Too many cardiac catheterizations being done?

by Paul Bond on 11 March, 2010

An article on WebMD suggests that too many cardiac catheterizations are being done. The reason for this conclusion? Here’s a quot from the article. “Duke University Medical Center researchers found that almost two-thirds of patients with stable chest pain who had catheterization procedures did not have significant artery disease”.

The article does state patient actively having an MI were not included in the research. That being said, this is an interesting finding. Does this mean we are over testing for the sake of completeness, to decrease the chances of a successful lawsuit, or to be able to collect more reimbursement from insurers? Or is it a combination of these? I hazard to guess we’ll never truly know.

WebMD article on cardiac catheterizations

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Score another win for chocolate!!

by Paul Bond on 10 March, 2010

Researchers have found that people who eat dark chocolate have up to a 52% reduced risk of having a hemorrhagic stroke!! So go ahead……..have another piece!!

Medline Plus article on dark chocolate and CVA risk

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DASH diet does more than help control weight

by Paul Bond on 9 March, 2010

The Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension or DASH diet was developed to help control weight and hypertension. But researchers have found an added plus to this diet. It helps boost your brain power! In a quote from the article on WebMD about the findings, it says “A new study shows the DASH diet in combination with regular exercise improved mental activity by 30% in overweight adults compared with those who didn’t diet or exercise.”

A 30% boost in mental activity is a huge jump! So let’s get out there and control our weight and blood pressure AND increase our brain’s ability to think better!

WebMD article on DASH diet

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Update on Pa. medic on scene death

by Paul Bond on 8 March, 2010

The Bensalem paramedic who died will on scene reportedly had an MI while chasing a mentally ill patient. The paramedic was a tactical medic and recently hired as a part time police officer. This should remind all of us to take good care of our SELVES!

Read more at the link below

JEMS update on paramedic death

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Paramedic dies in attack at scene

8 March 2010

Could things get any more crazy in this world? In a bizarre incident that is still unfolding, a paramedic who responded to a call for a mentally ill man was apparently killed during a confrontation with him.
This tragic incident is an unfortunate way to be reminded that any and every patient encounter can be [...]

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A cancer “vaccine”

4 March 2010

When you hear the word “vaccine”, you think of an injection that gives immunity. But in actuality, a vaccine causes the immune system to notice and respond to a specific “antigen” so it can fight off some type of disease. Well, now researchers at both John Hopkins and Duke University have begun using a vaccine [...]

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Episode 42: Extremity Compartment Syndrome/ACE Inhibitors

3 March 2010

Emergency Nursing Today is a proud member of the ProMed Podcast Network.
Get CEU’s for the podcast! Go to www.phoenixCE.com and find out how! And ENA members, email me to find out how to get 50% off your first year!
In this weeks episode:
Housekeeping:
–There’s a new newsletter coming with more and better information! There will [...]

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Meditation has multiple benefits say researchers

2 March 2010

In an article published in a special issue of the journal Emotion, researchers say Zen meditation has multiple benefits. They say it helps increase the body’s ability to withstand pain (as in chronic pain), and may also help reduce age-related brain shrinkage and deal with the effects of stroke.
The first link is to an article [...]

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Helalthier body = healthier brain

1 March 2010

An article on the NPR website discusses research into the way the brain changes as we age. What researchers have found is that, as we age, our reaction time is slower, and it takes a bit longer to process information. While this is no revelation, some other finding actually may be!
Popular thought is that the [...]

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Green tea benefits for smokers

23 February 2010

Researchers have found that green tea may help protect smokers lungs from cancer. They say drinking at least one cup per day can cut the risk of lung cancer by as much as 66%!
WebMD article on green tea and lung cancer

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