Obese children require much smaller doses of the anesthetic propofol than normal-weight children to bring about a safe level of unconsciousness, according to a new study.
Because the commonly used drug propofol can cause low blood pressure, prolonged sleepiness and decreased breathing, this study’s results can help anesthesiologists safely treat a common type of surgical patient [...]
Nearly a fourth of Americans are now forced to travel farther to a hospital trauma center than they once did, a new study shows.
And those most affected are African Americans, poor, uninsured and rural residents.
Researchers from the University of California, San Francisco examined changes in driving time to trauma centers, which have increasingly been shuttered [...]
According to a “Report Card” published by the Center to Advance Palliative Care, the nation overall gets a “B” grade for caring for our sickest Americans, up from a “C,” when the report was first released in 2008.
“The good news is that over the last ten years hospital palliative care teams have more than doubled,” [...]
Older patients receiving carotid artery stenting from lesser experienced physicians had an increased risk of death 30 days after stent placement, according to a new study.
An analysis of Medicare data showed a higher death risk if the stent was inserted by a doctor who performed less than six procedures a year, or if the procedure [...]
A new survey shows hospital patients want to know if medical trainees are going to be participating in their surgery.
Although most patients would allow residents and medical students to be involved in their operation, researchers say the rates of consent vary depending on the type of surgery and the trainee’s level of participation
Dr. Christopher R. [...]
Many U.S. adults believe that only extremely effective drugs without serious adverse effects are approved, but providing more information about the uncertainties of a drug’s benefits may help consumers make better choices, a new study shows.
Approval from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) does not necessarily ensure that a drug has a large or [...]
Patients in the United States who receive permanent pacemakers and defibrillators are now at greater risk of contracting an infection over the life span of the device, new research shows.
Researchers analyzed data from the Nationwide Inpatient Sample — a national database of hospital discharge records — from 1993-2008 and found a significant increase in infections [...]
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration has cleared the first test for Staphylococcus aureus (S.aureus) infections that is able to quickly identify whether the bacteria are methicillin resistant (MRSA) or methicillin susceptible (MSSA).
There are many different types of Staphylococci bacteria, which cause skin infections, pneumonia, food and blood infections (blood poisoning). Staphylococcus aureus or “Staph” [...]
During surgery to remove the thyroid gland, the technique surgeons use to identify an important nerve appears to make a difference in terms of complications.
According to researchers, thyroidectomy is a common operation, but it can be associated with serious complications: paralysis of the recurrent laryngeal nerve (RLN, a nerve that transmits motor function and sensation [...]
Those who live in the stroke belt, an area in the Southeast known to have significantly higher rates of stroke deaths than the rest of the country, are also at greater risk for sepsis, a severe illness in which the bloodstream is overwhelmed by bacteria, a new study shows.
The term Sepsis Belt might be a [...]