Harmful diagnostic errors may occur for as many as one in every 14 hospital patients receiving medical care, a new study based on a single medical center in the U.S. has found. As many as 85% of these errors may be preventable, highlighting the need for improved surveillance in hospital settings. To explore these findings, a team of researchers led by Brigham and Women's Hospital in Boston randomly selected records from 675 patients admitted to hospital between July 2019 and September 2021.
Cortisol, a stress hormone, and adrenaline are both released when a person becomes frightened. Both are fine in small amounts, but an excess of both chemicals can cause internal and external symptoms in the present and future.
The National Institutes of Health has launched a proof-of-concept precision medicine clinical trial to test new treatment combinations targeting specific genetic changes in the cancer cells of people with acute myeloid leukemia and myelodysplastic syndromes. The trial, funded by NIH's National Cancer Institute, aims to accelerate the discovery of more tailored treatments for these aggressive cancers of the blood and bone marrow.
The full-year cost of care for U.S. patients with obesity two years after starting on Novo Nordisk's Wegovy or similar GLP-1 drugs was $18,507, on average. That represents a 46% jump over the average annual medical cost of $12,695 prior to taking the medication, data provided by pharmacy benefits manager Prime Therapeutics show. The costs for a similar control group of patients not taking the drugs grew by 14% for the same period.
Women in labor can now be tested more specifically for risk of preeclampsia— a leading but preventable cause of maternal death. The ratio of two blood proteins, fibrinogen and albumin (FAR), can be measured in routine blood tests to indicate risk of the condition. But there has been no universally recognized normal value for FAR in preeclampsia. Now, researchers at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai may have found one.
Patient decision aids are evidence-based tools that help individuals make informed decisions about their healthcare. These tools help patients understand the benefits and risks of each option while clarifying their personal values. Often, decision aids include visual tools such as charts or diagrams to simplify complex medical data, making it easier for patients to grasp the implications of their choices.