIPTION: Doctors in the Spanish region of Catalonia will be able to prescribe cannabis to patients for certain conditions following the approval of a pilot project by the Spanish Minister for Health, Elena Salgado. The scheme will allow 60 pharmacies and four hospitals in Catalonia to prescribe cannabis in capsule or as an infusion to help four specific conditions: anorexia among Aids patients; nausea caused by chemotherapy in cancer patients; constant pain that has been unresponsive to other treatments; and muscular problems among those with multiple sclerosis.
q HEART WORK: A correlation has been found between people who do not take time off work when ill and a higher risk of serious coronary events. A study of British civil servants found that 17 per cent of male workers struggled on while ill and took no time off work. However, over a nine-year period, the incidence of cardiac problems in this group was twice as high compared with those employees who had taken a moderate amount of time off work when they were sick.
q MUSCLE TREATMENTS: A recent study shows that simple analgesics are as effective as non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDS) in the treatment of acute muscle injuries, such as those occurring in sport. Given the controversy about the side-effects of the latest generation of NSAIDS (Cox 2 inhibitors) and the lower cost of simple analgesics such as paracetamol, people with sports injuries may wish to discuss using simpler pain killers with their doctors.
Lifelines@irish-times.ie
Lifelines is compiled by Dr Muiris Houston and Sylvia Thompson.