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UK air ambulance critical care expands but unequal access still limits lifesaving treatment

A national UK survey found physician-based helicopter emergency medical services have expanded substantially since 2009, with more teams and improved overnight coverage. However, geographic and time-of-day disparities persist, and variation in funding, staffing, and interventions continues to affect equitable access to advanced prehospital care.

8 Feb 2026

Early tuberculosis treatment reduces sepsis deaths in HIV patients

Sepsis is a leading global cause of hospital deaths, occurring when the body's response to infection damages tissue and causes organs to fail. Africa bears the world's highest burden of sepsis, with an estimated 48 million cases each year leading to about 11 million deaths.

7 Feb 2026

UK air ambulance availability improves yet critical gaps continue

Despite significant improvements in the availability of 24/7 emergency air ambulance services (HEMS) across the UK since 2009, persistent regional gaps remain, finds research published online in Emergency Medicine Journal.

3 Feb 2026

Targeted PICU rounds reduce the rate of healthcare-associated conditions

Rounds focused on critically ill pediatric patients at the greatest risk for developing healthcare-associated conditions (HACs) reduced the rate of specific HACs by nearly 50% at a Colorado hospital, according to a study published in Critical Care Nurse (CCN).

3 Feb 2026

High-dose inhaled nitric oxide could fight multidrug-resistant infections

Overuse of antibiotics has accelerated the development of bacterial resistance to conventional drugs, a global health crisis projected to result in more than 10 million deaths annually by 2050.

21 Jan 2026

Pulse oximeters miss hypoxemia more often in people with darker skin, study finds

This large prospective UK study compared five low-cost fingertip pulse oximeters with arterial blood gas measurements and found that readings varied systematically by skin tone and oxygen saturation level. Small average overestimations in darker skin translated into clinically meaningful increases in missed hypoxemia at commonly used SpO2 thresholds.

18 Jan 2026

New CHEST guidelines offer evidence-based biologic selection for severe asthma

The American College of Chest Physicians (CHEST) recently released a new clinical guideline on biologic management in severe asthma.

13 Jan 2026

Social, family and health factors contribute to bullying among adolescents

Bullying in the United States remains a serious public health issue with consequences that extend far beyond the school grounds.

12 Jan 2026

Better teamwork encourages critical care nurses to take restorative breaks

Nurses in critical care units who perceive higher levels of teamwork with their colleagues are more likely to take breaks during their shifts, according to new research from The Center for Health Design published in American Journal of Critical Care (AJCC).

6 Jan 2026

Acupuncture may help ICU patients recover faster

Acupuncture's multi-pathway effects in ICU patients may reduce complications, support rehabilitation, and improve recovery while minimizing medication use.

6 Jan 2026

Understanding sevoflurane-induced neurogenesis inhibition and cognitive dysfunction in children

Every year, millions of infants and children undergo surgery under general anesthesia in the world. Sevoflurane is a commonly used pediatric anesthetic. Its exposure during brain development has been shown to inhibit neurogenesis and cause cognitive dysfunction in animal models.

5 Jan 2026

Vagus nerve may hold the key to a younger and healthier heart

The secret to a healthier and "younger" heart lies in the vagus nerve. A recent study coordinated by the Sant'Anna School of Advanced Studies in Pisa and published in Science Translational Medicine has shown that preserving bilateral cardiac vagal innervation is an anti-aging factor.

26 Dec 2025

AI model may help make liposuction safer

A newly developed artificial intelligence (AI) model is highly accurate in predicting blood loss in patients undergoing high-volume liposuction, reports a study in the January issue of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, the official medical journal of the American Society of Plastic Surgeons.

26 Dec 2025

Etomidate proves safer than ketamine for emergency intubations

Doctors treating seriously ill patients in an emergency setting may want to give the sedative etomidate, rather than ketamine, while placing a breathing tube, according to a randomized trial published Dec. 9 in the New England Journal of Medicine.

12 Dec 2025

Pediatric critical care survivors often lack prompt primary care follow up

When the unthinkable happens and a child is left critically ill or injured, the miracle workers in pediatric intensive care units around the country work tirelessly to save their lives.

12 Dec 2025

Frequency and quantity of alcohol consumption influence cancer risk

As Americans gear up for the holiday season, new research offers a timely reminder to reflect on the long-term health effects of raising a celebratory glass – or two.

11 Dec 2025

Landmark RSI trial reshapes sedative selection for emergency airway management

9 Dec 2025

Gene variant linked to higher risk of chronic rejection after lung transplant

About one third of lung transplant recipients have a genetic variant that makes them more likely to develop chronic lung allograft dysfunction (CLAD), the primary cause of mortality after lung transplantation.

2 Dec 2025

Low-cost pantoprazole improves outcomes, reduces ICU stay, study finds

A study led by McMaster University researchers shows that a widely available and inexpensive medication not only prevents potentially serious stomach bleeding in critically ill patients, but also saves hospitals thousands of dollars.

1 Dec 2025

Advances in screening and therapeutics make lung cancer treatable, survivable

For decades, lung cancer has been associated with stigma, anxiety, and loss. Advances in screening, therapeutics, and survivorship have created a new reality; lung cancer is treatable, survivable, and increasingly understood as a chronic disease for many.

1 Dec 2025