If you have rheumatoid arthritis, lupus or another disorder characterized as an autoimmune disease, you’re at higher risk for developing shingles (herpes zoster), according to a new study. Some chronic conditions also make you vulnerable, including chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD, a respiratory problem), asthma and type 1 diabetes. The herpes zoster vaccine is recommended….
Continue ReadingInfections
Blood Transfusions Can Save Your Life … and Raise Your Risk of Infection
Blood transfusions are a common hospital procedure. But according to a study published last month in the Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA), the more red blood cells hospital patients receive, the higher their risk of infection. Researchers from the University of Michigan Health System and the VA Ann Arbor Healthcare System concluded that….
Continue ReadingDeadly Infection Outbreak at a Hospital for Kids Shakes the Faith
New Orleans is reeling from a story about yet another failure of one of its sacred institutions, this time Children’s Hospital, which experienced a deadly outbreak of a fungal infection that is only now coming to light years later. The flesh-eating fungus is believed to have spread from contaminated linens, towels or gowns, which were….
Continue ReadingHow to Reduce Your Chances of Getting Pneumonia While Hospitalized
After being ignored too long, the prevalence of hospital infections and how to prevent them has achieved transparency. Medical professionals and patients alike are aware that being in the hospital raises one’s chances of contracting an infection that wasn’t part of the reason for being there in the first place. Insurance companies and Medicare have….
Continue ReadingAnother If/Then Review of Hospital Safety Ratings
Two hospital safety reports issued last month drew another confused picture of the inpatient experience. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) concluded that the number of infections U.S. residents acquire during hospital stays has declined substantially over the last decade, for two notable reasons: Hospitals have tried to improve their practices, and nursing….
Continue ReadingWhy Doctors Overprescribe Antibiotics and What to Do About It
According to a report released last week by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), more than half of all hospitalized patients receive antibiotics. In some hospitals, doctors prescribe three times as many antibiotics as in others. According to the report, (and as we’ve often blogged), “Antibiotics save lives, but poor prescribing practices are….
Continue ReadingBoy’s Death from Misdiagnosis Points Up CDC’s Inadequate Sepsis Information
More than a year ago, we wrote about Rory Staunton, a boy in New York who fell into septic shock because a hospital misdiagnosed his problem as a stomach bug. Septic shock is a deadly result of sepsis, an overwhelming immune response to infection that triggers a host of responses that, left unchecked, lead to….
Continue ReadingBig Issues in Patient Care: Mediterranean Diet Yes, Testosterone No, and More Topics
The editors of the prestigious New England Journal of Medicine (NEJM) recently issued a report, “2013 Year in Review.” The collection of articles summarizes what these deep medical thinkers believe are the most relevant clinical topics in general medicine, focusing on primary care, landmark studies, media coverage and public awareness. The report is directed toward….
Continue ReadingThe Dangers of Raw Milk
Some people tout the benefits of drinking raw milk as being easier to digest, richer nutritionally and providing beneficial bacteria that otherwise die during pasteurization. They claim that it tastes better and offers more protection against asthma and lactose intolerance. When animals are raised properly and their milk is treated carefully, say these advocates, raw….
Continue Reading$100 Million to Be Shared by Victims of Compounding Pharmacy Contamination
At least one aspect of the horrifying story from last year about contaminated steroid injections that killed 60-some people and sickened more than 700 may be coming to an end. As reported on AboutLawsuits.com, parties involved in the litigation against the New England Compounding Pharmacy (NECC), whose product was responsible for the outbreak of fungal….
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