Muiris Houston

2 weeks ago | irishtimes.com | Muiris Houston

Readers will be familiar with the specialisation of medicine, which has undoubtedly brought with it enormous progress. However one of its drawbacks is the tendency for each specialist area to become a silo. For example, a narrow research focus is needed to produce unambiguous results when new treatments are being examined. But we are not built like an automobile engine, with clearly delineated systems.

1 month ago | irishtimes.com | Muiris Houston

Parents (and grandparents) learn to think preventively when there is a toddler in the house. Cupboards with cleaning materials have to be secured from curious mitts and medication stored safely away from prying eyes. Otherwise, small foreign bodies may find their way into a child’s ears and up their nostrils – or indeed swallowed, with potentially serious consequences. In children, the most commonly ingested foreign bodies are coins, button batteries and toys.

1 month ago | irishtimes.com | Muiris Houston

It’s not often that medicine signals a big change in how it perceives an established disease phenomenon. Yet, that is precisely what a recent publication, The Lancet Commission on Rethinking Coronary Artery Disease, sets out to do. Coronary heart disease has traditionally been diagnosed when there is an inadequate blood supply to the heart muscle. This ischaemic episode occurs when there is a blockage in one or more of the coronary arteries.

2 months ago | medicalindependent.ie | Pat Harrold |Muiris Houston |Alison Green |David Lynch

iStock.com/PeopleImages As public health needs evolve, so too must our approach to immunisation Vaccination is one of the most effective public health tools, offering protection not just for individuals, but also contributing to the overall health of our communities. By immunising adults against diseases like influenza, pneumonia, and shingles, we can significantly reduce the incidence of these illnesses, particularly among vulnerable groups such as the elderly and those with chronic...

2 months ago | irishtimes.com | Muiris Houston

In the last month there have been warnings about the resurgence of two infectious diseases in Europe – polio and measles. The European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC) reported a steep rise in measles cases in 2024. Between February 1st, 2024 and January 31st, 2025, a total of 32,265 people were diagnosed with measles across Europe. And last week came a combined ECDC and World Health Organisation (WHO) warning about an unusually high number of poliovirus detections in recent months.