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Combatting viral and bacterial lung infections with volatile anesthetics: an interview with Dr Chakravarthy

Inhaled anesthetics are fairly common all over the world for minor and extensive surgical procedures in patients of all age groups. In the olden days when anesthesia was first developed, ether was the first inhaled anesthetic. That has been replaced, with the more recent discoveries of sevoflurane, isoflurane, and desflurane.

9 Nov 2015

Acetaminophen Awareness Coalition issues safety message to consumers about flu medicines

With cold and flu season around the corner, consumers will soon begin to purchase medicines such as cough syrup, throat lozenges, and nasal sprays to help get relief from symptoms such as fever, coughs, congestion, and more. Many of the medicines used to treat these cold and flu symptoms can contain common drug ingredients such as acetaminophen.

6 Oct 2015

Early antiviral treatment reduces disability risk, hospitalization time in older people

Early treatment of flu-hospitalized people 65 and older with flu antiviral medications cuts the duration of their hospital stay and reduces their risk of needing extended care after discharge, a new CDC study finds.

4 Sep 2015

SLU selected to work on universal flu vaccine project

Supported by a federal contract, Saint Louis University will study a concept for a universal flu vaccine that is designed to protect people from influenza pandemics that could turn deadly as well as seasonal flu caused by the influenza A virus.

29 Apr 2015

Research shows effectiveness of Tamiflu

Earlier this month, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommended the use of antiviral drugs to help treat influenza, in a year when the available vaccine is not a good match for the current strain.

30 Jan 2015

MedExpress physicians offer appropriate option to assess, treat flu or cold symptoms

As flu season progresses, patients across the country continue to seek care for flu and illness symptoms at a variety of health care locations. From doctors' offices to emergency rooms, many patients find it difficult to determine the best option based on their symptoms. MedExpress physicians remind patients, that in many cases, urgent care centers offer a convenient, appropriate option for the assessment and treatment of non-severe flu or cold symptoms.

21 Jan 2015

Infectious disease specialist underscores the importance of flu vaccines

Flu season is in full swing, but it's not too late to get a flu vaccine. In fact, it's never been easier and more convenient.

23 Dec 2014

Two new oral medications post-transplant is safe, beneficial for patients with hepatitis C

All patients with hepatitis C who receive a liver transplant will eventually infect their new livers. These transplanted organs then require anti-viral treatment before they become severely damaged. But traditional post-transplant hepatitis C therapy can take up to a year, is potentially toxic and can lead to organ rejection.

11 Nov 2014

Views on giving flu shot to younger children

It's a common question parents ask themselves this time of year: Does my child really need a flu shot? Though the flu may seem harmless, the truth is on average 20,000 children age 5 and younger are hospitalized due to flu symptoms each year.

10 Oct 2014

Peramivir drug safe, effective at alleviating influenza symptoms

An analysis of phase 2 and phase 3 clinical trials shows that a single injected dose of the neuraminidase inhibitor (NAI) peramivir is safe and effective at alleviating influenza symptoms, including fever and viral shedding, when administered within 48 hours of the onset of symptoms.

6 Sep 2014

Targeting club cells may help shorten duration of flu symptoms

A specialized subset of lung cells can shake flu infection, yet they remain stamped with an inflammatory gene signature that wreaks havoc in the lung, according to a study published in The Journal of Experimental Medicine.

19 Aug 2014

Tamiflu cuts H1N1 pandemic deaths by 25%, shows study

Adults hospitalised with H1N1 influenza during the 2009–2010 pandemic were 25% less likely to die from the disease if they were given antiviral drugs called neuraminidase inhibitors (NAIs) such as Tamiflu, according to a large meta-analysis involving more than 29 000 patients from 38 countries, published in The Lancet Respiratory Medicine journal. The findings also indicate that treatment within 2 days of flu symptoms developing halved the risk of death compared with later treatment or no treatment.

20 Mar 2014

Unvaccinated flu patients need more intensive care

A snapshot of patients who required care at Duke University Hospital during this year's flu season shows that those who had not been vaccinated had severe cases and needed the most intensive treatment.

11 Feb 2014

Scientists identify factors that predict flu severity in patients

St. Jude Children's Research Hospital scientists have identified a signature immune response that might help doctors identify which newly diagnosed influenza patients are most likely to develop severe symptoms and suffer poor outcomes. The findings also help explain why infants and toddlers are at elevated risk for flu complications. The research appears in the upcoming issue of the American Journal of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine.

10 Feb 2014

Elderly people at increased risk for getting flu

Flu season lurks around the corner throughout the United States, and gerontologists at the University of Alabama at Birmingham say the elderly are at increased risk for getting the flu and often have a worse time coping with flu symptoms than do younger people.

24 Oct 2013

Scientists one step closer to developing universal flu vaccine

Scientists have moved closer to developing a universal flu vaccine after using the 2009 pandemic as a natural experiment to study why some people seem to resist severe illness.

23 Sep 2013

Common elderberry could be remedy for travellers susceptible to cold and flu, say researchers

The common elderberry could be just the remedy for international travellers susceptible to colds and bugs, according to researchers from the Griffith Health Institute.

17 Jul 2013

MBA program offers doctors business background amid health law changes

An Indiana business school is hoping to catch more doctors interested in learning something about business as the practice of medicine changes.

4 Jun 2013

Loyola Flu Central now available on LUHS web site

Loyola Flu Central, a weekly snapshot of flu activity locally, regionally and nationally is now available on the Loyola University Health System web site, through Twitter and on Facebook.

5 Feb 2013

Tips for parents to safely help relieve child's flu symptoms

Doctors' offices are teeming with patients suffering from one of the worst outbreaks of cold and flu season in recent years. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has said that flu is at an elevated level across the nation. Though virus symptoms vary by age, children are especially vulnerable since they are unable to take over-the-counter medications to help alleviate symptoms.

10 Jan 2013