Study: Let’s Revisit Extended Antibiotic Prophylaxis in Joint Replacement
SAN FRANCISCO — Routinely giving antibiotic prophylaxis for 10 days in arthroplasty patients apparently did nothing beyond what was achieved with shorter protocols to prevent prosthetic joint infections (PJIs) at one major medical center. PJI rates at Vanderbilt University Medical Center in Nashville were no lower after a policy was implemented in 2020 to provide […]
PA Convicted of Fraud for Amniotic Fluid Shot Scheme
A Texas physician assistant has been convicted of fraud for giving patients unapproved injections of amniotic fluid for purported pain relief, and then illegally billing Medicare for the shots. After a 5-day trial, a jury deliberated for less than an hour to convict Ray Anthony Shoulders, PA, who had submitted $788,000 in fraudulent claims and […]
6 Myths About ADHD Medication We Need To Stop Believing
Giving your child any new medication can be nerve-wracking, but when doctors refer to it as a stimulant and it’s classified as a controlled substance, it’s particularly understandable to feel uneasy. Further compounding these fears is the general stigma around mental health conditions and the belief that if a problem is “in your head,” then […]
Case Builds Against Beta-Blockers Beyond First Year After Heart Attack
The conventional wisdom of giving long-term beta-blockers for secondary prevention after myocardial infarction (MI), in the absence of another clinical indication, was questioned by a large cohort study from Sweden. For survivors who were still on beta-blocker therapy 1 year after heart attack hospitalization and had a normal left ventricular (LV) ejection fraction, the next […]
Cannabinoids give worms the munchies, too
Marijuana (cannabis) is well known for giving people the “munchies.” Not only does it make people want to eat more, but it also makes them crave the tastiest, most high-calorie foods. Now a new study in the journal Current Biology on April 20 shows that well-studied nematode worms (C. elegans) react to those chemicals known […]
No Negative Neurodevelopmental Issues With Late Exposure to Antenatal Steroids
SAN FRANCISCO – Giving late preterm antenatal corticosteroids did not impact childhood neurodevelopmental outcomes, a researcher reported. In a follow-up to the ALPS study, there were no statistically significant differences in the scores of children exposed to corticosteroids or to placebo in the third trimester based on cognitive testing, according to Cynthia Gyamfi-Bannerman, MD, of […]
Biden Seeks More Info on Medication Abortion Barriers
WASHINGTON — President Biden signed an executive order Sunday giving three members of his cabinet 2 months to report to a White House task force on the barriers U.S. women face when trying to receive a medication abortion. “Since the day of the Supreme Court’s decision in Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization, President Biden […]
Oxygen Concentration During Surgery: No Help for Post-Op Nausea, Vomiting
NEW ORLEANS — There was no benefit to giving patients supplemental oxygen during surgery to reduce postoperative nausea and vomiting (PONV), according to a post hoc analysis of a randomized trial. The multiple cross-over cluster trial had eight isolated operating rooms randomized to alternate between 80% versus 30% fractions of inspired oxygen every 2 weeks […]
Parents of 4-Year-Old Sue Urologist for ‘Unintentional Vasectomy’
The parents of a 4-year-old are suing Texas Children’s Hospital in Houston for giving their son an “unintentional vasectomy” during surgery for an inguinal hernia. The boy had scrotal swelling that would increase in the evening, and his doctor, Susan Jarosz, DO, found that he had a hydrocele or hernia on the right side. Jarosz […]
How Can I Get Rid of a Cold While Breastfeeding?
The safety of giving infants and children over-the-counter (OTC) cold and cough medicine is important for caregivers to understand. While there is no “gold standard” recommendation for giving infants and children OTC cold and cough medicine for fever, aches, cough, and runny nose, a few standards have been recommended. The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends […]