Archive for September, 2009
Promising Results In Reducing Neuropathic Pain With Combined Drug Treatment, Than With Either Drug Alone
An article published Online First and in a future edition of The Lancet reports that combination treatment using gabapentin and nortriptyline reduces neuropathic pain more than either drug alone. This treatment could be used in patients that only partly respond to one drug or the other. The article is the work of Professor Ian Gilron, Director of Clinical Pain Research, Queen’s University, and Kingston General Hospital, Kingston, Ontario, Canada, and colleagues.
GAO Finds That A Federal Program Is Missing Problem Nursing Homes
The Associated Press reports: Federal investigators report that a government-run program designed to bring “extra scrutiny to poorly performing nursing homes” is missing “hundreds of troubled facilities” that could qualify the closer look.
Noninvasive Ventilation Should Be Used In Epidemics Contrary To Current Recommendations
Contrary to current policies recommending that non-invasive ventilation be avoided during an infectious outbreak, the authors of a commentary http://www.cmaj.ca/press/cmaj081987.pdf in CMAJ (Canadian Medical Association Journal) argue that it should be used in this setting.
Lessons From 1918 On Influenza-related School Closure Planning
During last spring’s influenza A/H1N1 pandemic, closing schools was a common and often contested strategy for curbing spread of the virus. This debate likely will persist if the flu pandemic continues or worsens in the United States this fall. Researchers from the University of Michigan and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention conducted a qualitative analysis of 43 U.S.
Doctors, Health Care Workers On H1N1 Vaccine Priority List; Front-Line Caregivers Planning Now To Keep Patients Safe
“Physician, heal thyself.” That Biblical phrase is the gist of the cautionary message public health leaders are telling physicians and nurses this flu season. As flu season hits, physicians and other health leaders want health care workers healthy and caring for patients, not out sick or potentially spreading germs. That is why front-line health workers are in the top group of the H1N1 vaccine recipient priority list.
JHP Pharmaceuticals Introduces A Dantrium(R) IV (dantrolene Sodium For Injection), Rapidly Mixing At 20 Seconds
JHP Pharmaceuticals, LLC (“JHP”) announced that it had developed, and received approval by the FDA for Dantrium® IV (dantrolene sodium for injection), a rapidly mixing product. Dantrium® IV now reconstitutes in approximately 20 seconds, which is 4 times faster than before, saving valuable time and effort during a malignant hyperthermia (MH) emergency.
A randomised-controlled trial of two educational modes for undergraduate evidence-based medicine learning in Asia
Background:As the overall evidence for the effectiveness of teaching of evidence based medicine (EBM) is not strong, and the impact of cultural and societal influences on teaching method is poorly understood, we undertook a randomised-controlled trial to test the effectiveness and learning satisfaction with two different EBM teaching methods (usual teaching vs. problem based learning (PBL)) for undergraduate medical students.Methods:A mixed methods study that included a randomised-controlled crossover trial with two intervention arms (usual teaching and PBL) and a nested qualitative study with focus groups to explore student perceptions of learning and to assess the effectiveness and utility of the two teaching methods.All 129 second-year medical students at the University of Hong Kong in 2007.The main outcomes measures were attitudes towards EBM; personal application and current use of EBM; EBM knowledge; future use of EBM.Results:PBL was less effective at imparting knowledge than usual teaching consisting of a lecture followed by a group tutorial. After usual teaching students showed improvement in scores for ‘attitudes towards EBM’, ‘personal application and current use of EBM’ and ‘EBM knowledge, which were not evident after PBL. In contrast to the usual teaching, students found PBL difficult as they lacked the statistical knowledge necessary to support discussion, failed to understand core concepts, and lost direction.Conclusions:The evidence presented here would suggest that the teaching of EBM within an Asian environment should adopt a format that facilitates both the acquisition of knowledge and encourages enquiry.
Obesity Alone Does Not Cause Arthritis In Animals, Scientists Find
The link between obesity and osteoarthritis may be more than just the wear and tear on the skeleton caused by added weight. A new study has found that the absence of the appetite hormone leptin can determine whether obese mice experience arthritis, no matter how heavy they are.
Republicans Fight To Spare Medicare From Cuts, Dems Confront Overhaul’s Affordability Issues
Republicans, have switched sides, and now accuse Democrats of trying to cut Medicare. Meanwhile, Dems are vexed by the affordability issue.The Washington Post: For Republicans “(i)t’s a lonely battle. The hospital associations, AARP and other powerful interest groups that usually howl over Medicare cuts have also switched sides.
High-Heels Linked To Heel And Ankle Pain In Later Life
Women should think twice before buying their next pair of high-heels or pumps, according to researchers at the Institute for Aging Research of Hebrew SeniorLife in a new study of older adults and foot problems. The researchers found that the types of shoes women wear, specifically high-heels, pumps and sandals, may cause future hind-foot (heel and ankle) pain. Nearly 64 percent of women who reported hind-foot pain regularly wore these types of shoes at some point in their life.
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