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Health Policy Research Roundup: Length of hospital stays, analyses of Obama's reform proposals

Archives Of Internal Medicine: Hospital Cost Of Care, Quality Of Care, And Readmission Rates - This study compares patients treated for pneumonia and congestive heart failure (CHF) and finds that high-cost hospitals don't always deliver better care. The researchers, who based their analysis on the data from 3,146 hospitals in the 2004 to 2006 Medicare Provider Analysis and Review (MedPAR), report that "risk-adjusted costs of care for CHF and pneumonia varied widely between hospitals, although hospital cost-of-care patterns seemed stable over time and correlated across conditions."

27 Feb 2010

Dabigatran as effective as warfarin in preventing subsequent strokes among atrial fibrillation patients

The drug dabigatran was as effective as the currently recommended drug – warfarin – in preventing a subsequent stroke among people with atrial fibrillation and prior stroke or transient ischemic attack – and it did so with less bleeding according to late-breaking science presented at the American Stroke Association's International Stroke Conference 2010.

27 Feb 2010

Prevention of recurrent strokes: Antiplatelet drug cilostazol effective and safer than aspirin

The antiplatelet drug cilostazol — used in the United States to treat leg pain associated with peripheral vascular disease — was more effective and safer than aspirin at preventing recurrent strokes in a Japanese trial presented as late-breaking science at the American Stroke Association's International Stroke Conference 2010.

27 Feb 2010

Medical innovation and research: A real boon for American patients to live longer, healthier

An article in the Suislaw News recently highlighted the fact that medical innovation and research are enabling many people to live longer, healthier and more productive lives.

26 Feb 2010

Carotid artery stenting and carotid endarterectomy equally safe and effective for people at risk for stroke

Carotid artery stenting, a less invasive alternative to surgery on the carotid artery (carotid endarterectomy), is equally safe and effective for people at risk for stroke as carotid endarterectomy, according to a major new study presented today at the 2010 International Stroke Conference in San Antonio, Texas.

26 Feb 2010

Partisanship peaks at health summit, Democrats likely to go it alone

Thursday's bipartisan health summit ended with the partisan rift intact, increasing the possibility that President Barack Obama will try to unify Democrats to pass legislation without GOP support.

26 Feb 2010

$Fragility fractures: 'Own the Bone' program for enhancing prevention and treatment$

Fragility fractures: 'Own the Bone' program for enhancing prevention and treatment

As many as half of all women and a quarter of men over the age of 50 can expect to sustain a fractured bone related to osteoporosis or low bone density. To enhance prevention and treatment of these fragility fractures, NewYork-Presbyterian Hospital/Columbia University Medical Center has implemented an innovative program called Own the Bone™ developed by the American Orthopaedic Association.

26 Feb 2010

Prevention of heart attacks: Resveratrol appears to exhibit broader action than aspirin

With the realization that half of the people experiencing a sudden mortal heart attack were taking aspirin on the day of their demise, and the fact that higher-than-recommended doses of aspirin are needed to prevent blood clot formation in coronary arteries, coupled with an announcement that the red wine molecule resveratrol (rez-vair-ah-trawl) may protect from sudden mortal heart attack in a superior fashion to aspirin, suggests re-evaluation of cardiology's current instruction regarding prevention of heart attacks, says Nate Lebowitz MD, cardiologist with the Advanced Cardiology Institute in Ft. Lee, New Jersey.

26 Feb 2010

Over 16% of pregnant women diagnosed with gestational diabetes

Two to three times more pregnant women may soon be diagnosed and treated for gestational diabetes, based on new measurements for determining risky blood sugar levels for the mother and her unborn baby, according to a study that was coordinated by investigators at Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine.

26 Feb 2010

Community-wide wellness initiative to deliver preventive health care services to northwest Arkansas

U.S. Preventive Medicine® and Washington Regional Medical Center, together with Arkansas Occupational Health Clinic and Kids for Health, today introduced an initiative to deliver preventive health care services to northwest Arkansas. This community-wide wellness initiative aims to save lives and money by keeping Arkansans healthy and treating chronic illnesses before they progress.

26 Feb 2010

Evolving sex disparity in midlife stroke prevalence: Further study needed

When it comes to stroke prevalence, it appears that the gender gap is widening. According to a new report from a researcher at the Keck School of Medicine of the University of Southern California (USC), women between the ages of 35 and 64 are almost three times more likely to have a stroke compared to men in the same age group.

26 Feb 2010

Approval of smoke-free legislation: Huge step forward to protect workers and public from secondhand smoke

The Kansas Legislature today delivered a historic victory for health and the public's right to breathe clean air by passing legislation to make almost all workplaces, including all restaurants and bars, smoke-free.

26 Feb 2010

Intracranial stenting, intra-arterial tPA more effective than other urgent ischemic stroke treatments

Techniques that keep brain arteries open (intracranial stenting) or inject clot-busting drugs directly to the brain (intra-arterial tPA) may be more effective than other urgent ischemic stroke treatments, researchers said at the American Stroke Association's International Stroke Conference 2010.

26 Feb 2010

Over 600 programs for Aboriginal Canadians with diabetes at risk of being shut, renewed federal funding needed

The federal government must renew funding for the Aboriginal Diabetes Initiative (ADI) in next week's budget or more than 600 programs for Aboriginal Canadians living with diabetes are at risk of being shut down, according to the Canadian Diabetes Association and the National Aboriginal Diabetes Association (NADA).

26 Feb 2010

SNI clinical study using ultrasound for treatment of ICH and IVH presented at International Stroke Conference

EKOS Corporation announced today that Dr. David W. Newell, Co–Executive Director, Swedish Neuroscience Institute (Seattle, WA) presented a SNI clinical study known as ‘SLEUTH’ (Safety of Lysis with Ultrasound in the Treatment of Intracerebral (ICH) and Intraventricular Hemorrhage (IVH) at the American Heart Association International Stroke Conference (San Antonio, TX).

26 Feb 2010

CPF to partner with ATS to fund Pulmonary Fibrosis research

The Coalition for Pulmonary Fibrosis and the American Thoracic Society, the world's leading professional organization for pulmonary, critical care and sleep physicians, today announced that the CPF will again partner with the ATS to fund Pulmonary Fibrosis (PF) research.

26 Feb 2010

Fetuses exposed to high levels of stress hormone may have solving problems later on: Study

A mother's nurture may provide powerful protection against risks her baby faces in the womb, according to a new article published online today in the journal Biological Psychiatry. The research shows that fetuses exposed to high levels of stress hormone - shown to be a harbinger for babies' poor cognitive development - can escape this fate if their mothers provide them sensitive care during infancy and toddler-hood.

26 Feb 2010

Guidant conceals defibrillator safety problems from FDA, is charged with criminal violations

Medical device manufacturer Guidant LLC, a wholly-owned subsidiary of Boston Scientific Corporation, was charged today with criminal violations of the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act related to safety problems with some of its implantable defibrillators. Guidant LLC formerly did business as Guidant Corporation. The Justice Department filed the criminal information today in connection with an agreement with Guidant to resolve the charges. A formal guilty plea agreement is expected to be filed with the court at a later date.

26 Feb 2010

New fatigue rating scale predicts increased risk of heart attack in dialysis patients

For dialysis patients, high scores on a new fatigue rating scale predict an increased risk of heart attack or other cardiovascular events, according to a study appearing in an upcoming issue of the Clinical Journal of the American Society Nephrology.

25 Feb 2010

CFIA approves export of Neovasc's processed pericardial tissue products to Europe

Neovasc Inc., today announced that it has received Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) approval to export its processed pericardial tissue products to Europe as an "intermediate product" under the requirements of Annex I of EC Regulation # 2007/2006. This approval allows European customers to import Neovasc's porcine and bovine pericardial tissue materials for use in the manufacture of their own medical devices.

25 Feb 2010

Heart News and Research

Health Policy Research Roundup: Length of hospital stays, analyses of Obama's reform proposals

Dabigatran as effective as warfarin in preventing subsequent strokes among atrial fibrillation patients

Prevention of recurrent strokes: Antiplatelet drug cilostazol effective and safer than aspirin

Medical innovation and research: A real boon for American patients to live longer, healthier

Carotid artery stenting and carotid endarterectomy equally safe and effective for people at risk for stroke

Partisanship peaks at health summit, Democrats likely to go it alone

Fragility fractures: 'Own the Bone' program for enhancing prevention and treatment

Prevention of heart attacks: Resveratrol appears to exhibit broader action than aspirin

Over 16% of pregnant women diagnosed with gestational diabetes

Community-wide wellness initiative to deliver preventive health care services to northwest Arkansas

Evolving sex disparity in midlife stroke prevalence: Further study needed

Approval of smoke-free legislation: Huge step forward to protect workers and public from secondhand smoke

Intracranial stenting, intra-arterial tPA more effective than other urgent ischemic stroke treatments

Over 600 programs for Aboriginal Canadians with diabetes at risk of being shut, renewed federal funding needed

SNI clinical study using ultrasound for treatment of ICH and IVH presented at International Stroke Conference

CPF to partner with ATS to fund Pulmonary Fibrosis research

Fetuses exposed to high levels of stress hormone may have solving problems later on: Study

Guidant conceals defibrillator safety problems from FDA, is charged with criminal violations

New fatigue rating scale predicts increased risk of heart attack in dialysis patients

CFIA approves export of Neovasc's processed pericardial tissue products to Europe

Expanding research and clinical options for children with cancer

Examining how pain could play a direct protective role in the gut

From Puberty to Menopause: Clue’s CEO, Audrey Tsang on the Power of Femtech

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