November 2018 Briefing – Emergency Medicine

Here are what the editors at HealthDay consider to be the most important developments in Emergency Medicine for November 2018. This roundup includes the latest research news from journal articles, as well as the FDA approvals and regulatory changes that are the most likely to affect clinical practice.

Case Description Can Reliably Define Acute Flaccid Myelitis

FRIDAY, Nov. 30, 2018 (HealthDay News) — A case description can reliably define patients with acute flaccid myelitis (AFM), according to a study published online Nov. 30 in JAMA Pediatrics.

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Climate Change Ups Heat Deaths, Especially Among Elderly

THURSDAY, Nov. 29, 2018 (HealthDay News) — Risk for heat-related disease and death is rising worldwide due to climate change, according to a report published online Nov. 28 in The Lancet.

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Lower Mortality Seen for Cardiac Care at Top-Ranked Hospitals

WEDNESDAY, Nov. 28, 2018 (HealthDay News) — Compared with nonranked hospitals, top-ranked hospitals have lower 30-day mortality but similar or higher readmission rates for cardiovascular conditions, according to a study published online Nov. 28 in JAMA Cardiology.

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FDA: Kratom Products Have High Levels of Heavy Metals

WEDNESDAY, Nov. 28, 2018 (HealthDay News) — In addition to many other health risks, kratom products can have high levels of heavy metals, according to Scott Gottlieb, M.D., commissioner of the U.S. Food and Drug Administration.

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FDA: Safe to Eat Romaine Lettuce Again, but Check Labels

TUESDAY, Nov. 27, 2018 (HealthDay News) — In a statement released late yesterday, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration Commissioner Scott Gottlieb, M.D., announced that the agency was lifting its advisory against eating romaine lettuce, first put in place last Tuesday. At that point, the agency had not been able to narrow down the source of the tainted lettuce. But now the source seems to be “end-of-season” lettuce harvested somewhere in the Central Coast regions of central and northern California. And “harvesting of romaine lettuce from this region has [already] ended for the year,” Gottlieb noted.

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FDA to Update Medical Device Approvals Process

TUESDAY, Nov. 27, 2018 (HealthDay News) — A major update of the United States’ system for approving medical devices was announced yesterday by the Food and Drug Administration.

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Four Principles Underlie Patient and Family Partnership in Care