Here are what the editors at HealthDay consider to be the most important developments in Critical Care for January 2020. This roundup includes the latest research news from journal articles, as well as the FDA approvals and regulatory changes that are the most likely to affect clinical practice.
Electrical Cardioversion Effective for Acute A-Fib in Emergency Setting
FRIDAY, Jan. 31, 2020 (HealthDay News) — For patients in the emergency department with acute atrial fibrillation, pharmacological cardioversion followed by electrical cardioversion (drug-shock) and electrical cardioversion alone (shock-only) strategies are highly effective for restoring sinus rhythm, with similar outcomes for different pad positions, according to a study published in the Feb. 1 issue of The Lancet.
2017 to 2018 Saw Increase in Life Expectancy in the United States
THURSDAY, Jan. 30, 2020 (HealthDay News) — From 2017 to 2018, there was an increase in life expectancy in the United States and a decrease in age-adjusted death rates, according to a January data brief published by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention National Center for Health Statistics.
U.S. Spends More on Health Care, but Has Worse Life Expectancy
THURSDAY, Jan. 30, 2020 (HealthDay News) — The United States spends substantially more than any other wealthy nation on health care, yet it has a lower life expectancy and a higher suicide rate than other wealthy nations, according to a January data brief released by the Commonwealth Fund.
Gender Gap Persists in Starting Salary for Physicians
TUESDAY, Jan. 28, 2020 (HealthDay News) — The gender gap in starting salary for physicians persists, although it is unclear which factors account for this gap, according to a report published online Jan. 22 in Health Affairs.
Dangerous Additives Found in Illegal Pot Vaping Products in Los Angeles
TUESDAY, Jan. 28, 2020 (HealthDay News) — Potentially deadly additives were found in marijuana vape cartridges seized in December raids of illegal shops in Los Angeles, officials reported Monday.
AP News Article
Clinical Features ID’d for First 2019 Novel Coronavirus Patients
TUESDAY, Jan. 28, 2020 (HealthDay News) — As of Jan. 2, 2020, 41 patients were admitted with laboratory-confirmed 2019 novel coronavirus (2019-nCoV), all of whom had pneumonia, according to a study published online Jan. 24 in The Lancet.
Wealthy Pay Most to Finance U.S. Health Care
MONDAY, Jan. 27, 2020 (HealthDay News) — Health care payments in the United States are more regressive than previously thought, according to a study published online Jan. 27 in Health Services Research.
Prehospital Epinephrine Aids Out-of-Hospital Pediatric Cardiac Arrests
MONDAY, Jan. 27, 2020 (HealthDay News) — Prehospital administration of epinephrine may aid pediatric patients following out-of-hospital cardiac arrests (OHCAs), according to a study published in the Jan. 21 issue of the Journal of the American College of Cardiology.
Quality Improvement in NICU May Cut Morbidity in Preemies
MONDAY, Jan. 27, 2020 (HealthDay News) — Implementation of network-wide quality improvement activities may improve survival without morbidity in very preterm infants, according to a study published in the Jan. 27 issue of CMAJ, the journal of the Canadian Medical Association.
LV Hypertrophy May Explain Racial Disparities in Heart Failure
MONDAY, Jan. 27, 2020 (HealthDay News) — A “malignant” subphenotype of left ventricular hypertrophy (LVH) with minimal elevations in cardiac biomarkers is associated with an increased risk for heart failure, with some of the excess risk for heart failure among blacks explained by a higher prevalence of malignant LVH, according to a study published online Jan. 14 in Circulation.
Potential Links ID’d for Marijuana Use, Cardiovascular Risks
MONDAY, Jan. 27, 2020 (HealthDay News) — In a review published in the Jan. 28 issue of the Journal of the American College of Cardiology, potential associations are presented for marijuana use and cardiovascular risks.
Many U.S. Adults Misinformed About the Flu, Vaccination
FRIDAY, Jan. 24, 2020 (HealthDay News) — Many U.S. adults are misinformed about the influenza virus and the importance of flu vaccination, according to the results of a survey released by the American Academy of Family Physicians (AAFP).
High-Dose IV Vitamin C Does Not Speed Resolution of Septic Shock
FRIDAY, Jan. 24, 2020 (HealthDay News) — Treatment with intravenous vitamin C, hydrocortisone, and thiamine does not improve the duration of time alive and vasopressor administration-free compared with intravenous hydrocortisone alone among patients with septic shock, according to a study published online Jan. 17 in the Journal of the American Medical Association.
Postdischarge Mortality Up for Patients With Heart Failure
FRIDAY, Jan. 24, 2020 (HealthDay News) — Patients with heart failure, but not those with acute myocardial infarction or pneumonia, have demonstrated an increase in postdischarge 30-day mortality, according to a study published online Jan. 15 in The BMJ.
Major Insurers Offer $55 Million to Lower Generic Drug Costs
THURSDAY, Jan. 23, 2020 (HealthDay News) — A nonprofit that develops and sells cheaper drugs will receive a $55 million investment from the Blue Cross Blue Shield Association and associated organizations to create cheaper versions of expensive generic drugs.
The New York Times Article
Supratentorial ICH Outcomes Better in Young Blacks, Hispanics
THURSDAY, Jan. 23, 2020 (HealthDay News) — For young adults with supratentorial intracerebral hemorrhage (ICH), functional outcomes are improved with black and Hispanic versus white race/ethnicity, according to a study published online Jan. 22 in Neurology.
Fewer Than Half of Clinical Trials Comply With Reporting Laws
THURSDAY, Jan. 23, 2020 (HealthDay News) — Compliance with the U.S. Food and Drug Administration Amendments Act of 2007 is low, with only 40.9 percent of trials reporting results within one year, according to a study published online Jan. 17 in The Lancet.
Fast-Track Review of ACA Lawsuit Rejected by U.S. Supreme Court
WEDNESDAY, Jan. 22, 2020 (HealthDay News) — A fast-track review of a lawsuit that threatens the Affordable Care Act was rejected Tuesday by the U.S. Supreme Court.
AP News Article
Less Improvement in Outcomes Seen at Minority-Serving ICUs
WEDNESDAY, Jan. 22, 2020 (HealthDay News) — Intensive care units (ICUs) in hospitals with large numbers of minority patients have shown little improvement in critical illness mortality, according to a study published online Jan. 17 in the American Journal of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine.
ACP: Medicare for All Needed to Fix ‘Ill’ U.S. Health Care System
TUESDAY, Jan. 21, 2020 (HealthDay News) — The American College of Physicians (ACP) says the U.S. health care system “is ill and needs a bold new prescription” that includes coverage for all Americans and lower costs.
AP News Article
American College of Physicians
Longer External Ventricular Drain Closures Needed to Read ICP
FRIDAY, Jan. 17, 2020 (HealthDay News) — Most external ventricular drain (EVD) closures performed in patients with subarachnoid hemorrhage last less than one minute, and intracranial pressure (ICP) equilibrium is not reached to allow accurate measurement of ICP before the drain is reopened, according to a study published in the February issue of the Journal of Neuroscience Nursing.
Single-Payer System Would Likely Save Money
THURSDAY, Jan. 16, 2020 (HealthDay News) — There is near consensus across 30 years of economic analysis of single-payer plans that a single-payer system would reduce health expenditures in the United States, according to a review published online Jan. 15 in PLOS Medicine.
Sepsis Associated With Almost 20 Percent of Global Deaths
THURSDAY, Jan. 16, 2020 (HealthDay News) — From 1990 to 2017, there was a decrease in sepsis incidence and mortality, although considerable regional variation exists, according to a study published online Jan. 16 in The Lancet.
Ageism Predicts Significantly Worse Health Outcomes
THURSDAY, Jan. 16, 2020 (HealthDay News) — Ageism predicts significantly worse health outcomes, according to a review published online Jan. 15 in PLOS ONE.
High-Dose Erythropoietin No Benefit for Extreme Preemies
THURSDAY, Jan. 16, 2020 (HealthDay News) — For extremely preterm infants, high-dose erythropoietin treatment from 24 hours after birth does not result in a reduced risk for severe neurodevelopmental impairment or death at age 2 years, according to a study published in the Jan. 16 issue of the New England Journal of Medicine.
ACA Tied to Narrowing of Disparities in Access to Care
THURSDAY, Jan. 16, 2020 (HealthDay News) — The Affordable Care Act has reduced disparities in access to health care among black, Hispanic, and white adults, according to a January data brief released by the Commonwealth Fund.
Evolution of Approval, Regulation Processes for Drugs Explored
WEDNESDAY, Jan. 15, 2020 (HealthDay News) — The U.S. approval and regulation processes for pharmaceutical agents have evolved during the last four decades, according to a study published in the Jan. 14 issue of the Journal of the American Medical Association.
Doctor Replacement Ratios Higher in Largest, Hospital-Owned Practices
TUESDAY, Jan. 14, 2020 (HealthDay News) — From 2009 to 2016, more physicians entering the Medicare program worked at large group or hospital-owned practices than small group or independent practices, according to a research letter published online Jan. 14 in the Annals of Internal Medicine.
Physicians Spend >16 Minutes Per Encounter on EHR Use
MONDAY, Jan. 13, 2020 (HealthDay News) — Physicians spend a considerable amount of time using electronic health records (EHRs) to support care delivery, with wide variation seen in the distribution of time within specialty, according to a study published online Jan. 14 in the Annals of Internal Medicine.
NFL Joins Blood Drive by Giving Away Two Super Bowl Tickets
MONDAY, Jan 13, 2020 (HealthDay News) — The American Red Cross has an urgent need for all blood types, but especially for type O.
Burnout in Med Students Tied to Perceived Stress, Phone Behavior
MONDAY, Jan. 13, 2020 (HealthDay News) — Higher levels of perceived stress, poorer sleep quality, and smartphone addiction contribute to burnout in osteopathic medical students, according to a study published in the January issue of the Journal of the American Osteopathic Association.
15-Year-Old Texas Teen Youngest in U.S. to Die From Vaping
FRIDAY, Jan. 10, 2020 (HealthDay News) — A 15-year-old Texas teen who died from vaping is the youngest victim so far in an outbreak of vaping-related deaths in the United States.
The New York Times Article
More Information: CDC
California May Start Producing Its Own Medicines
FRIDAY, Jan. 10, 2020 (HealthDay News) — A proposal for California to contract generic drug companies to make medications would make the state the first in the country to produce its own medications.
AP News Article
Recruitment Satisfactory for Foreign-Educated Health Providers
FRIDAY, Jan. 10, 2020 (HealthDay News) — Foreign-educated health professionals (FEHPs) in the United States are overall satisfied with their recruitment experience, according to a study published in the January issue of the American Journal of Nursing.
Neighborhood Disadvantage Impacts Hospital Quality Ratings
FRIDAY, Jan. 10, 2020 (HealthDay News) — Hospitals caring for neighborhoods with high levels of disadvantage may have lower hospital ratings due to social risk factors (SRFs) in the community, according to a study published online Dec. 30 in Medical Care.
CDC Warns of Tough Flu Season Ahead
THURSDAY, Jan. 9, 2019 (HealthDay News) — Flu cases and flu-related hospitalizations have risen sharply since October, with at least 6.4 million reported cases and 55,000 hospitalizations, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. At least 2,900 Americans have died from the flu, the CDC reported late last week.
Untreated Oral Infection Not Tied to Stem Cell Transplant Outcomes
THURSDAY, Jan. 9, 2020 (HealthDay News) — Untreated chronic oral infection is not associated with post-hematopoietic stem cell transplant (HSCT) outcomes, according to a study published online Dec. 18 in PLOS ONE.
Large Gap Found in Health Administrative Spending for U.S., Canada
WEDNESDAY, Jan. 8, 2020 (HealthDay News) — There is a large and widening gap in health administrative spending between the United States and Canada, according to a study published online Jan. 7 in the Annals of Internal Medicine.
Early Antiretroviral Therapy May Not Achieve HIV Remission in Infants
WEDNESDAY, Jan. 8, 2020 (HealthDay News) — Starting antiretroviral therapy (ART) for HIV-infected infants within hours of birth does not seem to result in a higher proportion of infants who attain and sustain viral suppression on ART, according to a study published online Jan. 7 in EClinicalMedicine.
Risk for Blood Clots Increased With PICC Placement in Children
TUESDAY, Jan. 7, 2020 (HealthDay News) — Central venous catheter (CVC) placement with peripherally inserted central catheters (PICCs) in children is associated with increased risks for venous thromboembolism (VTE), central line-associated bloodstream infection (CLABSI), and CVC malfunction, according to a study published online Jan. 7 in Blood.
Frailty Index Score Helps to Predict Outcomes in Elderly
MONDAY, Jan. 6, 2020 (HealthDay News) — A frailty index score based on the results of routine admission laboratory investigations (FI-Laboratory) may predict the risk for adverse outcomes among older patients, according to a study published in the Jan. 6 issue of CMAJ, the journal of the Canadian Medical Association.
Bystander CPR Less Likely in Hispanic Neighborhoods
MONDAY, Jan. 6, 2020 (HealthDay News) — Individuals with out-of-hospital cardiac arrest in predominantly Hispanic neighborhoods are less likely to receive bystander cardiopulmonary resuscitation (B-CPR) and have a lower likelihood of survival, according to a study published in the Jan. 7 issue of Circulation.
Treating Colonized Parents May Cut S. Aureus Transmission in NICU
MONDAY, Jan. 6, 2020 (HealthDay News) — Treating colonized parents may reduce the risk for Staphylococcus aureus transmission to neonates in the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU), according to a study published online Dec. 30 in the Journal of the American Medical Association.
Nurse Certification May Promote Evidence-Based Practice in ICU
THURSDAY, Jan 2, 2020 (HealthDay News) — Nurses with specialty certification may speed translation of evidence-based research into everyday clinical practice, according to a study published in the January issue of the American Journal of Critical Care.
Patient Experiences Modestly Worse After Hospital Acquisition
THURSDAY, Jan. 2, 2020 (HealthDay News) — Modestly worse patient experiences are seen following hospital acquisition by another hospital, according to a study published in the Jan. 2 issue of the New England Journal of Medicine.
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