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Archimedes publishes results from FPNS Phase III clinical study for breakthrough cancer pain

Archimedes Pharma, an emerging specialty pharma company focused on oncology, pain, neurology and critical care sectors, today announced publication of results from a Phase III, long-term safety, tolerability and consistency of effect, clinical study of fentanyl pectin nasal spray (FPNS) in the treatment of breakthrough cancer pain (BTCP).

13 Oct 2010

Florida Governor issues Proclamation recognizing outstanding work of Healthcare Quality Professionals

Florida Governor Charlie Crist issued a Proclamation recognizing the outstanding work Healthcare Quality Professionals do for the people of Florida. This proclamation mirrors the sentiments of National Healthcare Quality Week, October 17-23rd, which celebrates the work of Healthcare Quality Professionals in improving patient outcomes and healthcare delivery systems.

11 Oct 2010

IV ibuprofen effective in reducing fever in hospitalized patients

Cumberland Pharmaceuticals Inc. today announced the publication of data affirming the safety and efficacy of Caldolor (ibuprofen) Injection in treating fever in critically ill and non-critically ill adults. Published in the peer-reviewed journal Critical Care, the study showed that IV ibuprofen was significantly more effective at reducing fever in hospitalized patients than placebo.

8 Oct 2010

Royal Philips Electronics introduces IntelliVue MX800 patient monitoring system

Royal Philips Electronics today introduced the IntelliVue MX800 patient monitoring system, a new dimension in patient care that provides immediate access to comprehensive patient information directly at the monitor. In addition to displaying and recording traditional data such as patient vital signs, the IntelliVue MX800 offers direct access to patient information from almost any system on a hospital's IT infrastructure.

From Philips Healthcare 8 Oct 2010

Should Medicare consider cost-effectiveness when setting reimbursement rates?

Medicare reimbursement rates should be based on how cost effective the treatment is for a particular illness, according to a piece by two policy experts in the October edition of Health Affairs.

7 Oct 2010

Sirius Genomics signs second Contribution Agreement with NRC-IRAP

Sirius Genomics, a developer of companion diagnostics, announced today that it has signed its second Contribution Agreement with the National Research Council of Canada Industrial Research Assistance Program (NRC-IRAP).

5 Oct 2010

Chronic infection with S. maltophilia bacterium may impact cystic fibrosis progression: Study

Exacerbations in cystic fibrosis (CF) may be linked to chronic infection with a bacterium called Stenotrophomonas maltophilia, which was previously thought to simply colonize the CF lung. The finding that chronic infection with S. maltophilia is independently linked with an increased risk of exacerbations gives clinicians and researchers a new potential measure of the health status of CF patients, as well as a new potential target in fighting their disease.

4 Oct 2010

GSA urges treatment of sepsis as a medical emergency

The Global Sepsis Alliance (GSA) is urging healthcare providers, patients and policymakers worldwide to treat sepsis as a medical emergency. "Tens of millions of people die from sepsis each year, making it the likely leading cause of death worldwide. Sepsis kills regardless of age, ethnicity, location and access to care," said Konrad Reinhart, M.D., Chairman of the GSA and director of the Department of Anesthesiology and Intensive Care Medicine, University Hospital of the Friedrich Schiller, University of Jena, Germany.

1 Oct 2010

New legislation introduced to assess critical care services in the U.S.

Yesterday, House Energy and Commerce Committee Member Congresswoman Tammy Baldwin (D-WI) introduced legislation to assess and critical care health services in the United States.

1 Oct 2010

Alnylam Pharmaceuticals publishes ALN-RSV01 Phase IIa study results

Alnylam Pharmaceuticals, Inc. a leading RNAi therapeutics company announced today that it has published results in the American Journal of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine from its double-blind, placebo-controlled, randomized Phase IIa study of ALN-RSV01 in lung transplant patients naturally infected with respiratory syncytial virus (RSV).

30 Sep 2010

Circadian partners with Cincinnati Children's Hospital to develop blood test diagnostic for LAM, a serious lung disease

Circadian Technologies (ASX.CIR) has announced today that it has partnered with Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Centre (CCHMC) to develop and market a blood test to diagnose LAM, a serious lung disease that strikes women, usually in their child bearing years.

29 Sep 2010

National survey shows 60% of U.S. adults not familiar with sepsis

Sixty percent of U.S. adults are not familiar with sepsis, despite the fact that more than 200,000 Americans die from it every year, making sepsis one of the leading causes of death in the nation. Lack of awareness is even higher among adults over age 65, who are at greater risk of sepsis, according to a new national survey sponsored by The Feinstein Institute for Medical Research in Manhasset, NY, part of the North Shore–LIJ Health System.

28 Sep 2010

Usage of rapid response teams mask systemic problems in hospitals' care for sickest patients

The growing use of rapid response teams dispatched by hospitals to evaluate patients whose conditions have suddenly deteriorated may be masking systemic problems in how hospitals care for their sickest patients, says a prominent Johns Hopkins patient safety expert.

22 Sep 2010

Echo commences development of new transdermal biosensor for continuous lactate monitoring

Echo Therapeutics, Inc., a company developing its needle-free Symphony™ tCGM System as a non-invasive, wireless, transdermal continuous glucose monitoring system and its Prelude™ SkinPrep System for transdermal drug delivery, today announced that it is beginning a development program designed to create a new transdermal biosensor for continuous lactate monitoring to be used in critical care and sports medicine.

21 Sep 2010

Study reveals molecular steps for pneumonia therapy

A structural molecule and the cellular pump that regulates its levels influence the severity of pneumonia and could provide new ways of treating the lung infection, which is a leading cause of hospitalization and death, according to scientists at the University of Pittsburgh and the University of Iowa. Their findings are available online in Nature Medicine.

21 Sep 2010

AACN endorses 'Adult-Gerontology Clinical Nurse Specialist Competencies'

The American Association of Critical-Care Nurses (AACN) recently endorsed the "Adult-Gerontology Clinical Nurse Specialist Competencies," developed by the American Association of Colleges of Nursing , Washington, D.C., with The Hartford Institute for Geriatric Nursing at New York University and National Association of Clinical Nurse Specialists , Philadelphia.

17 Sep 2010

Metabolism imbalance increases asthma risk in children: Research

Even children of a healthy weight who have an imbalanced metabolism due to poor diet or exercise may be at increased risk of asthma, according to new research, which challenges the widespread assumption that obesity itself is a risk factor for asthma.

17 Sep 2010

Roche Diagnostics introduces STAT immunoassays for cardiac biomarker testing

Roche Diagnostics announced today that it has introduced a complete battery of STAT immunoassays for cardiac biomarker testing on the cobas 6000 analyzer series, an integrated system designed for diagnostic labs with medium testing volumes.

From Roche Sequencing and Life Science 17 Sep 2010

Continuum of Care program redesigns workflow, delivery of hospital-based care to maximize clinical effectiveness

The program named "Continuum of Care," and led by co-author Cordelia Sharma, M.D., a Geisinger critical care physician, involves redesigning the workflow and delivery of hospital-based care to maximize clinical effectiveness. Similar to the "patient-centered advanced medical home" model, the program emphasizes timely comprehensive and coordinated care that is personalized to the patient's needs and makes use of Geisinger's advanced electronic clinical information system.

16 Sep 2010

Intensive care diary entries can reduce PTSD rates: Study

Some intensive care patients develop post-traumatic stress syndrome (PTSD) after the trauma of a difficult hospital stay, and this is thought to be exacerbated by delusional or fragmentary memories of their time in the intensive care unit. Now researchers writing in BioMed Central's open access journal Critical Care have found that if staff and close relatives make a diary for patients, featuring information about their stay and accompanied by photographs, PTSD rates can be significantly reduced.