Science and technology are moving forward at an amazing pace and the two often complement each other. In 2018 some great advances in medicine were made, and here are the details of just a few.


A Wearable ECG and Fall Detector

By the end of the year, the Apple Watch Series 4 will be capable of generating an ECG. There are electrodes built into the back of the watch that can detect irregularities in your heartbeat. The data will be saved for you to show to your physician who can then decide if treatment is needed.  The watch will also be able to detect if you fall over and will automatically call the emergency services.


A New Treatment For Strokes

Deep brain stimulation is a therapy that will help stroke victims regain the motor functions if the stroke has paralyzed them. The first human this was tried on was a 59- year old man, and the improvement in his health was significant. The results were so good that the Cleveland Clinic that carried out the treatment has been awarded a $2.5 million grant to continue with trials.

This will allow patients to regain their independence and live a more normal life, whereas before they would possibly have been bed bound for whatever time they had left.


Chromatin Immunoprecipitation

Chromatin immunoprecipitation means that multiple samples, antibody and gene targets can be tested in parallel with less manual handling and fewer pipetting steps. This will make the testing of DNA faster, simpler and more accurate as well as providing additional information.


Better Insulin Control For Youngsters With Type 1 Diabetes

When a child or young person is diagnosed with type 1 diabetes their life changes totally. Suddenly some foods are forbidden and there is medication to take including insulin shots. They have to monitor their blood sugar levels constantly as if it goes haywire it could mean the difference between life and death.

A new glucose monitoring device has been developed that can give doses of insulin as it is needed and will regulate the blood sugar levels around the clock, preventing the dangerous highs and lows. It has so been approved for use by children ages from 7 to 13, making their diabetes much more manageable, and doing away with the need for daily injections.


Robots Operating

Many hospitals are set to use robotic arms for operating in their theaters. These can be much more accurate than their human counterparts, and although they are always under supervision, they can carry out operations through a much smaller incision, which results in a quicker recovery and small scars.

Virtual reality is also playing its part. Now a trainee brain surgeon, for instance, can carry out on an operation in the virtual world and gain their skills without touching a real patient. Their tutor can be the other side of the world and watch everything they do as well as guide them in the right way to operate.


These are just a few of the amazing medical advancements, and new ones are being made all the time.