Tag: patients

Giving patients informed choices could reduce low-value care

To protect themselves from the potential harms of low value care, patients must take an active role in clinical decision making, according to the authors of a Perspective published today by the Medical Journal of Australia. Professor Ian Scott, Director of Internal Medicine and Clinical Epidemiology at the Princess Alexandra Hospital in Brisbane, and Professor

Did catching Covid-19 help these patients fight cancer?

Did catching Covid-19 help these patients fight cancer? One saw his tumours vanish, another went into remission. Now doctors are asking if their immune response was key – and if it could also be triggered by the vaccine When doctors at a hospital in Cornwall carried out a follow-up check last summer on a 61-year-old

WHO says not to use ivermectin on COVID-19 patients

The World Health Organization said Wednesday that ivermectin—touted by some on social media as a COVID-19 “miracle cure”—should not be used to treat coronavirus patients. In response to the swirl of claims around the cheap anti-parasite drug, the WHO issued guidelines saying ivermectin should only be used on COVID-19 patients in clinical trial settings. The

WHO says not to use ivermectin on COVID-19 patients

The World Health Organization said Wednesday that ivermectin—touted by some on social media as a COVID-19 “miracle cure”—should not be used to treat coronavirus patients. In response to the swirl of claims around the cheap anti-parasite drug, the WHO issued guidelines saying ivermectin should only be used on COVID-19 patients in clinical trial settings. The

Updated guidance confirms crucial role of nurses for patients with acute ischemic stroke

As integral members of stroke treatment teams, nurses coordinate patient assessment and collaborate care among multiple health care professionals to facilitate the best possible outcomes for patients with acute ischemic stroke. Nurses also advocate for patients and their caregivers to ensure they receive appropriate information and education to successfully navigate phases of treatment in the

When should patients with dementia receive palliative care?

Patients with dementia may benefit from being referred to specialist palliative care—a branch of medicine that focuses on optimizing quality of life and providing relief from symptoms—but who should be referred, and when? A recent analysis of published studies on the topic found a lack of consensus regarding referral criteria for palliative care in patients

Female heart disease patients with female physicians fare better

Female physicians have better patient outcomes compared with their male peers, while female patients are less likely to receive guideline-recommended care when treated by a male physician, according to a systematic review from the American College of Cardiology’s Cardiovascular Disease in Women section published today in the Journal of the American College of Cardiology. While

Anticancer drug may improve outcome for severe COVID-19 patients

Treating severe COVID-19 patients with the anticancer drug bevacizumab may reduce mortality and speed up recovery, according to a small clinical study in Italy and China that was led by researchers at Karolinska Institutet in Sweden between February and April 2020. On average, blood oxygen levels, body temperature and inflammatory markers significantly improved in patients

VRK1: A protein that reduces the survival of patients with neuroblastoma

Researchers from the Departments of Cell Biology and Medical Physiology at the University of Seville have identified that a high expression of the human protein VRK1 is associated with tumor aggressiveness and low survival among neuroblastoma patients. Aggressive neuroblastoma is one of the most common solid childhood cancers and causes disproportionately high mortality in affected

Depression screening tools in patients with kidney failure

A recent analysis examines research on the use of depression screening tools in patients with kidney failure. The results appear in an upcoming issue of CJASN. People with kidney failure experience depression at rates higher than the general population. Medicare requires routine depression screening for patients with kidney failure, but no clear guidance on which

Serious disparities in care and outcomes found among Black and non-white heart patients

Adults from underrepresented racial groups who have acute heart blockages and cardiac arrests received fewer early interventions, had longer hospital stays and higher death rates than their white counterparts, according to preliminary research to be presented at the American Heart Association’s Resuscitation Science Symposium 2020. Researchers set out to investigate whether health inequities exist for

Providing a safe environment for psychiatric patients during pandemic

The very heart of inpatient care for psychiatric patients is socialization, group therapy, shared meals, and a standard two people per room. Then COVID-19 hit with the accompanying public health warnings to isolate, socially distance, and wear masks. That sent clinicians and staff from The University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston (UTHealth) moving