HEALTH NOTES: People with kidney disease are 70 per cent more likely to develop dementia, study finds
People with kidney disease are 70 per cent more likely to develop dementia, a major study has found.
Swedish researchers tracked 300,000 over-65s for five years, analysing results of a blood test measuring kidney function.
The scientists found a clear relationship between diminishing kidney function and cognitive decline.
When the kidneys are unable to clear waste products from the blood, the tiny blood vessels that supply the heart and brain may be affected.
People with kidney disease are 70 per cent more likely to develop dementia, a major study has found (file photo)
Experts have previously suggested that this may be the reason behind the link, although it is not yet conclusive.
The study’s authors, from the Karolinska Institute in Sweden, say: ‘Our analysis suggests that as many as ten per cent of dementia cases could potentially be attributed to chronic kidney disease.’
Back pain? Try robo-physio!
Back pain sufferers who can’t get to see a physiotherapist due to Covid safety restrictions can now use a robot alternative.
BackHug, (£99 a month, mybackhug.com) looks like a massage chair and is embedded with 28 human-sized fingers that apply pressure to problem areas, like a real-life physio does.
When it’s paired with a smartphone app via Bluetooth, patients can choose from 2,000 treatments – composed by a physiotherapist – and adjust strength and pressure. Users report up to 50 per cent pain loss.
BackHug, pictured above (£99 a month, mybackhug.com), looks like a massage chair and is embedded with 28 human-sized fingers that apply pressure to problem areas
If you have mild Covid-19 infection, you won’t suffer the long-term heart problems seen in those who are hospitalised, according to a British Heart Foundation study.
Experts have identified lasting damage – caused by a lack of oxygen from failing lungs, and inflammation – in the hearts of up to half of those hospitalised with Covid-19, and there was concern that those with milder disease would suffer the same.
But now doctors at Barts Health NHS Trust say there is no evidence of a risk, after studying scans of healthcare workers six months after infection.
No difference in size of heart muscle or blood-pumping ability was found between those who had had a mild infection and healthy controls.
If you have mild Covid-19 infection, you won’t suffer the long-term heart problems seen in those who are hospitalised, according to a British Heart Foundation study (file photo)
The UK’s most popular fertility apps are sharing users’ intimate data, according to a new analysis.
Millions of women use smartphone apps to track their monthly cycles, helping them spot when they are fertile. Many of the apps ask for personal information.
But, having analysed the policies of seven of the most widely used apps, researchers found many are sharing the information, often selling data to third party firms.
Dr Teresa Almeida, co-author of the study from Umea University in Sweden, said: ‘A more careful approach to how technology is designed and developed is needed.’
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