Risk of Heart Disease Death Higher for Pre-1984 Breast Cancer Radiation Patients

A new study published in next week’s issue of the Journal of the American College of Cardiology has found that surviving breast cancer patients who had been treated with radiotherapy prior to 1984 have a greater incidence of death caused by heart disease.

The study’s researchers determined this after analyzing data on almost 4,500 breast cancer patients who were treated for their cancer between 1954 and 1984 at a treatment center in France. Each woman included in the study was each evaluated for 28 years, on average.

Researchers looked at these women’s medical records and national registry information and determined that about two-thirds had received radiation treatment for their cancer. The team found that of the 2,637 women who survived their breast cancer, 421 died as a result of cardiovascular disease.

It was determined that for women who received radiation therapy in the specified time frame before 1984, the risk of dying from disease was 1.76 times higher than those women who were not treated with radiation.

A delay in diagnosing and treating breast cancer can allow the cancer to grow and spreads over time. If you or a loved one has experienced a delay in the diagnosis or treatment of breast cancer and have questions about the quality of the medical care received, please call or email Silberstein, Awad & Miklos’ cancer malpractice lawyers for answers. We have helped clients with Queens breast cancer, Bronx breast cancer, Brooklyn breast cancer, Manhattan breast cancer and Long Island breast cancer malpractice for thirty years.

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SE HABLA ESPANOL

Prevention of Falls Extremely Important for Elderly

A recent article published in the Journal of the American Geriatrics Society recommends several new guidelines to help prevent falls by older adults. The publication suggests that doctors of elderly patients provide regular screening for fall risk factors in order to help prevent these accidents.

For the elderly, one of the most common medical issues is falling and the problems that result from a fall. For this reason, it is important that older adults follow an exercise regimen to prevent imbalance and weakness, which are the cause of many falls.

In addition, physicians should speak with their elderly patients about any history of falls and problems with their balance, as well as examine these patients for muscle weakness, which can contribute to falls.

Elderly patients should also be evaluated for orthostatic (postural) hypotension, which is an excessive drop in blood pressure upon standing. Common symptoms of this condition include dizziness, blurred vision, light headedness and loss of consciousness, all of which can lead to a fall.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), falls are the most common cause of nonfatal injuries in the U.S. If you or a loved one has been seriously injured in a trip or slip and fall accident, call or e-mail the personal injury attorneys at Silberstein, Awad & Miklos, P.C. today. Our premises liability attorneys will evaluate your case free of charge. We have helped clients with Queens slip and fall, Manhattan slip and fall, Bronx slip and fall, Brooklyn slip and fall or Long Island slip and fall accident, call us today.

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Study: Fewer hospital-caused infections in private ICUs

A new study out of Canada has found that private rooms for intensive care unit (ICU) patients may greatly reduce the number of infections contracted while in the hospital. Patients in rooms with more than one bed were found to catch more than double the number of infections.

Hospital stays for ICU patients increase by more than a week, on average, when an infection is contracted, with roughly a third of all ICU patients becoming infected with a new bug while in the hospital. However, by looking at two hospitals in Montreal, Canada, this study saw how placing ICU patients in private rooms can reduce the spread of infection.

Lead researcher Dana Teltsch, along with her colleagues at McGill University, studied five years worth of data from more than 19,000 admissions to the intensive care units at the two hospitals. About halfway through the study, one of the hospitals converted their ICU to have only private rooms, allowing researchers to compare infection rates.

The research team, who published their findings in the Archives of Internal Medicine, found that following the switch to private rooms only, the combined risk of contracting a new infection dropped by more than 50 percent. The average amount of time ICU patients had to stay in the hospital also fell after being placed in a private room.

Although many infections are impossible to prevent, when left untreated, infections can cause serious harm or even death. If a loved one has died as a result of doctor or hospital negligence, call or email Silberstein, Awad & Miklos today for a free consultation. We have helped clients with Manhattan medical malpractice, Queens medical malpractice, Brooklyn medical malpractice, Bronx medical malpractice and Long Island medical malpractice matters. We don't get paid unless we win your case.

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Don’t Rely on YouTube to Learn CPR

Although many people utilize the popular YouTube.com to gain information by watching video clips, some of the tutorials posted on the site are not the most dependable, especially when it comes to your health.

A recent study conducted in New York found that about half of the more than 50 videos posted on YouTube teaching CPR were posted by users without medical training. Of the other half of the videos, the majority were uploaded by certified CPR instructors, paramedics, doctors or private groups.

The study’s lead researcher, Dr. Karthik Murugiah, found that many of the video tutorials correctly demonstrated how to perform CPR. Still, quite a few videos displayed inaccurate methods, while others were missing important aspects of the CPR procedure, such as the rate of chest compressions.

Anyone interested in learning how to properly perform CPR can visit the American Heart Association online for information on CPR training courses. The site also details the importance of CPR and how it saves lives every day.

If you or a loved one has had a heart attack and have questions about the quality of the medical care received, call or email the medical malpractice lawyers at Silberstein, Awad & Miklos for answers. Our team has been helping clients with Bronx medical malpractice, Queens medical malpractice, Brooklyn medical malpractice, Manhattan medical malpractice and Long Island medical malpractice cases for over thirty years.

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Many Pregnant Smokers Deny Habit

A new study conducted in New York has found that of women who smoke during their pregnancy, about one quarter deny smoking.

When pregnant women smoke, it increases the risk that their child will be born with an illness, or not survive at all. By exposing an unborn baby to harmful chemicals like nicotine, tar and carbon monoxide, the amount of oxygen the child receives can decrease, slowing down development, according to the March of Dimes Foundation.

Smoking can greatly increase the risk of a woman having:

• Stillbirth
• Vaginal bleeding
• Ectopic pregnancy
• Placental abruption
• Placenta previa

In addition, pregnant smokers are more like to have babies born:

• Prematurely
• Underweight
• With birth defects

The study included both pregnant and non-pregnant women ages 20 to 44 who smoked cigarettes. Researchers took blood samples from the 3,203 non-pregnant and 994 pregnant women involved in the study and analyzed levels of cotinine, which is a substance found in nicotine.

The research team found that active smokers made up about 30 percent of the nonpregnant group and 13 percent of the pregnant group. Of the pregnant women who smoked, the average number of cigarettes smoked each day was 11. The Non-pregnant women smoked an average of almost 14 cigarettes a day.

Researchers also found that roughly 23 percent of the pregnant smokers denied their habit, while only 9 percent of non-pregnant women denied smoking. In addition, women ages 20 to 24 were the most likely to deny smoking in both groups of women.

Smoking while pregnant increases a baby’s risk of health problems, however, some conditions may be caused by a mistake by a doctor or hospital. If your child has suffered a birth injury that may have been preventable, call or e-mail the attorneys at Silberstein, Awad & Miklos, P.C. today. We will evaluate your Bronx birth injury, Brooklyn birth injury, Queens birth injury, Nassau birth injury or Suffolk birth injury case free of charge.

Sources: American Journal of Epidemiology, March of Dimes Foundation