Perry Fine, MD, believes anesthesiologists should play a role in the delivery of palliative care. “We as anesthesiologists are perfectly aligned to spend more of our time, knowledge and skills involved with patients who are facing end-of-life issues or are actively suffering,” the professor of anesthesiology at the University of Utah and strategic advisor to […]
Read MorePublished in Emerg Med J. 2015 Feb;32(2):161-7 Authors: deSouza IS et al OBJECTIVE: We performed a systematic review of the literature to compare the efficacy of different drug therapies for the termination of stable, monomorphic ventricular tachycardia (VT). METHODS: We searched EMBASE, MEDLINE and Cochrane for trials from 1965 through July 2013 using a search strategy […]
Read MorePublished in Pharmacotherapy. 2015 Jan;35(1):112-7 Authors: Hillman AD et al Abstract Serotonin syndrome is a syndrome identified by a triad of altered mental status, neuromuscular overactivity, and autonomic instability caused by the overstimulation of serotonin in the central nervous system and periphery. Serotonin syndrome may be provoked with the addition or increase in serotonergic agents such […]
Read MorePublished in Foot Ankle Int. 2015 May;36(5):503-7 Authors: Robbins J et al BACKGROUND: Liposomal bupivacaine is increasingly being utilized in attempts to provide prolonged local analgesia in the immediate postoperative period. The purpose of this study was to quantify the reduction in opioid consumption as well as postoperative pain scores in the postoperative period when liposomal […]
Read MoreIn a drug safety communication issued today, the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) says it is aware of recent reports “questioning” the safety of prescription and over-the-counter (OTC) pain medicines when used during pregnancy, but that it lacks adequate studies to change current recommendations. The benefits and risks of using prescription and OTC pain […]
Read MoreOpioid pain medications are widely prescribed among women of childbearing age, which is a “significant public health concern,” federal health officials with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said today. A new report published in the January 23 issue of Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report (MMWR) shows that roughly one fourth of privately insured women aged 15 to […]
Read MoreThe use of ultrasound to measure airway dimensions in order to predict difficult intubations has been proven reliable, potentially opening the door for its use in such situations. “The difficulty of airway management is one of the prime risks for mortality and morbidity in patients undergoing anesthesia,” said Faraj W. Abdallah, MD, assistant professor of […]
Read MoreAuthors: Holcomb JB et al. JAMA 2015 Feb 3. Compared with a 1:1:2 ratio, the 1:1:1 ratio improved hemostasis without causing more adverse effects, although mortality did not differ. In recent years, the dogma regarding large-volume crystalloid resuscitation in trauma patients has changed, with increased emphasis on including plasma and platelets in addition to red blood cells […]
Read MoreDespite effective new treatments for their disease, children with pulmonary hypertension (PHT) are still a high-risk group for serious complications and death related to anaesthesia and surgery, according to a study published in the February issue of the journal Anesthesia & Analgesia. “The risk for adverse events during anaesthesia in patients with PHT remains high, […]
Read MoreTreating post-operative pain with morphine can cause life-threatening respiratory problems in some children who have had their tonsils and/or adenoids removed, according to a study published in the January 26, 2015, online edition of the journal Pediatrics. The study has identified a significant risk for potentially-fatal breathing disruption when morphine is administered at home after […]
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