Editor's Note A recent randomized crossover trial conducted at Johns Hopkins University reveals that improper arm positioning during blood pressure measurements can lead to significant overestimation, potentially contributing to over-diagnosis of hypertension. The findings appeared in Jama Network October 7. The study, which included 133 participants, compared readings in three…
Editor's Note If global healthcare were a country, it would rank as the fifth-largest emitter of greenhouse gases. So says Dr. Sofya Asfaw, a trauma and critical care surgeon at Cleveland Clinic, in a JAMA Network video on “greening” the OR. Published July 17, the short film features experts like…
Editor's Note The first clinical guidance for prescribing opioids to children recommend combining the drugs with nonopioid medications like acetaminophen or ibuprofen rather than as monotherapy, according to a September 30 report in Healio. Released by The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP), the guidance also specifies that naloxone should also…
Editor's Note In the wake of Hurricane Helene and the recent Gulf Coast port strikes, hospitals are raising alarms and pursuing their own strategies for mitigating supply chain disruption even as a second hurricane—Milton—bears down on Florida. As of October 7, dozens of Florida healthcare facilities had suspended services and/or…
Editor's Note Six US companies will manufacture approximately 250 million medical gowns as part of a government effort to shore up supplies that were subject to shortages during the COVID-19 pandemic, the Associated Press (AP) reported October 3. Led by the Administration for Strategic Preparedness and Response (ASPR), the initiative…
Editor's Note The US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has deemed Mercury Medical’s recall of Neo-Tee Resuscitators a Class 1, the most severe category indicating serious risk of injury or death. According to the agency’s October 7 announcement, the recall was motivated by potential for the inline controller to come…
Editor's Note Patients using GLP-1 receptor agonists (GLP-1 RAs) have a higher risk of food retention during esophagogastroduodenoscopy (EGD) when performed alone, but not when combined with a colonoscopy, according to a retrospective study from Cedars-Sinai Medical Center. MedPage Today reported the news October 1. The study included 70 patients…
Editor's Note Healthcare employment in the US rose by 45,000 from September to October, according to the latest report from the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), released October 4. That is compared to an overall monthly gain of 254,000 in August and below the average monthly gain of 57,000 over…
Editor's Note MedStar Health announced the first successful all-plastic total ankle replacement surgery, performed at MedStar Georgetown University Hospital. According to a September 30 announcement, the 71-year-old patient has a lifelong metal allergy and suffered from advanced joint degeneration in her right ankle, causing significant difficulty in walking. Dr. Paul…
Editor's Note The Association for the Advancement of Medical Instrumentation (AAMI) has entered into a partnership with the Consumer Technology Association (CTA) to develop new standards for the integration of artificial intelligence and machine learning in healthcare, according to an October 1 report in DOTmed. Formalized through a memorandum of…