Archive for January 2009

A small scale British study shows that doctors and doctors-in-training made 33% fewer errors when asked to work fewer than 48 hours a week in accordance with the new European Working Time Directive (EWTD) which takes full effect in August 2009. The EWTD makes law a maximum 48 hour working week (including overtime), and a minimum of four weeks paid leave per year in order to protect workers from adverse health and safety risks. It applies to all sectors of activity, both public and private. In the study, doctors’ average sleep time increased from 6.75 to 7.26 hours per day and resulted in fewer potentially life-threatening events. Read more and share your opinion.

As winter continues in the northern hemisphere, dialysis patients are urged to plan for potential storms that can cause disruptions in their treatment schedules. Dialysis is a procedure used to provide artificial kidney function to those with kidney failure. Skipping dialysis treatments can cause serious metabolic problems and can lead to cardiac arrhythmias and even coma. Here are some tips for dialysis patients and their caretakers:

- Speak to your doctor to formulate an emergency plan.
- Keep emergency phone numbers accessible.
- Be aware of local weather warnings.
- If you perform dialysis at home, speak with your provider to make sure you know what to do in the even the power goes out.

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Two US studies demonstrated trace amounts of mercury in high fructose corn syrup (HFCS). For many years HFCS has been produced by using a caustic mercury-containing soda to separate the corn starch (which goes to make the syrup) from the corn kernel. Although many modern plants employ mercury-free technology, there are four US plants that still use mercury. A 2008 study looked at 55 popular branded (including Hershey’s, Quaker, Smucker’s and Kraft) foods and drinks where HFCS is the first or second highest labelled ingredient. Nearly one-third of them contained trace amounts of mercury. In 2007, then Senator Barack Obama brought forth legislation to make production facilities phase out mercury technology by 2012. Learn more about mercury toxicity.

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After the popular American hospital drama Grey’s Anatomy depicted this condition in its last episode, I’ve received numerous questions as to whether this can, in fact, occur – and the answer is yes, albeit extremely rarely. Because the penis does not actually contain bones it can’t be “fractured” like bones. Rather, the very strong fibrous tissue that envelopes the corpus cavernosum, the part of the penis that engorges with blood during an erection, can rupture due to blunt trauma. This usually causes a great deal of pain, swelling, bruising and loss of erection. Treatment usually requires surgery to repair the tear.

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Tuberculosis (TB) is one of the world’s most widespread diseases. Nearly one third of the world’s population has been exposed and 8 million people annually develop active TB. For those who are infected and have latent TB, the treatment is a grueling nine-month-long course with a drug called isoniazid. Now, researchers from McGill University are revealing the results of a multi-national study which shows that four months of treatment with another TB drug, rifampin, is better than the traditional treatment, and confers less liver side effects. Because of this, people are more likely to complete the full course of treatment.

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The US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention released national sexually transmitted disease surveillance data for the year 2007. More than 1.1 million chlamydia cases were reported – the largest number of cases ever reported to CDC for any condition. Rates of primary and secondary syphilis also increased by 15% from 2006. While the rates of STD infections continue to rise, federal funding for the CDC’s Division of STD Prevention has declined since 2003, which results in decreased state and local funding as well.

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Lawsuits and litigations are common in US culture and certainly in US medicine.  Now, a new computer program aims to guide patients and physicians toward favorable outcomes following adverse ones. The REACT Program promotes and advocates open and honest discussion between the parties involved. The goal is to reach a common ground based upon effective dialogue, something that medical students are – and ought to be – taught. However, in light of our litigation-happy culture, it can sometimes be difficult for physicians to admit fault. This is why some states have adopted “apology immunity laws,” which protect healthcare workers from their apologies or benevolent gestures being used against them in court. If honesty is truly the best policy then why do many prefer litigation over acceptance of apology?

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It seems that anything is a risk factor for disease nowadays, and environmental pollution is one of the top culprits. While we know that diet and exercise can play a role in the development of type 2 diabetes, a new Ohio State University Medical Center study has found a strong connection between the disease and air pollution. When studying mice with diabetes, every mouse that was exposed to a high fat diet, along with exposure to inhaled particulates, had marked worsening of diabetes. Tests show that air pollution can cause inflammation, increase in body fat, and disruption in insulin processing, which is a hallmark of diabetes.  Although this was a mouse study, it’s interesting to note that the greatest increase in diabetes in humans are occurring in urban areas where people are more frequently exposed to air of poor quality.

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A new Canadian study shows that poverty during a child’s toddler years can lead to shorter stature by the time they reach kindergarten, regardless of hereditary factors. The researchers stress that although Canada is an industrialized country with a universal healthcare system and accessible daycare, the country still has health inequalities directly related to poverty, such as poor nutrition and housing, medical problems, such as asthma, that can lead to shorter stature. One of the shortcomings of this research is that it doesn’t address whether these children will “catch up” to their peers during adolescence, or by the time they reach adulthood.

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The recent cold snap in America’s Midwest has prompted inquiries to the Iowa Department of Public Health regarding the length of time it takes for skin to freeze in the predicted winter chill today – some areas are predicting temperatures as low as 40F below zero with the wind chill factor. In these conditions, exposed skin could freeze within 10 minutes, causing frostbite. Frostbite most often affects parts of the body that are most difficult to maintain warmth including the fingers, nose, ears, toes, cheeks, and chin. When frostbite occurs it can cause tingling, numbness, and grayish discoloration in the affected area.  It can also permanently damage the skin, causing scarring, and severe cases can lead to amputation.

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