Heparin Contamination Was Deliberate Act to Cut Costs?
Contamination of the worldwide heparin supply, which resulted in a substantial increase in adverse events and an estimated 81 deaths in the US, appears to have been a deliberate act to increase profits in Chinese workshops.
Blood Substitutes Linked to Deaths, MI; FDA Should Have Acted Sooner to Stop Trials, Researchers Say
People treated with blood substitutes in clinical trials over the past two decades were 30% more likely to die and had almost a threefold higher rate of myocardial infarction (MI) than patients in control groups, a new meta-analysis suggests [1]. Even more damning, the authors of the study say that the US Food and Drug […]
Misdiagnoses Caused in Part by Overconfidence
Most of the time a medical diagnosis is on point. But misdiagnoses do occur, and an overly confident doctor may be partly to blame, a new review suggests.
A New Dawn in Cardio and Vascular Protection V. Cardiovascular High-Risk Patients: Treat to Protect
Cardiovascular and cerebrovascular diseases are a major cause of death and disability worldwide; around 7.1 million deaths, as well as two thirds of strokes and one half of ischemic heart disease, are attributable to nonoptimal blood pressure control. Large outcome trials have demonstrated that blockade of the renin-angiotensin system (RAS) is an important approach to […]
Combination Low-Dose DFMO and Sulindac Reduce Recurrence of Colorectal Adenomas
Combining low-dose difluoromethylornithine (DFMO) and the nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug (NSAID) sulindac lowers the risk for recurrent colorectal adenomas. The results of the phase 3 randomized trial, which were reported here at the American Association for Cancer Research 2008 Annual Meeting, showed that among patients who received the active drug combination, there was a 70% decrease […]
Gallbladder Removal Through the Mouth Causes Few Adverse Effects
Surgeons from the Legacy Health System in Portland, Oregon, and Northwestern University in Chicago, Illinois, reported on the first 7 transgastric natural orifice transluminal surgery (NOTES) cholecystectomies ever performed on humans here at the Society of American Gastrointestinal and Endoscopic Surgeons 2008 Annual Scientific Session and Postgraduate Course.
4-Item Assessment Provides Good Bedside Diagnosis of Delirium
A simple 4-item assessment reliably identifies delirium in hospitalized patients, investigators reported here at Hospital Medicine 2008, the Society of Hospital Medicine annual meeting. Delirium is often underrecognized and undertreated in hospitalized patients, although it is associated with poor outcomes, including longer length of stay and higher risk of mortality, which may be avoided through […]
Cauterizing Arteries in Laparoscopic Cholecystectomy Can Be Both Unnecessary and Dangerous
Almost since the inception of laparoscopic cholecystectomy, surgeons have been employing devices that concentrate electrical or vibrational energy to heat and thereby cauterize arteries. However, for more than 7 years, Brij Agarwal, MD, MBBS, MS, and colleagues have been avoiding the use of these energy devices. Dr. Agarwal is a senior surgeon at Sir Ganga […]
Diagnostic Methods to Treat Ear Pain in Primary Care Setting
News Author: Laurie Barclay, MDCME Author: Laurie Barclay, MD Otitis media and otitis externa are the most common causes of ear pain, according to the results of a review of diagnostic methods and causes published in the March 1 issue of American Family Physician.
Trouble in Trialville
Trouble in Trialville: Plans for Post-DES Clopidogrel Trial GetBogged Down Over Trial Design, Leadership Almost 16 months after an FDA hearing into drug-eluting stent (DES) safety emphasized the need for a randomized clinical trial to determine, once and for all, the optimal duration of clopidogrel (Plavix, Sanofi-Aventis) plus aspirin after DES implantation, researchers, government agencies, […]
