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, 25 May 2013 06:43:45 EDT Sat, 25 May 2013 06:43:45 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/2013/05/130524122010.htm The news about youth and diabetes keeps getting worse. The latest data shows that children with type 2 diabetes are at high risk to develop heart, kidney and eye problems faster and at a higher rate than adults with diabetes. Fri, 24 May 2013 12:20:20 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2013/05/130524122010.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2013/05/130524122006.htm Researchers have developed a multicolor fluorescence labeling method that can be used to visualize miRNAs in tissue sections, such as those recovered from biopsies. Fri, 24 May 2013 12:20:20 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2013/05/130524122006.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2013/05/130524104642.htm Young children who missed more than half of recommended well-child visits had up to twice the risk of hospitalization compared to children who attended most of their visits, according to a new study. Fri, 24 May 2013 10:46:46 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2013/05/130524104642.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2013/05/130524104636.htm High blood glucose is associated with poor outcomes in hospitalized patients, and use of intensive insulin therapy (IIT) to control hyperglycemia is a common practice in hospitals. But the recent evidence does not show a consistent benefit and even shows harms associated with the use of IIT, according to the American College of Physicians. Fri, 24 May 2013 10:46:46 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2013/05/130524104636.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2013/05/130524103537.htm Two mutations central to the development of infantile myofibromatosis (IM) -- a disorder characterized by multiple tumors involving the skin, bone, and soft tissue—may provide new therapeutic targets, according to researchers. Fri, 24 May 2013 10:35:35 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2013/05/130524103537.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2013/05/130523223733.htm Two out of five medical students have an unconscious bias against obese people, according to a new study. Thu, 23 May 2013 22:37:37 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2013/05/130523223733.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2013/05/130523180310.htm More effective detection and diagnosis of oral cancer could result from an advance in noninvasive imaging of epithelial tissue. The research is thought to have the potential to change the way doctors look for precancerous and cancerous areas in a patient’s mouth. Thu, 23 May 2013 18:03:03 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2013/05/130523180310.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2013/05/130523143729.htm By discovering the new mechanism by which estrogen suppresses lipid synthesis in the liver, endocrinologists have revealed a potential new approach toward treating certain liver diseases. Thu, 23 May 2013 14:37:37 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2013/05/130523143729.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2013/05/130523143727.htm Aortic arch pulse wave velocity, a measure of arterial stiffness, is a strong independent predictor of disease of the vessels that supply blood to the brain, according to a new study. Thu, 23 May 2013 14:37:37 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2013/05/130523143727.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2013/05/130523143138.htm Researchers examining outcomes for advanced heart-failure patients over the past two decades have found that, coinciding with the increased availability and use of new therapies, overall mortality has decreased and sudden cardiac death, caused by the rapid onset of severe abnormal heart rhythms, has declined. However, the team found that even today, with these significant improvements, one-third of patients don’t survive more than three years after being diagnosed with advanced disease. Thu, 23 May 2013 14:31:31 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2013/05/130523143138.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2013/05/130523101822.htm Medics have succeeded in treating cerebral palsy with autologous cord blood. Following a cardiac arrest with severe brain damage, a two-and-a-half year old boy had been in a persistent vegetative state -- with minimal chances of survival. Just two months after treatment with the cord blood containing stem cells, the symptoms improved significantly; over the following months, the child learned to speak simple sentences and to move. Thu, 23 May 2013 10:18:18 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2013/05/130523101822.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2013/05/130523101814.htm A new study finds "substantial evidence" that a regenerative process involving damaged nerve fibers in the spinal cord could hold the key to better functional recovery by most stroke victims. The findings may offer new hope to those who suffer stroke, the leading cause of long-term disability in adults. Thu, 23 May 2013 10:18:18 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2013/05/130523101814.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2013/05/130522180105.htm CT scans detected twice as many early-stage lung cancers as chest X-ray on initial screening exam, according to new results. Investigators say the 20 percent lung cancer mortality reduction previously reported in the NLST is achievable at screening centers in the U.S. Wed, 22 May 2013 18:01:01 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2013/05/130522180105.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2013/05/130522180102.htm A bioresorbable splint has been created and used for first time at the University of Michigan, where doctors implanted the device in an infant and stopped a life-threatening condition called tracheobronchomalacia. Wed, 22 May 2013 18:01:01 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2013/05/130522180102.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2013/05/130522163919.htm Older people with a history of migraines and depression may have smaller brain tissue volumes than people with only one or neither of the conditions, according to a new study. Wed, 22 May 2013 16:39:39 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2013/05/130522163919.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2013/05/130522160259.htm The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) is proposing that the legal limit for a driver’s blood-alcohol content be reduced from 0.08 to 0.05, but and that may not be far enough say experts. Wed, 22 May 2013 16:02:02 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2013/05/130522160259.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2013/05/130522141841.htm Researchers report that hospitals may be reaping enormous income for patients whose hospital stays are complicated by preventable bloodstream infections contracted in their intensive care units. Wed, 22 May 2013 14:18:18 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2013/05/130522141841.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2013/05/130522123139.htm Stroke costs are predicted to more than double in the next 20 years. Americans 45-64 years old are expected to have the highest increase in stroke incidence. Wed, 22 May 2013 12:31:31 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2013/05/130522123139.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2013/05/130522095721.htm For the first time, physicists, biologists and physicians demonstrated the synergistic effect of cold atmospheric plasma - a partly ionized gas - and chemo therapy on aggressive brain tumor cells. Laboratory tests showed that the proliferation of glioblastoma cells – the most common and aggressive brain tumor in adults – is arrested and that even resistant cell populations become sensitive to treatment with chemo therapy if pre-treated with cold atmospheric plasma. This could be the first step on the way to a new combination therapy, providing new hope for fighting this lethal cancer. Wed, 22 May 2013 09:57:57 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2013/05/130522095721.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2013/05/130522095333.htm A new technique measures the health of human genetic material in relation to a patient's age. This could lead to the use of a "genetic thermometer" to assess a patient's health in relation to other individuals of the same age. Wed, 22 May 2013 09:53:53 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2013/05/130522095333.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2013/05/130522085011.htm Scientists have made an important first step in establishing new therapeutic options targeting specific genetic areas that influence the occurrence and severity of sepsis – a life-threatening, whole-body response to infection. Wed, 22 May 2013 08:50:50 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2013/05/130522085011.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2013/05/130521194227.htm Researchers have identified a number of biomarkers for inflammatory bowel disease, which could help with earlier diagnosis and intervention in those who have not yet shown symptoms. Tue, 21 May 2013 19:42:42 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2013/05/130521194227.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2013/05/130521194147.htm Dietary advice on added sugar is damaging our health, warns a cardiologist. He believes that "not only has this advice been manipulated by the food industry for profit but it is actually a risk factor for obesity and diet related disease." Tue, 21 May 2013 19:41:41 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2013/05/130521194147.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2013/05/130521194143.htm Young people who undergo CT scans are 24 percent more likely to develop cancer compared with those who do not, a study published today on bmj.com suggests. However the absolute excess for all cancers combined was low, at 9.38 for every 100,000 person years of follow-up. Tue, 21 May 2013 19:41:41 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2013/05/130521194143.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2013/05/130521152427.htm The decision to limit life support in patients in the intensive care unit (ICU) appears to be significantly influenced by physician practices and/or the culture of the hospital, suggests new findings. Tue, 21 May 2013 15:24:24 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2013/05/130521152427.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2013/05/130521152418.htm A study of veterans at high risk for developing lung cancer shows that low-dose computed tomography (LDCT) can be highly effective in helping clinicians spot tiny lung nodules which, in a small number of patients, may indicate the earliest stages of the disease. LDCT uses less than a quarter of the radiation of a conventional CT scan. Tue, 21 May 2013 15:24:24 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2013/05/130521152418.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2013/05/130521132122.htm An attack on glioblastoma brain tumor cells that uses a modified poliovirus is showing encouraging results in an early study to establish the proper dose level. Tue, 21 May 2013 13:21:21 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2013/05/130521132122.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2013/05/130521105606.htm Regardless of pain, social class or age, a woman is more likely to be prescribed pain-relieving drugs. A new study affirms that this phenomenon is influenced by socioeconomic inequality between genders. Tue, 21 May 2013 10:56:56 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2013/05/130521105606.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2013/05/130521011230.htm Bacteria resistant to the antibiotic colistin are also commonly resistant to antimicrobial substances made by the human body, according to a new study. Cross-resistance to colistin and host antimicrobials LL-37 and lysozyme, which help defend the body against bacterial attack, could mean that patients with life-threatening multi-drug resistant infections are also saddled with a crippled immune response. Tue, 21 May 2013 01:12:12 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2013/05/130521011230.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2013/05/130520163727.htm Salamanders' immune systems are key to their remarkable ability to regrow limbs, and could also underpin their ability to regenerate spinal cords, brain tissue and even parts of their hearts, scientists have found. In new research, scientists have found that when immune cells known as macrophages were systemically removed, salamanders lost their ability to regenerate a limb and instead formed scar tissue. Mon, 20 May 2013 16:37:37 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2013/05/130520163727.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2013/05/130520163613.htm Nearly 20 percent of kidneys that are recovered from deceased donors in the U.S. are refused for transplant due to factors ranging from scarring in small blood vessels of the kidney’s filtering units to the organ going too long without blood or oxygen. But, what if instead of being discarded, these organs could be “recycled” to help solve the critical shortage of donor organs? Mon, 20 May 2013 16:36:36 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2013/05/130520163613.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2013/05/130520154249.htm Researchers have for the first time used a novel form of MRI to identify crucial developmental processes in the brain that are vulnerable to the effects of premature birth. This new study shows that disruption of these specific processes can have an impact on cognitive function. Mon, 20 May 2013 15:42:42 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2013/05/130520154249.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2013/05/130520133749.htm A new report suggests that improved health care and significant reductions in drug costs might be attained by breaking up the age-old relationship between physicians and drug company representatives who promote the newest, more costly and often unnecessary prescription drugs. Mon, 20 May 2013 13:37:37 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2013/05/130520133749.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2013/05/130520133722.htm A new "telerehabilitation" approach lets physical therapists assess patients with low back pain over the Internet, with good accuracy compared with face-to-face examinations, reports a new study. Mon, 20 May 2013 13:37:37 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2013/05/130520133722.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2013/05/130520095049.htm Every 20 seconds, a limb is lost as a consequence of diabetic foot ulcer that does not heal. To date, medical solutions that can change this situation are very limited. A researchers has now presented a novel medicine for chronic wound treatment that may completely change the lives of millions of patients. Mon, 20 May 2013 09:50:50 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2013/05/130520095049.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2013/05/130519191412.htm Peripherally inserted central catheters – an often preferred route for delivery of IV medications — increase risk of blood clots in sickest patients. Sun, 19 May 2013 19:14:14 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2013/05/130519191412.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2013/05/130518153744.htm Medical researchers have come up with a new approach for developing effective, topical antibacterial agents -- one that draws on a naturally occurring substance recognized since antiquity for its medicinal properties: clay. Sat, 18 May 2013 15:37:37 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2013/05/130518153744.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2013/05/130517085725.htm The processes to allow people to self-manage their own illness are not being used appropriately by health professionals to the benefit of their patients, new research suggests. Self-management support aims to increase the patient's ability to take ownership over their condition and in some cases, to self-treat. Fri, 17 May 2013 08:57:57 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2013/05/130517085725.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2013/05/130516161655.htm If you're a left-brain thinker, chances are you use your right hand to hold your cell phone up to your right ear, according to a newly published study. The study shows a strong correlation between brain dominance and the ear used to listen to a cell phone. Thu, 16 May 2013 16:16:16 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2013/05/130516161655.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2013/05/130516161651.htm Health care reform in Massachusetts didn't result in substantially more hospitalizations, longer stays or higher costs. There were no significant differences in post-reform hospital use in Massachusetts versus to three other states without reform. There was also no significant increase in use of safety-net hospitals in Massachusetts. Thu, 16 May 2013 16:16:16 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2013/05/130516161651.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2013/05/130516142650.htm Men who are heavy drinkers and homeless for long periods of time have 400 times the number of head injuries as the general population, according to a new study by researchers who said they were shocked by their findings. Thu, 16 May 2013 14:26:26 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2013/05/130516142650.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2013/05/130516142545.htm Scientists push back against recent American College of Medical Genetics and Genomics recommendations, and offer compelling reasons why patient autonomy must remain firmly in place as science advances. Thu, 16 May 2013 14:25:25 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2013/05/130516142545.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2013/05/130516105702.htm Engineers combine layers of flexible materials into pressure sensors to create a wearable heart monitor thinner than a dollar bill. The skin-like device could one day provide doctors with a safer way to check the condition of a patient's heart. Thu, 16 May 2013 10:57:57 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2013/05/130516105702.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2013/05/130516105515.htm A new study has for the first time revealed how the loss of a particular tumor suppressing protein leads to the abnormal growth of tumors of the brain and nervous system. Thu, 16 May 2013 10:55:55 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2013/05/130516105515.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2013/05/130515203044.htm CUSTOM is the first completed prospective clinical trial that used genetic analysis alone to assign cancer treatment for patients with one of three different cancers. Findings suggest patients, and their physicians, are eager to jump into next-era cancer care -- analysis of an individual's tumor to find and target genetic mutations that drive the cancer. Wed, 15 May 2013 20:30:30 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2013/05/130515203044.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2013/05/130515174557.htm Death rates associated with patients with refractory angina, or chronic chest pain, are lower than previously considered; therefore, physicians should focus on relieving the chest pain symptoms and improving the quality of life in these patients according to a new article. Wed, 15 May 2013 17:45:45 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2013/05/130515174557.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2013/05/130515151436.htm Metal-on-metal hip implants can cause inflammation of the joint lining long before symptoms appear, and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) can be used to identify this inflammation, according to a new study. Wed, 15 May 2013 15:14:14 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2013/05/130515151436.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2013/05/130515124933.htm Women in their 40s continue to undergo routine breast cancer screenings despite national guidelines recommending otherwise, according to new research. Wed, 15 May 2013 12:49:49 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2013/05/130515124933.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2013/05/130515113717.htm In the past, researchers have sought to determine the geographic distribution of many life-threatening conditions, including stroke and cardiac arrest. Now, researchers have created the first U.S. map that pinpoints hotspots for infection and severe sepsis related-deaths -- with notable clusters located in the Midwest, mid-Atlantic, and the South. The research is a critical first step in helping to determine which areas of the country require vital public health resources to fight these deadly diseases. Wed, 15 May 2013 11:37:37 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2013/05/130515113717.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2013/05/130515094925.htm Considered the "silent killer," high blood pressure affects approximately one billion people worldwide, including one in three adults in the United States. Wed, 15 May 2013 09:49:49 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2013/05/130515094925.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2013/05/130515085208.htm Regular marijuana use is associated with favorable indices related to diabetic control, say investigators. They found that current marijuana users had significantly lower fasting insulin and were less likely to be insulin resistant, even after excluding patients with a diagnosis of diabetes mellitus. Wed, 15 May 2013 08:52:52 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2013/05/130515085208.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2013/05/130514213150.htm Today the British Medical Journal calls for doctors and patients to join together as partners to improve healthcare. Tue, 14 May 2013 21:31:31 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2013/05/130514213150.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2013/05/130514213107.htm Researchers have devised a ‘magic bullet’ nanomedicine which could become the first effective treatment for Acute Lung Injury or ALI, a condition affecting 20 per cent of all patients in intensive care. Tue, 14 May 2013 21:31:31 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2013/05/130514213107.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2013/05/130514212946.htm A new study offers an in-depth look at hospitals nationwide in the United States and admissions to intensive care units (ICU). The study finds a sharp increase—nearly 50 percent—in ICU admissions coming from U.S. emergency departments. Tue, 14 May 2013 21:29:29 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2013/05/130514212946.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2013/05/130514185340.htm Forget apples -- lifting weights and doing cardio can also keep the doctors away, according a new study. Tue, 14 May 2013 18:53:53 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2013/05/130514185340.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2013/05/130514085016.htm In a first-of-its-kind effort to illuminate the biochemical impact of trauma, researchers at NYU Langone Medical Center have discovered a connection between the quantity of cannabinoid receptors in the human brain, known as CB1 receptors, and post-traumatic stress disorder, the chronic, disabling condition that can plague trauma victims with flashbacks, nightmares and emotional instability. Tue, 14 May 2013 08:50:50 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2013/05/130514085016.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2013/05/130513174042.htm The dangerously high salt levels in processed food and fast food remain unchanged, despite numerous calls from health agencies for the food industry to voluntarily reduce sodium. Excess sodium in the diet is a major cause of high blood pressure and prematurely kills up to 150,000 people in the US each year. The government must regulate sodium, the study says. Mon, 13 May 2013 17:40:40 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2013/05/130513174042.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2013/05/130513123335.htm For adults with no apparent symptoms of depression, routine screening is not recommended in primary care settings because of the lack of high-quality evidence on the benefits and harms of screening for depression, according to new evidence-based guidelines. Mon, 13 May 2013 12:33:33 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2013/05/130513123335.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2013/05/130513095750.htm A world-first completed clinical study by an Australian team has found Kava, a medicinal South Pacific plant, significantly reduced the symptoms of people suffering anxiety. Mon, 13 May 2013 09:57:57 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2013/05/130513095750.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2013/05/130512105523.htm From microscopes to MRI scanners, imaging technology is growing ever more vital in the world's hospitals, whether for the diagnosis of illness or for research into new cures. Imaging technology requires dyes or contrast agents of some sort. Current contrast agents and dyes are expensive, difficult to work with and far from ideal. Now, chemists have discovered a new dye and proved its worth against any of the dyes currently available. Sun, 12 May 2013 10:55:55 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2013/05/130512105523.htm