Omicron 40% more fatal than seasonal flu, study finds … Arthritis drug reduces death in hospitalized COVID-19 patients … Pickleball injuries rising among seniors … Lawmakers quiz drugmakers on sky-high...
Long-term care facilities to receive expedited meds under National COVID-19 Preparedness Plan
By
Alicia Lasek
Mar 03, 2022
Hundreds of facilities will be able to directly order COVID-19 antiviral drugs and receive direct distributions starting this month, federal officials say.
Clinical briefs for Thursday, March 3
By
Alicia Lasek
Mar 03, 2022
Senate GOP votes to strike Biden’s vaccine rule for healthcare workers … New drug candidate reduces brain inflammation, protects lab mice against dementia … Osteoarthritis burden remains high...
New data show high excess mortality from RSV, reduced threat from flu among older adults
By
Alicia Lasek
Mar 02, 2022
The first such study in 13 years finds nuanced changes in the risk that flu and respiratory syncytial virus pose to seniors, and underscores the impact of the 2009 H1N1 flu pandemic on infections and deaths...
Seniors’ misconceptions about advanced cancer may reduce use of hospice services: study
By
Alicia Lasek
Mar 02, 2022
Older adults with advanced cancer often misjudge the time they have left to live. This may increase their chances for unnecessary hospitalization and likelihood to neglect hospice care, investigators say.
One-size-fits-all blood pressure cuff approach may lead to inaccurate diagnoses
By
Alicia Lasek
Mar 02, 2022
Overestimation of blood pressure due to a too-small cuff size misclassified 39% of study participants as hypertensive, investigators report.
Clinical briefs for Wednesday, March 2
By
Alicia Lasek
Mar 02, 2022
Telemedicine helped nursing home residents avoid ER visits, research finds … Britain revokes mandatory COVID-19 shots for nursing home staff, other healthcare workers … Electronic devices can disable...
Mortality rate spiked for LTCF residents with dementia during pandemic: study
By
Alicia Lasek
Mar 01, 2022
Residents with dementia had a 33% higher rate of death in 2020 vs. pre-pandemic 2019. Healthcare disruption — rather than COVID-19 illness alone — may be the direct cause of this disparity, the study...
Stewardship engagement slashes antibiotic use across hundreds of LTCFs
By
Alicia Lasek
Mar 01, 2022
More than 400 U.S. long-term care facilities were able to reduce the number of urine cultures, treatment courses and length of antibiotics therapy during a year-long program. “Those who do the work,...
Clinical briefs for Tuesday, March 1
By
Alicia Lasek
Mar 01, 2022
CMS wallops nursing homes with planned staffing requirements and increased penalties … FDA ups recommended dose of Evusheld monoclonal antibody treatment … Addressing residents’ kidney health an...