Here are what the editors at HealthDay consider to be the most important developments in Emergency Medicine for September 2009. 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.
Data Model May Predict Risk of Future Domestic Abuse
WEDNESDAY, Sept. 30 (HealthDay News) -- Readily available patient medical data can be used in a Bayesian model to estimate the future risk of a diagnosis involving domestic abuse, according to a study published Sept. 29 in BMJ.
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Bacterial Infections Are a Factor in Many H1N1 Deaths
WEDNESDAY, Sept. 30 (HealthDay News) -- Many patients who have died of H1N1 influenza this year had a bacterial co-infection that likely contributed to their deaths, according to a Sept. 29 early release of the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report.
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Meningococcal Disease Jabs Should Be Repeated for Some
MONDAY, Sept. 28 (HealthDay News) -- One dose of the quadrivalent meningococcal conjugate vaccine may not be enough to confer ongoing protection, and vaccination should be repeated in those at high risk, according to a study in the Sept. 25 issue of the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report.
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Efficacy of Rapid Influenza Diagnostic Test Explored
MONDAY, Sept. 28 (HealthDay News) -- Although the rapid influenza diagnostic test can accurately predict confirmed infection with pandemic H1N1 influenza, the test produces too many false negatives to be of use in the management of the disease pandemic, according to a study in the Sept. 25 issue of the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report.
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H1N1 Virus's Genetic Makeup Appears to Be Staying Stable
MONDAY, Sept. 28 (HealthDay News) -- The genetic makeup of the H1N1 flu has remained stable, which means the yet-to-be-released vaccine is likely to be a good match for the virus, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention announced at a Sept. 25 media briefing.
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FDA Warns Prescribers About Tamiflu Dosing Errors
FRIDAY, Sept. 25 (HealthDay News) -- The U.S. Food and Drug Administration has issued a Public Health Alert to notify pharmacists and prescribers about the potential for dosing errors with oseltamivir (Tamiflu for Oral Suspension).
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Drain Can Reduce Hematoma Recurrence and Mortality
FRIDAY, Sept. 25 (HealthDay News) -- Placement of a soft silicon drain tube during the surgical procedure to drain a chronic subdural hematoma reduces both recurrence of the brain hematoma and mortality, according to a study in the Sept. 26 issue of The Lancet.
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Multiple Strokes Linked to Higher Risk for Post-Stroke Dementia
FRIDAY, Sept. 25 (HealthDay News) -- The risk of developing dementia after stroke is higher in patients who have had multiple strokes, according to a study published online Sept. 24 in The Lancet Neurology.
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Meta-Analysis Finds Flu Linked to Heart Attack and Death
THURSDAY, Sept. 24 (HealthDay News) -- For people with heart disease, getting influenza increases the risk of heart attack and death, and cardiac patients should be strongly encouraged to get vaccinated, according to a literature review and meta-analysis reported in the October issue of The Lancet Infectious Diseases.
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Live-Virus Vaccine Shows Promise Against Rabies
THURSDAY, Sept. 24 (HealthDay News) -- A rabies vaccine made with a live virus lacking a gene needed for replication appears safe and effective with a simpler dosing regimen than the current post-exposure vaccine, according to results of animal studies published online Sept. 18 in the Journal of Infectious Diseases.
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Interventions Could Reduce Maternal Mortality in Africa
WEDNESDAY, Sept. 23 (HealthDay News) -- Improved health facilities and greater access to misoprostol and antibiotics in the community could prevent thousands of maternal deaths in Africa annually, according to research published online Sept. 23 in The Lancet.
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Review Advises Hand Washing, Other Antiviral Measures
WEDNESDAY, Sept. 23 (HealthDay News) -- Hand washing, wearing a mask, and isolating potential cases are all effective in interrupting the spread of viral respiratory infections and should be given greater attention when planning for widespread outbreaks, according to research published Sept. 22 in BMJ.
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Guidelines Offered for Emergency Pediatric Care
WEDNESDAY, Sept. 23 (HealthDay News) -- A joint policy statement from the American Academy of Pediatrics and American College of Emergency Physicians, intended to help hospital emergency departments maintain the appropriate resources and personnel to properly serve pediatric patients, has been published online Sept. 21 in Pediatrics.
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Simplified System Reduces Overtriage in Trauma Patients
WEDNESDAY, Sept. 23 (HealthDay News) -- A simplified triage system based on only four variables considerably reduces the overtriage rate with an acceptable undertriage rate in trauma patients, according to a study in the September issue of the Archives of Surgery.
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Spotlight on Social Networking Use Among Medical Students
TUESDAY, Sept. 22 (HealthDay News) -- A majority of medical schools report instances of medical students posting unprofessional content on social networking Web sites, including some instances of violations of patient confidentiality, according to a report in the Sept. 23/30 issue of the Journal of the American Medical Association.
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Physician Medical Errors Linked to Fatigue and Burnout
TUESDAY, Sept. 22 (HealthDay News) -- The incidence of medical error is associated with a host of factors related to physician fatigue, burnout, and mental and emotional well-being, according to a study in the Sept. 23/30 issue of the Journal of the American Medical Association.
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Public Smoking Bans Linked to Fewer Heart Attacks
TUESDAY, Sept. 22 (HealthDay News) -- Bans on smoking in public are associated with a drop in hospitalizations for heart attacks and the benefits increase with time, according to one study in the Sept. 29 Journal of the American College of Cardiology and a second study published online Sept. 21 in Circulation.
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Pediatric Nurses Seldom Tackle Parents About Smoking
MONDAY, Sept. 21 (HealthDay News) -- Pediatric nurses are often in contact with smokers among the parents of their patients, but they seldom engage in smoking cessation activities with them, according to a study in the September issue of the Journal of Emergency Nursing.
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Hispanics Show Lower Artery Bypass Rate After PCI
FRIDAY, Sept. 18 (HealthDay News) -- Despite having a higher cardiovascular risk profile than Caucasians, Hispanics are less likely to have coronary artery bypass graft (CABG) surgery in the year after percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI), according to research published in the Sept. 15 issue of the American Journal of Cardiology.
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Most Pediatric Emergency Asthma Cases Not Followed Up
FRIDAY, Sept. 18 (HealthDay News) -- In reference to children with asthma who are seen at a hospital emergency room, most cases are never followed up and the mother's education level is associated with odds of a child being taken for a check-up, according to a study published in the September issue of the Journal of Emergency Nursing.
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Gastric Bypass Patients Need Modified Nursing Care
THURSDAY, Sept. 17 (HealthDay News) -- Emergency department nurses treating patients who have previously undergone gastric bypass surgery need to adapt their routine methods of care to treat such patients safely, according to an article published in the September issue of the Journal of Emergency Nursing.
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Studies Assess Intermittent Preventive Malaria Treatment
THURSDAY, Sept. 17 (HealthDay News) -- Intermittent preventive treatment in infants (IPTi) against malaria using sulfadoxine-pyrimethamine may be beneficial in a range of malaria-transmission settings, and IPTi with mefloquine may help protect infants from malaria in moderate-transmission areas, according to research from two studies set in Africa published online Sept. 17 in The Lancet.
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Stroke Education Mailing Cut Time-to-Hospital for Women
THURSDAY, Sept. 17 (HealthDay News) -- A population-based intervention, in the form of a letter emphasizing the need for rapid medical care for stroke, effectively reduced delays in women getting to the hospital, but not men, according to a study in the Sept. 14 issue of the Archives of Internal Medicine.
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Antibiotics Easy to Find Online Without Prescription
THURSDAY, Sept. 17 (HealthDay News) -- Easy access to antibiotics without a prescription via the Internet encourages patients to self-medicate and compromises the quality of their care, according to a study in the September/October issue of the Annals of Family Medicine.
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Taxes on Sugared Sodas Could Cut Consumption
WEDNESDAY, Sept. 16 (HealthDay News) -- Imposing a tax on sugar-sweetened beverages could reduce consumption and generate income for obesity reduction and healthy eating education interventions, according to an article published online Sept. 16 in the New England Journal of Medicine.
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FDA Approves Four Vaccines for H1N1 Influenza
TUESDAY, Sept. 15 (HealthDay News) -- The U.S. Food and Drug Administration has approved four H1N1 influenza vaccines, according to a Sept. 15 news release issued by the agency.
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More Chest Compressions in CPR May Improve Survival
TUESDAY, Sept. 15 (HealthDay News) -- The more that emergency personnel perform chest compression during cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) of a patient in cardiac arrest, the greater the odds of patient survival, according to a study published online Sept. 14 in Circulation.
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Prediction Rules for Brain Injury Can Cut Down on Scans
TUESDAY, Sept. 15 (HealthDay News) -- Children at very low risk for brain injury following head trauma can be identified using a set of prediction rules that obviate the need for a computed tomography (CT) scan, according to a study published online Sept. 15 in The Lancet.
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Drug Interaction E-Alerts Show Benefit to Patient Safety
MONDAY, Sept. 14 (HealthDay News) -- Drug interaction alerts from electronic prescribing likely improve patient safety and reduce costs in outpatient care, despite the fact that over 90 percent of the alerts are overridden by physicians, according to a study in the Sept. 14 issue of Archives of Internal Medicine.
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Opt-Out HIV Screening Well-Accepted by Adolescents
MONDAY, Sept. 14 (HealthDay News) -- A routine, opt-out screening process for HIV at a pediatric emergency department was well-accepted by adolescents and their guardians, according to research published online Sept. 14 in Pediatrics.
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Lovastatin Reduces Coronary Events Based on Cholesterol
MONDAY, Sept. 14 (HealthDay News) -- Patients with no cardiovascular risk factors who take lovastatin have a lower risk of developing major coronary events if they have substantial increases in high-density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol and substantial decreases in low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol in the first year of treatment, according to a study in the Sept. 15 issue of the American Journal of Cardiology.
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Pneumothorax From Air Travel Rare Among Lung Patients
MONDAY, Sept. 14 (HealthDay News) -- Patients with interstitial lung diseases have only a slight risk of experiencing pneumothorax as the result of traveling by air or land, according to a study in the September issue of Chest.
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More Pregnant Women Need to Get Flu Vaccinations
FRIDAY, Sept. 11 (HealthDay News) -- The proportion of pregnant women in Georgia and Rhode Island vaccinated for influenza has increased in recent years, but the great majority of pregnant women still do not get vaccinated, according to a report in the Sept. 11 issue of the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report.
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Quick Stenting Beneficial in Heart Attacks in Remote Areas
FRIDAY, Sept. 11 (HealthDay News) -- Patients with ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI) who live in rural areas with long transfer times to angioplasty have significant improvements in the rate of death, reinfarction, and stroke if they receive angioplasty immediately after thrombolysis, according to a study presented at the 2009 European Society of Cardiology Congress and published online Sept. 9 in the Journal of the American College of Cardiology.
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Mutated H1N1 Virus Resistant to Antiviral Drug Oseltamivir
FRIDAY, Sept. 11 (HealthDay News) -- The discovery of H1N1 mutations resistant to the neuraminidase inhibitor oseltamivir in two adolescent girls sharing a cabin at a North Carolina camp prompted a new recommendation from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention on the proper prophylactic use of antiviral drugs, according to a case report in the Sept. 11 issue of the CDC's Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report.
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Current Health Policy May Not Serve Young People Well
FRIDAY, Sept. 11 (HealthDay News) -- A high proportion of deaths in young people worldwide are due to intentional and unintentional injury, and the current adolescent health policy focus on HIV/AIDS and maternal mortality is not enough to prevent mortality amongst youngsters, according to a study in the Sept. 12 issue of The Lancet.
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Poverty-Mortality Association Unchanged in England
FRIDAY, Sept. 11 (HealthDay News) -- Despite myriad medical, public health, social, economic and political changes, the association between poverty and mortality in England and Wales is as strong today as it was at the start of the 20th century, according to a study published online Sept. 10 in BMJ.
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S. pneumoniae Leads to Death in Many Under 5
FRIDAY, Sept. 11 (HealthDay News) -- Approximately 11 percent of all deaths in children aged 1 to 59 months are due to infection with Streptococcus pneumoniae, and greater efforts to prevent and treat disease associated with the bacterium could help attain the United Nations Millennium Development Goal 4 of reducing child mortality by two-thirds between 1990 and 2015, according to a study published in the Sept. 12 issue of The Lancet.
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One Dose of H1N1 Vaccine May Offer Substantial Protection
FRIDAY, Sept. 11 (HealthDay News) -- Preliminary research indicates that just a single dose of the 2009 H1N1 vaccine can substantially increase protective antibodies, but vaccinations with seasonal flu vaccine provide minimal cross-reactive antibody response, according to several studies published online Sept. 10 in the New England Journal of Medicine.
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Cardiology Work Force Crisis Looms as Cases Set to Rocket
THURSDAY, Sept. 10 (HealthDay News) -- The cardiology work force will need to double by 2050 if it is to keep pace with the growing number of patients requiring specialist cardiology care, according to an American College of Cardiology (ACC) study published online Sept. 10 in the Journal of the American College of Cardiology, and presented at an ACC media telebriefing earlier today.
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Kenyan Immunization May Reduce Sickle-Cell Death
THURSDAY, Sept. 10 (HealthDay News) -- Sickle-cell anemia is more than 25 times more common in Kenyan children with bacterial infections, and immunization may prevent death since the bacterial species are the same as those in developed countries, according to a study published online Sept. 10 in The Lancet.
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Most H1N1 Flu Patients Don't Need Antiviral Medication
WEDNESDAY, Sept. 9 (HealthDay News) -- Antiviral medications should be used to treat H1N1 swine flu only in people who are hospitalized from the flu or are at high risk of complications from it, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
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Costs Escalating for Patients With Spine Problems
TUESDAY, Sept. 8 (HealthDay News) -- Since 1997, national expenditures for spine conditions have dramatically increased, while self-reported mental and physical health and activity limitations in spine patients have significantly worsened, according to a study in the Sept. 1 issue of Spine.
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Antibiotic Class Linked to Double Vision
TUESDAY, Sept. 8 (HealthDay News) -- The use of fluoroquinolone antibiotics is associated with double vision, according to a study in the September issue of Ophthalmology.
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H1N1 Vaccines Appear Safe for Adults, Children
MONDAY, Sept. 7 (HealthDay News) -- The new H1N1 swine flu vaccine appears to be as safe as the seasonal flu variety, according to experts from the U.S. National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases; and, intravenous use of the antiviral zanamivir (Relenza) may provide a lifesaving alternative for severe cases of H1N1 pneumonitis, according to a report published online Sept. 4 in The Lancet.
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Bleeding Rates in Elderly A-Fib Patients on Warfarin Assessed
FRIDAY, Sept. 4 (HealthDay News) -- With careful management, elderly patients with atrial fibrillation may be able to use oral anticoagulant treatment while maintaining a reasonably low risk of major bleeding complications, according to research published in the Sept. 8 issue of the Journal of the American College of Cardiology.
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One in Eight Binge Drinkers Drive Soon Afterwards
FRIDAY, Sept. 4 (HealthDay News) -- About one in eight binge drinkers drive within two hours of binging, and about half of these drink at a licensed establishment such as a restaurant, bar or club, according to a study published Sept. 1 in the American Journal of Preventive Medicine.
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Underlying Conditions in Kids Increase Risks From Swine Flu
THURSDAY, Sept. 3 (HealthDay News) -- At least 36 children younger than 18 years of age are among the nearly 500 Americans who have died of complications from H1N1 swine flu, according to a new government report in the Sept. 4 issue of the CDC's Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report.
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Retail Clinics Cost Effective for Treating Common Illnesses
WEDNESDAY, Sept. 2 (HealthDay News) -- Compared with physician offices and urgent care centers, retail clinics provide cost-effective treatment without compromising quality of care for urinary tract infections, pharyngitis and otitis media, according to a study published in the Sept. 1 issue of the Annals of Internal Medicine.
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Top Hospitals Have Slightly Better Heart Failure Outcomes
WEDNESDAY, Sept. 2 (HealthDay News) -- Although hospitals ranked by the U.S. News & World Report as the best providers of heart care and surgery achieve better 30-day mortality rates than their non-ranked counterparts, readmission rates are similar regardless of ranking, according to a study published online Sept. 1 in Circulation: Cardiovascular Quality and Outcomes.
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Academic Medical Centers Active and Diverse in Research
TUESDAY, Sept. 1 (HealthDay News) -- Research at academic medical centers is active and diverse, with nearly a quarter of life-science researchers receiving no funding, and relationships with industry more commonly seen among translational and clinical researchers than basic science researchers, according to a study in the Sept. 2 issue of the Journal of the American Medical Association.
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Intervention Delay Has Little Effect on Heart Conditions
TUESDAY, Sept. 1 (HealthDay News) -- In patients with acute coronary syndromes, delaying intervention for a day does not affect heart attack rates and other outcomes, according to a study in the Sept. 2 issue of the Journal of the American Medical Association.
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Epinephrine Dosage for Anesthetic Overdose Studied
TUESDAY, Sept. 1 (HealthDay News) -- In an experiment on rats whose hearts were stopped by anesthetic overdose, the administration of the hormone epinephrine above a dose threshold was found to counteract lipid-based resuscitation, according to a study in the September issue of Anesthesiology.
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More Problems Seen in Women With Endovascular AAA Repair
TUESDAY, Sept. 1 (HealthDay News) -- Women undergoing endovascular repair of abdominal aortic aneurysms had a higher risk of mortality and morbidity than men, according to research published in the September issue of the Journal of Vascular Surgery.
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