Critical Care News and Research

RSS

Survey shows increasing use of opioids to treat migraine headaches

An increasing number of Americans are using opioids to treat their migraine headaches, despite the fact that opioids are not the recommended first-line therapy for migraine in most cases.

7 Aug 2019

New model for ICU pharmacists resolves common dilemma for hospitals

A new team-based model for intensive care unit pharmacists, developed by Rutgers and RWJBarnabas Health System, resolves a common dilemma for hospitals and improves care for critically ill patients.

6 Aug 2019

Nurse-directed initiative results in sustained reduction of hypoglycemia

A nurse-directed initiative to examine the root causes of hypoglycemic episodes resulted in a sustained reduction in hypoglycemia among critically ill patients at Stamford Hospital in Connecticut, according to a study published in the August issue of Critical Care Nurse.

2 Aug 2019

Children with medical emergencies get only limited help during airline flights

Children afflicted with medical emergencies during commercial airline trips tend to have common ailments such as vomiting, fever or allergic reactions - events that should be easily treated, according to a study led by Duke Health researchers.

25 Jul 2019

Music found to be effective in reducing anxiety prior to anesthesia

Music is a viable alternative to sedative medications in reducing patient anxiety prior to an anesthesia procedure, according to a Penn Medicine study published today in the journal Regional Anesthesia & Pain Medicine.

21 Jul 2019

First state-mandated sepsis regulation in the U.S. linked to lower mortality rates

Death rates from sepsis fell faster in New York than expected and faster than in peer states following the introduction of the nation's first state-mandated sepsis regulation, according to an analysis led by University of Pittsburgh researchers and published today in JAMA.

17 Jul 2019

Detection of atrial fibrillation after stroke made easy with electrocardiomatrix technology

Researchers have developed a new and easier method of detecting irregular heart rhythms such as Atrial Fibrillation (AF or AFib) after a stroke. At present clinical rely upon standard cardiac telemetry to detect AF seen commonly after a stroke.

14 Jul 2019

New method improves detection of atrial fibrillation in stroke survivors

A new method of evaluating irregular heartbeats outperformed the approach that's currently used widely in stroke units to detect instances of atrial fibrillation.

14 Jul 2019

Experts release scientific statement on predicting survival for cardiac arrest survivors

If a loved one has a heart attack that stops the heart, ends up in a coma, and the treating physician approaches you about taking the person off life support, would you trust that the physician knows when to make the call or how to judge that the person won’t recover? It turns out that the science is rather shaky on when to decide the likelihood of recovery from a coma after the heart stops.

From Johns Hopkins Medicine 12 Jul 2019

Study could lead to new strategies for slowing the growth of glioblastoma

Researchers are hopeful that new strategies could emerge for slowing the growth and recurrence of the most common primary brain cancer in adults, glioblastoma, based on the results of a study published today in Cancer Research.

10 Jul 2019

Growth problems in preterm infants associated with altered gut bacteria

A team of researchers at Ann & Robert H. Lurie Children's Hospital of Chicago found that extremely premature babies fail to grow while others develop normally due to certain metabolic differences triggered by specific gut microbiome alterations.

10 Jul 2019

Scientists identify mechanism that makes babies more likely than adults to die from sepsis

An immune mechanism that makes babies more likely than adults to die from sepsis has been identified by scientists affiliated with the Center for Research on Inflammatory Diseases in Ribeirão Preto, São Paulo State (Brazil).

4 Jul 2019

Study estimates health care costs of uncontrolled asthma in the U.S. over next 20 years

The health care costs of uncontrolled asthma in the United States are estimated to total $300 billion over the next twenty years, according to new research published online in the American Thoracic Society’s American Journal of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine.

3 Jul 2019

Most problems with catheter use stem from poor physician-nurse communication

Indwelling devices like catheters cause roughly 25% of hospital infections, but ongoing efforts to reduce catheter use and misuse haven't succeeded as much as health care workers would like.

2 Jul 2019

New target identified for treatment of idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis

An article published in Experimental Biology and Medicine (Volume 244, Issue 9, June 2019) (https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/pdf/10.1177/1535370219843827) identifies a new target for the treatment of idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis.

29 Jun 2019

Scientists suggest possible cell-based therapy for premature infants with rare lung condition

Researchers suggest a possible cell-based therapy to stimulate lung development in fragile premature infants who suffer from a rare condition called Bronchopulmonary Dysplasia, which in the most severe cases can lead to lifelong breathing problems and even death.

27 Jun 2019

Researchers survey orthopedic providers to understand factors that drive opioid prescribing practices

Orthopedic surgeons are the third-highest physician prescribers of opioids, writing more than 6 million prescriptions a year.

From Johns Hopkins Medicine 27 Jun 2019

Measuring blood protein levels in diabetic patients to predict risk of stroke

Having diabetes is a risk factor for many other health conditions, including stroke.

26 Jun 2019

Scientists pinpoint cause of fatal respiratory disorder that turns babies' lips and skin blue

Scientists used a gene editing method called CRISPR/Cas9 to generate mice that faithfully mimic a fatal respiratory disorder in newborn infants that turns their lips and skin blue. The new laboratory model allowed researchers to pinpoint the ailment's cause and develop a potential and desperately needed nanoparticle-based treatment.

19 Jun 2019

Miracle machine makes heroic rescues — and leaves patients in limbo

The latest miracle machine in modern medicine — whose use has skyrocketed in recent years — is saving people from the brink of death: adults whose lungs have been ravaged by the flu; a trucker who was trapped underwater in a crash; a man whose heart had stopped working for an astonishing seven hours.

18 Jun 2019