Here are what the editors at HealthDay consider to be the most important developments in Emergency Medicine for February 2017. This roundup includes the latest research news from journal articles, as well as the FDA approvals and regulatory changes that are the most likely to affect clinical practice.
Strategies Suggested to Protect Practices From Hackers
TUESDAY, Feb. 28, 2017 (HealthDay News) — Steps should be taken to protect medical practices, including small practices, from hackers, according to a report published in Medical Economics.
Diazepam Not Beneficial for Acute Low Back Pain in ER
TUESDAY, Feb. 28, 2017 (HealthDay News) — There is doubt as to whether diazepam provides benefit in the treatment of low back pain in the emergency department environment, according to a study published online Feb. 7 in the Annals of Emergency Medicine.
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Doctors Need to Discuss Herbal Medication Use With CVD Patients
TUESDAY, Feb. 28, 2017 (HealthDay News) — While there’s little evidence that herbal medications are safe or effective to treat cardiovascular conditions, they remain popular among patients with cardiovascular disease, according to a review published in the March 7 issue of the Journal of the American College of Cardiology.
Physician Burnout Eroding Sense of Calling
TUESDAY, Feb. 28, 2017 (HealthDay News) — For physicians across specialties, burnout is associated with reduced odds of a sense of calling, according to a study published online Feb. 8 in the Mayo Clinic Proceedings.
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Supreme Court Rules Patient Safety Data Subject to Litigation
MONDAY, Feb. 27, 2017 (HealthDay News) — The Supreme Court of Florida has reversed a District Court of Appeal decision deeming information related to patient safety unprotected from litigation discovery, according to a report published from the American Medical Association.
Multidrug-Resistant Bacteria Found in Hospital Sinks
MONDAY, Feb. 27, 2017 (HealthDay News) — Spread of antibiotic-resistant bacteria can occur through sinks and other areas where water can pool inside hospitals, according to a study published online Feb. 24 in Applied and Environmental Microbiology.
AAP Offers Guidance for Treating Victims of Sexual Assault
MONDAY, Feb. 27, 2017 (HealthDay News) — Pediatricians should be comfortable with treating and screening for sexual assault, and they should know where to send their teenage patients for any additional help, according to a clinical report from the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) published online Feb. 27 in Pediatrics.
Many Patients Get Opioid Rx While Receiving Buprenorphine
MONDAY, Feb. 27, 2017 (HealthDay News) — A substantial proportion of patients with opioid use disorder fill prescriptions for non-buprenorphine opioids during and following treatment with buprenorphine, according to a study published online Feb. 23 in Addiction.
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Adherence to Clinical Decision Support Ups Odds of Acute PE ID
MONDAY, Feb. 27, 2017 (HealthDay News) — For patients with suspected pulmonary embolism (PE) in the emergency department, adherence to evidence-based clinical decision support (CDS) for ordering computed tomographic (CT) pulmonary angiography is associated with increased odds of an acute PE finding, according to research published in the March issue of Radiology.
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CDC: Fatal Drug Overdoses More Than Doubled Since 1999
FRIDAY, Feb. 24, 2017 (HealthDay News) — Drug overdose deaths have nearly tripled in the United States since 1999, with the largest increases seen for whites and middle-aged Americans, according to a February data brief published by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s National Center for Health Statistics.
Cyberattacks Remain Serious Threat to Health Providers
THURSDAY, Feb. 23, 2017 (HealthDay News) — Cyberattacks remain a serious threat to small providers as well as big institutions, according to a report published in Medical Economics.
MRI Can Be Safe for Patients With Older Pacemakers, ICDs
THURSDAY, Feb. 23, 2017 (HealthDay News) — Patients with cardiovascular implantable electronic devices not designed to be magnetic resonance imaging (MRI)-compatible can safely receive MRI, when a specific protocol is followed, according to a study published in the Feb. 23 issue of the New England Journal of Medicine.
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Pediatric ACL Injuries Continue to Rise, Especially Among Girls
WEDNESDAY, Feb. 22, 2017 (HealthDay News) — The incidence of anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) tears has steadily increased among 6- to 18-year-olds in the United States, rising more than 2 percent a year over the last two decades, according to a report published online Feb. 22 in Pediatrics.
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Health Information Theft a Pressing Concern for U.S. Patients
WEDNESDAY, Feb. 22, 2017 (HealthDay News) — Forty-four percent of U.S. adults are worried about having their personal health care information stolen, according to findings from the Xerox eHealth Survey published Feb. 9 in HIT Consultant.
Ultrasound OK As Initial Imaging for ID of Nephrolithiasis in ER
WEDNESDAY, Feb. 22, 2017 (HealthDay News) — Use of ultrasonography as initial imaging for suspected nephrolithiasis in the emergency department may encourage less computerized tomography, according to a study published in the March issue of The Journal of Urology.
One in Four Ocular ER Visits for Nonurgent Conditions
TUESDAY, Feb. 21, 2017 (HealthDay News) — Nearly one-quarter of enrollees in a U.S. managed care network who visit the emergency department for an ocular condition have a nonurgent condition, according to a study published online Feb. 1 in Ophthalmology.
CMS Rule Set to Stabilize Small Health Insurance Markets
TUESDAY, Feb. 21, 2017 (HealthDay News) — The U.S. Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) has proposed a rule in relation to new reforms intended to stabilize individual and small group health insurance markets for 2018.
Readmission Common After Hospitalization for Heart Failure
TUESDAY, Feb. 21, 2017 (HealthDay News) — For patients with hospitalization for heart failure, readmission within 30 days is common, according to a study published in the March 1 issue of The American Journal of Cardiology.
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Patients With Opioid Addiction Benefit From Tx Initiated in ER
TUESDAY, Feb. 21, 2017 (HealthDay News) — Patients addicted to opioids treated in a hospital emergency department do better when they receive medication to reduce opioid cravings, according to a study published online Feb. 13 in the Journal of General Internal Medicine.
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OD Risk Up in Children Whose Mothers Are Prescribed Opioids
MONDAY, Feb. 20, 2017 (HealthDay News) — A child’s risk of a potentially fatal drug overdose more than doubles if a parent is prescribed an opioid, and appropriate storage guidelines are often not followed, according to research published online Feb. 20 in Pediatrics.
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Increase in Foodborne Disease Outbreaks Tied to Imported Food
MONDAY, Feb. 20, 2017 (HealthDay News) — There has been an increase in the number and proportion of foodborne disease outbreaks associated with imported food, according to research published in the March issue of the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s Emerging Infectious Diseases.
ICU Appears Overused for Some Patients With Heart, Lung Disease
MONDAY, Feb. 20, 2017 (HealthDay News) — Admission to the intensive care unit (ICU) is not associated with a survival benefit for patients with uncertain ICU needs hospitalized with exacerbation of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), exacerbation of heart failure, or acute myocardial infarction (AMI), according to a study published online Feb. 17 in the Annals of the American Thoracic Society.
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Early PT Not Tied to Lower Health Care Use Later On
MONDAY, Feb. 20, 2017 (HealthDay News) — Early use of physical therapy (PT) for new low back pain in older adults is not associated with less subsequent back pain-specific health care utilization, compared with patients not receiving early PT, according to a study published in the March issue of The Spine Journal.
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CDC: Influenza Vaccine 48 Percent Effective Overall
FRIDAY, Feb. 17, 2017 (HealthDay News) — This year’s influenza vaccine is a fairly good match for the circulating viruses, according to research published in the Feb. 17 issue of the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report.
Doctors Often Write Rx for Antibiotics If Patients Expect It
FRIDAY, Feb. 17, 2017 (HealthDay News) — Doctors are more likely to prescribe antibiotics if they think patients expect the medications, according to a study published online Feb. 16 in Health Psychology.
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Antibiotics Could Be Alternative to Surgery for Appendicitis
FRIDAY, Feb. 17, 2017 (HealthDay News) — Avoiding surgery and treating appendicitis with antibiotics alone may be a safe approach for many children, according to a review published online Feb. 17 in Pediatrics.
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Health Care Spending Expected to Grow 5.6% Annually to 2025
THURSDAY, Feb. 16, 2017 (HealthDay News) — Health care spending is expected to grow at an average annual rate of 5.6 percent from 2016 to 2025, according to a report published online Feb. 15 in Health Affairs.
Doctors’ Opioid Rx Patterns Tied to Patient Risk for Long-Term Use
THURSDAY, Feb. 16, 2017 (HealthDay News) — Emergency department patients are at greater risk for long-term opioid use even after a single prescription from an emergency medicine physician who regularly prescribes them, according to a study published in the Feb. 16 issue of the New England Journal of Medicine.
Direct Admission to PCI Center Reduces Mortality in STEMI
THURSDAY, Feb. 16, 2017 (HealthDay News) — For patients with ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI) treated with percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI), direct admission to a primary PCI center is associated with lower 12-month mortality, according to a study published online Feb. 15 in JACC: Cardiovascular Interventions.
Bacteria, Fungi Found in Some Medicinal Marijuana Samples
WEDNESDAY, Feb. 15, 2017 (HealthDay News) — Medical marijuana may carry infectious bacteria and fungi that can pose a life-threatening risk to cancer patients who use it to ease the side effects of chemotherapy, according to a study published online recently in Clinical Microbiology and Infection.
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Health Care Utilization Common After ICD Shock Events
WEDNESDAY, Feb. 15, 2017 (HealthDay News) — Health care utilization (HCU) is common after appropriate and inappropriate implantable cardioverter-defibrillator shock events, according to a study published online Feb. 14 in Circulation: Cardiovascular Quality and Outcomes.
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Dermoscopy + Triple Light Source Reliable in ID of Pityriasis Rosea
WEDNESDAY, Feb. 15, 2017 (HealthDay News) — Dermoscopy with three light sources is ideal for diagnosing pityriasis rosea (PR), according to a research letter published online Feb. 10 in the International Journal of Dermatology.
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AHA: CVD Expected to Cost U.S. $1.1 Trillion Per Year by 2035
TUESDAY, Feb. 14, 2017 (HealthDay News) — Cardiovascular disease (CVD) is increasing in the United States, with costs expected to double from $555 billion in 2016 to $1.1 trillion in 2035, a new American Heart Association report estimates.
ACP Issues Guideline for Treating Acute, Subacute, Chronic LBP
TUESDAY, Feb. 14, 2017 (HealthDay News) — First-line therapy for patients with low back pain should be simple non-pharmacological remedies — from heat wraps to physical therapy, according to a new clinical practice guideline from the American College of Physicians (ACP) published online Feb. 14 in the Annals of Internal Medicine.
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Medicare Shared Savings Linked to Lower Post-Acute Spending
TUESDAY, Feb. 14, 2017 (HealthDay News) — Participation in the Medicare Shared Savings Program (MSSP) is associated with an overall reduction in post-acute spending, and the performance of Oregon’s Medicaid Accountable Care Organization (ACO) model is similar to that of Colorado, according to two studies published online Feb. 13 in JAMA Internal Medicine.
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Orbital Cellulitis Reported After Use of Facial Soft-Tissue Filler
TUESDAY, Feb. 14, 2017 (HealthDay News) — Delayed and recurrent orbital cellulitis following use of facial soft-tissue filler is described in a case report published online Feb. 10 in Clinical & Experimental Ophthalmology.
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AAP Provides Guidance on Anaphylaxis Emergency Plans
MONDAY, Feb. 13, 2017 (HealthDay News) — All caregivers for children at risk of anaphylaxis should have a written action plan and epinephrine auto-injectors readily available, according to two clinical reports from the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) published online Feb. 13 in the Pediatrics.
Use of Multiple CNS-Affecting Drugs Increasing Among Seniors
MONDAY, Feb. 13, 2017 (HealthDay News) — There has been a sharp rise in the number of American seniors who take three or more medications that affect their central nervous system, according to a research letter published online Feb. 13 in JAMA Internal Medicine.
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FDA Issues Safety Alert for Fluid-Filled Intragastric Balloons
MONDAY, Feb. 13, 2017 (HealthDay News) — Fluid-filled intragastric balloons used to treat obesity have been linked to two different types of adverse events, according to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration.
Access to Naloxone Eased in Louisiana, Utah
MONDAY, Feb. 13, 2017 (HealthDay News) — Health officials in Utah and Louisiana have issued orders to make naloxone more widely available in an effort to prevent overdose deaths, according to a report from the American Medical Association.
Concussion May Affect Driving Even After Symptoms Are Gone
FRIDAY, Feb. 10, 2017 (HealthDay News) — Even after their symptoms disappear, concussion patients may still have difficulty driving, according to research published online Jan. 24 in the Journal of Neurotrauma.
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Peroxide Ingestion As ‘Cleansing Agent’ Can Be Fatal
FRIDAY, Feb. 10, 2017 (HealthDay News) — Ingesting high-concentration hydrogen peroxide as a “natural cure” or cleansing agent is a dangerous practice that is associated with a high incidence of embolic events, according to a study published recently in Annals of Emergency Medicine.
Adherence to Bronchiolitis Guidelines Cuts LOS, Costs
THURSDAY, Feb. 9, 2017 (HealthDay News) — Adherence to bronchiolitis clinical pathway recommendations is associated with reduced length of stay (LOS) and costs, according to a study published online Feb. 9 in Pediatrics.
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Hospitalizations for Atrial Fibrillation on the Rise
MONDAY, Feb. 6, 2017 (HealthDay News) — U.S. patients with atrial fibrillation (AF) are being hospitalized more often than before, according to a study published online Feb. 1 in Circulation.
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Health Care Access Not Easy for Undocumented Immigrants
MONDAY, Feb. 6, 2017 (HealthDay News) — New research, published online Feb. 6 in JAMA Internal Medicine, offers insights into the medical plights facing undocumented immigrants in the United States.
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Lower Rate of Adverse Events With Outpatient Treatment of PE
MONDAY, Feb. 6, 2017 (HealthDay News) — For patients with hemodynamically stable pulmonary embolism (PE), outpatient management is associated with a lower rate of adverse events, according to research published online Jan. 20 in the Journal of Thrombosis and Haemostasis.
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Fewer Major Bleeds With Once- Versus Twice-Daily Enoxaparin
MONDAY, Feb. 6, 2017 (HealthDay News) — Once-daily enoxaparin is associated with fewer major bleeds than enoxaparin twice daily in patients with acute venous thromboembolism (VTE), according to a study published online Jan. 25 in the Journal of Thrombosis and Haemostasis.
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Mortality Down for U.S. Patients Treated by International Doctors
MONDAY, Feb. 6, 2017 (HealthDay News) — Mortality rates are lower for older Americans treated by doctors trained in other countries than by those who went to a U.S. medical school, according to research published online Feb. 3 in The BMJ.
Veterinary Pharmaceuticals Pose a Poisoning Risk to Children
MONDAY, Feb. 6, 2017 (HealthDay News) — The flea medications and heartworm pills that millions of Americans give to their pets pose poisoning risks to any children in the home, according to research published online Feb. 6 in Pediatrics.
10,000 Medicare Patients/Year Die in 7 Days After ER Discharge
FRIDAY, Feb. 3, 2017 (HealthDay News) — Each year, about 10,000 generally healthy U.S. Medicare patients die within seven days of discharge from a hospital emergency department, according to research published online Feb. 1 in The BMJ.
More Children Suffering Ocular Burns From Detergent Pods
FRIDAY, Feb. 3, 2017 (HealthDay News) — Young children are suffering vision-threatening burns from the chemicals inside liquid laundry detergent pods in increasing numbers, according to a research letter published online Feb. 2 in JAMA Ophthalmology.
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Gout Linked to Increased Hip Fracture Risk in Women
THURSDAY, Feb. 2, 2017 (HealthDay News) — For women, a history of gout is associated with increased risk of hip fracture, according to a study published online Jan. 28 in Arthritis & Rheumatology.
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