The prevention, treatment, and management of illness and the preservation of mental and physical well-being through the services offered by the medical and allied health professions.
Rate of Coronary Artery Bypass Graft Surgeries Decreases Substantially – Between 2001 and 2008, the annual rate of coronary artery bypass graft surgeries performed in the United States decreased by more than 30 percent, but rates of percutaneous coronary interventions (PCI; procedures such as balloon angioplasty or stent placement used to open narrowed coronary arteries) did not change significantly.
Study evaluates relationship of urinary sodium with health outcomes – In a study conducted to examine the health outcomes related to salt intake, as gauged by the amount of sodium excreted in the urine, lower sodium excretion was associated with an increased risk of cardiovascular death, while higher sodium excretion did not correspond with increased risk of hypertension or cardiovascular disease complications.
New study: Health reform to make health insurance affordable for nearly all families — Report finds that 90 percent can afford premiums and costs under Affordable Care Act; out-of-pocket costs will still be a concern for some families – Ninety percent of American families living above the federal poverty level will be able to afford health insurance under the Affordable Care Act, according to a new Commonwealth Fund report by Jonathan Gruber and Ian Perry of the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT).
Study Examines Changes in Medical Students’ Views About Internal Medicine Careers – Compared with 1990, more medical students in 2007 viewed internal medicine as a potentially meaningful career; however, the majority of students are choosing other specialties.
Increase in Use of Evidence-Based Treatments is Followed By Decrease in Risk of Death Among Patients With Heart Attack – In an analysis of data from a coronary care registry in Sweden, between 1996-2007 there was an increase in the prevalence of use of evidence-based invasive procedures and pharmacological therapies for treatment of a certain type of heart attack, and a decrease in the rate of death at 30 days and one year after a heart attack for these patients.
Use of topical corticosteroids in children with eczema does not have negative side effects – A new study published in the journal Pediatric Dermatology reveals that routine, long-term use of topical corticosteroids (TCS) for treating children with eczema does not cause any significant, negative side effects.
FDA Acts to Reduce Harm from Opioid Drugs – The White House on Tuesday unveiled a multi-agency plan aimed at reducing the “epidemic” of prescription drug abuse in the U.S.-including an FDA-backed education program that zeros-in on reducing the misuse and misprescribing of opioids.
Research shows rapid adoption of newer, more expensive prostate cancer treatments – With 180,000 men diagnosed with prostate cancer each year, it is one of the most common types of cancer in US. For this reason, it has been cited as a good marker for health care spending in general, reflective of the greater trends across the United States.
FDA review indicates possible association between breast implants and a rare cancer — Agency requesting health care professionals to report confirmed cases – Saline and silicone gel-filled breast implants are linked to anaplastic large cell lymphoma (ALCL), a very rare type of cancer, announced by US Health Agency FDA.
Imaging Procedure Can Identify Biomarker Associated With Alzheimer Disease – Preliminary research suggests that use of a type of molecular imaging procedure may have the ability to detect the presence of beta-amyloid in the brains of individuals during life, a biomarker that is identified during autopsy to confirm a diagnosis of Alzheimer disease.
FDA limits acetaminophen in prescription combination products; requires liver toxicity warnings — Agency strategy caps maximum at 325 milligrams to reduce risk of liver toxicity – The U.S. Food and Drug Administration is asking manufacturers of prescription combination products that contain acetaminophen to limit the amount of acetaminophen to no more than 325 milligrams (mg) in each tablet or capsule.
Education Programs Could Increase Parent-Child Interactions in At-Risk Families – Parent education programs delivered through pediatric primary care offices appeared to increase parent-child interactions during infancy in at-risk families.
