Here are what the editors at HealthDay consider to be the most important developments in Nursing for May 2006. 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.
Ventricular Fibrillation Onset Affects Children's Survival
WEDNESDAY, May 31 (HealthDay News) -- Hospitalized children who experience cardiac arrest have a better outcome if either ventricular fibrillation or tachycardia are the initial pulseless rhythm rather than develop during the cardiac arrest, according to a study published in the June 1 issue of the New England Journal of Medicine.
Abstract
Full Text (subscription or payment may be required)
Medicare Drug Benefit Limit Linked to Mortality Risk
WEDNESDAY, May 31 (HealthDay News) -- Limiting Medicare+Choice recipients' drug benefits means lower drug costs but is associated with poorer health, according to research published in the June 1 issue of the New England Journal of Medicine.
Abstract
Full Text (subscription or payment may be required)
Editorial
Loneliness Linked to High Blood Pressure in Elderly
WEDNESDAY, May 31 (HealthDay News) -- High systolic blood pressure is associated with loneliness in elderly individuals, according to a report in Psychology and Aging.
Full Text (subscription or payment may be required)
Canadians Have Better Access to Health Care Than Americans
WEDNESDAY, May 31 (HealthDay News) -- The Canadian health care system affords its citizens more equitable access to health care compared with their counterparts in the United States, thanks to universal coverage, according to a study published online May 30 by the American Journal of Public Health.
Abstract
Full Text (subscription or payment may be required)
HPV Tests More Sensitive Than Cytology for Cervical Cancer
WEDNESDAY, May 31 (HealthDay News) -- Human papillomavirus (HPV) testing may be more sensitive than cytology in detecting grade 2 or higher cervical intraepithelial neoplasia (CIN), according to a report published online in the International Journal of Cancer. The authors suggest HPV testing should replace cytology, the current standard for cervical cancer screening.
Abstract
Full Text (subscription or payment may be required)
Higher Fasting Leptin Levels May Cut Appetite in the Elderly
TUESDAY, May 30 (HealthDay News) -- Altered fasting and postprandial leptin and insulin levels may cause elderly patients to experience longer periods of satiation after meals, a phenomenon that could explain the so-called "anorexia of aging," according to a report in the May issue of the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition.
Abstract
Full Text (subscription or payment may be required)
NSAID Use Linked to Hospital Admission for Heart Failure
THURSDAY, May 25 (HealthDay News) -- The use of non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), such as ibuprofen, is associated with an increased risk of being hospitalized for those with prior diagnosis of heart failure, according to a study published online May 22 in Heart.
Abstract
Full Text (subscription or payment may be required)
Seven-Item Scale Can Help Diagnose Anxiety Disorder
THURSDAY, May 25 (HealthDay News) -- Possible cases of generalized anxiety disorder (GAD) can be screened using a self-administered, seven-item anxiety scale (GAD-7) that can also be used to assess the severity of the condition, according to a study in the May 22 issue of the Archives of Internal Medicine.
Abstract
Full Text (subscription or payment may be required)
More Poor Adolescents 15-17 Years Old Are Overweight
TUESDAY, May 23 (HealthDay News) -- The prevalence of being overweight is more than 50 percent higher in poor adolescents aged 15 to 17 years than in non-poor adolescents in the United States, possibly due to less physical activity, drinking sugary beverages and skipping breakfast, according to a report in the May 24/31 issue of the Journal of the American Medical Association.
Abstract
Full Text (subscription or payment may be required)
Computer Screening Boosts Domestic Violence Disclosure
TUESDAY, May 23 (HealthDay News) -- A computer-based screening method may increase the odds that a female victim of domestic violence will talk to a health professional about the topic when in the emergency department, according to a report in the May 22 issue of the Archives of Internal Medicine.
Abstract
Full Text (subscription or payment may be required)
Unnecessary Tests During Physicals Could Cost Millions
TUESDAY, May 23 (HealthDay News) -- Unnecessary medical interventions during routine office visits for preventive medical exams could be costing $47 million to $194 million a year in the United States, according to a report in the June issue of the American Journal of Preventive Medicine.
Abstract
Full Text (subscription or payment may be required)
Male Partner Over 40 Contributes to IVF Failure
TUESDAY, May 23 (HealthDay News) -- Couples who choose to postpone childbearing should not only consider the age of the woman but that of the man as well, according to a report in the May issue of Fertility and Sterility that finds that when the male partner is aged 40 and older, couples are less likely to achieve a pregnancy with in vitro fertilization.
Abstract
Full Text (subscription or payment may be required)
Shortage of Pharmacists Predicted in Next Decade
MONDAY, May 22 (HealthDay News) -- The United States will likely face a worsening shortage of pharmacists in the next decade as more men retire and more men and women opt for part-time work, according to a study published in the May/June issue of the Journal of the American Pharmacists Association.
Abstract
Full Text (payment or subscription may be required)
Low Physical Function Linked to Dementia, Alzheimer Risk
MONDAY, May 22 (HealthDay News) -- Lower levels of physical function may be associated with the onset of dementia and Alzheimer disease, according to a study in the May 22 issue of the Archives of Internal Medicine.
Abstract
Full Text (subscription or payment may be required)
Higher Flu Vaccine Doses Safe and Effective in Elderly
MONDAY, May 22 (HealthDay News) -- Increasing the dosage of influenza vaccine for elderly patients may safely offer added protection without significant side effects, according to a report in the May 22 issue of the Archives of Internal Medicine.
Abstract
Full Text (subscription or payment may be required)
Medicare Advantage Plans Hit Sickest Patients Hard
MONDAY, May 22 (HealthDay News) -- Medicare Advantage managed care plans may be an expensive option for beneficiaries in poor health who use more health services, according to a report published online May 19 by The Commonwealth Fund.
Abstract
Full Text
More Information
Delaying Appendectomies Up to 24 Hours May Be Safe
THURSDAY, May 18 (HealthDay News) -- Delaying emergency appendectomies for acute appendicitis by up to 24 hours does not affect clinical outcome, suggesting these surgeries could be delayed until day-shift hours, according to a report in the May issue of the Archives of Surgery.
Abstract
Full Text (subscription or payment may be required)
Advair Diskus, Serevent Diskus Product Labels Updated
WEDNESDAY, May 17 (HealthDay News) -- In response to a U.S. Food and Drug Administration public health advisory issued in November 2005, GlaxoSmithKline has updated the product labels for its Advair Diskus (fluticasone propionate; salmeterol xinafoate) and Serevent Diskus (salmeterol xinafoate) to note that the medications may increase the risk of severe asthma episodes or death when severe episodes occur. GlaxoSmithKline has also issued new medication guides, according to an update published this week by the FDA.
More Information
More Information
U.S. Kids' Tennis Success Often Fostered by Parents
TUESDAY, May 16 (HealthDay News) -- Among families of junior tennis players, 59 percent of parents help their kids succeed at junior tennis, but more than one-third hinder their children by being overly critical or expecting too much, according to a study published online May 15 in the British Journal of Sports Medicine.
Abstract
Full Text (subscription or payment may be required)
Some 4.1 Million Americans Infected with Hepatitis C
TUESDAY, May 16 (HealthDay News) -- The prevalence of antibodies to the hepatitis C virus (anti-HCV) in the United States was 1.6 percent in 1999-2002, the equivalent of an estimated 4.1 million Americans, according to a study in the May 16 issue of the Annals of Internal Medicine.
Abstract
Full Text
Editorial
Working Women Report Better Health in Middle-Age
TUESDAY, May 16 (HealthDay News) -- Stay-at-home mothers tend to be heavier and to report poorer health in middle-age than working mothers, according to a study in the June issue of the Journal of Epidemiology and Community Health.
Abstract
Full Text (subscription or payment may be required)
Aggressive Management of Heart Disease Recommended
MONDAY, May 15 (HealthDay News) -- Aggressive management of coronary heart disease risk factors improves patient survival and quality of life, and reduces repeat events and interventional procedures, according to a report published in the May 16 issue of Circulation: Journal of the American Heart Association.
Full Text (subscription or payment may be required)
Carcinogens Found in Urine of Infants Exposed to Smokers
MONDAY, May 15 (HealthDay News) -- Almost half of infants under a year old who are exposed to cigarette smoke in the home or car have detectable levels of a marker of tobacco smoke in their urine, according to a study in the May issue of Cancer Epidemiology, Biomarkers & Prevention.
Abstract
Full Text (subscription or payment may be required)
One in Four U.S. Adults is Obese or a Smoker
FRIDAY, May 12 (HealthDay News) -- Almost a quarter of U.S. adults are obese, nearly as many U.S. adults smoke cigarettes, and 4.7 percent run extra health risks by being both smokers and obese, according to a study published online May 12 in BMJ.
Abstract
Full Text
One-Quarter of Elders May Have Poor Health Literacy
THURSDAY, May 11 (HealthDay News) -- Almost one-quarter of elderly people surveyed in two U.S. cities have only limited health literacy, according to a study published in the May issue of the Journal of the American Geriatrics Society.
Abstract
Full Text (subscription or payment may be required)
FDA Approves New Smoking Cessation Drug
THURSDAY, May 11 (HealthDay News) -- The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved Chantix, a smoking cessation drug made by Pfizer, Inc. The drug was given accelerated approval because its active ingredient, the new molecular entity varenicline tartrate, can help cigarette smokers kick the habit, according to an FDA statement.
More Information
Some U.S. States Seek to Change Life Support Laws
THURSDAY, May 11 (HealthDay News) -- More than two-thirds of U.S. states allow patients or their representatives to decide whether to withdraw life-sustaining treatment when the patient is in a persistent vegetative state, according to a report published in the June issue of Neurology. However, laws and proposed legislation in some states may force the burden on the patient's representative to show that life support should be withdrawn and reverse 30 years of law and health care ethics, the authors write.
Full Text (subscription or payment may be required)
Fever Risk After Bronchoscopy No Higher for Elderly
THURSDAY, May 11 (HealthDay News) -- The incidence of fever and pneumonia after fiberoptic bronchoscopy (FOB) is no higher in patients 70 or older than in younger patients, according to a study in the May issue of the Journal of the American Geriatrics Society.
Abstract
Full Text (subscription or payment may be required)
Caregiver Influences Reports of Dementia in Alzheimer's
THURSDAY, May 11 (HealthDay News) -- Clinicians should consider the characteristics of caregivers assisting patients with Alzheimer disease since they may influence reports of neuropsychiatric symptoms of dementia (NPS), according to a study in the May issue of the Journal of the American Geriatrics Society.
Abstract
Full Text (subscription or payment may be required)
New ASCO Guidelines for Use of Colony-Stimulating Factors
THURSDAY, May 11 (HealthDay News) -- The American Society of Clinical Oncology has issued new guidelines for use of hematopoietic colony stimulating factors (CSF) for treatment of febrile neutropenia in patients undergoing chemotherapy, according to a report published online May 8 in the Journal of Clinical Oncology.
Abstract
Full Text (subscription or payment may be required)
Frivolous Claims Account for Small Fraction of Costs
WEDNESDAY, May 10 (HealthDay News) -- The majority of resources involved in malpractice claims go toward resolving and paying those that involve errors, indicating it may be more cost-effective to streamline claims processing rather than discourage claims, according to a study in the May 11 issue of the New England Journal of Medicine.
Abstract
Full Text (subscription or payment may be required)
Editorial
Antiviral Regimen Promising for Post-Shingles Pain
WEDNESDAY, May 10 (HealthDay News) -- Antiviral treatment with intravenous acyclovir followed by oral valacyclovir shows promise for treatment of post-herpetic neuralgia, according to the results of a prospective, open-label study published in the May 8 issue of the Archives of Neurology.
Abstract
Full Text
Cause of Grapefruit Juice Drug Interaction Identified
WEDNESDAY, May 10 (HealthDay News) -- The active ingredients in grapefruit juice that cause potentially dangerous interactions with some drugs are furanocoumarins, not, as previously suspected, the flavonoids that give the drink its bitter taste, according to a study published in the May issue of the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition.
Abstract
Full Text (subscription or payment may be required)
Tailored Chemo More Effective with Amplified Cancer Genes
WEDNESDAY, May 10 (HealthDay News) -- Breast cancer patients whose tumors have amplifications of two genes have better relapse-free survival if treated with individually tailored and dose-escalated adjuvant anthracycline-based chemotherapy, according to a report published online May 8 in the Journal of Clinical Oncology.
Abstract
Full Text (subscription or payment may be required)
Collaborative Care Benefits Alzheimer Disease Patients
TUESDAY, May 9 (HealthDay News) -- Alzheimer disease patients cared for by an interdisciplinary team within their primary care setting are more likely to receive drugs and have fewer behavioral and psychological symptoms than other patients, according to a study in the May 10 issue of the Journal of the American Medical Association.
Abstract
Full Text (subscription or payment may be required)
Revascularizations Lower in States with Medicare Restrictions
TUESDAY, May 9 (HealthDay News) -- A study of more than 1.1 million Medicare beneficiaries with acute myocardial infarction (AMI) shows that those living in states with certificate-of-need regulations have lower rates of coronary revascularization than patients living in other states, according to a report in the May 10 issue of the Journal of the American Medical Association.
Abstract
Full Text
Editorial
Pain Management Program Improves Pain Assessment
TUESDAY, May 9 (HealthDay News) -- A pain management instrument that includes enhanced pain assessments and nursing staff updates improves some aspects of pain management in hospitalized adults, but not overall pain scores, according to one of the largest studies of its kind reported in the May 8 issue of the Archives of Internal Medicine.
Abstract
Full Text (subscription or payment may be required)
High-Dose Corticosteroids May Increase Stroke Risk
TUESDAY, May 9 (HealthDay News) -- Patients undergoing high-dose corticosteroid therapy are at increased risk of developing atrial fibrillation (AF), therefore increasing their risk of stroke, according to a study in the May 8 issue of the Archives of Internal Medicine.
Abstract
Full Text (subscription or payment may be required)
Off-Label Prescribing Common in Doctors' Offices
TUESDAY, May 9 (HealthDay News) -- Office-based physicians frequently prescribe drugs off-label, with approximately one-fifth of drugs prescribed in this way, often without scientific support, according to a study in the May 8 issue of the Archives of Internal Medicine.
Abstract
Full Text (subscription or payment may be required)
Survey Finds U.S. Arthritis Prevalence of 27 Percent
MONDAY, May 8 (HealthDay News) -- Between 18 percent and 37 percent of adults in the United States have physician-diagnosed arthritis, according to a 2003 survey published online May 5 in the Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report. As Americans age, the $86 billion annual cost of arthritis and its disabling impact on 43 million U.S. adults are expected to keep growing.
Full Text
ACE Inhibitor Angioedema Reaction Higher in Blacks
FRIDAY, May 5 (HealthDay News) -- Patients in some ethnic groups have higher risks of adverse events when taking cardiovascular drugs, according to a review published online May 5 in BMJ. For example, black patients who are taking angiotensin converting enzyme (ACE) inhibitors have three times the risk of developing angioedema as other patients, the report indicates.
Abstract
Full Text
Randomized Trials Lack Information to Assess Quality
THURSDAY, May 4 (HealthDay News) -- Most randomized controlled trials do not include information necessary to assess their quality based on criteria established a decade ago, according to an article in the May 3 issue of the Journal of the National Cancer Institute.
Abstract
Full Text (subscription or payment may be required)
One-Quarter of Older Cancer Patients Don't Finish Chemo
THURSDAY, May 4 (HealthDay News) -- About one in four elderly patients with stage III colon cancer do not complete adjuvant chemotherapy after surgery, possibly due to physical frailty, treatment complications or a lack of social and psychological support, according to a study in the May 3 issue of the Journal of the National Cancer Institute.
Abstract
Full Text (subscription or payment may be required)
Editorial
Teens Likely to Deny Making Virginity Pledges After Sex
THURSDAY, May 4 (HealthDay News) -- Adolescents who take virginity pledges are likely to deny having made a pledge if they break their promise of sexual abstinence, according to a study in the June issue of the American Journal of Public Health.
Abstract
Full Text (subscription or payment may be required)
Emergency Rooms Report Dire Shortage of Specialists
THURSDAY, May 4 (HealthDay News) -- About three in four emergency department directors report inadequate on-call specialist coverage at their facilities in 2005, compared with two in three directors who reported the problem in 2004, according to a new report from the American College of Emergency Physicians (ACEP).
Full Text
Middle-Aged Patients in U.K. Healthier Than Americans
TUESDAY, May 2 (HealthDay News) -- Despite spending about twice as much per capita on medical care in the United States, middle-aged and older Americans are more likely than Britons the same age to have a range of serious ailments, according to a study published in the May 3 issue of the Journal of the American Medical Association.
Abstract
Full Text (subscription or payment may be required)
Elderly Patients' Ratings of Health Care Quality Unreliable
TUESDAY, May 2 (HealthDay News) -- Frail and elderly adults' global ratings of health care quality may not take sufficient account of technical quality and should be supplemented with independent evaluations, according to a study in the May 2 issue of the Annals of Internal Medicine.
Abstract
Full Text (subscription or payment may be required)
Prevalence of Diabetes Rising in U.S. Adolescents
TUESDAY, May 2 (HealthDay News) -- Some 134,000 U.S. adolescents may have diabetes and another 2.8 million may have impaired fasting glucose levels, according to a study in the May issue of the Archives of Pediatrics & Adolescent Medicine.
Abstract
Full Text (subscription or payment may be required)
More Than Half of Diabetic Youths Have Bad Eating Habits
TUESDAY, May 2 (HealthDay News) -- Fewer than half of young people with diabetes adhere to the American Diabetes Association's dietary recommendations, according to a study in the May issue of the Journal of the American Dietetic Association.
Abstract
Full Text (subscription or payment may be required)
Doctors and Pharmacists Often Cannot ID Common Meds
TUESDAY, May 2 (HealthDay News) -- More than one-third of the time, medical practitioners fail to identify three commonly used oral tablets, with brand-name medications more recognizable than generic products, according to research published in the May 1 issue of the American Journal of Health-System Pharmacy.
Abstract
Full Text (subscription or payment may be required)
Surgery Better for Weight Loss Than Diet, Lifestyle Changes
TUESDAY, May 2 (HealthDay News) -- In patients with mild to moderate obesity, gastric banding is more effective in reducing weight and resolving the metabolic syndrome than non-surgical weight-loss therapy, according to a study in the May 2 issue of the Annals of Internal Medicine.
Abstract
Full Text (subscription or payment may be required)
Editorial
Low Estrogen Levels in Men Increase Risk of Hip Fracture
MONDAY, May 1 (HealthDay News) -- Men with low levels of estrogen are at greater risk for hip fracture than other men, while those with low estrogen and low testosterone are at highest risk, according to a study in the May issue of the American Journal of Medicine.
Abstract
Full Text (subscription or payment may be required)
Parents Unaware That Children Know Firearms Are in Home
MONDAY, May 1 (HealthDay News) -- Parents in the United States who own firearms are often unaware that their children know where the guns are kept and have handled them, according to a survey of rural residents published in the May issue of the Archives of Pediatrics & Adolescent Medicine. In 22 percent of the gun-owning homes, children said they had handled guns without the parent's knowledge.
Abstract
Full Text (subscription or payment may be required)
Bone Marrow Stem Cells Repair Kidney Damage
MONDAY, May 1 (HealthDay News) -- Bone marrow cells can repair kidney damage and restore kidney function in a mouse model of Alport syndrome, a kidney disease associated with collagen mutations that destroy glomeruli and lead to renal failure, according to a report published online April 28 in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences Early Edition.
Abstract
Full Text (subscription or payment may be required)
Circadian Clock Shift May Help Seasonal Affective Disorder
MONDAY, May 1 (HealthDay News) -- Patients with seasonal affective disorder, or SAD, may respond to treatment intended to shift their circadian rhythm to earlier in the day, according to a report published online April 28 in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences Early Edition.
Abstract
Full Text
