Emergency Medicine News and Research

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Faster FDA action against alcoholic energy drinks needed

Alcoholic energy drinks have been making national headlines and four states to date have banned their sale following reports of blackouts and unsafe behaviors, especially among college students. These actions are encouraging to Wake Forest University Baptist Medical Center emergency physician Mary Claire O'Brien, M.D., who conducted groundbreaking research into the dangers of the manufactured drinks.

17 Nov 2010

FDA announces program to facilitate development of external defibrillators to treat abnormal heart rhythms

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration today announced a program aimed at facilitating the development of safer, more effective external defibrillators used to treat abnormal heart rhythms through improved design and manufacturing practices. External defibrillators are medical devices designed to diagnose life-threatening abnormal heart rhythms and treat them by delivering electrical energy to the heart to restore its normal rhythm.

16 Nov 2010

Study finds significant variability in CPR quality between day and night

CPR quality is worse during in-hospital cardiac arrests occurring overnight than those that happen during the day, according to a new University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine study that will be presented at the American Heart Association's annual Scientific Sessions on November 14.

16 Nov 2010

Erroneous defibrillators: FDA new initiative to check safety

More problems are being reported in external defibrillators, the life-saving medical devices located in emergency rooms, airports and other public places. These Automated external defibrillators, or AEDs are generally used in patients who have suffered sudden cardiac arrest if used in the first few minutes after their collapse. They deliver electrical energy to the heart to restore its normal rhythm.

15 Nov 2010

Findings reveal potential cause of lower survival from nighttime in-hospital cardiac arrest

15 Nov 2010

New model of care for rural-dwelling adults

A novel project set in a rural community near Rochester, N.Y., to screen elderly people for unmet needs showed that, indeed, there is a great opportunity to match older adults with professional assistance. This new model of care for rural-dwelling adults is described this month in the Journal of the American Geriatrics Society.

11 Nov 2010

Innovative lifesaving device for patients with advanced heart failure

Bradley Cantley, 41, headed home from UC San Diego Medical Center connected to a lifesaving heart machine called a left ventricular assisted device (LVAD). For patients with advanced heart failure, the mechanical pump rapidly improves circulation throughout the body and serves as a bridge to transplant. Cantley is the first of many patients, locally and globally, who will benefit from the expanded heart surgery program at UC San Diego Health System.

2 Nov 2010

EMP named #4 on 'Top 100 Places to Work in Healthcare'

Emergency Medicine Physicians, Ltd. has been named in the Top 100 Places to Work in Healthcare in the United States by Modern Healthcare magazine for the third year consecutively. Only 15 companies nationwide have had that distinction. EMP, whose headquarters are located on Dressler Road in Canton, was ranked number four among companies with 100-999 employees, and number 13 overall in the nation for all participating healthcare companies.

25 Oct 2010

SFMU selects Springer to publish new French scientific research journal

La Soci-t- fran-aise de m-decine d'urgence (SFMU) has chosen Springer to publish its scientific research in a new French journal Annales fran-aises de m-decine d'urgence. Bruno Riou, Professor on the Pierre and Marie Curie Faculty of Medicine at the Sorbonne Universities is editor-in-chief of this official society journal.

21 Oct 2010

Report finds shortage of Mass. physicians is getting worse

The Boston Herald: "The state's physician shortage is getting worse -- with many practices closed to new patients and a critical need for doctors in key specialties, according to a Massachusetts Medical Society report released today. ... The most acute need is for primary-care physicians who practice family or internal medicine. The study called the shortages in those two key areas 'critical.'

21 Oct 2010

Z-Medica enters agreement with two Swedish medical device distributors for QuikClot products

Z-Medica Corporation, a medical device company developing innovative hemostatic agents, today announced that it has signed exclusive distribution agreements with Vingmed AB and Mediplast AB, two leading Swedish medical device distributors, for distribution of its QuikClot line of hemostatic agents in Sweden, Denmark and Norway for the first time.

From Medica Corporation 21 Oct 2010

Study finds ketamine-propofol combination effective for pediatric procedural sedation

Procedural sedation and analgesia is an essential element of care for children requiring painful procedures in the emergency department. The practice of combining ketamine and propofol, two common medications used in emergency departments, has become more popular. However, until recently, it was unclear whether this practice was superior to the use of either agent alone, especially in children.

20 Oct 2010

ACEP urges increased emergency medicine representation on National Commission on Children and Disasters

The American College of Emergency Physicians (ACEP) today expressed concerns about a new report delivered to the White House and Congress by the National Commission on Children and Disasters. The organization urged the Commission to include more representation from emergency physicians, the group of physicians considered the experts in disaster preparedness, and emergency nurses who care for these victims.

18 Oct 2010

Octapharma USA accepts applications for 25th Anniversary Grants Program

Octapharma USA is accepting applications for the Octapharma 25th Anniversary Grants Program, which supports clinical or pre-clinical research focused on human protein therapies in coagulation disorders, immune therapy, intensive care and emergency medicine. The application deadline is April 1, 2011.

15 Oct 2010

Helmets to prevent rising off-road bike crashes

According to a new study Australia's off-road motorbike riders need to wear helmets more often. Research has shown that off-road crashes resulting in death or serious injury was the only rising category among Victoria's motorcycle community from 2001 to 2008. The results showed that the death toll from all motorcycle crashes plateaued over the period and this masked an almost doubling of the death and injuries which occurred off-road.

12 Oct 2010

HHS, PEPFAR to invest $130 million to transform African medical education

The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services is partnering with the U.S. President's Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR) to invest $130 million over five years to transform African medical education and dramatically increase the number of practicing health care workers.

8 Oct 2010

Innovative trial designs may improve efficiency of clinical trials

Clinical trials in which participants are randomly assigned to different treatments by design are the cornerstone of clinical research. When conducted correctly, it's widely accepted by the research community that the results are valid and can be trusted.

8 Oct 2010

HHS partners with PEPFAR to invest $130M for African medical education

The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services is partnering with the U.S. President's Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief with a plan to invest $130 million over five years to transform African medical education and dramatically increase the number of health care workers.

7 Oct 2010

Odd foreign bodies removed from patients

Sermo, the world's largest online community for physicians, today announced its weekly hot topic. Of over 200 physician respondents to an online poll and discussion, 85% said they have removed odd foreign bodies from patients.

6 Oct 2010

Healthcare organizations urge Congress to raise awareness on sudden cardiac arrest

In a powerful demonstration of collective standing in the health care community, more than 40 organizations gathered on Capitol Hill to issue a call to action in reducing sudden cardiac arrest (SCA) deaths.

6 Oct 2010