Tag: Patient risks

Study: GLP-1 drugs heighten risk of gastric residue but not perioperative pulmonary aspiration

Editor's Note Taking GLP-1 receptor agonists before anesthesia increases the risk of residual gastric contents, but evidence is lacking for a corresponding increase in perioperative pulmonary aspiration risk, according research published April 15 in the journal Anaesthesia. The systematic review and meta-analysis analyzed 28 observational studies involving over 466,000 patients…

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By: Matt Danford
April 16, 2025
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Low-cost blood test predicts cardiovascular event risk

Editor's Note A low-cost blood test for troponin, a protein released during heart muscle damage, significantly improves long-term risk prediction for heart attacks and strokes—especially in patients with intermediate cardiovascular risk, according to an April 7 report from News-Medical.Net. The findings, based on a large-scale international study led by the…

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By: Matt Danford
April 11, 2025
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GAO urges HHS to improve drug shortage response coordination

Editor's Note The Government Accountability Office (GAO) has called on the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) to implement a formal mechanism for coordinating efforts to address ongoing drug shortages, which continue to jeopardize patient care nationwide. In a report released April 9, 2025, the GAO highlighted the critical…

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By: Matt Danford
April 10, 2025
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Nurse-coordinated care reduces long-term heart risks after acute coronary syndrome

Editor's Note A nurse-coordinated prevention program significantly lowered the long-term risk of major adverse cardiovascular events (MACE) in adults recovering from acute coronary syndrome (ACS), according to an April 2 article in Healio. The program, which focused on lifestyle and behavioral changes, led to a 30% reduction in adverse events,…

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By: Matt Danford
April 7, 2025
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Study: No significant link between GLP-1 drugs, postoperative aspiration pneumonia

Editor's Note Preoperative use of GLP-1 receptor agonists was not significantly associated with an increased risk of aspiration pneumonia or acute respiratory failure after surgery, according to a March 4 report in MedPage Today. The article focuses on a retrospective cohort study of over 366,000 surgical patients found no meaningful…

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By: Matt Danford
March 14, 2025
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Study: Implicit bias linked to low-value vascular procedures, worse outcomes for Black patients

Editor's Note Reducing the negative influence of implicit bias requires system-level interventions to ensure procedures align with best practices for all patients, according to results of new research on outcomes for vascular surgery patients. Published February 26 in JAMA Surgery, the study showed that implicit racial bias among vascular specialists…

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By: Matt Danford
March 11, 2025
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Medical gaslighting tops ECRI’s 2025 patient safety threat list

Editor's Note Misdiagnosis, delayed treatment, and a breakdown of trust in healthcare can all result from time and resource constraints preventing proper engagement with patients—a concern that tops ECRI’s list of the most significant patient safety risks for 2025. As detailed in the global healthcare safety nonprofit’s March 10 announcement,…

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By: Matt Danford
March 11, 2025
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New colonoscopy guidelines increase bowel prep quality expectations

Editor's Note New consensus recommendations from the US Multi-Society Task Force on Colorectal Cancer (MSTFCRC) set a 90% adequacy benchmark for bowel preparation in colonoscopy, reinforcing the role of preparation in ensuring accurate screenings and reducing the risk of missed lesions. As detailed in a March 4 joint press release…

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By: Matt Danford
March 10, 2025
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Study: Weekend effect raises risk of surgical patient mortality, complications

JAMA (healthcare publication) Network logo

Editor's Note A March 4 study in JAMA Network Open underscores the persistence of the “weekend effect,” a surgical care phenomenon in which the risk of postoperative complications, readmissions and mortality rises immediately before the weekend. The research suggests variations in staffing, resource availability, and care coordination may contribute to…

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By: Matt Danford
March 6, 2025
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Study: Cataract surgery increases diabetic retinopathy progression

Editor's Note Cataract surgery raises the risk of worsening diabetic retinopathy in adults with type 2 diabetes, according to a February 24 article in MedPage Today. The article focused on a a retrospective analysis published in the journal Ophthalmology. The study involved a large dataset from the TriNetX research network,…

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By: Matt Danford
March 3, 2025
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