http://www.sciencedaily.com/news/health_medicine/today's_healthcare/ Healthcare. Stay abreast of changes in medical procedures, health insurance and managed care. Understand new healthcare options. en-us Sat, 26 May 2012 14:05:01 EDT Sat, 26 May 2012 14:05:01 EDT 60 http://www.sciencedaily.com/images/logosmall.gif http://www.sciencedaily.com/news/health_medicine/today's_healthcare/ For more science articles, visit ScienceDaily. http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/05/120525103616.htm Millions of Europeans undergo abdominal surgery each year to treat a range of different disorders, from cancer and heart disease to obesity. Researchers are now developing innovative micro-robotics and micro-system technologies to make such surgeries less complicated, invasive and costly. Fri, 25 May 2012 10:36:36 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/05/120525103616.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/05/120525103354.htm An overgrowth of bacteria in the gut has been definitively linked to Irritable Bowel Syndrome in the results of a new study which used cultures from the small intestine. This is the first study to use this “gold standard” method of connecting bacteria to the cause of the disease that affects an estimated 30 million people in the United States. Fri, 25 May 2012 10:33:33 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/05/120525103354.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/05/120524134703.htm A new device delivers a tiny, high-pressure jet of medicine through the skin without the use of a hypodermic needle. Thu, 24 May 2012 13:47:47 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/05/120524134703.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/05/120524092930.htm Researchers have delved into a series of high profile court cases testing the limits of patent protection. Thu, 24 May 2012 09:29:29 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/05/120524092930.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/05/120523200257.htm After years of reducing their contact with pharmaceutical sales representatives, physicians now risk an unintended consequence: Doctors who rarely meet with pharmaceutical sales representatives — or who do not meet with them — are much slower to drop medicines with the Food and Drug Administration’s “black box” warnings and to adopt first-in-class therapies. Wed, 23 May 2012 20:02:02 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/05/120523200257.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/05/120523200255.htm A study to evaluate birth control methods has found dramatic differences in their effectiveness. Women who used birth control pills, the patch or vaginal ring were 20 times more likely to have an unintended pregnancy than those who used longer-acting forms such as an intrauterine device (IUD) or implant. Wed, 23 May 2012 20:02:02 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/05/120523200255.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/05/120523145652.htm Antimicrobial peptides (AMPs) are molecules produced in the skin to fend off infection-causing microbes. Vitamin D has been credited with a role in their production and in the body’s overall immune response, but scientists say a hormone previously associated only with maintaining calcium homeostasis and bone health is also critical, boosting AMP expression when dietary vitamin D levels are inadequate. Wed, 23 May 2012 14:56:56 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/05/120523145652.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/05/120523133232.htm Transplanting embryonic cells into adult mouse spinal cord can alleviate persistent pain. The research suggests that reduced pain results from successful integration of the embryonic cells into the host spinal cord. The findings open avenues for clinical strategies aimed not just at treating the symptoms of chronic debilitating pain, but correcting the underlying disease pathology. Wed, 23 May 2012 13:32:32 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/05/120523133232.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/05/120523133057.htm Chronic pain, by definition, is difficult to manage, but a new study shows how a cell therapy might one day be used not only to quell some common types of persistent and difficult-to-treat pain, but also to cure the conditions that give rise to them. Wed, 23 May 2012 13:30:30 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/05/120523133057.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/05/120523115055.htm Acne patients who take oral medications like Accutane double their risk of developing an eye infection compared to those who do not, new research suggests. Researchers say that the use of inexpensive artificial tears or eyedrops, which are available over-the-counter at the local pharmacy, can minimize the risk. Wed, 23 May 2012 11:50:50 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/05/120523115055.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/05/120523115047.htm Scientists have successfully protected laboratory animals from lethal hantavirus disease using a novel approach that combines DNA vaccines and duck eggs. Wed, 23 May 2012 11:50:50 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/05/120523115047.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/05/120522180622.htm Despite recent recommendations from the US Preventive Services Task Force, many people simply don't believe that the prostate-specific antigen test is ineffective. Even faced with overwhelming evidence, many activists and medical professionals are clamoring for men to continue receiving their annual PSA test. Why the disconnect? A new article examines the reasons why people are so reluctant to give up the PSA test. Tue, 22 May 2012 18:06:06 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/05/120522180622.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/05/120522154801.htm Technology spin-off from long-running research aboard the International Space Station is opening up a new way to keep hospital patients safe from infections. Using plasma -- electrically charged gas -- researchers are developing ways to kill bacteria and viruses that can cause infections in hospitals. Tue, 22 May 2012 15:48:48 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/05/120522154801.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/05/120522135259.htm Researchers have identified novel biomarkers that could be used to confirm exposure to damaging radiation in large groups of people potentially exposed to unknown and variable doses for the purpose of triage and treatment. Tue, 22 May 2012 13:52:52 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/05/120522135259.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/05/120522135032.htm Excess weight in pregnant women, both before pregnancy and gained during pregnancy, is the main predictor of whether mothers will have larger than average babies, which can result in increased risk of cesarean section or trauma during delivery, states a new study. Tue, 22 May 2012 13:50:50 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/05/120522135032.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/05/120522115030.htm Patient care nationwide may be affected when research on medications contain only 'good news' – especially when the research is industry-funded. Tue, 22 May 2012 11:50:50 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/05/120522115030.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/05/120522114911.htm Scientists have determined the genome sequences of a dozen strains of Staphylococcus aureus bacteria known to be resistant to vancomycin, an antibiotic of last resort. The researchers demonstrated that resistance arose independently in each strain, and identified shared features among the strains that may have helped them acquire vancomycin resistance and evade human immune defenses. Tue, 22 May 2012 11:49:49 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/05/120522114911.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/05/120521213645.htm Following a period for public comment, the United States Preventive Services Task Force (USPSTF) released its final recommendation for prostate cancer screening. The Task Force now recommends against PSA-based screening for all men, regardless of age. Mon, 21 May 2012 21:36:36 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/05/120521213645.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/05/120521213514.htm The innovative PAL device uses musical lullabies to help infants quickly learn the muscle movements needed to suck, and ultimately feed. Mon, 21 May 2012 21:35:35 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/05/120521213514.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/05/120521132619.htm Medical researches have clear evidence that the number of people contracting the hard-to-control and treat bacterial infection Clostridium difficile (C. difficile or C. diff) is increasing, and that the infection is commonly contracted outside of the hospital. Mon, 21 May 2012 13:26:26 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/05/120521132619.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/05/120521115654.htm Blood tests convey vital medical information, but the sight of a needle often causes anxiety and results take time. A new device however, can reveal much the same information as a traditional blood test in real-time, simply by shining a light through the skin. This portable optical instrument is able to provide high-resolution images of blood coursing through veins without the need for harsh fluorescent dyes. Mon, 21 May 2012 11:56:56 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/05/120521115654.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/05/120520215400.htm In an advance that may someday provide health benefits for soldiers and athletes, a team of researchers has discovered a mechanism that could be the cause of traumatic brain injuries (TBI) in blast-exposed soldiers. Sun, 20 May 2012 21:54:54 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/05/120520215400.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/05/120520133919.htm A pioneering study to gauge the toxicity of quantum dots in primates has found the tiny crystals to be safe over a one-year period, a hopeful outcome for doctors and scientists seeking new ways to battle diseases like cancer through nanomedicine. Sun, 20 May 2012 13:39:39 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/05/120520133919.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/05/120520133826.htm A combination of three drugs used worldwide as the standard of care for a serious lung disease puts patients in danger of death or hospitalization, and should not be used together to treat the disease, called idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis, according to the surprising results of a rigorous independent study. The findings show the importance of testing treatments that doctors give for any condition -- to see if they truly help, and don't harm, patients. Sun, 20 May 2012 13:38:38 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/05/120520133826.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/05/120520133517.htm For the first time, scientists have shown that an experimental bariatric surgery can lower blood sugar levels in rats with type 1 diabetes. Sun, 20 May 2012 13:35:35 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/05/120520133517.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/05/120518132557.htm A surgical milestone was reached on May 1st with a sutureless aortic valve replacement through a thoracic incision just 5 centimeters long. The two patients in their seventies who underwent this innovative procedure were doing well only one week after their operations. Fri, 18 May 2012 13:25:25 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/05/120518132557.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/05/120517193135.htm An experimental drug targeting a common mutation in melanoma successfully shrank tumors that spread to the brain in nine out of 10 patients in part of an international phase I clinical trial report. Thu, 17 May 2012 19:31:31 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/05/120517193135.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/05/120517132055.htm Mental distractions make pain easier to take, and those pain-relieving effects aren't just in your head, according to a new report. Thu, 17 May 2012 13:20:20 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/05/120517132055.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/05/120517131659.htm The latest genetic and biological research shows that migraine is a neurological, not vascular, disorder and both acute and preventive treatments being developed target peripheral and central nervous systems, according to a prominent migraine expert. Thu, 17 May 2012 13:16:16 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/05/120517131659.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/05/120516195600.htm Researchers have demonstrated that a hormone-depleting drug approved for the treatment of metastatic prostate cancer can help eliminate or nearly eliminate tumors in many patients with aggressive cancers that have yet to spread beyond the prostate, according to a new clinical study. Wed, 16 May 2012 19:56:56 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/05/120516195600.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/05/120516195408.htm In 1848, Phineas Gage survived an accident that drove an iron rod through his head. Researchers, for the first time, used images of Gage’s skull combined with modern-day brain images to suggest there was extensive damage to the white matter “pathways” that connected various regions of his brain. Wed, 16 May 2012 19:54:54 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/05/120516195408.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/05/120516195405.htm A pill designed to zero in on abnormal genes that drive specific cancers has produced encouraging early results in children with an uncommon but aggressive type of lymphoma, as well as in children with a rare form of neuroblastoma. Wed, 16 May 2012 19:54:54 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/05/120516195405.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/05/120516174247.htm Researchers have discovered a rare, but important risk posed by the antibiotic azithromycin, commonly called a "Z-pack." The study found a 2.5-fold higher risk of death from cardiovascular death in the first five days of taking azithromycin when compared with another common antibiotic or no antibiotics at all. Wed, 16 May 2012 17:42:42 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/05/120516174247.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/05/120516152444.htm Taiwanese doctors have restored some movement in four children bedridden with a rare, life-threatening neurological disease using gene transfer. The first-in-humans achievement may also be helpful for more common diseases such as Parkinson's. Wed, 16 May 2012 15:24:24 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/05/120516152444.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/05/120516152440.htm Scientists have found new evidence of chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE) in brain tissue from blast-exposed military service personnel. Laboratory experiments demonstrated that exposure to a single blast equivalent to a typical improvised explosive device results in CTE and long-term brain impairments that accompany the disease. They also found that the blast wind, not the shock wave, leads to traumatic brain injury and long-term consequences. Wed, 16 May 2012 15:24:24 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/05/120516152440.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/05/120516152242.htm A new study suggests that men undergoing robotic-assisted surgery for prostate cancer should look for a doctor who has performed at least 1,000 surgeries and who actively seeks to improve and enhance his surgical skills to help ensure a successful post-surgery recovery of erectile function. Wed, 16 May 2012 15:22:22 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/05/120516152242.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/05/120515165324.htm The US President's Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief, the government's far-reaching health-care foreign aid program, has contributed to a significant decline in adult death rates from all causes in Africa, according to a new study. Tue, 15 May 2012 16:53:53 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/05/120515165324.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/05/120515131804.htm A research team has found a way to detect and predict arthritis before patients begin suffering from symptoms. Tue, 15 May 2012 13:18:18 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/05/120515131804.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/05/120515104500.htm Surgeons have restored some hand function in a quadriplegic patient with a spinal cord injury at the C7 vertebra, the lowest bone in the neck. Instead of operating on the spine itself, the surgeons rerouted working nerves in the upper arms. These nerves still “talk” to the brain because they attach to the spine above the injury. Tue, 15 May 2012 10:45:45 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/05/120515104500.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/05/120514203929.htm Following a stroke, factors as varied as blood sugar, body temperature and position in bed can affect patient outcomes, researchers report. Mon, 14 May 2012 20:39:39 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/05/120514203929.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/05/120514203927.htm Researchers have developed a genetic test that can accurately predict whether the most common form of eye cancer will spread to other parts of the body, particularly the liver. The test successfully classified tumors more than 97 percent of the time. Mon, 14 May 2012 20:39:39 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/05/120514203927.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/05/120514153111.htm Hospitals in large cities act as breeding grounds for the superbug MRSA prior to it spreading to smaller hospitals, a study suggests. Researchers found evidence that shows for the first time how the superbug spreads between different hospitals throughout the country. Mon, 14 May 2012 15:31:31 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/05/120514153111.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/05/120514152954.htm In today’s technology-driven world, batteries, especially button batteries, are everywhere. They power countless gadgets and electronic items that we use every day. While they may seem harmless, button batteries can be dangerous if swallowed by children. A new study found that the annual number of battery-related emergency department visits among children younger than 18 years of age more than doubled over the 20-year study period, jumping from 2,591 emergency department visits in 1990 to 5,525 emergency department visits in 2009. The number of button batteries swallowed by children also doubled during this period. Mon, 14 May 2012 15:29:29 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/05/120514152954.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/05/120514122743.htm For people receiving health care for acute and persistent low-back pain, symptoms will improve significantly in the first six weeks, but pain and disability may linger even after one year, states a large study. Mon, 14 May 2012 12:27:27 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/05/120514122743.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/05/120514104301.htm The first U.S. outpatient trial of an artificial pancreas could make it easier for type 1 diabetes patients to manage their condition. Mon, 14 May 2012 10:43:43 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/05/120514104301.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/05/120513144533.htm Why diabetics suffer from increased pain and temperature sensitivity is a step closer to being understood and effectively treated. Sun, 13 May 2012 14:45:45 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/05/120513144533.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/05/120512100826.htm Imagine you're an astronaut exploring the surface of Mars, when suddenly you fall ill or injure yourself. As your team struggles to get you safely back to base, you become seriously dehydrated. With their trusty -- and ingenious -- kit, the medical officer hooks into the drinking water supply, using it to create a saline solution that they can inject directly into your blood stream for quick and safe rehydration. Sat, 12 May 2012 10:08:08 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/05/120512100826.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/05/120511175001.htm A new study has found that a novel new heart monitoring device helped emergency room patients avoid unnecessary follow-up care. Fri, 11 May 2012 17:50:50 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/05/120511175001.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/05/120511174928.htm New mom Windy Hill, 38, was given the ultimate Mother’s Day gift a little early after she was wheeled into the operating room at on April 20 to receive a mechanical pump to aid her failing heart and save her life. Fri, 11 May 2012 17:49:49 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/05/120511174928.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/05/120511101138.htm The option of a vaginal birth after having a Caesarean delivery (VBAC) is difficult to find for women who want that procedure. More doctors and hospitals are not willing to perform the risky procedure. However, a VBAC advocate and practicing physician says provided the expectant mother meets certain guidelines and the delivery is performed in a fully-staffed and fully-equipped hospital, the VBAC can be performed safely. Fri, 11 May 2012 10:11:11 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/05/120511101138.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/05/120510224817.htm Induction of labor beyond 37 weeks of pregnancy can reduce perinatal mortality without increasing Cesarean section rates, finds a new study. Thu, 10 May 2012 22:48:48 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/05/120510224817.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/05/120510132713.htm A student-made invention, Dino-Might, was designed to help children with cerebral palsy restore strength and flexibility to their hands and wrists. Thu, 10 May 2012 13:27:27 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/05/120510132713.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/05/120510113523.htm Scientists have confirmed that mutations of a gene are responsible for some cases of a rare, inherited disease that causes progressive muscle degeneration and weakness: spinal muscular atrophy with lower extremity predominance, also known as SMA-LED. Thu, 10 May 2012 11:35:35 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/05/120510113523.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/05/120509180046.htm It is relatively common for doctors to diagnose someone with multiple sclerosis when the patient doesn't have the disease -- a misdiagnosis that not only causes patients potential harm but costs the US health care system untold millions of dollars a year, according to a new study. Wed, 09 May 2012 18:00:00 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/05/120509180046.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/05/120509123852.htm Older women who have been diagnosed with an irregular heart beat are at higher risk of stroke than men. A new study shows that warfarin, the most common anticoagulant therapy used to prevent stroke in patients with Atrial fibrillation may not be as effective in women, 75 years or older, as in men. Wed, 09 May 2012 12:38:38 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/05/120509123852.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/05/120508163328.htm Taking probiotics -- microorganisms that are believed to improve health by maintaining a normal balance of microorganisms in the human intestines -- can reduce the risk of developing the diarrhea that is a common side effect of taking antibiotics, according to a new study. Tue, 08 May 2012 16:33:33 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/05/120508163328.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/05/120508124455.htm Sildenafil, also known as the erectile dysfunction drug Viagra, may give a boost to underdeveloped hearts in children and young adults with congenital heart defects. Tue, 08 May 2012 12:44:44 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/05/120508124455.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/05/120508103943.htm Antidepressive drugs reduce the mortality rate of schizophrenic patients, while treatment with bensodiazepines greatly increases it, especially as regards suicide. Giving several antipsychotics simultaneously, however, seems to have no effect at all. This according to a new study examining different drug combinations administered to patients with schizophrenia. Tue, 08 May 2012 10:39:39 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/05/120508103943.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/05/120508103919.htm Advanced high-speed gene-sequencing has been used in the clinical setting to find diagnoses for seven children out of a dozen who were experiencing developmental delays and congenital abnormalities for mysterious reasons. Tue, 08 May 2012 10:39:39 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/05/120508103919.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/05/120507165557.htm The peak risk for misusing prescription pain relievers occurs in mid-adolescence, specifically about 16 years old and earlier than many experts thought, according to a new study. The results, based on recent nationwide surveys of nearly 120,000 US adolescents, suggest prevention programs may need to be introduced earlier, in childhood and early adolescence. Mon, 07 May 2012 16:55:55 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/05/120507165557.htm