When breast cancer experts recently reassessed their risk-evaluation formulas, they found that they were significantly underestimating the risks for African-American women. This reevaluation is likely to result in changes in counseling for women in this demographic, including more recommendations to go for mammograms and more encouragement to sign up for studies of breast cancer. This….
Continue ReadingArchives for November 2007
Hospital Commits 3rd Brain Surgery on the Wrong Side of the Head
Rhode Island Hospital has, for the third time this year, done a brain surgery on the wrong side of the patient’s head. The hospital has been fined $50,000 and has received a reprimand from the state Department of Health. In this most recent instance, the patient was 82 years old. Fortunately, the patient was unhurt….
Continue ReadingRisk Disclosure and Organ Donation
Recently, four organ transplant patients were infected with HIV and hepatitis–a rare occurrence. One of the patients claims, through her lawyer, that the risks of the procedure were not disclosed to her. A major issue here is that the kidney donor was considered “high risk” by the standards set by the Centers for Disease Control….
Continue ReadingPlastic Surgery: Still Safe, but Know the Risks
The risks of plastic surgery have been in the news lately thanks to the death of Donda West, mother of Kanye West. West died following a “tummy tuck,” a common plastic surgery operation. At this time, the cause of her death is unclear. In the wake of her death, the American Society of Plastic Surgeons….
Continue ReadingEnergy Drinks Linked to Heart Problems
A new study, presented to the American Heart Association’s Scientific Sessions, has found that consumption of energy drinks is linked to heart disease and high blood pressure. The linked article contains a description of the study. These results are unsurprising because most energy drinks contain caffeine. Any problems associated with coffee, particularly excessive coffee drinking….
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