Tag: patients

New treatment option for ‘wake-up’ stroke patients

Detail revealed in MRI brain scans can help doctors accurately deduce when a stroke begins, according to new research, allowing treatment for many patients who currently cannot receive it. The findings could help to better treat stroke patients, particularly those who wake up with stroke symptoms. Currently, those patients who do not know when their

New cancer immunotherapy drugs rapidly reach patients after approval

The majority of patients eligible for cancer immunotherapy drugs known as checkpoint inhibitors received treatment within a few months of FDA approval, according to a new Yale-led study. The finding suggests that cancer immunotherapies are adopted at a much quicker pace than is typical for newly approved medical treatments, the researchers said. However, patients receiving

Financial strain has major impact on patients’ health care decisions

Financial strain is the single most important factor in making health care decisions for low-income individuals, who often forgo care in favor of basic needs like food and rent, researchers in UT Southwestern’s Center for Patient-Centered Outcomes Research (PCOR) found. In addition, low-income individuals are often reluctant or too embarrassed to discuss their financial hardships

Fifteen percent of osteoporosis patients who take ‘drug holidays’ suffer bone fractures

Patients who take osteoporosis drugs for long periods typically are advised to temporarily discontinue the drugs to prevent rare but serious side effects to the jaw and thighs. A Loyola Medicine study has found that 15.4 percent of patients who take so-called “drug holidays” from osteoporosis drugs called bisphosphonates experienced bone fractures. During a six-year

Urine of kidney disease patients contains diverse mix of bacteria

The urine of kidney disease patients contains a diverse mix of bacteria such as Staphylococcus and Streptococcus, according to a study by researchers at Loyola Medicine and Loyola University Chicago. The bacteria diversity generally was higher among kidney patients who also experienced urinary urgency (sudden, urgent need to urinate). The study findings could lead to

Prescribing guidelines not always followed for patients on cholesterol-lowering drug

New Zealand prescribers do not always follow guidelines when prescribing other medicines to patients taking simvastatin, according to University of Otago researchers from the Pharmacoepidemiology Research Network. Simvastatin is a cholesterol-lowering drug that is widely used in New Zealand to prevent major cardiovascular events such as heart attacks and stroke. However, some medicines can inhibit

Use of ibuprofen and similar NSAIDs may shorten life of patients

Ibuprofen, aspirin, and other non-steroidal anti-inflammatory medications are among the most commonly utilized medications in the United States. Primarily for treating pain, inflammation, and preventing cardiovascular disease, NSAIDs’ promising anti-cancer properties have been highlighted by a growing body of data in recent years. However, a new study in the journal Kidney Cancer indicated that non-aspirin

Cancer patients set to benefit from world’s largest surgery study

Improved care for patients undergoing cancer surgery is the focus of a pioneering worldwide study. Doctors say the initiative—funded by the National Institute for Health Research (NIHR) – will enable them to gauge surgery quality across the globe and highlight ways to improve patient care. Some 16 million people worldwide will be diagnosed with cancer