Authors: Jeroen C. P. Simons, M.D. et al Anesthesiology 9 2016, Vol.125, 525-534. Background: Volatile anesthetics and propofol impair upper airway stability and possibly respiratory upper airway dilator muscle activity. The magnitudes of these effects have not been compared at equivalent anesthetic doses. We hypothesized that upper airway closing pressure is less negative and genioglossus activity […]
Read MoreAuthors: Hagen Bomberg, M.D. et al Anesthesiology 9 2016, Vol.125, 505-515. Background: Catheter-related infection is a serious complication of continuous regional anesthesia. The authors tested the hypothesis that single-dose antibiotic prophylaxis is associated with a lower incidence of catheter-related infections. Methods: Our analysis was based on cases in the 25-center German Network for Regional Anesthesia database […]
Read MoreAs part of the federal government’s efforts to address the opioid epidemic, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) issued a drug safety communication that the Agency is adding Boxed Warnings to the drug labeling of prescription opioid pain and prescription opioid cough medicines, and benzodiazepines. For health care professionals, the drug safety communication states: “Health care […]
Read MoreChallenges In Selecting the Appropriate Analgesic Written by Timothy J. Atkinson, PharmD, BCPS, Jacqueline Pratt Cleary, PharmD and Jeffrey Fudin, PharmD, DAIPM, FCCP, FASHP In recent years, an avalanche of evidence against opioid and nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug (NSAID) use has been published in medical journals, leading many physicians to re-evaluate the risk-to-benefit ratio of these medications. Nearly […]
Read MoreAuthors: Stefan Muenster, M.D. et al Anesthesiology published on August 18, 2016. Background: Transfusion of packed erythrocytes stored for a long duration is associated with increased pulmonary arterial pressure and vascular resistance. Prolonged storage decreases erythrocyte deformability, and older erythrocytes are rapidly removed from the circulation after transfusion. The authors studied whether treating stored packed ovine […]
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