Wednesday, January 4, 2006
Antibiotic Resistance In Terms I Can Understand
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Penicillin and Amoxicillin's days are numbered
"Researchers from the University of Rochester started with the analysis of data from 11,426 children who has suffered a common throat infection.
They found that 25 per cent of children given penicillin, along with 18 per cent given amoxicillin treatment needed further treatment within weeks.
The data, taken from 47 studies from the past 35 years looked at the effectiveness of various drugs on treating strep throat in children.
Additional results revealed that of those given older-generation cephalosporin antibiotics, 14 per cent had to return for more treatment, while just 7 per cent prescribed newer versions like cefpodoxime and cefdinir, given for just four or five days, had to go back to the doctor. "
Sunday, January 1, 2006
Prilosec and C.Diff?
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Reading a blog far afield of medicine, then to the Washington Post, I cam across an interesting nugget on C. Diff. The JAMA published an article on December 21, 2005 titled Use of Gastric AcidâSuppressive Agents and the Risk of Community-Acquired Clostridium difficileâAssociated Disease [abstract]. In two population-based case-control studies:
" The incidence of C difficile in patients diagnosed by their general practitioners in the General Practice Research Database increased from less than 1 case per 100 000 in 1994 to 22 per 100 000 in 2004. The adjusted rate ratio of C difficileâassociated disease with current use of proton pump inhibitors was 2.9 (95% confidence interval [CI], 2.4-3.4) and with H2-receptor antagonists the rate ratio was 2.0 (95% CI, 1.6-2.7). An elevated rate was also found with the use of nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (rate ratio, 1.3; 95% CI, 1.2-1.5). "
A teleconference is planned for January 18th to discuss these results as part of the new Author-in-the-room series.
Wednesday, December 28, 2005
Gastric Bypass Surgeries Soaring (HealthDay)
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Gastric Bypass Surgeries Soaring (HealthDay):
"HealthDay - TUESDAY, Dec. 20 (HealthDay News) -- The number of gastric bypass and other bariatric surgeries conducted in the United States more than quadrupled between 1998 to 2002, from 12,775 procedures to 70,256, researchers report."
And from 2002 to the present, I'm sure they've continued to go up. Would I have one? Ask me when I'm 400 pounds and have tried other methods of weight loss without sustained results...
[Via Yahoo! News: Health]
Thursday, December 22, 2005
More proof: people don't change (doctors are people)
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Disciplinary Action by Medical Boards and Prior Behavior in Medical School
"Conclusions In this case-control study, disciplinary action among practicing physicians by medical boards was strongly associated with unprofessional behavior in medical school. Students with the strongest association were those who were described as irresponsible or as having diminished ability to improve their behavior. Professionalism should have a central role in medical academics and throughout one's medical career."
Thursday, December 1, 2005
CDC MMWR: Severe Clostridium difficile
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Severe Clostridium difficile--Associated Disease in Populations Previously at Low Risk --- Four States, 2005
Friday, November 25, 2005
How much caffeine does that drink have?
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I've written before about caffeine addiction in surgical patients. In recent years there's been an explosion of caffeine-containing beverages. Having some idea of the caffeine content of the major ones can help you choose an appropriate dose.
The Energy Fiend web site has a nice Caffeine Database. I found it via a recent NYT article.
Wednesday, November 23, 2005
C-section rate in USA reaches 29.1% in 2004
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" Despite the evidence of risks associated with cesarean section, the rate of birth by cesarean section in 2004 in the USA registered at 29.1 percent, the highest ever recorded. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) in a recent report, this figure is an 8 percent increase from 2003, and a 41 percent increase since 1996. "
One of the OB practices at our hospital has a policy that they will not do vaginal births after C-section (VBAC)...largely due to concern about lawsuits.
[Via UK Medical News Today]
Saturday, June 11, 2005
Malpractice Insurance for Bariatric Surgeons Increasing
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Other Perils of Overweight - New York Times:
" But after several years in which the surgery was seen as the last best hope by many obese people, a growing array of scientific data shows that the risks are greater than patients realized. One new study reported that almost one in 5 patients had complications after surgery. For one in 20 patients, the complications were serious, including heart attacks and strokes. Another recent study said the mortality rate for the most common type of bariatric surgery, gastric bypass, was one in 200 - a rate higher than for coronary angioplasty, which opens blocked heart vessels.
For thousands of patients, the weight-loss surgery has eliminated debilitating diseases and improved the quality of life. But the threat of malpractice lawsuits against doctors and hospitals, as well as the reluctance of health plans to cover the surgery costs, is creating difficulties for people now seeking treatment. "
The article points to an Annals of Internal Medicine article titled Meta-Analysis: Surgical Treatment of Obesity (Annals is another one of those nice free full-text journals).
[Via Common Good]
Friday, May 27, 2005
Medical Malpractice Law in the United States - Kaiser Family Foundation
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Medical Malpractice Law in the United States - Kaiser Family Foundation:
" The Kaiser Family Foundation today issued a new report that explains how medical malpractice law in the United States works and provides an overview of recent trends and reform approaches. The Foundation also posted state-specific data on medical malpractice claim payments on statehealthfacts.org, the free online source of current health and health policy data for all 50 states. "
Average U.S. Family of 4 Will Use $12,214 in Medical Products, Services in 2005
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Kaisernetwork.org--Average U.S. Family of 4 Will Use $12,214 in Medical Products, Services in 2005, Study Says - :
" The average U.S. family of four will use $12,214 worth of medical products and services in 2005, up 45% from $8,414 in 2001, according to a new report by Milliman, the Washington Times reports (Higgins, Washington Times, 5/26). The report -- the first on consumer health care costs culled from the new Milliman Medical Index -- was based on health insurance information for more than 15 million insured U.S. residents (Whitehouse, Dow Jones/Wall Street Journal, 5/26). The report examined medical costs for a family with two adults and two children under age 10 who were covered by a PPO. It focused solely on costs for medical care at the point of service and did not include health insurance premiums (Washington Times, 5/26). The report also did not examine over-the-counter drug spending and the cost of medical treatments not covered by health insurance (Croghan, New York Daily News, 5/26).
The report found that the average family will pay about 17% -- or $2,035 -- of its total health care costs in 2005, with a health plan paying the remainder. "
The whole report is available here ![pdf]()
.
Saturday, February 19, 2005
Wisconsin Hospital Association Launches Web Site Detailing Retail Prices of Procedures
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"The Wisconsin Hospital Association on Thursday launched a Web site that allows consumers to compare prices at hospitals statewide for more than 60 'common medical problems,' the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel reports. The site does not list actual prices charged to insurers but rather the 'retail,' or list prices, as well as the overall discount insurers collectively receive off a facility's retail rates for all procedures combined."
The site also contains links to quality information for each facility (example).
[Via Kaisernetwork.org]
COX-2 Prescriptions Fell 43% Since Last Year
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"The number of COX-2 inhibitor prescriptions decreased by 43% between December 2003 and December 2004, according to a study released on Monday by the pharmaceutical information and consulting company IMS Health, the AP/Seattle Post-Intelligencer reports"
[Via Kaisernetwork.org]
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