The economy might trump health care in the minds of most Americans as they enter voting booths this November, but there are far-reaching implications for the future of the health system that turn on who wins control of the Presidency,… Read More ›
Archive for March 2012
Debate Continues Over Aspirin Use to Reduce Cancer Risk
Does daily aspirin reduce the risk of developing or dying of certain cancers? Although some new studies add to the evidence base that aspirin may have such benefits, some caution that more data are needed to weigh risks of treatment… Read More ›
Author Insights: ICU Patients May Benefit From Alternative Sedative
Sedation is often required for patients in the intensive care unit (ICU) who are breathing with the assistance of a mechanical ventilator. But patients who are sedated for long periods can experience serious adverse effects, including delirium, posttraumatic stress disorder,… Read More ›
Trial Will Probe if New Drug Combination Will Be Effective, Faster TB Treatment
Researchers have launched a trial for a new drug combination that they hope will effectively treat tuberculosis (TB) in less time than is required by current treatment regimens. Tuberculosis remains one of the world’s leading killers, infecting about 9 million… Read More ›
Focusing on Prevention May Reduce Bloodstream Infections for Patients Undergoing Hemodialysis
Patients with kidney disease requiring hemodialysis face a risk of developing potentially deadly bloodstream infections resulting from inappropriate handling of intravenous central line catheters used in the procedure—a risk that has increased over the past 2 decades, even as the… Read More ›
Stewardship Is Key to Proper Antibiotic Use, Experts Say
More than 65 years after the first penicillin-resistant microbes were detected, infectious disease experts today issued a policy statement calling for more vigilant use of antibiotics as threats from drug-resistant bacteria mount while the effectiveness of currently available antimicrobials dwindles…. Read More ›
Nondrug Labor Pain Remedies: Fewer Adverse Effects But Not Much Evidence for Effectiveness
Women giving birth face trade-offs between effectiveness and adverse effects of drugs or nonpharmaceutical approaches when choosing a pain relief strategy, according to a new analysis published by The Cochrane Library. Drugs appear more likely than alternative approaches to curb… Read More ›
Author Insights: Parsing the Link Between Health Care Costs and Quality
The Dartmouth Atlas of Health Care, which documents variations in how medical resources are distributed and used in the United States, shows that US medical costs and medical outcomes vary widely and that high prices do not always lead to… Read More ›
Circumcision May Reduce Risk of Prostate Cancer
Circumcised men have a lower risk of developing prostate cancer compared with uncircumcised men, according to study findings published today in the journal Cancer. This latest finding adds to the list of possible health benefits of the procedure. A growing… Read More ›
HIV Infection Rates for Black Women in Vulnerable Communities Much Higher Than Expected
The HIV infection rate among black women living in certain parts of the United States is 5 times higher than estimated for black women nationally and similar to rates found in some sub-Saharan African countries. The finding comes from the… Read More ›
