Here are 16 articles on medical research study findings from the week of Aug. 31.
1. A study of more than 17,238 out-of-hospital cardiac arrest patients found that nearly all survivals were achieved within 35 minutes of performing cardiopulmonary respiration and that there was little benefit beyond that time. Read more.
2. The use of computed tomography for diagnosing common ailments in children is falling by the wayside, replaced by alternate types of imaging such as ultrasound and magnetic resonance imaging, according to recent research. Read more.
3. Nearly one third (29 percent) of patients who end up in the hospital from the flu also have pneumonia, according to a study in BMC Infectious Diseases. Read more.
4. Coordination, communication and empathy are the three main themes with the strongest link to patient loyalty and satisfaction, according to recent research conducted and published by Press Ganey. Read more.
5. When people sleep for six hours or less each night, they are four times more likely to catch a cold when exposed to the virus compared to people who get more than seven hours of shuteye, according to a recent study. Read more.
6. A study in Health Affairs revealed that when the closest hospital to a patient experiencing acute myocardial infarction is in an ambulance diversion, it can lead to reduced access to hospitals with proper technology and ultimately an increase in one-year mortality. Read more.
7. Although religious discussions are important to some patients, religious and spiritual conversations do not frequently occur in intensive care units, according to a new study. Read more.
8. People who have had total hip or knee replacement surgery are at a greater risk for a heart attack during the month following the procedure, according to research published in Arthritis & Rheumatology. Read more.
9. Probiotic use to prevent the colonization of the lower intestine by harmful pathogens may be ineffective, according to a study from the Society for Healthcare Epidemiology of America. Read more.
10. Having a small, thick-walled left ventricle is the strongest predictor of heart failure for patients with chronic ischemic heart disease, according to findings presented August 30 at the European Society of Cardiology Congress. Read more.
11. Scientists at Arizona State University in Tempe developed a microfluidic technology that can sort antibiotic-resistant bacteria from strains that are susceptible to antibiotics in a matter of minutes. Read more.
12. A CDC Vital Signs report found that three out of four U.S. adults have a predicted heart age that is older than their actual age, putting them at increased risk for heart attacks and strokes. Read more.
13. New research suggests that inhaled anesthetics can combat viral and bacterial infections in the lungs. Read more.
14. Spanish-speaking families are more satisfied with their children's care when they can communicate with the surgical team in Spanish without a translator, according to a study in the Journal of Pediatric Surgery. Read more.
15. Active surveillance can reduce the likelihood of surgical site infection risk factors being overlooked, according to a recent study published in the American Journal of Infection Control. Read more.
16. The algorithms used in electronic surveillance systems may need to be adjusted for specific patient populations to better identify central line-associated bloodstream infections, according to recent research. Read more.