PARADIGM BYTES
Newsletter for Paradigm 97
February 8, 2008
PARADIGM DEFINED:1) an outstandingly clear or typical example or archetype.2) a philosophical and theoretical framework of a scientific school or discipline within which theories, laws, and generalizations, and the experiments performed in support of them, are formulated.Our website...... http://paradigm97.blogspot.com/ Please copy, paste, and bookmark it.
MISSION STATEMENT
We believe that nurses need each other for support during the "lean and mean" days to help survive them. We offer research results and other ideas to enrich the nursing experience.
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Please drop in ...the AOL chatroom is "manned" by GingerMyst for 45 min on Tuesday evenings: 9 pm EST, 8 pm CST, 7 pm MST, 6 pm PST The Click here: PARADIGM97 is always there....door open, lights on, waiting for you to come in. Check your Buddy List.....
and invite your friends in for a little chat Let me know if you want others involved.
We believe that nurses need each other for support during the "lean and mean" days to help survive them. We offer research results and other ideas to enrich the nursing experience.
~~**~~**~~**~~**~~**~~
Please drop in ...the AOL chatroom is "manned" by GingerMyst for 45 min on Tuesday evenings: 9 pm EST, 8 pm CST, 7 pm MST, 6 pm PST The Click here: PARADIGM97 is always there....door open, lights on, waiting for you to come in. Check your Buddy List.....
and invite your friends in for a little chat Let me know if you want others involved.
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SNIPPETS
A nurse wrote in to a list serve asking for advice. She wrote:
"I'd like some input on an interesting situation I've encountered in two patients and also with
SNIPPETS
A nurse wrote in to a list serve asking for advice. She wrote:
"I'd like some input on an interesting situation I've encountered in two patients and also with
my mother (all elderly).In all 3 cases, dementia was present. Two of the three had a history of severe COPD.Here's what happened: Every morning, these three individuals would awaken soaked in urine. They would require bathing from head to toe as well as linen change. In all three cases, the intake of fluid during the day was quite minimal (maybe 3 glasses of liquid) - certainly not enough to account for the volume of urine that was being released at night. One of the individuals is my current patient. I placed an indwelling catheter in her and the next morning her husband reported 1000 ml in the bag and she was soaked head to toe as well. Seems like somewhere I have heard that if someone stops breathing at night, momentarily, urine is produced. I don't remember exactly what the mechanism is but I believe it has something to do with the inhibition of ADH (anti-diuretic hormone). That in the case of undiagnosed sleep apnea, for example, if someone is getting up frequently to urinate in the night, it may be because this person has sleep apnea and does not know it. He or she thinks she has a bladder or prostate problem but really has sleep apnea.I'd appreciate any and all information about my case studies as well as inventive solutions. Thanks!
Wendie answered as follows: (I just love her inservices)
One classic cause for bigtime night diuresis is steroids. Are these old birds on any prednisone (or anything else that promotes Na+/H2O retention) for their COPD/arthritis/other reason? The mechanism is that you retain a lot of sodium and water with prednisone, which esp in old people with weaker hearts (including right heart failure such as you see in COPD) tends to go extracellular in dependent areas all day long, due to increased venous pressure in those dependent veins, which makes for peripheral edema. Remember that you can have up to 10L of extra fluid on board before edema is noticeable. This is one reason why they have fat feet when they go to bed, esp if they aren't that active during the day (as old ladies with COPD and/or dementia tend to be inactive/restrained, too).So then you take one old bird with a lot of extra fluid on board and lie her down for the night. Venous pressure in legs goes down to next to nothing, increased intravenous venous volume makes for suppressing ADH production in lungs, better LV loading makes more BP, kidneys see more pressure and lower osmolarity and less AHD, and bingo! Lots of peeing. I'll bet that night-time urine has a specific gravity of close to 1.0001. You could check the one with the Foley for different SG during the day time and overnight, another clue.You could do the quick and dirty check for CVP over the course of the day, including positional when they lie down at night (remember how to do that without an intravascular monitor? Hah! There IS some use for old knowledge!) Jugular venous distention is the way to do it. Most old ladies gave transparent enough skin that it's really easy to see the jugular unless they are really, really fat (another risk factor for immobility and not seeing edema). You should see the level fluctuate with respiration efforts.The other classic cause for nocturnal diuresis is, of course, CHF, for more or less the same reason-- fluid retention in dependent areas during the day, then migration of this fluid into the vascular space when the legs are no longer dependent.These are the folks for whom an afternoon nap with a hit of
Wendie answered as follows: (I just love her inservices)
One classic cause for bigtime night diuresis is steroids. Are these old birds on any prednisone (or anything else that promotes Na+/H2O retention) for their COPD/arthritis/other reason? The mechanism is that you retain a lot of sodium and water with prednisone, which esp in old people with weaker hearts (including right heart failure such as you see in COPD) tends to go extracellular in dependent areas all day long, due to increased venous pressure in those dependent veins, which makes for peripheral edema. Remember that you can have up to 10L of extra fluid on board before edema is noticeable. This is one reason why they have fat feet when they go to bed, esp if they aren't that active during the day (as old ladies with COPD and/or dementia tend to be inactive/restrained, too).So then you take one old bird with a lot of extra fluid on board and lie her down for the night. Venous pressure in legs goes down to next to nothing, increased intravenous venous volume makes for suppressing ADH production in lungs, better LV loading makes more BP, kidneys see more pressure and lower osmolarity and less AHD, and bingo! Lots of peeing. I'll bet that night-time urine has a specific gravity of close to 1.0001. You could check the one with the Foley for different SG during the day time and overnight, another clue.You could do the quick and dirty check for CVP over the course of the day, including positional when they lie down at night (remember how to do that without an intravascular monitor? Hah! There IS some use for old knowledge!) Jugular venous distention is the way to do it. Most old ladies gave transparent enough skin that it's really easy to see the jugular unless they are really, really fat (another risk factor for immobility and not seeing edema). You should see the level fluctuate with respiration efforts.The other classic cause for nocturnal diuresis is, of course, CHF, for more or less the same reason-- fluid retention in dependent areas during the day, then migration of this fluid into the vascular space when the legs are no longer dependent.These are the folks for whom an afternoon nap with a hit of
vitamin L (Lasix) (good dose in mg is age + BUN, even if it is a joke in House of God) is a good idea. Also compression stockings, as much active leg movement as possible, to keep those dependent veins undistended and the lymphatics chugging along. Maybe a coupla hours in the late afternoon/dinner with compression booties would get the diuresis started before bedtime. Wendie
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FROM THE MEMBERS
The University of Florida presented Linda B. Jenkins, RN ( JenxL@AOL.com) with an award as the 'Alumni Service Leadership Award in the area of Community Service'. Her comment: "Seems strange that I would be recognized and honored when I already feel I've gotten far more than I've ever been able to give."
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One of our members: ExceptionalNurse@AOL.com (Donna) is a Registered Nurse, Pediatric Nurse Practitioner, Author, and Founder of a Non-Profit Resource Network for Nurses and Nursing Students with Disabilities was featured on “Disability Matters" with Joyce Bender.
Dr. Donna Carol Maheady, Ed.D., ARNP, author of "Nursing Students with Disabilities Change the Course" and "Leave No Nurse Behind: Nurses working with disAbilities", was featured with Joyce Bender on “Disability Matters” on Tuesday, December 4, 2007. Discussion included her advocacy work for the inclusion of nurses with disabilities in nursing practice and her non-profit resource network for nurses and nursing students with disabilities www.ExceptionalNurse.com.
Listen to the show on the VoiceAmerica Channel (www.voice.voiceamerica.com)
http://www.modavox.com/VoiceAmericaCMS/Webmodules/nowPlaying.aspx?BroadcastId=24486&ShowId=15&ScheduleTime=11&ScheduleDate=12/4/07
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INTERESTING READING
Please remember that the REUTERS articles are good for 30 days only (however, this is not always the case....check it out anyway)
Your daily cup of java may do more than get you going and out the door. It might also reduce your risk for blood sugar disorders. Research shows that coffee might decrease the risk of developing diabetes by about 25 percent. But watch the sugar. Here's why.
Make It Black People who add sugar to coffee or tea don't get the protective blood sugar effect, and they may run a higher risk of developing cancer of the pancreas. That's because the risk of developing pancreatic cancer is related, in part, to the amount of sugar in the diet. People who drink fizzy or syrup-based sweet drinks twice a day or more have a 90 percent higher risk of getting cancer of the pancreas than those who never drink them. Suddenly, that sweet stuff doesn't seem so sweet! Caffeine Caution Coffee isn't for everyone. If you're sensitive to caffeine's effects, you may want to avoid it. And even if you aren't, it's best to limit yourself to about 250 milligrams of caffeine a day. For a caffeine-free blood-sugar helper, try this brew.
Reference: Coffee drinking induces incorporation of phenolic acids into LDL and increases the resistance of LDL to ex vivo oxidation in humans. Natella, F., Nardini, M., Belelli, F., Scaccini, C., American Journal of Clinical Nutrition 2007 Sep;86(3):604-609.
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Please take the time to read this article......definitely an eye opening for us all. The article indicated that a person was designated to be at least 62 years old !! YIKES, I am now elderly! I didn't think of myself as elderly before I read this article ! Where does the time go?
Response to Elder Abuse Varies Widely across the United States Diane Lewis was asleep in her Portsmouth home on May 14 when she was awakened by her beeper about 5:30 a.m. It was the first night for Rhode Island’s new elder-abuse hot line service. Someone needed her help. It was a police officer at T.F. Green Airport. He told her he was concerned about an 80-year-old woman who’d been sitting for hours in the airport terminal. The woman was disoriented and didn’t seem to know anyone in the state to call to pick her up. ... http://www.projo.com/news/content/ELDER_ABUSE_HOTLINE_12-16-07_AP81P46_v87.1bd52f8.html
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Scientists Discover new Key to Flu Transmission CHICAGO (Reuters 1/7) - Flu viruses must be able to pick a very specific type of lock before entering human respiratory cells, U.S. researchers said on Sunday, offering a new understanding of how flu viruses work. The discovery may help scientists better monitor changes in the H5N1 bird flu virus that could trigger a deadly pandemic in humans. It may lead to better ways to fight it, they said.
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FROM THE MEMBERS
The University of Florida presented Linda B. Jenkins, RN ( JenxL@AOL.com) with an award as the 'Alumni Service Leadership Award in the area of Community Service'. Her comment: "Seems strange that I would be recognized and honored when I already feel I've gotten far more than I've ever been able to give."
*****************
One of our members: ExceptionalNurse@AOL.com (Donna) is a Registered Nurse, Pediatric Nurse Practitioner, Author, and Founder of a Non-Profit Resource Network for Nurses and Nursing Students with Disabilities was featured on “Disability Matters" with Joyce Bender.
Dr. Donna Carol Maheady, Ed.D., ARNP, author of "Nursing Students with Disabilities Change the Course" and "Leave No Nurse Behind: Nurses working with disAbilities", was featured with Joyce Bender on “Disability Matters” on Tuesday, December 4, 2007. Discussion included her advocacy work for the inclusion of nurses with disabilities in nursing practice and her non-profit resource network for nurses and nursing students with disabilities www.ExceptionalNurse.com.
Listen to the show on the VoiceAmerica Channel (www.voice.voiceamerica.com)
http://www.modavox.com/VoiceAmericaCMS/Webmodules/nowPlaying.aspx?BroadcastId=24486&ShowId=15&ScheduleTime=11&ScheduleDate=12/4/07
~~**~~**~~**~~**~~**~~
INTERESTING READING
Please remember that the REUTERS articles are good for 30 days only (however, this is not always the case....check it out anyway)
Your daily cup of java may do more than get you going and out the door. It might also reduce your risk for blood sugar disorders. Research shows that coffee might decrease the risk of developing diabetes by about 25 percent. But watch the sugar. Here's why.
Make It Black People who add sugar to coffee or tea don't get the protective blood sugar effect, and they may run a higher risk of developing cancer of the pancreas. That's because the risk of developing pancreatic cancer is related, in part, to the amount of sugar in the diet. People who drink fizzy or syrup-based sweet drinks twice a day or more have a 90 percent higher risk of getting cancer of the pancreas than those who never drink them. Suddenly, that sweet stuff doesn't seem so sweet! Caffeine Caution Coffee isn't for everyone. If you're sensitive to caffeine's effects, you may want to avoid it. And even if you aren't, it's best to limit yourself to about 250 milligrams of caffeine a day. For a caffeine-free blood-sugar helper, try this brew.
Reference: Coffee drinking induces incorporation of phenolic acids into LDL and increases the resistance of LDL to ex vivo oxidation in humans. Natella, F., Nardini, M., Belelli, F., Scaccini, C., American Journal of Clinical Nutrition 2007 Sep;86(3):604-609.
*************************
Please take the time to read this article......definitely an eye opening for us all. The article indicated that a person was designated to be at least 62 years old !! YIKES, I am now elderly! I didn't think of myself as elderly before I read this article ! Where does the time go?
Response to Elder Abuse Varies Widely across the United States Diane Lewis was asleep in her Portsmouth home on May 14 when she was awakened by her beeper about 5:30 a.m. It was the first night for Rhode Island’s new elder-abuse hot line service. Someone needed her help. It was a police officer at T.F. Green Airport. He told her he was concerned about an 80-year-old woman who’d been sitting for hours in the airport terminal. The woman was disoriented and didn’t seem to know anyone in the state to call to pick her up. ... http://www.projo.com/news/content/ELDER_ABUSE_HOTLINE_12-16-07_AP81P46_v87.1bd52f8.html
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Scientists Discover new Key to Flu Transmission CHICAGO (Reuters 1/7) - Flu viruses must be able to pick a very specific type of lock before entering human respiratory cells, U.S. researchers said on Sunday, offering a new understanding of how flu viruses work. The discovery may help scientists better monitor changes in the H5N1 bird flu virus that could trigger a deadly pandemic in humans. It may lead to better ways to fight it, they said.
http://www.reuters.com/article/healthNews/idUSN0326764520080107?feedType=nl&feedName=ushealth1100
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Scientists move toward helping paralysis patients WASHINGTON (Reuters 1/7) - Scientists have figured out how mice can regain some ability to walk after spinal cord injuries, and hope this insight can lead to a new approach to restoring function in people paralyzed by similar damage.
The research, published on Sunday in the journal Nature Medicine, showed that the brain and spinal cord are able to reorganize functions after a spinal cord injury to restore communication at the cellular level needed for walking. http://www.reuters.com/article/healthNews/idUSN0428923520080107?feedType=nl&feedName=ushealth1100
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Drug Addiction genes identified HONG KONG (Reuters 1/8) - Scientists in China have identified about 400 genes that appear to make some people more easily addicted to drugs, opening the way for more effective therapies and addiction control.
Experts believe genetic factors account for up to 60 percent of a person's vulnerability to drug addiction, with environmental factors accounting for the remainder.
The researchers focused on four addictive substances -- cocaine, opiate, alcohol and nicotine -- and mapped out five main routes, or "molecular pathways", that lead to addiction, they wrote in the journal PLoS Computational Biology. http://www.reuters.com/article/healthNews/idUSHKG24467620080108?feedType=nl&feedName=ushealth
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Scientists move toward helping paralysis patients WASHINGTON (Reuters 1/7) - Scientists have figured out how mice can regain some ability to walk after spinal cord injuries, and hope this insight can lead to a new approach to restoring function in people paralyzed by similar damage.
The research, published on Sunday in the journal Nature Medicine, showed that the brain and spinal cord are able to reorganize functions after a spinal cord injury to restore communication at the cellular level needed for walking. http://www.reuters.com/article/healthNews/idUSN0428923520080107?feedType=nl&feedName=ushealth1100
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Drug Addiction genes identified HONG KONG (Reuters 1/8) - Scientists in China have identified about 400 genes that appear to make some people more easily addicted to drugs, opening the way for more effective therapies and addiction control.
Experts believe genetic factors account for up to 60 percent of a person's vulnerability to drug addiction, with environmental factors accounting for the remainder.
The researchers focused on four addictive substances -- cocaine, opiate, alcohol and nicotine -- and mapped out five main routes, or "molecular pathways", that lead to addiction, they wrote in the journal PLoS Computational Biology. http://www.reuters.com/article/healthNews/idUSHKG24467620080108?feedType=nl&feedName=ushealth
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DNA defect linked to 1 percent of autism cases... BOSTON (Reuters 1/9/08) - Researchers have identified a genetic defect responsible for 1 percent of the various forms of autism, and other experts said the DNA region involved could cause many more autism cases.
Identifying the genetic defect also offers another way to screen early for the disease, and perhaps to help children with treatments that can reduce some effects of the developmental disorder, researchers said.
A test for such genetic defects already is helping to inform parents with a child who has just been diagnosed with autism whether siblings might be at risk and whether future children might develop some form of autism, said Dr. Mark Daly of Massachusetts General Hospital, who led the study released on Wednesday.
Autism includes a range of disorders, from the mild Asperger's syndrome to profound mental retardation and lack of ability to socialize. It affects as many as 1 in 150 children in the United States -- up to 1.5 million children and adults.
Because "early intervention such as behavioral and educational therapy can have a positive impact on children who develop autism and other forms of developmental delay, any tool that can help give an earlier diagnosis at ages well before the formal diagnostic criteria kick in can be very useful," Daly said in a telephone interview.... http://www.reuters.com/article/healthNews/idUSN0959974420080109?feedType=nl&feedName=ushealth1100
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WASHINGTON (Reuters 1/11/08) - More U.S. women are taking daily supplements of folic acid, a B vitamin crucial to prevent some major birth defects, but the number remains too low, federal health officials said on Thursday.
Forty percent of women ages 18 to 45 said in a survey last year that they took the supplements each day, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said in a report. That compares to 28 percent in 1995, the CDC said.
"A lot of women are not getting enough folic acid," said CDC epidemiologist Heather Hamner, who worked on the report.... http://www.reuters.com/article/healthNews/idUSN1021762120080111?feedType=nl&feedName=ushealth1100
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Patient and Staff Immunization Because influenza can cause severe health problems for the elderly and other people with weakened immune systems, organizations must determine how to care for infected patients and ensure adequate protection of staff and other patients already in the facility. Immunization programs are a highly effective, proactive strategy to reduce the incidence of influenza among health care staff and the general population, but a vaccine is not always available, nor are all individuals willing to be vaccinated. Appropriate protocols must be developed for determining whether to vaccinate a patient after he or she is admitted. Although influenza vaccinations are administered annually, the pneumococcal vaccine is generally a once-in-a-lifetime vaccination that can be given at any time.
DNA defect linked to 1 percent of autism cases... BOSTON (Reuters 1/9/08) - Researchers have identified a genetic defect responsible for 1 percent of the various forms of autism, and other experts said the DNA region involved could cause many more autism cases.
Identifying the genetic defect also offers another way to screen early for the disease, and perhaps to help children with treatments that can reduce some effects of the developmental disorder, researchers said.
A test for such genetic defects already is helping to inform parents with a child who has just been diagnosed with autism whether siblings might be at risk and whether future children might develop some form of autism, said Dr. Mark Daly of Massachusetts General Hospital, who led the study released on Wednesday.
Autism includes a range of disorders, from the mild Asperger's syndrome to profound mental retardation and lack of ability to socialize. It affects as many as 1 in 150 children in the United States -- up to 1.5 million children and adults.
Because "early intervention such as behavioral and educational therapy can have a positive impact on children who develop autism and other forms of developmental delay, any tool that can help give an earlier diagnosis at ages well before the formal diagnostic criteria kick in can be very useful," Daly said in a telephone interview.... http://www.reuters.com/article/healthNews/idUSN0959974420080109?feedType=nl&feedName=ushealth1100
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WASHINGTON (Reuters 1/11/08) - More U.S. women are taking daily supplements of folic acid, a B vitamin crucial to prevent some major birth defects, but the number remains too low, federal health officials said on Thursday.
Forty percent of women ages 18 to 45 said in a survey last year that they took the supplements each day, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said in a report. That compares to 28 percent in 1995, the CDC said.
"A lot of women are not getting enough folic acid," said CDC epidemiologist Heather Hamner, who worked on the report.... http://www.reuters.com/article/healthNews/idUSN1021762120080111?feedType=nl&feedName=ushealth1100
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Patient and Staff Immunization Because influenza can cause severe health problems for the elderly and other people with weakened immune systems, organizations must determine how to care for infected patients and ensure adequate protection of staff and other patients already in the facility. Immunization programs are a highly effective, proactive strategy to reduce the incidence of influenza among health care staff and the general population, but a vaccine is not always available, nor are all individuals willing to be vaccinated. Appropriate protocols must be developed for determining whether to vaccinate a patient after he or she is admitted. Although influenza vaccinations are administered annually, the pneumococcal vaccine is generally a once-in-a-lifetime vaccination that can be given at any time.
http://www.medinfonow.com/min/ct/5/61267/fuwluz/KAAK/565/default.aspx © 2006 Joint Commission on Accreditation of Healthcare Organizations
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(Thank you Laregis@AOL.com Laura for this article) New Heart Pump Helps Women Awaiting Transplants It's smaller than the first-generation device, researchers report SUNDAY, Nov. 4 (HealthDay News) -- An implantable device that helps the heart pump blood -- and is about the size of a "D" battery, one-quarter the weight of the traditional device -- benefits women as well as men who are waiting for heart transplants.
That's the conclusion of new research that's expected to be presented Sunday at the American Heart Association annual meeting in Orlando, Fla.
"In the past, they were not as beneficial in women as in men, partly because of size," said Dr. Suzanne Steinbaum, director of Women and Heart Disease at Lenox Hill Hospital in New York City. "It didn't match up anatomically."
The new device in question, the HeartMate II, is an implantable left ventricular assist device that helps heart function in people with severe congestive heart failure. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration is currently reviewing an application to approve the pump-like device.... http://www.nursingknowledge.org/Portal/main.aspx?PageId=56&channelid=2&HeaderText=Nursing%20News&ContentID=86625&WT.mc_id=&WT.dcsvid=1136548159
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Today, the Space and Science Research Center, (SSRC) in Orlando, Florida announces that it has confirmed the recent web announcement of NASA solar physicists that there are substantial changes occurring in the sun’s surface. The SSRC has further researched these changes and has concluded they will bring about the next climate change to one of a long lasting cold era.Today, Director of the SSRC, John Casey has reaffirmed earlier research he led that independently discovered the sun’s changes are the result of a family of cycles that bring about climate shifts from cold climate to warm and back again.“We today confirm the recent announcement by NASA that there are historic and important changes taking place on the sun’s surface. This will have only one outcome - a new climate change is coming that will bring an extended period of deep cold to the planet. This is not however a unique event for the planet although it is critically important news to this and the next generations. It is but the normal sequence of alternating climate changes that has been going on for thousands of years. Further according to our research, this series of solar cycles are so predictable that they can be used to roughly forecast the next series of climate changes many decades in advance. I have verified the accuracy of these cycles’ behavior over the last 1,100 years relative to temperatures on Earth, to well over 90%.” ...
More information at: www.spaceandscience.net The previous NASA announcement was made at:http://science.nasa.gov/headlines/y2006/10may_longrange.htm
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New Breast cancer screening test would use saliva WASHINGTON (Reuters 1/10/08) - Scientists in the United States are developing a screening test for breast cancer that checks a woman's saliva for evidence of the disease to help find tumors early, when they are most treatable.
In research published on Thursday, the scientists said they identified 49 proteins in saliva that the screening test would track to distinguish healthy women from those with benign breast tumors and those with malignant breast tumors....
http://health.yahoo.com/news/reuters/cancer_breast_screening_dc.html;_ylt=
AglCAmitSdRz5Bb8RiOYQQyz5xcB
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Look-Alike/Sound-Alike Medications National Patient Safety Goal 3 states that organizations must improve the safety of using medications. Goal 3B requires organizations to identify and, at a minimum, annually review a list of look-alike/sound-alike drugs used in the organization and take action to prevent errors involving the interchange of these drugs. Health care organizations have taken a number of steps to reduce the risk of medication errors, including the following:• Removing concentrated electrolytes from patient care units• Standardizing the limit and number of drug concentrations available in the organization• Identifying and annually reviewing a list of look-alike/sound-alike drugs used in the organization and taking action to prevent errors involving the interchange of these drugs;;;;http://www.medinfonow.com/min/ct/5/59671/fuwluz/KAAK/499/default.aspx © 2006 Joint Commission on Accreditation of Healthcare Organizations
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Older antibiotic might speed TB treatment CHICAGO (Reuters 12/17/07) - An older antibiotic once used against tuberculosis but since abandoned may work to treat the most common and actively contagious form of the disease more quickly, U.S. researchers said on Monday.
By substituting a high-dose version of the drug rifapentine for another antibiotic in the standard TB treatment cocktail, researchers cured mice with the disease two to three times faster.
If confirmed in people, using the drug could cut the average treatment time from six months to three months or less, said Dr. Eric Nuermberger, an infectious disease specialist at Johns Hopkins University, whose study appears in the Public Library of Science journal PLoS Medicine.... http://www.reuters.com/article/healthNews/idUSN1741977720071218?feedType=nl&feedName=ushealth1100
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Walking packs huge health punch, study confirms NEW YORK (Reuters 12/17/07) - A brisk 30-minute walk 6 days a week is enough to trim waistlines and cut the risk of metabolic syndrome -- an increasingly common condition that is linked to obesity and a sedentary lifestyle, a new study indicates.
"Our study shows that you'll benefit even if you don't make any dietary changes," study leader Johanna L. Johnson, a clinical researcher at Duke University Medical Center, Durham, North Carolina, said in a statement.
It's estimated that about one quarter of all U.S. adults have metabolic syndrome -- a cluster of risk factors that raise the odds of developing heart disease, diabetes and stroke. To be diagnosed with metabolic syndrome, a person must have at least three of these five risk factors -- a large waistline, high blood pressure, high levels of harmful triglycerides, low levels of "good" HDL cholesterol, and high blood sugar -- and according to many studies, a growing number of people have these problems.
The new findings stem from the STRRIDE study -- an acronym for Studies of a Targeted Risk Reduction Intervention through Defined Exercise -- in which investigators examined the effects of varying amounts and intensity of exercise on 171 middle-aged, overweight men and women.... http://www.reuters.com/article/healthNews/idUSTON78551520071217?feedType=nl&feedName=ushealth1100
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Cigarette makers face flood of Florida lawsuits MIAMI (Reuters 1/11/08) - U.S. tobacco companies have been hit with thousands of new lawsuits in Florida from smokers and their families seeking compensation before Friday's court-imposed deadline for filing individual claims in what is shaping up as a major challenge for the industry.
The deadline was set after the Florida Supreme Court overturned a $145 billion punitive award in a class-action case against the cigarette makers but cleared the way for individuals to proceed with their own lawsuits against tobacco companies in state court.
"The Supreme Court found that cigarette manufacturers are negligent and that their products are defective, unreasonably dangerous, addictive and the cause of 16 separate diseases in human beings," said Ed Sweda, lead attorney for the Tobacco Products Liability Project at Northeastern University in Boston.
"This is a major serious problem for the tobacco companies to be facing here," he said. "We're very much encouraged." ... http://www.reuters.com/article/healthNews/idUSN1128975220080111?feedType=nl&feedName=ushealth1100
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(This falls under the heading of " Now they tell us" )!!!
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(Thank you Laregis@AOL.com Laura for this article) New Heart Pump Helps Women Awaiting Transplants It's smaller than the first-generation device, researchers report SUNDAY, Nov. 4 (HealthDay News) -- An implantable device that helps the heart pump blood -- and is about the size of a "D" battery, one-quarter the weight of the traditional device -- benefits women as well as men who are waiting for heart transplants.
That's the conclusion of new research that's expected to be presented Sunday at the American Heart Association annual meeting in Orlando, Fla.
"In the past, they were not as beneficial in women as in men, partly because of size," said Dr. Suzanne Steinbaum, director of Women and Heart Disease at Lenox Hill Hospital in New York City. "It didn't match up anatomically."
The new device in question, the HeartMate II, is an implantable left ventricular assist device that helps heart function in people with severe congestive heart failure. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration is currently reviewing an application to approve the pump-like device.... http://www.nursingknowledge.org/Portal/main.aspx?PageId=56&channelid=2&HeaderText=Nursing%20News&ContentID=86625&WT.mc_id=&WT.dcsvid=1136548159
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Today, the Space and Science Research Center, (SSRC) in Orlando, Florida announces that it has confirmed the recent web announcement of NASA solar physicists that there are substantial changes occurring in the sun’s surface. The SSRC has further researched these changes and has concluded they will bring about the next climate change to one of a long lasting cold era.Today, Director of the SSRC, John Casey has reaffirmed earlier research he led that independently discovered the sun’s changes are the result of a family of cycles that bring about climate shifts from cold climate to warm and back again.“We today confirm the recent announcement by NASA that there are historic and important changes taking place on the sun’s surface. This will have only one outcome - a new climate change is coming that will bring an extended period of deep cold to the planet. This is not however a unique event for the planet although it is critically important news to this and the next generations. It is but the normal sequence of alternating climate changes that has been going on for thousands of years. Further according to our research, this series of solar cycles are so predictable that they can be used to roughly forecast the next series of climate changes many decades in advance. I have verified the accuracy of these cycles’ behavior over the last 1,100 years relative to temperatures on Earth, to well over 90%.” ...
More information at: www.spaceandscience.net The previous NASA announcement was made at:http://science.nasa.gov/headlines/y2006/10may_longrange.htm
************************************
New Breast cancer screening test would use saliva WASHINGTON (Reuters 1/10/08) - Scientists in the United States are developing a screening test for breast cancer that checks a woman's saliva for evidence of the disease to help find tumors early, when they are most treatable.
In research published on Thursday, the scientists said they identified 49 proteins in saliva that the screening test would track to distinguish healthy women from those with benign breast tumors and those with malignant breast tumors....
http://health.yahoo.com/news/reuters/cancer_breast_screening_dc.html;_ylt=
AglCAmitSdRz5Bb8RiOYQQyz5xcB
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Look-Alike/Sound-Alike Medications National Patient Safety Goal 3 states that organizations must improve the safety of using medications. Goal 3B requires organizations to identify and, at a minimum, annually review a list of look-alike/sound-alike drugs used in the organization and take action to prevent errors involving the interchange of these drugs. Health care organizations have taken a number of steps to reduce the risk of medication errors, including the following:• Removing concentrated electrolytes from patient care units• Standardizing the limit and number of drug concentrations available in the organization• Identifying and annually reviewing a list of look-alike/sound-alike drugs used in the organization and taking action to prevent errors involving the interchange of these drugs;;;;http://www.medinfonow.com/min/ct/5/59671/fuwluz/KAAK/499/default.aspx © 2006 Joint Commission on Accreditation of Healthcare Organizations
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Older antibiotic might speed TB treatment CHICAGO (Reuters 12/17/07) - An older antibiotic once used against tuberculosis but since abandoned may work to treat the most common and actively contagious form of the disease more quickly, U.S. researchers said on Monday.
By substituting a high-dose version of the drug rifapentine for another antibiotic in the standard TB treatment cocktail, researchers cured mice with the disease two to three times faster.
If confirmed in people, using the drug could cut the average treatment time from six months to three months or less, said Dr. Eric Nuermberger, an infectious disease specialist at Johns Hopkins University, whose study appears in the Public Library of Science journal PLoS Medicine.... http://www.reuters.com/article/healthNews/idUSN1741977720071218?feedType=nl&feedName=ushealth1100
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Walking packs huge health punch, study confirms NEW YORK (Reuters 12/17/07) - A brisk 30-minute walk 6 days a week is enough to trim waistlines and cut the risk of metabolic syndrome -- an increasingly common condition that is linked to obesity and a sedentary lifestyle, a new study indicates.
"Our study shows that you'll benefit even if you don't make any dietary changes," study leader Johanna L. Johnson, a clinical researcher at Duke University Medical Center, Durham, North Carolina, said in a statement.
It's estimated that about one quarter of all U.S. adults have metabolic syndrome -- a cluster of risk factors that raise the odds of developing heart disease, diabetes and stroke. To be diagnosed with metabolic syndrome, a person must have at least three of these five risk factors -- a large waistline, high blood pressure, high levels of harmful triglycerides, low levels of "good" HDL cholesterol, and high blood sugar -- and according to many studies, a growing number of people have these problems.
The new findings stem from the STRRIDE study -- an acronym for Studies of a Targeted Risk Reduction Intervention through Defined Exercise -- in which investigators examined the effects of varying amounts and intensity of exercise on 171 middle-aged, overweight men and women.... http://www.reuters.com/article/healthNews/idUSTON78551520071217?feedType=nl&feedName=ushealth1100
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Cigarette makers face flood of Florida lawsuits MIAMI (Reuters 1/11/08) - U.S. tobacco companies have been hit with thousands of new lawsuits in Florida from smokers and their families seeking compensation before Friday's court-imposed deadline for filing individual claims in what is shaping up as a major challenge for the industry.
The deadline was set after the Florida Supreme Court overturned a $145 billion punitive award in a class-action case against the cigarette makers but cleared the way for individuals to proceed with their own lawsuits against tobacco companies in state court.
"The Supreme Court found that cigarette manufacturers are negligent and that their products are defective, unreasonably dangerous, addictive and the cause of 16 separate diseases in human beings," said Ed Sweda, lead attorney for the Tobacco Products Liability Project at Northeastern University in Boston.
"This is a major serious problem for the tobacco companies to be facing here," he said. "We're very much encouraged." ... http://www.reuters.com/article/healthNews/idUSN1128975220080111?feedType=nl&feedName=ushealth1100
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(This falls under the heading of " Now they tell us" )!!!
Soy may thwart belly-fat gain after menopause NEW YORK (Reuters 1/11/08) - A daily serving of soy may help postmenopausal women avoid gaining fat around the middle, preliminary research suggests.
In a study of 18 postmenopausal women, researchers found that those who drank a soy-based shake every day for three months tended to gain less abdominal fat than those who had a milk-based shake.
Soy contains compounds called isoflavones that are structurally similar to estrogen and bind to estrogen receptors in fat tissue. So in theory, soy isoflavones could help regulate body fat metabolism.
The new findings appear to be the first to show that soy protein may affect abdominal fat distribution, according to the researchers, led by Dr. Cynthia K. Sites of the University of Alabama at Birmingham. They report the results in the medical journal Fertility and Sterility. ... http://www.reutershealth.com/archive/2008/01/11/eline/links/20080111elin001.html
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(This was sent in by a member) IMPORTANT "I'll never forget the look in my patients eyes when I had to tell them they had to go home with the drains, new exercises and no breast. I remember begging the Doctors to keep these women in the hospital longer, only to hear that they would, but their hands were tied by the insurance companies. They needed to take care of themselves, knowing full well they didn't grasp half of what I was saying, because the glazed, hopeless, frightened look spoke louder than the quiet 'Thank You" they muttered. " S/P Mastectomy the patient suffers great discomfort and pain afterwards. Insurance companies are trying to make mastectomies an outpatient procedure. Which, in my opinion , is outrageous. Let's give women the chance to recover properly in the hospital for 2 days after surgery. Why not longer..at least until the drains, etc. are removed!!!! It takes 2 seconds to do this and is very important . Please take the time and do it really quick! Please send this to everyone in your address book. If there was ever a time when our voices and choices should be heard, this is one of those times. If you're receiving this, it's because I think you will take the 30 seconds to go to vote on this issue and send it on to others. You know who will do the same. There's a bill called the Breast Cancer Patient Protection Act which will require Insurance Companies to cover a minimum 48-hour hospital stay for patients undergoing a mastectomy. It's about eliminating the 'drive-through mastectomy' where women are forced to go home just a few hours after surgery, against the wishes of their doctor, still groggy from anesthesia and sometimes with drainage tubes still attached. Lifetime Television has put this bill on their Web page with a petition drive to show your support. Last year over half the House signed on. Sign the petition by clicking on the Web site below. You need not give more than your name and zip code number. http://www.lifetimetv.com/breastcancer/petition/signpetition.php
***********************
Unified Health Communication 101: Addressing Health Literacy, Cultural Competency, and Limited English Proficiency is a free on-line learning experience that will help you improve your patient communication skillsincrease your awareness and knowledge of the three main factors that affect your communication with patients: health literacy, cultural competency and low English proficiency implement patient-centered communication practices that demonstrate cultural competency and appropriately address patients with limited health literacy and low English proficiency. You may choose to take the course for credit (CEU/CE, CHES, CME, CNE) or not for credit. The course has five modules and is estimated to take a total of 5 hours to complete. You may complete the course at your own pace. http://www.hrsa.gov/healthliteracy/training.htm
***************************
The Center for Nursing Advocacy is announcing its 5th Golden Lamp Awards, the annual list of the best and worst media portrayals of nurses we've seen in the past year. The 2007 list includes influential media from Hollywood shows to reports on the nursing crisis in Africa. Most of the best depictions of nursing continued to appear in the print media. Among the best were pieces in The Wall Street Journal and The Star-Ledger (Newark), and on WBUR, a Boston NPR affilliate. Among the "worst" award recipients were "Grey's Anatomy," "Private Practice," "House," Kelly Ripa, New York Times puzzle master Will Shortz, New Jersey Governor Jon Corzine, and Members of the U.K. Parliament. The Center also recognizes nursing scholars and advocates who have made a positive impact in the general media. See our full press release on the awards.
***************************
Experts: Hand-held devices pose threat of infection for hospitals Mobile computing devices can help hospitals through RFID-assisted medication administration and decision support, but they can also increase the risk of hospital-acquired infections, according to two experts. They advise emphasizing clinician hand-hygiene, collaboration between hospital IT leaders and infection control practitioners,
and investing in easily cleaned devices to reduce the risk of infection. H&HN's Most Wired Magazine (1/2008) http://tinyurl.com/yrvv45
**********************
Not everything is easily prevented by popping a pill. But strokes? Maybe. Both folate and vitamin B12 seem to reduce the risk of a very common kind of stroke. It’s All About HomocysteineIn a study, men who had the highest folate intake reduced their risk of ischemic stroke by about 30 percent. The study is part of a growing body of research showing that both folate and vitamin B12 lower levels of homocysteine, and that may be the key to their stroke-stopping powers. High blood levels of homocysteine are linked to cardiovascular problems like stroke. http://www.realage.com/news_features/articler.aspx?id=11169
Where to Get It Your diet is a good source of folate and B12. Use this online tool to look up food sources. But you should also take a multivitamin with folate and vitamin B12 daily, to help make sure you get enough on a regular basis.
Folate, vitamin B6, and B12 intakes in relation to risk of stroke among men. He, K., Merchant, A., Rimm, E. B., Rosner, B. A., Stampfer, M. J., Willett, W. C., Ascherio, A., Stroke 2004 Jan;35(1):169-174.
*****************
Hormones raise breast cancer risk quickly: study WASHINGTON (Reuters 1/15) - Hormone replacement therapy can raise the risk of an uncommon type of breast cancer fourfold after just three years, U.S. researchers reported on Monday.
They found women who took combined estrogen/progestin hormone-replacement therapy for three years or more had four times the usual risk of lobular breast cancer.
Their study, published in the January issue of Cancer Epidemiology, Biomarkers and Prevention, is one of dozens trying to paint a clearer picture of what dangers might come from taking HRT to treat menopause symptoms.... http://www.reuters.com/article/healthNews/idUSN1440874820080115?feedType=nl&feedName=ushealth1100
*******************
ER waits dangerously long in U.S.: study WASHINGTON (Reuters 1/15) - Patients seeking urgent care in U.S. emergency rooms are waiting longer than in the 1990s, especially people with heart attacks, U.S. researchers reported on Tuesday.
They found a quarter of heart attack victims waited 50 minutes or more before seeing a doctor in 2004. Waits for all types of emergency department visits became 36 percent longer between 1997 and 2004, the team at Harvard Medical School reported.
Especially unsettling, people who had seen a triage nurse and been designated as needing immediate attention waited 40 percent longer -- from an average of 10 minutes in 1997 to an average 14 minutes in 2004, the researchers report in the journal Health Affairs. ... http://www.reuters.com/article/healthNews/idUSN1549047220080115?feedType=nl&feedName=ushealth1100
*******************
In a study of 18 postmenopausal women, researchers found that those who drank a soy-based shake every day for three months tended to gain less abdominal fat than those who had a milk-based shake.
Soy contains compounds called isoflavones that are structurally similar to estrogen and bind to estrogen receptors in fat tissue. So in theory, soy isoflavones could help regulate body fat metabolism.
The new findings appear to be the first to show that soy protein may affect abdominal fat distribution, according to the researchers, led by Dr. Cynthia K. Sites of the University of Alabama at Birmingham. They report the results in the medical journal Fertility and Sterility. ... http://www.reutershealth.com/archive/2008/01/11/eline/links/20080111elin001.html
***********************
(This was sent in by a member) IMPORTANT "I'll never forget the look in my patients eyes when I had to tell them they had to go home with the drains, new exercises and no breast. I remember begging the Doctors to keep these women in the hospital longer, only to hear that they would, but their hands were tied by the insurance companies. They needed to take care of themselves, knowing full well they didn't grasp half of what I was saying, because the glazed, hopeless, frightened look spoke louder than the quiet 'Thank You" they muttered. " S/P Mastectomy the patient suffers great discomfort and pain afterwards. Insurance companies are trying to make mastectomies an outpatient procedure. Which, in my opinion , is outrageous. Let's give women the chance to recover properly in the hospital for 2 days after surgery. Why not longer..at least until the drains, etc. are removed!!!! It takes 2 seconds to do this and is very important . Please take the time and do it really quick! Please send this to everyone in your address book. If there was ever a time when our voices and choices should be heard, this is one of those times. If you're receiving this, it's because I think you will take the 30 seconds to go to vote on this issue and send it on to others. You know who will do the same. There's a bill called the Breast Cancer Patient Protection Act which will require Insurance Companies to cover a minimum 48-hour hospital stay for patients undergoing a mastectomy. It's about eliminating the 'drive-through mastectomy' where women are forced to go home just a few hours after surgery, against the wishes of their doctor, still groggy from anesthesia and sometimes with drainage tubes still attached. Lifetime Television has put this bill on their Web page with a petition drive to show your support. Last year over half the House signed on. Sign the petition by clicking on the Web site below. You need not give more than your name and zip code number. http://www.lifetimetv.com/breastcancer/petition/signpetition.php
***********************
Unified Health Communication 101: Addressing Health Literacy, Cultural Competency, and Limited English Proficiency is a free on-line learning experience that will help you improve your patient communication skillsincrease your awareness and knowledge of the three main factors that affect your communication with patients: health literacy, cultural competency and low English proficiency implement patient-centered communication practices that demonstrate cultural competency and appropriately address patients with limited health literacy and low English proficiency. You may choose to take the course for credit (CEU/CE, CHES, CME, CNE) or not for credit. The course has five modules and is estimated to take a total of 5 hours to complete. You may complete the course at your own pace. http://www.hrsa.gov/healthliteracy/training.htm
***************************
The Center for Nursing Advocacy is announcing its 5th Golden Lamp Awards, the annual list of the best and worst media portrayals of nurses we've seen in the past year. The 2007 list includes influential media from Hollywood shows to reports on the nursing crisis in Africa. Most of the best depictions of nursing continued to appear in the print media. Among the best were pieces in The Wall Street Journal and The Star-Ledger (Newark), and on WBUR, a Boston NPR affilliate. Among the "worst" award recipients were "Grey's Anatomy," "Private Practice," "House," Kelly Ripa, New York Times puzzle master Will Shortz, New Jersey Governor Jon Corzine, and Members of the U.K. Parliament. The Center also recognizes nursing scholars and advocates who have made a positive impact in the general media. See our full press release on the awards.
***************************
Experts: Hand-held devices pose threat of infection for hospitals Mobile computing devices can help hospitals through RFID-assisted medication administration and decision support, but they can also increase the risk of hospital-acquired infections, according to two experts. They advise emphasizing clinician hand-hygiene, collaboration between hospital IT leaders and infection control practitioners,
and investing in easily cleaned devices to reduce the risk of infection. H&HN's Most Wired Magazine (1/2008) http://tinyurl.com/yrvv45
**********************
Not everything is easily prevented by popping a pill. But strokes? Maybe. Both folate and vitamin B12 seem to reduce the risk of a very common kind of stroke. It’s All About HomocysteineIn a study, men who had the highest folate intake reduced their risk of ischemic stroke by about 30 percent. The study is part of a growing body of research showing that both folate and vitamin B12 lower levels of homocysteine, and that may be the key to their stroke-stopping powers. High blood levels of homocysteine are linked to cardiovascular problems like stroke. http://www.realage.com/news_features/articler.aspx?id=11169
Where to Get It Your diet is a good source of folate and B12. Use this online tool to look up food sources. But you should also take a multivitamin with folate and vitamin B12 daily, to help make sure you get enough on a regular basis.
Folate, vitamin B6, and B12 intakes in relation to risk of stroke among men. He, K., Merchant, A., Rimm, E. B., Rosner, B. A., Stampfer, M. J., Willett, W. C., Ascherio, A., Stroke 2004 Jan;35(1):169-174.
*****************
Hormones raise breast cancer risk quickly: study WASHINGTON (Reuters 1/15) - Hormone replacement therapy can raise the risk of an uncommon type of breast cancer fourfold after just three years, U.S. researchers reported on Monday.
They found women who took combined estrogen/progestin hormone-replacement therapy for three years or more had four times the usual risk of lobular breast cancer.
Their study, published in the January issue of Cancer Epidemiology, Biomarkers and Prevention, is one of dozens trying to paint a clearer picture of what dangers might come from taking HRT to treat menopause symptoms.... http://www.reuters.com/article/healthNews/idUSN1440874820080115?feedType=nl&feedName=ushealth1100
*******************
ER waits dangerously long in U.S.: study WASHINGTON (Reuters 1/15) - Patients seeking urgent care in U.S. emergency rooms are waiting longer than in the 1990s, especially people with heart attacks, U.S. researchers reported on Tuesday.
They found a quarter of heart attack victims waited 50 minutes or more before seeing a doctor in 2004. Waits for all types of emergency department visits became 36 percent longer between 1997 and 2004, the team at Harvard Medical School reported.
Especially unsettling, people who had seen a triage nurse and been designated as needing immediate attention waited 40 percent longer -- from an average of 10 minutes in 1997 to an average 14 minutes in 2004, the researchers report in the journal Health Affairs. ... http://www.reuters.com/article/healthNews/idUSN1549047220080115?feedType=nl&feedName=ushealth1100
*******************
Time-Out before Procedures As part of the Universal Protocol for Preventing Wrong Site, Wrong Procedure, Wrong Person Surgery™, staff should conduct a “time-out” immediately before a surgical or invasive procedure to do a final verification of the correct patient, procedure, site, and implants, if applicable.The time-out should occur in the location where the procedure will be performed, just before the procedure is started. A designated team member should consistently initiate this process, which involves active communication among all members of the surgical/procedure team.
http://www.medinfonow.com/min/ct/5/62996/fuwluz/KAAK/599/default.aspx
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Publication Charts Staffing Standards for All 50 States A new publication from Dr. Charlene Harrington of the University of California San Francisco lists the state staffing standards for nursing homes in all 50 states and the District of Columbia. Laid out in chart form, Nursing Home Staffing Standards in State Statutes and Regulations summarizes the requirements for direct-care staff, as well as for licensed staff and caregiving staff overall. The report also estimates the difference between the state requirements and the federal standard for facilities with 100 beds, based on a formula that is explained in an endnote. Links are included to each relevant statute and regulation."The information is important for state advocates to have because any meaningful improvements in staffing will probably have to be made at the state level," Harrington told Quality Care/Quality Jobs. "For instance, Florida has the highest standards at this time, but the state did not set a minimum limit for RNs, so nursing facilities are substituting licensed vocational nurses for RNs because they are less costly. This can have a negative impact on quality." ... Thanks to Genevive Gipson, MS, RN for the link to this valuable information.
*********************
Publication Charts Staffing Standards for All 50 States A new publication from Dr. Charlene Harrington of the University of California San Francisco lists the state staffing standards for nursing homes in all 50 states and the District of Columbia. Laid out in chart form, Nursing Home Staffing Standards in State Statutes and Regulations summarizes the requirements for direct-care staff, as well as for licensed staff and caregiving staff overall. The report also estimates the difference between the state requirements and the federal standard for facilities with 100 beds, based on a formula that is explained in an endnote. Links are included to each relevant statute and regulation."The information is important for state advocates to have because any meaningful improvements in staffing will probably have to be made at the state level," Harrington told Quality Care/Quality Jobs. "For instance, Florida has the highest standards at this time, but the state did not set a minimum limit for RNs, so nursing facilities are substituting licensed vocational nurses for RNs because they are less costly. This can have a negative impact on quality." ... Thanks to Genevive Gipson, MS, RN for the link to this valuable information.
http://www.nccnhr.org/uploads/HarringtonStatestaffingtableRevisedJan2008.pdf
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Australian girl changes blood group, immune system CANBERRA (Reuters 1/25) - An Australian teenage girl has become the world's first known transplant patient to change blood groups and take on the immune system of her organ donor, doctors said on Friday, calling her a "one-in-six-billion miracle."
Demi-Lee Brennan, now 15, received a donor liver when she was 9 years old and her own liver failed.
"It's like my second chance at life," Brennan told local media, recounting how her body achieved what doctors said was the holy grail of transplant surgery. "It's kind of hard to believe."
Brennan's body changed blood group from O negative to O positive when she became ill while on drugs to avoid rejection of the organ by her body's immune system. http://www.reuters.com/article/healthNews/idUSSYD90620080125?feedType=nl&feedName=ushealth1100
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Cancer treatment may also help osteoporosis WASHINGTON (Reuters 1/26) - A drug used to treat bone marrow cancer may also help treat osteoporosis by stimulating stem cells, U.S. researchers reported on Friday.
They found that Velcade, made by Millennium Pharmaceuticals Inc to treat multiple myeloma, activated stem cells that differentiate into bone.
Tests in mice showed it apparently helps regenerate bone tissue and be may be a potential treatment for osteoporosis, a team at Massachusetts General Hospital and the Harvard Stem Cell Institute reported in the Journal of Clinical Investigation.
Harvard stem cell expert Dr. David Scadden said scientists have been hoping to find ways to use drugs to stimulate stem cells, which are the body's master cells.http://www.reuters.com/article/healthNews/idUSN2537473620080126?feedType=nl&feedName=ushealth1100
****************
Studies find corticosteroids, insulin don't combat mortality WEDNESDAY, Jan. 9 (HealthDay News) -- Two new studies on the treatment of septic shock question the conventional wisdom of treating with corticosteroids, intensive insulin therapy or with the synthetic fluid replacement substance called pentastarch.
The first study compared the use of hydrocortisone to a placebo in people in septic shock and found no improvement in survival rates.
The second study looked at the use of intensive insulin therapy versus a placebo, and the use of pentastarch to the more commonly used Ringer's lactate, which is saline with added lactate, chloride, potassium and calcium. Both intensive insulin and pentastarch failed to improve survival rates, and, in fact, increased the rates of serious complications so much that the trial was stopped early....
Results of both studies are published in the Jan. 10 issue of the New England Journal of Medicine.... http://www.nursingknowledge.org/Portal/main.aspx?PageId=56&channelid=2&ContentID=87271&utm_source=ertraumaspcltyJan08%2B012808&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=SpecialtyNewsletters&WT.mc_id=ET_
ERTraumaspcty_Jan08&WT.dcsvid=742097280
*************************
Tainted Drugs Tied to Maker of Abortion Pill-- New York Times BEIJING — A huge state-owned Chinese pharmaceutical company that exports to dozens of countries, including the United States, is at the center of a nationwide drug scandal after nearly 200 Chinese cancer patients were paralyzed or otherwise harmed last summer by contaminated leukemia drugs.
Chinese drug regulators have accused the manufacturer of the tainted drugs of a cover-up and have closed the factory that produced them. In December, China’s Food and Drug Administration said that the Shanghai police had begun a criminal investigation and that two officials, including the head of the plant, had been detained.
The drug maker, Shanghai Hualian, is the sole supplier to the United States of the abortion pill, mifepristone, known as RU-486. It is made at a factory different from the one that produced the tainted cancer drugs, about an hour’s drive away.
The United States Food and Drug Administration declined to answer questions about Shanghai Hualian, because of security concerns stemming from the sometimes violent opposition to abortion. But in a statement, the agency said the RU-486 plant had passed an F.D.A. inspection in May. “F.D.A. is not aware of any evidence to suggest the issue that occurred at the leukemia drug facility is linked in any way with the facility that manufactures the mifepristone,” the statement said.... http://www.nytimes.com/2008/01/31/world/asia/31pharma.html?_r=1&th&emc=th&oref=slogin
~~**~~**~~**~~**~~**~~
HUMOR SECTION
******************************
Australian girl changes blood group, immune system CANBERRA (Reuters 1/25) - An Australian teenage girl has become the world's first known transplant patient to change blood groups and take on the immune system of her organ donor, doctors said on Friday, calling her a "one-in-six-billion miracle."
Demi-Lee Brennan, now 15, received a donor liver when she was 9 years old and her own liver failed.
"It's like my second chance at life," Brennan told local media, recounting how her body achieved what doctors said was the holy grail of transplant surgery. "It's kind of hard to believe."
Brennan's body changed blood group from O negative to O positive when she became ill while on drugs to avoid rejection of the organ by her body's immune system. http://www.reuters.com/article/healthNews/idUSSYD90620080125?feedType=nl&feedName=ushealth1100
******************************
Cancer treatment may also help osteoporosis WASHINGTON (Reuters 1/26) - A drug used to treat bone marrow cancer may also help treat osteoporosis by stimulating stem cells, U.S. researchers reported on Friday.
They found that Velcade, made by Millennium Pharmaceuticals Inc to treat multiple myeloma, activated stem cells that differentiate into bone.
Tests in mice showed it apparently helps regenerate bone tissue and be may be a potential treatment for osteoporosis, a team at Massachusetts General Hospital and the Harvard Stem Cell Institute reported in the Journal of Clinical Investigation.
Harvard stem cell expert Dr. David Scadden said scientists have been hoping to find ways to use drugs to stimulate stem cells, which are the body's master cells.http://www.reuters.com/article/healthNews/idUSN2537473620080126?feedType=nl&feedName=ushealth1100
****************
Studies find corticosteroids, insulin don't combat mortality WEDNESDAY, Jan. 9 (HealthDay News) -- Two new studies on the treatment of septic shock question the conventional wisdom of treating with corticosteroids, intensive insulin therapy or with the synthetic fluid replacement substance called pentastarch.
The first study compared the use of hydrocortisone to a placebo in people in septic shock and found no improvement in survival rates.
The second study looked at the use of intensive insulin therapy versus a placebo, and the use of pentastarch to the more commonly used Ringer's lactate, which is saline with added lactate, chloride, potassium and calcium. Both intensive insulin and pentastarch failed to improve survival rates, and, in fact, increased the rates of serious complications so much that the trial was stopped early....
Results of both studies are published in the Jan. 10 issue of the New England Journal of Medicine.... http://www.nursingknowledge.org/Portal/main.aspx?PageId=56&channelid=2&ContentID=87271&utm_source=ertraumaspcltyJan08%2B012808&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=SpecialtyNewsletters&WT.mc_id=ET_
ERTraumaspcty_Jan08&WT.dcsvid=742097280
*************************
Tainted Drugs Tied to Maker of Abortion Pill-- New York Times BEIJING — A huge state-owned Chinese pharmaceutical company that exports to dozens of countries, including the United States, is at the center of a nationwide drug scandal after nearly 200 Chinese cancer patients were paralyzed or otherwise harmed last summer by contaminated leukemia drugs.
Chinese drug regulators have accused the manufacturer of the tainted drugs of a cover-up and have closed the factory that produced them. In December, China’s Food and Drug Administration said that the Shanghai police had begun a criminal investigation and that two officials, including the head of the plant, had been detained.
The drug maker, Shanghai Hualian, is the sole supplier to the United States of the abortion pill, mifepristone, known as RU-486. It is made at a factory different from the one that produced the tainted cancer drugs, about an hour’s drive away.
The United States Food and Drug Administration declined to answer questions about Shanghai Hualian, because of security concerns stemming from the sometimes violent opposition to abortion. But in a statement, the agency said the RU-486 plant had passed an F.D.A. inspection in May. “F.D.A. is not aware of any evidence to suggest the issue that occurred at the leukemia drug facility is linked in any way with the facility that manufactures the mifepristone,” the statement said.... http://www.nytimes.com/2008/01/31/world/asia/31pharma.html?_r=1&th&emc=th&oref=slogin
~~**~~**~~**~~**~~**~~
HUMOR SECTION
Yes, it's again that magical time of the year when the Darwin Awards are bestowed, honoring the least evolved among us. Here is the glorious Winner:
1. When his .38 caliber revolver failed to fire at his intended victim during a hold-up in Long Beach, California , would-be robber James Elliot did something that can only inspire wonder. He peered down the barrel and tried the trigger again. This time it worked.
And now, the Honorable Mentions: 2. The chef at a hotel in Switzerland lost a finger in a meat-cutting machine and submitted a claim to his insurance company. The company suspecting negligence sent out one of its men to have a look for himself. He tried the machine and he also lost a finger. The chef's claim was approved.
3. A man who shoveled snow for an hour to clear a space for his car during a blizzard in Chicago returned with his vehicle to find a woman had taken the space...understandably, he shot her.
4 After stopping for drinks at an illegal bar, a Zimbabwean bus driver found that the 20 mental patients he was supposed to be transporting from Harare to Bulawayo had escaped. Not wanting to admit his incompetence, the driver went to a nearby bus stop and offered everyone waiting there a free ride. He then delivered the passengers to the mental hospital, telling the staff that the patients were very excitable and prone to bizarre fantasies. The deception wasn't discovered for 3 days
5. An American teenager was in the hospital recovering from serious head wounds received from an oncoming train. When asked how he received the injuries, the lad told police that he was simply trying to see how close he could get his head to a moving train before he was hit.
6. A man walked into a Louisiana Circle-K, put a $20 bill on the counter, and asked for change. When the clerk opened the cash drawer, the man pulled a gun and asked for all the cash in the register, which the clerk promptly provided. The man took the cash from the clerk and fled, leaving the $20 bill on the counter. The total amount of cash he got from the drawer: $15. (If someone points a gun at you and gives you money, is a crime committed?)
7. Seems an Arkansas guy wanted some beer pretty badly. He decided that he'd just throw a cinder block through a liquor store window, grab some booze, and run. So he lifted the cinder block and heaved it over his head at the window. The cinder block bounced back and hit the would-be thief on the head, knocking him unconscious. The liquor store window was made of Plexiglas. The whole event was caught on videotape.
8. As a female shopper exited a New York convenience store, a man grabbed her purse and ran. The clerk called 911 immediately, and the woman was able to give them a detailed description of the snatcher. Within minutes, the police apprehended the purse snatcher. They put him in the car and drove back to the store . The thief was then taken out of the car and told to stand there for a positive ID. To which he replied, "Yes, officer, that's her. That's the lady I stole the purse from."
9. The Ann Arbor News crime column reported that a man walked into a Burger King in Ypsilanti, Michigan , at 5 a.m. flashed a gun, and demanded cash. The clerk turned him down because he said he couldn't open the cash register without a food order. When the man ordered onion rings, the clerk said they weren't available for breakfast. The man, frustrated, walked away.
***** A 5-STAR STUPIDITY AWARD WINNER***** 10. When a man attempted to siphon gasoline from a motor home parked on a Seattle street, he got much more than he bargained for. Police arrived at the scene to find a very sick man curled up next to a motor home near spilled sewage. A police spokesman said that the man admitted to trying to steal gasoline and plugged his siphon hose into the motor home's sewage tank by mistake The owner of the vehicle declined to press charges, saying that it was the best laugh he'd ever had.
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CEU SITES---(CME and CNE)
Those that are-----Free and Otherwise..........
Pay Only $34.99 for a full year of CONTACT HOURS http://www.nursingspectrum.com /
http://www.aapicme.com/Home.aspx (From FNPMSN@AOL.com ) Cindy
This site was sent in by FNPMSN@aol.com (Cindy) http://cmepain.com/ This site looks GREAT!
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WEBSITES/ LINKS
Always on the lookout for interesting websites / links. Please send them to:RNFrankie@AOL.com.
http://www.thebreastcancersite.com/clickToGive/home.faces?siteId=2
http://www.nationalnurse3.blogspot.com/
http://nursingsite.blogspot.com
The Nursing Site http://thenursingsite.com .
http://www.pain.com/sections/consumers/pain_clinics/
http://www.fengshulforreallife.com/
National Do Not Call Registry
http://content.healthaffairs.org/current.shtml current articles
If you're buying a used car, it is recommended having a mechanic inspect it first.
CEU SITES---(CME and CNE)
Those that are-----Free and Otherwise..........
Pay Only $34.99 for a full year of CONTACT HOURS http://www.nursingspectrum.com /
http://www.aapicme.com/Home.aspx (From FNPMSN@AOL.com ) Cindy
This site was sent in by FNPMSN@aol.com (Cindy) http://cmepain.com/ This site looks GREAT!
~~**~~**~~**~~**~~**~~
WEBSITES/ LINKS
Always on the lookout for interesting websites / links. Please send them to:RNFrankie@AOL.com.
http://www.thebreastcancersite.com/clickToGive/home.faces?siteId=2
http://www.nationalnurse3.blogspot.com/
http://nursingsite.blogspot.com
The Nursing Site http://thenursingsite.com .
http://www.pain.com/sections/consumers/pain_clinics/
http://www.fengshulforreallife.com/
National Do Not Call Registry
http://content.healthaffairs.org/current.shtml current articles
If you're buying a used car, it is recommended having a mechanic inspect it first.
And screen the car's VIN through the free database at carfax.com/flood
Master the Scholarship Game by Donna Cardillo, RN, MA
http://www.dcardillo.com/articles/scholargame.html
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MEDICAL RECALLS
*
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FDA informed healthcare professionals about serious patient injuries, including third degree burns, associated with the use of poorly maintained electric dental handpieces during dental procedures. Some patients had third degree burns which required plastic surgery. Burns may not be apparent to the operator or the patient until after the tissue damange occurred, because the anesthetized patient can not feel the tissue burning and the handpiece housing insulates the operator from the heated attachment. Although the reported burns occurred during the cutting of tooth and bone, tooth extraction, and other dental surgical procedures, overheating can also occur during any dental procedure. This probelm is not limited to dentistry. Rotary surgical handpieces can cause patient burns during orthopedic procedures as resported in the July 2003 edition of FDA Patient Safety News. http://www.fda.gov/cdrh/psn/show17-burns.html http://www.fda.gov/medwatch/safety/2007/safety07.htm#dentalhand
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FDA informed healthcare professionals and patients that the Agency sent letters warning seven pharmacy operations that the claims they make about the safety and effectiveness of their so-called "bio-identical hormone replacement therapy," or "BHRT" products are unsupported by medical evidence, and are considered false and misleading by the agency. The pharmacy operations improperly claim that their drugs, which contain hormones such as estrogen, progesterone, and estriol (which is not a component of an FDA-approved drug and has not been proven safe and effective for any use) are superior to FDA-approved menopausal hormone therapy drugs and prevent or treat serious diseases, including Alzheimer's disease, stroke, and various forms of cancer. FDA is concerned that the claims for safety, effectiveness, and superiority that these pharmacy operations are making mislead patients, as well as doctors and other healthcare professionals. Compounded drugs are not reviewed by the FDA for safety and effectiveness. Patients who use compounded hormone therapy drugs should discuss menopausal hormone therapy options with their healthcare provider to determine if compounded drugs are the best option for their specific medical needs. http://www.fda.gov/medwatch/safety/2008/safety08.htm#Menopause
*******************
FDA issued an early communication about an ongoing safety review regarding Botox and Botox Cosmetic. FDA has received reports of systemic adverse reactions including respiratory compromise and death following the use of botulinum toxins types A and B for both FDA-approved and unapproved uses. The reactions reported are suggestive of botulism, which occurs when botulinum toxin spreads in the body beyond the site where it was injected. The most serious cases had outcomes that included hospitalization and death, and occurred mostly in children treated for cerebral palsy-associated limb spasticity. Use of botulinum toxins for treatment of limb spasticity (severe arm and leg muscle spasms) in children or adults is not an approved use in the U.S. See the FDA's "Early Communication about an Ongoing Safety Review" for Agency recommendations and additional information for healthcare professionals. http://www.fda.gov/medwatch/safety/2008/safety08.htm#botox
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FDA advised healthcare professionals of serious adverse events associated with unretrieved device fragments (UDFs). A UDF is a fragment of a medical device that has separated unintentionally and remains in the patient after a procedure. Patients may not be aware that this has occurred. The FDA Center for Devices and Radiological Health receives nearly 1000 adverse event reports each year related to UDFs. The adverse events reported included local tissue reaction, infection, perforation and obstruction of blood vessels, and death. Contributing factors may include biocompatibility of the device materials, location of the fragment, potential migration of the fragment, and patient anatomy. During MRI procedures, magnetic fields may cause metallic fragments to migrate, and radiofrequency fields may cause them to heat, causing internal tissue damage and/or burns.... http://www.fda.gov/medwatch/safety/2008/safety08.htm#Fragments
********************
Cordis Corporation and FDA informed healthcare professionals of a Class I recall of All Fire Star and Dura Star balloon catheters, lots 13173912 through 13315455, plus 52 additional lots above 13315455. Balloon catheters are used in a medical procedure (known as percutaneous transluminal coronary angioplasty or PTCA) to open narrowed or blocked blood vessels or arteries of the heart. The product has a potential for slow deflation or no deflation of the angioplasty balloon when inserted into the artery or other blood vessels. This may potentially result in a total blockage of the artery or blood vessels, resulting in a change in the heart rate or heart rhythm, injury to the heart artery, a heart attack, need for a surgical procedure, or death....
Master the Scholarship Game by Donna Cardillo, RN, MA
http://www.dcardillo.com/articles/scholargame.html
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*
MEDICAL RECALLS
*
*******************************************
******************************************************
FDA informed healthcare professionals about serious patient injuries, including third degree burns, associated with the use of poorly maintained electric dental handpieces during dental procedures. Some patients had third degree burns which required plastic surgery. Burns may not be apparent to the operator or the patient until after the tissue damange occurred, because the anesthetized patient can not feel the tissue burning and the handpiece housing insulates the operator from the heated attachment. Although the reported burns occurred during the cutting of tooth and bone, tooth extraction, and other dental surgical procedures, overheating can also occur during any dental procedure. This probelm is not limited to dentistry. Rotary surgical handpieces can cause patient burns during orthopedic procedures as resported in the July 2003 edition of FDA Patient Safety News. http://www.fda.gov/cdrh/psn/show17-burns.html http://www.fda.gov/medwatch/safety/2007/safety07.htm#dentalhand
****************************
FDA informed healthcare professionals and patients that the Agency sent letters warning seven pharmacy operations that the claims they make about the safety and effectiveness of their so-called "bio-identical hormone replacement therapy," or "BHRT" products are unsupported by medical evidence, and are considered false and misleading by the agency. The pharmacy operations improperly claim that their drugs, which contain hormones such as estrogen, progesterone, and estriol (which is not a component of an FDA-approved drug and has not been proven safe and effective for any use) are superior to FDA-approved menopausal hormone therapy drugs and prevent or treat serious diseases, including Alzheimer's disease, stroke, and various forms of cancer. FDA is concerned that the claims for safety, effectiveness, and superiority that these pharmacy operations are making mislead patients, as well as doctors and other healthcare professionals. Compounded drugs are not reviewed by the FDA for safety and effectiveness. Patients who use compounded hormone therapy drugs should discuss menopausal hormone therapy options with their healthcare provider to determine if compounded drugs are the best option for their specific medical needs. http://www.fda.gov/medwatch/safety/2008/safety08.htm#Menopause
*******************
FDA issued an early communication about an ongoing safety review regarding Botox and Botox Cosmetic. FDA has received reports of systemic adverse reactions including respiratory compromise and death following the use of botulinum toxins types A and B for both FDA-approved and unapproved uses. The reactions reported are suggestive of botulism, which occurs when botulinum toxin spreads in the body beyond the site where it was injected. The most serious cases had outcomes that included hospitalization and death, and occurred mostly in children treated for cerebral palsy-associated limb spasticity. Use of botulinum toxins for treatment of limb spasticity (severe arm and leg muscle spasms) in children or adults is not an approved use in the U.S. See the FDA's "Early Communication about an Ongoing Safety Review" for Agency recommendations and additional information for healthcare professionals. http://www.fda.gov/medwatch/safety/2008/safety08.htm#botox
*****************
FDA advised healthcare professionals of serious adverse events associated with unretrieved device fragments (UDFs). A UDF is a fragment of a medical device that has separated unintentionally and remains in the patient after a procedure. Patients may not be aware that this has occurred. The FDA Center for Devices and Radiological Health receives nearly 1000 adverse event reports each year related to UDFs. The adverse events reported included local tissue reaction, infection, perforation and obstruction of blood vessels, and death. Contributing factors may include biocompatibility of the device materials, location of the fragment, potential migration of the fragment, and patient anatomy. During MRI procedures, magnetic fields may cause metallic fragments to migrate, and radiofrequency fields may cause them to heat, causing internal tissue damage and/or burns.... http://www.fda.gov/medwatch/safety/2008/safety08.htm#Fragments
********************
Cordis Corporation and FDA informed healthcare professionals of a Class I recall of All Fire Star and Dura Star balloon catheters, lots 13173912 through 13315455, plus 52 additional lots above 13315455. Balloon catheters are used in a medical procedure (known as percutaneous transluminal coronary angioplasty or PTCA) to open narrowed or blocked blood vessels or arteries of the heart. The product has a potential for slow deflation or no deflation of the angioplasty balloon when inserted into the artery or other blood vessels. This may potentially result in a total blockage of the artery or blood vessels, resulting in a change in the heart rate or heart rhythm, injury to the heart artery, a heart attack, need for a surgical procedure, or death....
http://www.fda.gov/medwatch/safety/2008/safety08.htm#DuraStar
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(this was dated 1/25/08) FDA provided healthcare professionals with an early communication about an ongoing data review for Ezetimibe/Simvastatin (marketed as Vytorin), Ezetimibe (marketed as Zetia), and Simvastatin (marketed as Zocor). This early communication is in keeping with FDA’s commitment to inform the public about ongoing postmarketing drug issues. Merck/Schering Plough Pharmaceuticals reported preliminary results from the Effect of Combination Ezetimibe and High-Dose Simvastatin vs. Simvastatin Alone on the Atherosclerotic Process in Patients with Heterozygous Familial Hypercholesterolemia (ENHANCE) trial. This trial was designed to evaluate the amount of atherosclerotic plaque in blood vessels located in the neck based on images obtained through ultrasound in patients treated with Vytorin (ezetimibe plus simvastatin) or simvastatin alone. Merck/Schering Plough stated that there was no significant difference between Vytorin and simvastatin in the amount of atherosclerotic plaque in the inner walls of the carotid (neck) arteries despite greater lowering of LDL-cholesterol (bad cholesterol) with Vytorin compared to simvastatin. Once Merck/Schering Plough completes the analysis of the unblinded data from ENHANCE, it will submit a final study report to FDA. Once FDA receives the final study report, FDA estimates it will take approximately 6 months to fully evaluate the data. After reviewing the data from the ENHANCE study, and considering all other available information about the link between LDL lowering and reduction of cardiovascular events, FDA will determine whether any further regulatory action is warranted with regard to Zetia and Vytorin and also whether any changes to FDA’s current approach to drugs that lower LDL cholesterol are warranted.
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(this was dated 1/25/08) FDA provided healthcare professionals with an early communication about an ongoing data review for Ezetimibe/Simvastatin (marketed as Vytorin), Ezetimibe (marketed as Zetia), and Simvastatin (marketed as Zocor). This early communication is in keeping with FDA’s commitment to inform the public about ongoing postmarketing drug issues. Merck/Schering Plough Pharmaceuticals reported preliminary results from the Effect of Combination Ezetimibe and High-Dose Simvastatin vs. Simvastatin Alone on the Atherosclerotic Process in Patients with Heterozygous Familial Hypercholesterolemia (ENHANCE) trial. This trial was designed to evaluate the amount of atherosclerotic plaque in blood vessels located in the neck based on images obtained through ultrasound in patients treated with Vytorin (ezetimibe plus simvastatin) or simvastatin alone. Merck/Schering Plough stated that there was no significant difference between Vytorin and simvastatin in the amount of atherosclerotic plaque in the inner walls of the carotid (neck) arteries despite greater lowering of LDL-cholesterol (bad cholesterol) with Vytorin compared to simvastatin. Once Merck/Schering Plough completes the analysis of the unblinded data from ENHANCE, it will submit a final study report to FDA. Once FDA receives the final study report, FDA estimates it will take approximately 6 months to fully evaluate the data. After reviewing the data from the ENHANCE study, and considering all other available information about the link between LDL lowering and reduction of cardiovascular events, FDA will determine whether any further regulatory action is warranted with regard to Zetia and Vytorin and also whether any changes to FDA’s current approach to drugs that lower LDL cholesterol are warranted.
http://www.fda.gov/medwatch/safety/2008/safety08.htm#Ezetimibe
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FDA informed healthcare professionals that the Agency has analyzed reports of suicidality (suicidal behavior or ideation) from placebo-controlled clinical studies of eleven drugs used to treat epilepsy as well as psychiatric disorders, and other conditions. In the FDA's analysis, patients receiving antiepileptic drugs had approximately twice the risk of suicidal behavior or ideation (0.43%) compared to patients receiving placebo (0.22%). The increased risk of suicidal behavior and suicidal ideation was observed as early as one week after starting the antiepileptic drug and continued through 24 weeks. The results were generally consistent among the eleven drugs. The relative risk for suicidality was higher in patients with epilepsy compared to patients who were given one of the drugs in the class for psychiatric or other conditions. Healthcare professionals should closely monitor all patients currently taking or starting any antiepileptic drug for notable changes in behavior that could indicate the emergence or worsening of suicidal thoughts or behavior or depression. The drugs included in the analyses include (some of these drugs are also available in generic form): Carbamazepine (marketed as Carbatrol, Equetro, Tegretol, Tegretol XR) Felbamate (marketed as Felbatol) Gabapentin (marketed as Neurontin) Lamotrigine (marketed as Lamictal) Levetiracetam (marketed as Keppra) Oxcarbazepine (marketed as Trileptal) Pregabalin (marketed as Lyrica) Tiagabine (marketed as Gabitril) Topiramate (marketed as Topamax) Valproate (marketed as Depakote, Depakote ER, Depakene, Depacon) Zonisamide (marketed as Zonegran) Although the 11 drugs listed above were the ones included in the analysis, FDA expects that the increased risk of suicidality is shared by all antiepileptic drugs and anticipates that the class labeling changes will be applied broadly. http://www.fda.gov/medwatch/safety/2008/safety08.htm#Antiepileptic
********************
NuCel Labs and FDA informed consumers and healthcare professionals of a voluntary nationwide recall of all Eye Drops and Eye/War Wash Products. The products were recalled after testing indicated the presence of bacteria and particulate matter, deeming these products non-sterile. Non-sterile eye drops pose an unacceptable risk of causing eye infections, which in rare cases could lead to blindness. No illnesses or injuries have been reported to date. There are no lot numbers or expiration dates on the products. Consumers who have the product should discontinue use of the product and return it to NuCel Lab. See the manufacturer's press release for return shipping information.
*******************
FDA informed healthcare professionals that the Agency has analyzed reports of suicidality (suicidal behavior or ideation) from placebo-controlled clinical studies of eleven drugs used to treat epilepsy as well as psychiatric disorders, and other conditions. In the FDA's analysis, patients receiving antiepileptic drugs had approximately twice the risk of suicidal behavior or ideation (0.43%) compared to patients receiving placebo (0.22%). The increased risk of suicidal behavior and suicidal ideation was observed as early as one week after starting the antiepileptic drug and continued through 24 weeks. The results were generally consistent among the eleven drugs. The relative risk for suicidality was higher in patients with epilepsy compared to patients who were given one of the drugs in the class for psychiatric or other conditions. Healthcare professionals should closely monitor all patients currently taking or starting any antiepileptic drug for notable changes in behavior that could indicate the emergence or worsening of suicidal thoughts or behavior or depression. The drugs included in the analyses include (some of these drugs are also available in generic form): Carbamazepine (marketed as Carbatrol, Equetro, Tegretol, Tegretol XR) Felbamate (marketed as Felbatol) Gabapentin (marketed as Neurontin) Lamotrigine (marketed as Lamictal) Levetiracetam (marketed as Keppra) Oxcarbazepine (marketed as Trileptal) Pregabalin (marketed as Lyrica) Tiagabine (marketed as Gabitril) Topiramate (marketed as Topamax) Valproate (marketed as Depakote, Depakote ER, Depakene, Depacon) Zonisamide (marketed as Zonegran) Although the 11 drugs listed above were the ones included in the analysis, FDA expects that the increased risk of suicidality is shared by all antiepileptic drugs and anticipates that the class labeling changes will be applied broadly. http://www.fda.gov/medwatch/safety/2008/safety08.htm#Antiepileptic
********************
NuCel Labs and FDA informed consumers and healthcare professionals of a voluntary nationwide recall of all Eye Drops and Eye/War Wash Products. The products were recalled after testing indicated the presence of bacteria and particulate matter, deeming these products non-sterile. Non-sterile eye drops pose an unacceptable risk of causing eye infections, which in rare cases could lead to blindness. No illnesses or injuries have been reported to date. There are no lot numbers or expiration dates on the products. Consumers who have the product should discontinue use of the product and return it to NuCel Lab. See the manufacturer's press release for return shipping information.
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NURSING HINTS CORNER
Urinal comfort from a cup When a male patient wants to keep a urinal in place, I tear off teh bottom of a 6-oz foam cup and slide the tapered end into the urinal. The cup provides a soft surface for the penis, decreasing tissue trauma, and increasing patient comfort. It also traps urine away from the skin keeping the skin dry. Barbara Dagastine, RN, EdMS
NURSING HINTS CORNER
Urinal comfort from a cup When a male patient wants to keep a urinal in place, I tear off teh bottom of a 6-oz foam cup and slide the tapered end into the urinal. The cup provides a soft surface for the penis, decreasing tissue trauma, and increasing patient comfort. It also traps urine away from the skin keeping the skin dry. Barbara Dagastine, RN, EdMS
Used with permission from 1,001 Nursing Tips & Timesavers, Third Edition, 1997, p.59, Springhouse Corporation/www.springnetcom.
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ADVERTISEMENTS
from the members
This ad is from Decubqueen (Gerry)..........Accu-RulerAccurate wound measurement designed by nurses, for nurses. Now carrying wound care and first-aid supplies at prices you can afford.Visit us at http://www.accu-ruler.com/.
ADVERTISEMENTS
from the members
This ad is from Decubqueen (Gerry)..........Accu-RulerAccurate wound measurement designed by nurses, for nurses. Now carrying wound care and first-aid supplies at prices you can afford.Visit us at http://www.accu-ruler.com/.
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This ad is from: GShort @AOL.com (Gwen) These are great little cakes ! http://www.delightfulgreetingcakes.com/worldsgreatest.php
This ad is from: GShort @AOL.com (Gwen) These are great little cakes ! http://www.delightfulgreetingcakes.com/worldsgreatest.php
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NEW MEMBERS
Please send the prospective members' screen names and first names to me: RNFrankie@AOL.com
WELCOME TO:
Npaez@BrowardHealth.org (Nancy)
NEW MEMBERS
Please send the prospective members' screen names and first names to me: RNFrankie@AOL.com
WELCOME TO:
Npaez@BrowardHealth.org (Nancy)
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NOTICE:
I attempt to send newsletters to your current email addresses on file and if the newsletters are rejected THREE consecutive times, I must then delete the email address until you contact me with an updated email address; I have no way to reach you without a correct email address....You could always send me your Home number.......lol So please send me your new name/address, ok? RNFrankie@AOL.com
Old Address: Pd3RN@AOL.com New Address: Pd3RN@oh.rr.com
NOTICE:
I attempt to send newsletters to your current email addresses on file and if the newsletters are rejected THREE consecutive times, I must then delete the email address until you contact me with an updated email address; I have no way to reach you without a correct email address....You could always send me your Home number.......lol So please send me your new name/address, ok? RNFrankie@AOL.com
Old Address: Pd3RN@AOL.com New Address: Pd3RN@oh.rr.com
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EDITORIAL STAFF:
GingerMyst @AOL.com (Anne), GALLO RN @AOL.com (Sue), HSears9868 @AOL.com (Bonnie), Laregis @AOL.com (Laura), Mrwrn @AOL.com (Miriam), and Schulthe @AOL.com (Susan)
Membership BIO Committee...(if you haven't sent in your BIO....Please send it to the appropriate section below) : Check by your screen name's first letter.........BCK131 @AOL.com (Chris) A thru B section,Dick515 @AOL.com (Eileen) C thru D section,GALLO RN@AOL.com (Sue) E thru I section, RNFrankie @AOL.com (Frankie) J thru K section,Jntcln@AOL.com (Janet) L thru M section,GALLO RN @AOL.com (Sue) N thru Q section Schulthe@AOL.com (Susan) R thru T sectionSandy1956@AOL.com (Sandy) U thru Z section.
EDITORIAL STAFF:
GingerMyst @AOL.com (Anne), GALLO RN @AOL.com (Sue), HSears9868 @AOL.com (Bonnie), Laregis @AOL.com (Laura), Mrwrn @AOL.com (Miriam), and Schulthe @AOL.com (Susan)
Membership BIO Committee...(if you haven't sent in your BIO....Please send it to the appropriate section below) : Check by your screen name's first letter.........BCK131 @AOL.com (Chris) A thru B section,Dick515 @AOL.com (Eileen) C thru D section,GALLO RN@AOL.com (Sue) E thru I section, RNFrankie @AOL.com (Frankie) J thru K section,Jntcln@AOL.com (Janet) L thru M section,GALLO RN @AOL.com (Sue) N thru Q section Schulthe@AOL.com (Susan) R thru T sectionSandy1956@AOL.com (Sandy) U thru Z section.
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PARADIGM 97 CO-FOUNDERS:
MarGerlach @AOL.com (Marlene) and RNFrankie @AOL.com (Frankie) ~~**~~**~~**~~**~~**~~
DISCLAIMER: The intent of this PARADIGM BYTES Newsletter is to provide communication and information for our members. Please research the hyperlinks and information provided by our members. The articles and web sites are not personally endorsed by the editors, nor do the articles necessarily reflect the staff's views.
PARADIGM 97 CO-FOUNDERS:
MarGerlach @AOL.com (Marlene) and RNFrankie @AOL.com (Frankie) ~~**~~**~~**~~**~~**~~
DISCLAIMER: The intent of this PARADIGM BYTES Newsletter is to provide communication and information for our members. Please research the hyperlinks and information provided by our members. The articles and web sites are not personally endorsed by the editors, nor do the articles necessarily reflect the staff's views.
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THOUGHT FOR THE DAY
“Apprehension, uncertainty, waiting, expectation,
fear of surprise, do a patient more harm than any exertion.”
“Apprehension, uncertainty, waiting, expectation,
fear of surprise, do a patient more harm than any exertion.”
