World of Medicine

Noise Can Raise High Blood Pressure Risk

Repeated exposure to loud noise may increase your chances of developing hypertension, according to researchers who followed people living near Athens International Airport in Greece. Subjects located closer to the plane route put up with louder long-term noise; the odds of developing hypertension rose by 69 per cent with each ten-decibel increase in volume.

Response to Pain Matters

When a loved one is in chronic pain, there are three main kinds of responses: empathetic behaviours (showing attention and emotional support), solicitous behaviours (taking over tasks and encouraging rest) and punishing behaviours (annoyance, frustration). A 2017 study published in Psychological Science followed 145 patients with knee osteoarthritis. After 18 months, only those whose partners reacted with empathy had improved physical function.

Lighter Coffee Roasts Have More Antioxidants

Caffeine may be what keeps people coming back for more coffee, but the beverage also contains chlorogenic acid, a beneficial compound. Both substances are antioxidants, meaning they protect cells from damage caused by free radicals. Korean researchers measured them in coffee beans that had been roasted to different levels. The amount of caffeine didn’t change much, but the lighter the roast, the more chlorogenic acid was present.

Acne Drug Can Help Early-Stage MS

A Canadian trial has found that the acne medication minocycline can slow the progress of multiple sclerosis in patients who had recently experienced their first symptoms. Currently, there are no oral drugs for this early stage of the disease.