New study shows OB anesthesia equally safe when provided by CRNAs or anesthesiologists

Obstetrical anesthesia, whether provided by Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetists (CRNAs) or anesthesiologists, is extremely safe, and there is no difference in safety between hospitals that use only CRNAs compared with those that use only anesthesiologists, according to the results of a new study published in the January/February issue of Nursing Research. more  

Obese patients run higher risk of post-operative complications

Obese patients have a significantly higher risk of complications following surgery, including heart attack, wound infection, nerve injury and urinary tract infection, according to a new study from researchers at the University of Michigan Health System. more

One-parent households double risk of childhood sexual abuse

Adult men who grew up in one-parent households are more likely to have been abused as children, according to a study conducted at the University of Pennsylvania’s School of Medicine. William C. Holmes, MD, MSCE, Assistant Professor of Medicine and Epidemiology at the University of Pennsylvania, and at the Center for Health Equity Research and Promotion at the Philadelphia VA Medical Center, reports his findings in the March 13th issue of the Journal of Epidemiology and Community Health. more  

Infection detectives use disease 'fingerprints' to track common infections in children

Infectious disease specialists at UT Southwestern Medical Center have found a new method for identifying suspect viruses and bacteria that cause some of the most common acute infections in children. more

Heart attack patients with financial barriers have poorer recovery and quality of life  

About one in five heart attack patients report having financial barriers to health care services, and these patients are more likely to have a lower quality of life and increased rate of rehospitalization, according to a study in the March 14 issue of JAMA, a theme issue on access to care. more

Insomnia drug can improve brain function  

A new study reported that zolpidem, a drug normally used to treat insomnia, temporarily improved brain function in a patient suffering from akinetic mutism, a condition in which the person is alert but cannot speak or move. The patient was able to communicate, walk, and eat without assistance after receiving the drug for a bout of insomnia. The study was published in the March 2007 issue of Annals of Neurology, the official journal of the American Neurological Association. more

Pacifier use may lower risk of SIDS

The risk of Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS), the third leading cause of infant death, may be lowered through the use of a pacifier. According to an article in Nursing for Women’s Health, neonatal health care practitioners should counsel new parents on the potential benefits of using a pacifier. more

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