Medscape Critical Care Headlines

On-Demand Preferred to Daily Chest Radiographs for Mechanically Ventilated Patients

Sat, 7 Nov 2009 12:33:05 EST

A randomized study suggests that on-demand vs daily chest radiographs could reduce costs and radiation exposure without compromising safety in mechanically ventilated patients.
Medscape Medical News

Prehospital Triage "Immediately Successful" in Boosting Rates of Thrombolytic Therapy for Stroke

Fri, 6 Nov 2009 09:56:01 EST

Toronto researchers report that a citywide prehospital protocol raised their rates of thrombolytic treatment to among the highest in North America, underlining, they say, the critical importance of organized stroke care.
Medscape Medical News

Respiratory Failure Mortality Higher at Teaching Hospitals

Fri, 6 Nov 2009 11:55:39 EST

Patients with acute respiratory failure are more likely to die after admission to teaching hospitals than to non-teaching hospitals, according to findings presented this week at the CHEST 2009 meeting in San Diego, California.
Reuters Health Information

Evidence-Based Guideline for Suctioning the Intubated Neonate and Infant

Thu, 5 Nov 2009 12:00:00 EST

Endotracheal tubes may be standard equipment in NICUs, but standardized criteria for keeping them patent and preventing complications having been lacking -- until now.
Neonatal Network

Multidrug-Resistant Acinetobacter Infections Remain Prevalent In and Out of Hospital

Wed, 4 Nov 2009 13:50:21 EST

Infection control practices reduced the rate of multidrug resistant Acinetobacter in an intensive care unit and should be implemented in patients at risk for community-onset infections.
Medscape Medical News

Physicians Are Talking About: A Death Foretold

Wed, 4 Nov 2009 11:14:29 EST

Would you operate on a patient who experienced a premonition of death? Is this a contraindication surgery? Medscape Physician Connect members discuss whether to ignore or heed premonitions.
Medscape Family Medicine

Two Multivitamin Preparations Ineffective for Biliary Atresia

Wed, 4 Nov 2009 10:04:16 EST

Commonly used multivitamin supplements containing fat-soluble vitamins fail to prevent fat-soluble vitamin deficiencies.
Medscape Medical News

Oseltamivir-Resistant Novel Influenza A (H1N1) Virus Infection in Two Immunosuppressed Patients --- Seattle, Washington, 2009

Wed, 4 Nov 2009 12:00:00 EST

Close monitoring for antiviral drug resistance is needed among immunosuppressed patients being treated for novel influenza A (H1N1) infection.
Morbidity & Mortality Weekly Report

Long Stays in Intensive Care Result in Muscle Weakness and Atrophy

Tue, 3 Nov 2009 09:35:46 EST

A new classification scheme for serious neuromuscular dysfunction can help physicians identify a variety of muscle-wasting disorders and improve treatment.
Medscape Medical News

Respiratory Protection for Healthcare Workers: 2009 H1N1 Influenza

Mon, 2 Nov 2009 17:18:21 EST

In this video blog, William R. Jarvis, MD, reviews the varying recommendations for 2009 H1N1 influenza protection -- N95 respirators or surgical face masks?
Medscape Infectious Diseases

Epidemiology and Outcome of Nosocomial Bloodstream Infection in Elderly Critically Ill Patients: A Comparison Between Middle-Aged, Old, And Very Old Patients

Mon, 2 Nov 2009 16:03:19 EST

Investigators evaluated the epidemiology of nosocomial bloodstream infection in elderly intensive care unit (ICU) patients.
Critical Care Medicine