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August 31, 2007 @ 1:57 pm
The U.S. Centers for Disease Control (CDC) have reported that reports of serious stomach viruses are on the rise. This is from an article on WebMD about Norovirus case increases across the country. This is likely related to two new strains of Norovirus labeled “Minerva” and “Laurens.” There was a marked increase in reported cases between October 2006 and June 2007. With the new cold and flu season on the way it would be a good idea for all of us to bone up on ways to avoid pathogens like a norovirus. The WebMD article stresses the following points:
The CDC also recommends that nursing homes and other health care facilities keep patients with stomach flu — and staff who work with those patients — temporarily away from others in the facility. August 30, 2007 @ 12:30 pm
With more and more patients being sent home from the hospital on meds requiring injections and IV administration, the hunt is on for a more economical and safe administration route. Enter the inhaler. With more meds being adapted to be absorbed via inhalation, we are likely to benefit from this route as well. Already, intranasal narcan is making dealing with narcotics OD patients easier by not having to get IV access first. Check out the article here. I report on this and other EMS news in the most recent episode of the MedicCast News at the Podcaster News Network. Jamie August 29, 2007 @ 2:41 pm
Each year, we talk about disaster planning. Depending on where you live, it may be tornadoes, hurricanes, floods, or blizzards. No matter what your geographical disaster of choice may be, awareness of the issues and dangers associated with it and the likely medical emergencies you may encounter is important. As the height of the Atlantic hurricane season approaches, one more likely emergency associated with it is carbon monoxide poisoning. This article from CNN talks about the numbers over the last few years. As people lose power and rev up their generators to power their appliances, often these generators are placed in basements and garages, allowing the build up of CO gas in their homes. CO poisoning is completely preventable. The secret is: Education, Education, Education. Go to your local home centers and hardware stores. Print up flyers and have them hand out safety messages with each generator purchase. Offer to talk about generator safety in your communities: churches, schools, civic groups. Strive for the goal of - NO CO INJURIES THIS YEAR. I talk about Carbon Monoxide poisoning as the tip and trick of the week on Episode 44 of the MedicCast. August 28, 2007 @ 5:28 pm
Having used insulin pens when medicating diabetic patients during clinicals, I have to say that I was impressed with their ease of use. Read more about them in the article at MedicalNewsToday. We may find these devices on our units in the future to use for hyperglycemic emergencies in the field. At the very least, we’re likely to encounter them more often in the field when examining patient medications. August 27, 2007 @ 9:12 pm
A recent article over at WebMD looks at the facts behind the top ten dietary supplements. Until recently, the FDA was required to treat these medicine like products like food and not pharmaceuticals. This enabled manufacturers and distributors to make some pretty wild, unsubstantiated claims about their products in some cases. Also, many of the these products were not consistent in the strengths of the active ingredients, leading to widely varying reactions to the “same med.” We see some of the effects of this lack of oversight when we encounter patients who take supplements with supposed medicinal qualities instead of their prescribed meds. Worse yet are those cases where patients don’t disclose their use of a supplement that may have harmful side effects when combined with a prescription drug. Read through the article. You might be surprised about your own presuppositions based on “common knowledge.” Recent changes is federal law as of Aug. 24, 2007 have changed the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) mandate to regulate dietary supplements. The FDA’s new good manufacturing practices ruling ensures that supplements:
With these changes in place, people should have more assurances that the products are produced safely and in consistent percentages by ingredient. Also, accurate labeling will have impacts on some of the claims previously put forth about some of the supplements. August 26, 2007 @ 11:15 pm
Welcome to Episode 81
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Infection control is a problem in every health care arena. Hospitals and nursing homes are constantly dealing with MRSA or VRSA outbreaks. Reports of pathogens present on ambulance surfaces even after a routine cleaning have all of us trying to do more to clean up. The more important point might be what do we do to keep the germs at work and not bring them home with us. Developing good hand-washing habits is the answer. A recent study of consumer antibacterial soaps confirms that fact along with showing that ordinary soap and water is just as effective at controlling and removing pathogens. Check the article out here. I report on this and other EMS news in the most recent episode of the MedicCast News at the Podcaster News Network. Jamie August 22, 2007 @ 6:54 pm
The study looked at answers to a questionnaire filled out by the patients’ spouses as the more reliable risk indicator of this trait. There was no link between the patient’s own assessment of their level of antagonism and calcium levels and plaque build up in the cardiac vessels. It is interesting to note that occasional outbursts of anger were also not associated with additional stress to the heart and its supply vessels. This finding may support the belief that the prolonged production of stress hormones experienced by a more generally belligerent person over time will contribute risk for future cardiovascular disease. It’s a good bet that people in stressful jobs like ours run an increased risk over time unless we find outlets for the stress we develop. Exercise, counseling, peer discussions, spiritual pursuits, or involvement in outside activities and hobbies all help us leave the job at work. August 21, 2007 @ 8:34 pm
This press release I received has some valuable information on the difficulties in diagnosing, treating, and curing Lyme Disease. Check it out. —————————-
August 20, 2007 @ 9:57 pm
The survey results that seem to be getting the most attention — “80% of the nation’s high school students and 44% of middle-schoolers have personally seen illegal drugs used or sold and/or students drunk or high on the grounds of their schools.” For those of us in the EMS fields, this may not come as much of a surprise. Even in my supposedly protected rural reason, I am always taken aback by the number of overdose calls we get at local schools. The most important warning that comes from this report is that the parents seem to be completely unaware of the this increasing trend in their children’s schools. We can do two things:
By getting more involved now, before school starts, maybe we can avert a few of the overdoses that we know are just on the horizon. A little education and preparation go a long way! Jamie, the Podmedic
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