Infection with COVID-19 impacts the risk of complications from surgery. After three years, the world is beginning to stand down from the pandemic.  Lives were lost and permanently altered by the SARS-CoV2 virus now commonly known as COVID.  Vaccines, boosters, immunity, and COVID variants are here to stay as we each assess our risk level … Continued

A recent study suggests approximately 250,000 people die each year due to Emergency department (ED) misdiagnosis. The study is a systematic review funded by the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ) by researchers at Johns Hopkins University.  Researchers reviewed studies from research databases between January 2000 and September 2021 to identify conditions associated with … Continued

Early screening for lung cancer dramatically improves survival rates for at-risk patients. Researchers at Mount Sinai continue to explore how low-dose CT impacts survival of patients subsequently found to have lung cancer. According to the American Cancer Society, there are a variety of risk factors for lung cancer, including smoking, exposure to secondhand tobacco smoke, … Continued

A comparison of blood thinners used to avoid formation of blood clots for patients with atrial fibrillation (AF) found strong support for the use of one blood thinner over another commonly prescribed medication. Atrial fibrillation occurs when the upper chambers of the heart beat out of rhythm with the lower chambers of the heart.  While … Continued

A growing body of research suggests women receive different advice and treatment than men concerning their cardiovascular health. Cardiovascular disease (CVD) is the leading cause of death for women and men in the US.  CVD affects the heart and blood vessels. Atherosclerosis, heart attack, congestive heart failure, arrhythmia, and stroke are a few of the … Continued

As high tech and medical care intertwine, research engineers are looking at robotic clothing to help children with cerebral palsy gain more control over how they move their arms. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), cerebral palsy (CP) is the most common motor disability experienced by children. Cerebral palsy is a … Continued

Patients with an altered mental state who leave facilities are subject to injury and sometimes death. Two recent cases in Illinois demonstrate the danger when a facility loses track of patients or patients simply leave the facility without notice. “Elopement” is the term used to describe a patient who leaves a healthcare or nursing facility … Continued

Intubation is a common procedure used with general anesthesia. New guidelines aim to reduce the incidence of esophageal intubation, which occurs when the esophagus is mistaken for the trachea during intubation. The COVID-19 pandemic introduced the term “intubation” into everyday conversation but many people do not know how the procedure works. If you have undergone … Continued