Here are what the editors at HealthDay consider to be the most important developments in Emergency Medicine for May 2012. This roundup includes the latest research news from journal articles, as well as the FDA approvals and regulatory changes that are the most likely to affect clinical practice.
Slow-Growing Melanomas Lose Structure, Vary Color With Time
THURSDAY, May 31 (HealthDay News) -- The diameter of most slow-growing melanomas (SGMs) changes very little over time, but the lesions can become more disorganized, less structured, and change or develop new colors, according to a study published in the June issue of the British Journal of Dermatology.
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Repeat CT Scan Urged for Head Trauma Patients on Warfarin
WEDNESDAY, May 30 (HealthDay News) -- Minor head trauma patients taking warfarin should have a repeat computed tomography (CT) scan prior to discharge to detect delayed hemorrhage, particularly in those with an initial international normalized ratio (INR) higher than 3, according to research published in the June issue of the Annals of Emergency Medicine.
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Online Adderall May Contain Wrong Active Ingredients
WEDNESDAY, May 30 (HealthDay News) -- Consumers purchasing the drug Adderall online may be buying a counterfeit version that could be ineffective, unsafe, and potentially harmful, according to a safety alert issued May 30 by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration.
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Glucose Levels at Admission Predict Death in Pneumonia
WEDNESDAY, May 30 (HealthDay News) -- For patients with community-acquired pneumonia without preexisting diabetes, serum glucose levels at admission are predictive of death at 28 and 90 days, according to a study published online May 29 in BMJ.
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Protein Elevated in Stroke Patients With Microbleeds
WEDNESDAY, May 30 (HealthDay News) -- Serum levels of vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF), a marker of vascular permeability, are significantly higher in stroke patients with cerebral microbleeds, according to a study published online May 28 in the Archives of Neurology.
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Acne Medication Isotretinoin Increases Risk of Eye Disorders
WEDNESDAY, May 30 (HealthDay News) -- The acne medicine isotretinoin may be linked to a nearly two-fold increased risk of ocular adverse effects in users, according to a study published online April 16 in the Archives of Dermatology.
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Magnesium Not Recommended After Subarachnoid Bleed
FRIDAY, May 25 (HealthDay News) -- For patients with aneurysmal subarachnoid hemorrhage, intravenous magnesium sulfate is no better than placebo for reduction of poor outcome, according to a study published online May 25 in The Lancet to coincide with presentation at the European Stroke Conference, held from May 22 to 25 in Lisbon, Portugal.
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Childhood Obesity Linked to Idiopathic Intracranial HTN
FRIDAY, May 25 (HealthDay News) -- Overweight and obese children are at higher risk of developing idiopathic intracranial hypertension (IIH), particularly non-Hispanic white adolescent girls, according to a study published online May 24 in The Journal of Pediatrics.
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U.S. Stroke Prevalence Little Changed in Recent Years
THURSDAY, May 24 (HealthDay News) -- The prevalence of stroke in the United States has changed little over the past seven years, and disparities by race/ethnicity, education level, and geographic location still persist, according to a study published in the May 25 issue of the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's Morbidity & Mortality Weekly Report.
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One-Fifth of Healthy Middle-Aged Men Have Low-Grade Murmur
THURSDAY, May 24 (HealthDay News) -- More than one-fifth of healthy middle-aged men have a low-grade systolic heart murmur that confers a nearly five-fold higher risk of future aortic valve replacement (AVR), according to a study published in the June issue of the Journal of Internal Medicine.
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Treatment With rt-PA Within Six Hours of Stroke Beneficial
WEDNESDAY, May 23 (HealthDay News) -- For patients with acute ischemic stroke, treatment with recombinant tissue plasminogen activator (rt-PA) within six hours is associated with improved outcomes, according to two studies published online May 23 in The Lancet to coincide with presentation at the European Stroke Conference, held from May 22 to 25 in Lisbon, Portugal.
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Aspirin Effective in Preventing Thromboembolism Recurrence
WEDNESDAY, May 23 (HealthDay News) -- For patients with unprovoked venous thromboembolism who have completed oral anticoagulant treatment, aspirin effectively prevents recurrence, with no apparent increase in the risk of major bleeding, according to a study published in the May 24 issue of the New England Journal of Medicine.
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Characteristics of STEMI Reperfusion Systems Identified
WEDNESDAY, May 23 (HealthDay News) -- Successful ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI) reperfusion systems share common characteristics, and these characteristics can be used to set standards for coordinated care, according to research published online May 22 in Circulation: Cardiovascular Quality and Outcomes.
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Patients Can Minimize Injection Pain by Looking Away
WEDNESDAY, May 23 (HealthDay News) -- The intensity of pain and unpleasantness associated with a needle prick is affected not only by previous experiences with needle pricks but also by information given prior to an injection, according to research published in the May issue of Pain.
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Post-Stroke Inpatient Statins Improve Discharge Outcomes
TUESDAY, May 22 (HealthDay News) -- Statin use during hospitalization for ischemic stroke significantly improves the likelihood of being discharged to home or institution, according to a study published in the May 22 issue of Neurology.
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QRS Duration Independently Tied to Risk of Sudden Cardiac Death
TUESDAY, May 22 (HealthDay News) -- Prolonged QRS duration is associated with an increased risk of sudden cardiac death (SCD), according to a study published online May 21 in Circulation.
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Workplace Inspections Reduce Job Injuries and Related Costs
FRIDAY, May 18 (HealthDay News) -- Government mandated workplace inspections, such as those carried out by California's Division of Occupational Safety and Health (Cal/OSHA) reduce on-the-job injuries and their associated costs without harming the companies' performance or profits, according to a study published in the May 18 issue of Science.
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Inadequate Pain Meds in ER for Patients With Long-Bone Fx
FRIDAY, May 18 (HealthDay News) -- The majority of patients with long-bone fractures receive inadequate pain medication in the emergency department, and disparities in management exist, according to a study published in the May issue of the Journal of Emergency Nursing.
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Generic Versions of Plavix Approved
THURSDAY, May 17 (HealthDay News) -- The first generic versions of Plavix (clopidogrel bisulfate) have been approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration.
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Azithromycin Tied to Increased Risk of Cardiovascular Mortality
WEDNESDAY, May 16 (HealthDay News) -- Azithromycin treatment is associated with an increased risk of cardiovascular and all-cause mortality, according to a study published in the May 16 issue of the New England Journal of Medicine.
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Outcomes Good for Status Asthmaticus Patients in ICU
WEDNESDAY, May 16 (HealthDay News) -- Although the majority of patients admitted to the intensive care unit (ICU) with status asthmaticus (SA) require mechanical ventilation, the rates of mortality and complications are very low, according to a study published in the March issue of Respiratory Medicine.
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Diagonal Ear Lobe Crease Tied to Coronary Artery Disease
WEDNESDAY, May 16 (HealthDay News) -- Diagonal ear lobe crease (DELC) is independently and significantly associated with the prevalence, extent, and severity of coronary artery disease (CAD), according to a study published in the May 1 issue of The American Journal of Cardiology.
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Better Outcomes at High-Volume Stroke Centers
TUESDAY, May 15 (HealthDay News) -- High-volume endovascular stroke centers provide faster times to treatment, and patients are more likely to have good clinical outcomes and successful reperfusion, according to a study published online May 13 in the Journal of NeuroInterventional Surgery.
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Small Benefit of Inhaled Corticosteroids for Sinusitis
TUESDAY, May 15 (HealthDay News) -- For patients with acute sinusitis, inhaled corticosteroids provide a small benefit over placebo but only after several weeks, according to a study published in the May/June issue of the Annals of Family Medicine.
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Sumatriptan/Naproxen Helpful in Treating Teens' Migraines
MONDAY, May 14 (HealthDay News) -- Treatment with sumatriptan and naproxen sodium (suma/nap) is well tolerated and effective in reducing migraine pain in adolescents, according to a study published online May 14 in Pediatrics.
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Batteries Increasing Culprit of ER Visits Among Young Boys
MONDAY, May 14 (HealthDay News) -- The number of emergency department visits for battery-related incidents is rising significantly, particularly in boys under the age of 5 years, according to a study published online May 14 in Pediatrics.
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Psychiatric Patients Wait Average of 11.5 Hours in ER
MONDAY, May 14 (HealthDay News) -- Average emergency department wait times for adult patients with psychiatric emergencies is 11.5 hours, and can be even longer for those who are older, uninsured, or intoxicated, according to research published online May 4 in the Annals of Emergency Medicine.
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Walking While Bottle Drinking Causes Injuries in Toddlers
MONDAY, May 14 (HealthDay News) -- Approximately 2,000 injuries occur each year from toddlers falling with a bottle, pacifier, or sippy cup in their mouth, according to a study published online May 14 in Pediatrics.
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Blood Clot Risk Elevated in Patch and Vaginal Ring Users
FRIDAY, May 11 (HealthDay News) -- Compared to nonusers of hormonal contraception, women who use combined contraceptive transdermal patches are at an eight-fold increased risk of venous thrombosis, and vaginal ring users are at a more than six-fold increased risk, according to a study published online May 10 in BMJ.
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Sun Protective Behavior on the Rise in U.S. Adults
THURSDAY, May 10 (HealthDay News) -- Adults in the United States may be taking more precautions to avoid sunburn outdoors, but many are still getting burned, and a substantial proportion are utilizing indoor tanning, according to research published in the May 11 issue of the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's Morbidity & Mortality Weekly Report.
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Nonmedical Prescription Pain Medication Use Peaks at Age 16
THURSDAY, May 10 (HealthDay News) -- Use of prescription pain relievers to get high or for other nonmedical purposes (extramedical use) peaks around age 16 years, according to a study published online May 7 in the Archives of Pediatrics & Adolescent Medicine.
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Less Testing in ER for Children With Non-Private Insurance
THURSDAY, May 10 (HealthDay News) -- For children in the emergency department, non-private insurance status is associated with decreased diagnostic testing and interventions, according to a study published online May 10 in The Journal of Pediatrics.
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IUDs Highly Effective As Emergency Contraception
WEDNESDAY, May 9 (HealthDay News) -- Intrauterine devices (IUDs) are a highly effective form of emergency contraception, according to research published online May 8 in Human Reproduction.
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Pediatric Content in Drug Labeling Has Increased
WEDNESDAY, May 9 (HealthDay News) -- Pediatric content in the labeling of drugs has improved from 1975 to 1999, but still only 46 percent of drug labeling in the electronic Physicians' Desk Reference (ePDR) includes pediatric information, according to research published in the May 9 issue of the Journal of the American Medical Association.
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Lack of Sleep Not Necessarily Detrimental to Surgical Skills
WEDNESDAY, May 9 (HealthDay News) -- Sleep-deprived medical students are able to perform and learn surgical skills, although they have an increased total subjective mental workload, according to a study published in the January issue of the American Journal of Surgery.
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Older Women With A-Fib at Greater Stroke Risk Than Men
TUESDAY, May 8 (HealthDay News) -- The risk of stroke following a recent diagnosis of atrial fibrillation (AF) in older patients is higher in women than men, regardless of warfarin use, according to a study published in the May 9 issue of the Journal of the American Medical Association.
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Zinc May Shorten Duration of Common Cold in Adults
MONDAY, May 7 (HealthDay News) -- Oral zinc may shorten the duration of symptoms associated with the common cold in adults, but adverse effects are common, according to a review published online May 7 in CMAJ, the journal of the Canadian Medical Association.
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Hospitals Lack Hand Surgeons for Emergencies
MONDAY, May 7 (HealthDay News) -- There is a shortage of hand specialists to provide emergency coverage in the state of Tennessee, according to research published in the May issue of the Annals of Plastic Surgery.
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Hospitals Procure More Alcohol Rub, Soap During Campaign
FRIDAY, May 4 (HealthDay News) -- The implementation of the Cleanyourhands campaign increased procurement of alcohol rub and soap, which is associated with decreased rates of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) bacteremia and Clostridium difficile ( C. difficile) infection, according to a study published online May 3 in BMJ.
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Training Helps OR Nurses Manage Disruptive Physician Behavior
FRIDAY, May 4 (HealthDay News) -- Communication skills training may help nurses manage disruptive physician behavior, according to a study published in the May issue of the AORN Journal.
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CMS Policy Helping Hospitals to Prevent Targeted Infections
FRIDAY, May 4 (HealthDay News) -- Hospitals seem to be paying greater attention to preventing targeted health care-associated infections (HAIs) as a result of the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) nonpayment policy, according to a study published in the May issue of the American Journal of Infection Control.
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New Guidelines for Aneurysmal Subarachnoid Bleeds Issued
THURSDAY, May 3 (HealthDay News) -- The latest evidence emphasizes early and aggressive care for emergency room patients diagnosed with aneurysmal subarachnoid hemorrhage (aSAH), according to revised treatment guidelines issued by the American Heart Association (AHA) and the American Stroke Association and published online May 3 in Stroke.
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A Third of Adults With Arthritis Have Anxiety, Depression
TUESDAY, May 1 (HealthDay News) -- One-third of U.S. adults with physician-diagnosed arthritis report having anxiety or depression, with anxiety more prevalent than depression, according to a study published online May 1 in Arthritis Care & Research.
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Methodological Heterogeneity Seen in Clinical Trials
TUESDAY, May 1 (HealthDay News) -- Clinical studies registered with ClinicalTrials.gov from 2007 and 2010 are predominately small, single-center trials and contain significant heterogeneity in methodology, according to a study published in the May 2 issue of the Journal of the American Medical Association.
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Hospital Strategies Linked to Lower Mortality After Acute MI
TUESDAY, May 1 (HealthDay News) -- Five specific hospital performance strategies have been identified that result in lower 30-day risk-standardized mortality rates (RSMRs) for patients with acute myocardial infarction (AMI), according to a study published in the May 1 issue of the Annals of Internal Medicine.
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