Musings and News

I've been reviewing my EMT-B chapters in order to get ready for the test. Wish me luck!

Medical news/reports:

Encephalitis Death Toll Hits 352 in India

"LUCKNOW, India Sep 1, 2005 — Japanese encephalitis killed 44 children overnight Thursday in northern India and the government deployed pig catchers in the worst-hit areas to round up swine, which carry the disease that has now claimed 352 lives since midsummer.
Japanese encephalitis is spread from pigs to humans by mosquitos, and the government also said it plans to hand out 200,000 mosquito nets to poor villagers, who often sleep outside on hot summer nights.
Most of the dead in the outbreak in Uttar Pradesh India's largest state and one of its poorest have been under 15, state health officials said."

That's really sad. Especially when you consider that this disease can be prevented with an immunization, but as it says in this article, there is no money for it in this particular area. Very sad that money is the determining factor in almost everything in life. I don't blame the vaccine companies since their point is to make a profit, but still, it is sad.

Father With Asthma Is Key To Child's Airway Constriction

"Children with asthma whose fathers have a history of the disease are at significantly greater risk for serious airway constriction than children whose father have no such history. In reporting the results of a 5-year study, the investigators said that paternal asthma was strongly associated with childhood airway hyperresponsiveness (AHR), an exaggerated constricting response to various stimuli that characterize asthma."

Interesting statistic.

Tungsten Bullets Cause Cancer In Wounds

"Unfriendly fireArmy's new 'green' ammunition, may pose health hazards too
By AMANDA LEHMERT

STAFF WRITER, Cape Cod Times

CAMP EDWARDS - In 1997 when the Environmental Protection Agency called a cease-fire at Camp Edwards, it marked the first time in U.S. military history that training was halted because lead and other chemicals from munitions threatened public health."

Eh, that's not good.

Blood pressure reduction cuts stroke risk in patients with atrial fibrillation

'NEW YORK (Reuters Health) - Routinely lowering blood pressure helps reduce the risk of stroke in most patients with atrial fibrillation, including those who are receiving anticoagulant therapy, new research shows. The results suggest that "clinicians should have a low threshold for initiating blood pressure-lowering therapy among patients with atrial fibrillation."
Patients with atrial fibrillation "obtain substantial benefit from anticoagulant therapy," co-author Dr. John C. Chalmers, from the University of Sydney in Australia, commented in a statement. "However, the risk of serious vascular complications remains high. These findings suggest that routine blood pressure-lowering is likely to provide additional protection against major vascular events, such as stroke."'

That's good to know too. Patients with a-fib have always had an increased risk of stroke. Thus why you're not supposed to cardiovert (shock) them after so many hours (I think it is 24-48 hours.)

Rabies warning over minor bites

"Experts have warned travellers not to be complacent if bitten by an animal in a country where rabies is common.
Writing in the British Medical Journal, they describe how a woman from Greater Manchester died after a nip from an infected dog left only a tiny graze.
The University of Liverpool researchers advised travellers to seek urgent attention if bitten or scratched."

Most people just brush it off saying "it's nothing." It's not worth the risk.