Here are what the editors at HealthDay consider to be the most important developments in Critical Care for September 2012. This roundup includes the latest research news from journal articles, as well as the FDA approvals and regulatory changes that are the most likely to affect clinical practice.
Deaths Due to Poisoning, Suicide, Falls Up in Last Decade
MONDAY, Sept. 24 (HealthDay News) -- Deaths due to suicide, falls, and unintentional poisoning increased over the last decade, while motor vehicle accident deaths declined by 25 percent, according to research published online Sept. 20 in the American Journal of Public Health.
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Safe for Intravenous Catheters to Be Replaced As Needed
FRIDAY, Sept. 21 (HealthDay News) -- Replacement of peripheral intravenous catheters as clinically indicated is as safe as routine replacement, according to a study published in the Sept. 22 issue of The Lancet, a theme issue on surgery.
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Resuming Warfarin After GI Bleed Cuts Mortality
TUESDAY, Sept. 18 (HealthDay News) -- In the 90 days following a gastrointestinal tract bleeding (GIB) event, patients who do not resume warfarin therapy experience an increased rate of thrombosis and death, according to research published online Sept. 17 in the Archives of Internal Medicine.
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Obstructive Sleep Apnea Ups Cardio Risk in the Elderly
FRIDAY, Sept. 14 (HealthDay News) -- In the elderly, untreated severe obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) is associated with an increased risk of cardiovascular death, and adequate treatment with continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) may reduce this risk, according to research published online Sept. 13 in the American Journal of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine.
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Lung Transplant for CF Less Likely for Medicaid Recipients
FRIDAY, Sept. 14 (HealthDay News) -- For adults with cystic fibrosis (CF), the likelihood of not being accepted for lung transplantation is higher for those with low socioeconomic status, as indicated by Medicaid status, according to a study published online Sept. 13 in the American Journal of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine.
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Higher Mortality Risk With Preoperative Hyponatremia
FRIDAY, Sept. 14 (HealthDay News) -- Patients with preoperative hyponatremia have a higher risk of 30-day mortality and morbidity, including coronary events, surgical site wound infections, and pneumonia, according to research published online Sept. 10 in the Archives of Internal Medicine.
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Tranexamic Acid Safe for Wide Spectrum of Trauma Patients
WEDNESDAY, Sept. 12 (HealthDay News) -- Tranexamic acid reduces risk of death and thrombotic events in patients with traumatic bleeding, irrespective of the baseline risk of death, according to a study published online Sept. 11 in BMJ.
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Tight Glycemic Control of Little Value Post-Pediatric Heart Op
MONDAY, Sept. 10 (HealthDay News) -- For pediatric patients, tight glycemic control does not seem to reduce morbidity after cardiac surgery, according to a study published online Sept. 7 in the New England Journal of Medicine to coincide with presentation at the Pediatric Critical Care Colloquium, held from Sept. 6 to 9 in Santa Monica, Calif.
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Not All Docs/Nurses Want to Be Asked About Hand Hygiene
FRIDAY, Sept. 7 (HealthDay News) -- Although most health care workers (HCWs) appreciate the role of patients in preventing health care-associated infection, a considerable proportion are uncomfortable with patients asking about their hand hygiene, according to a letter published online Sept. 3 in the Archives of Internal Medicine.
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Prevalence of Diagnostic Errors in the ICU Assessed
THURSDAY, Sept. 6 (HealthDay News) -- Diagnostic errors in the intensive care unit (ICU) are prevalent, with 28 percent of autopsies reporting at least one misdiagnosis, according to a study published online July 21 in BMJ Quality & Safety.
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Remodeling Starts Within 48 Hours of Cardiac Injury
THURSDAY, Sept. 6 (HealthDay News) -- After cardiac injury, signs of remodeling are observed as early as 48 hours, and include structural changes and enlargement of the heart, and associated changes in cell populations, according to a study published online Sept. 4 in The American Journal of Pathology.
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Hospitals Vary in Resuscitation Times for Cardiac Arrest
WEDNESDAY, Sept. 5 (HealthDay News) -- For patients with in-hospital cardiac arrest, the duration of resuscitation attempts varies between hospitals, with increased duration of resuscitation linked to improved survival, according to a study published online Sept. 5 in The Lancet.
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