-
In this large epidemiology study using a previous survey and 2004 Medicare data focusing on serious infections in the ICU, hospitals with dedicated ICU clinical pharmacists had lower ICU mortality rates, shorter ICU stays, and reduced charges.
-
Optimal management of transmural myocardial infarction (MI) depends on rapid reperfusion of the occluded infarct artery. Therefore, accurate early diagnosis is the cornerstone of initial patient assessment in the emergency department.
-
The ACC/AHA guidelines recommend perioperative beta blockers for those already on them, patients undergoing vascular surgery, or those having intermediate- to high-risk surgery with established coronary heart disease, or at high risk of having it. However, recent studies have shown no beneficial effect of perioperative beta blockers and potential for harm.
-
-
-
In light of continuing outbreaks of hepatitis in ambulatory and long-term care, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention is considering recommending hepatitis B virus vaccination for diabetic residents of nursing homes.
-
Once thought of as shocking outliers, the continuing hepatitis outbreaks in ambulatory care settings and clinics increasingly suggest that for every cluster detected, many more infections acquired in health care are being missed due to inadequate surveillance systems and lack of public health resources to investigate individual cases.
-
In this issue: FDA warning on topical anesthetics; antipsychotics increase sudden cardiac death; the step up vs step down debate; treating pain, fatigue, mood, and sleep in fibromyalgia; FDA Actions.
-
-
This study from the University of Toronto sought to quantify the number of individual pieces of clinical information entered into the medical record on each patient in the ICU each day.