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1 month ago | 
medicalindependent.ie | - Priscilla Lynch |Priscilla Lynch |David Lynch |Catherine Reilly
iStock.com/standret Patients often present to their GP with gut symptoms or specific gastrointestinal disorders in which diet can play a significant role. This article addresses common conditions and provides advice on how they can be improved through simple diet and lifestyle changes Patients with chronic pancreatitis in particular benefit from dietetic input, especially if they are underweight or at risk of malnutrition. Generally speaking, small regular meals are better tolerated than...
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1 month ago | 
medicalindependent.ie | - Priscilla Lynch |Priscilla Lynch
iStock.com/champpixs Reference: March-April 2025 | Issue 2 | Vol 18 | Page 18 Polycystic ovary syndrome is a prevalent and complex endocrine disorder affecting women of reproductive age Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) is characterised by a combination of reproductive, metabolic, and hormonal disturbances, with significant variations in symptoms and severity among individuals. The global prevalence of PCOS has risen substantially throughout the years. It affects approximately 8-20 per cent of...
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1 month ago | 
medicalindependent.ie | David Lynch |- Catherine Reilly |- Priscilla Lynch |Priscilla Lynch
21st National Health Summit speakers and attendees A greater focus is needed on preventative healthcare and public health, according to the former Deputy Chief Medical Officer A new long-term “strategic” vision for Ireland’s health system is required, the former Deputy Chief Medical Officer (CMO) told the Health Summit on 6 February. Dr Ronan Glynn, Partner and Health Sector Lead at EY Ireland, was Deputy CMO between 2018 and 2022. Dr Glynn praised aspects of the new Programme for Government,...
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1 month ago | 
medicalindependent.ie | Patricia McLoughlin |- Priscilla Lynch |Priscilla Lynch |David Lynch
This article examines the data supporting the use of domiciliary non-invasive ventilation (NIV), and describes the development of a local guideline for implementing domiciliary NIV for patients with type 2 respiratory failureNon-invasive ventilation (NIV) refers to the provision of ventilatory support through the patient’s upper airway using a mask or similar device.
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2 months ago | 
medicalindependent.ie | - Priscilla Lynch |Priscilla Lynch |David Lynch |Catherine Reilly
Pregnancy can be a reality for some women with adult congenital heart disease but is not without riskPeople born with a congenital heart defect (CHD) are living significantly longer due to the steady progress in medicine and surgery. As such, regarding the whole population of individuals currently living with a CHD, adult patients (ACHD, adult congenital heart disease) outnumber newborns and children affected by the same condition (70 per cent vs 30 per cent).
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2 months ago | 
medicalindependent.ie | Priscilla Lynch |- Priscilla Lynch |David Lynch |Catherine Reilly
New Irish research findings offer a unique opportunity for early diagnosis and therapeutic intervention for rheumatoid arthritisRheumatoid arthritis (RA) affects an estimated 40,000 people in Ireland. The disease costs an estimated €20,000 per patient per year, with an overall cost to the health system of ~€544 million. Only one-in-four RA patients achieve remission and a significant proportion of patients have suboptimal responses or no response to current available therapies.
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2 months ago | 
medicalindependent.ie | Priscilla Lynch |- Priscilla Lynch |David Lynch |Catherine Reilly
The European Alliance of Associations for Rheumatology (EULAR) recently published updated recommendations on the treatment of systemic sclerosis (SSc). SSc is a rare connective tissue disorder with both autoimmune and vascular features. The main hallmark is tissue and vascular fibrosis that can result in clinical heterogeneity of manifestations across the skin and internal organs. This heterogeneity makes the disease variable in both the symptoms it causes and how it should be treated.
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2 months ago | 
medicalindependent.ie | Priscilla Lynch |- Priscilla Lynch |Denise Doherty |David Lynch
The European Alliance of Associations for Rheumatology (EULAR), in partnership with the Paediatric Rheumatology European Society (PReS), has developed new recommendations for the diagnosis and management of Still’s disease, comprising the two diseases formerly known as systemic juvenile idiopathic arthritis (sJIA) and adult-onset Still’s disease (AOSD). sJIA and AOSD share the same features and the same four major symptoms.
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Jan 13, 2025 | 
medicalindependent.ie | - Priscilla Lynch |Denise Doherty |Priscilla Lynch |David Lynch
Different enterovirus strains can cause more severe disease with varying skin findings compared with so-called typical viral strains of hand, foot, and mouth disease. Hand, foot, and mouth disease (HFMD) is a viral illness that mainly affects children younger than five years of age. In the past it was caused mostly by coxsackievirus A16 and enterovirus 71 (E71), and characterised by small blisters of the oral mucosa, palms, and soles, lasting for seven-to-10 days.
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Jan 12, 2025 | 
medicalindependent.ie | Priscilla Lynch |- Priscilla Lynch |Denise Doherty |David Lynch
Two key changes were recently made to the HSE’s infant and childhood immunisation programmeThe HSE recently announced a series of changes to the primary childhood immunisation schedule, applicable to all babies born on or after 1 October 2024. This includes the introduction of the chickenpox (varicella) vaccine.
