Breakthrough News About Migraine Headaches

Investigators from the International Headache Genetics Consortium, a world-wide collaboration of researchers, have identified the first-ever genetic risk factor associated with common types of migraine. Researchers looked at genetic data of more than 50,000 people and found new insights into the triggers for migraines attacks, which commonly begin in puberty [...]

Malaria Medication Use for Leg Cramps is Risky

People who use the drug Qualaquin to treat or prevent nighttime leg cramps may be at risk for serious and life-threatening reactions, according to the Food and Drug Administration FDA.Qualaquin quinine sulfate is FDA-approved only to treat a certain type of malaria uncomplicated malaria caused by the parasite Plasmodium falciparum.This infection, which is rare in [...]

Flame retardant linked to altered thyroid hormone levels during pregnancy

Pregnant women with higher blood levels of a common flame retardant had altered thyroid hormone levels, a result that could have implications for fetal health, according to a new study led by researchers at the University of California, Berkeley.
“This is the first study with a sufficient sample size to evaluate the [...]

1 in 5 U.S. High School Students Have Abused Prescription Drugs

One  in 5 U.S. high school students say they have ever taken a prescription drug without a doctor’s prescription, according to the 2009 National Youth Risk Behavior Survey (YRBS) released today by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.  This is the first year the survey assessed prescription [...]

Inova Mount Vernon Hospital Certified as Primary Stroke Center

Hospital Recognized for Meeting Specialized Needs of Stroke Patients
Alexandria, VA — The Joint Commission, which oversees accreditation and certification of more than 17,000 healthcare organizations and programs in the United States, has officially certified Inova Mount Vernon Hospital as a Primary Stroke Center, making it part of an elite group of [...]

Depressed chronic kidney disease patients more likely to face complications

DALLAS – May 20, 2010 – Patients with chronic kidney disease who have been diagnosed with depression are twice as likely to be hospitalized, progress to long-term dialysis treatments or die within a year as those who are not depressed, UT Southwestern Medical Center researchers have found.
In the study, appearing in [...]

CDC study shows an average of 1 in 110 children have autism spectrum disorder (ASD)

CDC’s most recent data show that between 1 in 80 and 1 in 240 children with an average of 1 in 110 have an ASD. This is a prevalence of about 1% of children.

New data shows an average of 1 in 110 children have an autism spectrum disorder (ASD).
The recent [...]

Communication often fumbled during patient hand-offs in hospital

As shifts change in a hospital, outgoing physicians must “hand off” important information to their replacements in a brief meeting. But a new study of this hand-off process finds that the most important information is not fully conveyed in a majority of cases, even as physicians rate their communication as successful.
The research, published by University [...]

Study Finds Nursing Workforce is Growing and More Diverse

The number of licensed registered nurses (RNs) in the United States grew to a new high of 3.1 million between 2004 and 2008 according to a report released today by the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA). This increase of more than 5 percent also reflects growing diversity in the backgrounds [...]

Yellow Fever Outbreak in Brazil

Yellow fever cases have occurred throughout southern Brazil, mainly in the states of Rio Grande do Sul and São Paolo. Yellow fever occurs in sub-Saharan Africa and tropical South America and is spread to people through the bite of infected mosquitoes. Symptoms can include sudden onset of fever, chills, headache, backache, nausea, and vomiting.
From December [...]