Risk of Stroke Higher in Older Adults with Salty Diets

A study conducted over ten years and recently published in the journal Stroke reinforces the belief that high salt intake is a risk factor for stroke. Researchers interviewed almost 2,700 New Yorkers with an average age of 69, looking at their health and lifestyle, in addition to dietary questionnaires the participants completed.

The American Heart Association (AHA) suggests that sodium intake be limited to no more than 1,500 milligrams a day. People that consume high levels of salt generally have increased blood pressure, which is a risk factor for stroke

The study found that those who consumed higher than recommended levels of sodium were almost three times more likely to suffer a stroke during the ten year study period than those whose sodium intake was within the suggested range.

Researchers also noticed that of the study participants, who were mostly black and Hispanic, many consumed much more salt than recommended. Of the 558 people that consumed 4,000 milligrams of sodium or more per day, 66 experienced a stroke over the duration of the study. Among the 320 that consumed 1,500 milligrams or less a day, only 24 experienced a stroke.

Many people are unaware of how much salt they are actually consuming on a daily basis, so it is important to read nutrition information labels on food before eating to avoid foods with excessive sodium content. The majority of sodium consumed by adults in the U.S. does not come from adding salt to foods, but from the prepared foods themselves.

It is important for physicians to be aware of any stroke risk factors their patients may have, including high sodium consumption and high blood pressure. According to the American Stroke Association, more than 137,000 people die each year from strokes, making it the fourth leading cause of death.

If you or a loved one was seriously hurt or died as a result of a stroke that was untimely treated or misdiagnosed, call or email the medical malpractice attorneys at Silberstein, Awad & Miklos today for a free consultation. Our experienced attorneys have helped clients with Brooklyn stroke malpractice, Bronx stroke malpractice, Queens stroke malpractice, Manhattan stroke malpractice and Long Island stroke malpractice matters.

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Study: Women more likely to have heart attack without chest pain

A recent study reported in the Journal of the American Medical Association has found that women are more likely than men to present to the hospital for a heart attack without having experienced chest pain or discomfort.

Researchers looked at the medical records of roughly 1.1 million heart attack patients that were included in a national database. The records included treatment from 1994 to 2006 at almost 2,000 hospitals. Their analysis found that while about 31 percent of male heart attack patients did not have chest pain or discomfort, about 42 percent of female patients experienced the same lack of symptoms. In younger women, no chest pain was even more common following a heart attack.

A lack of pain or discomfort can be extremely dangerous when it comes to a heart attack, as it can cause a delay in treatment and increase the risk of death. This also makes clear why women included in the study had a higher incidence of death compared to men , as many were unaware they were experiencing a heart attack and did not receive treatment early enough, if at all.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention states that each year, almost 800,000 people in the U.S. experience their first heart attack, and heart disease continues to be the leading cause of death for men and women.

It is important to remember that aside from chest pain and discomfort, heart attack sufferers can also experience shortness of breath or pain in the jaw, neck, arms, stomach or back. Women who have a family history of heart disease, are smokers, or those with diabetes are predisposed to heart attacks. These women should be aware that there are more symptoms of a heart attack than just chest pain.

If you or a loved one ‘s experienced a delay in diagnosis or treatment of their heart attack resulting in serious injury or death, call or email the medical malpractice attorneys at Silberstein, Awad & Miklos for a free consultation today. We have helped clients with Bronx cardiac malpractice, Brooklyn cardiac malpractice, Queens cardiac malpractice, Manhattan cardiac malpractice and Long Island cardiac malpractice cases.

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Teen Girls Twice as Likely to Use Cell Phones or Other Electronic Devices While Driving

A study recently released by the AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety has found that teen girls are twice as likely as teen boys to use an electronic device, including cell phones, while driving. Girls are also almost ten percent more likely to engage in other distracting behaviors while behind the wheel. Teen boys were found to be twice as likely as girls to turn around in their seats, and were also more likely to talk to people outside of their cars while driving.

Researchers involved in the study looked at in-car video clips of unsupervised new teen drivers in North Carolina. The videos revealed that the most common distractions for both genders were cell phone use, including texting, personal grooming, and reaching for things within the car. Cell phone use was observed in about 7 percent of the video clips. Fifteen percent of the videos showed some other type of distraction while driving, such as eating or drinking, personal grooming or adjusting car controls.

The study found that when teen drivers had a group of passengers in their car as opposed to one passenger, horseplay and loud conversation was far more likely to occur. Older teens were found to be more prone to distracted driving. Researchers believe that as teens become more comfortable behind the wheel, they are more likely to engage in distracted behaviors while driving.

Automobile accidents are the leading cause of death for teenagers in the U.S., making it extremely important that teens understand the dangers of distracted driving. Parents should educate their teen about the hazards of distracted driving. If you or a loved one was injured as a result of another driver’s negligence, call or email the automobile accident attorneys at Silberstein, Awad & Miklos today. Our experienced personal injury attorneys will evaluate your case for free any answer any questions you may have. We have helped clients with Queens auto accident, Bronx auto accident, Brooklyn auto accident, Manhattan auto accident and Long Island auto accident cases.

Potency of Some Cancer Drugs Reduced when Combined with Common Medications

A study recently presented at a meeting of the American Society for Clinical Pharmacology and Therapeutics has found that many patients taking oral cancer drugs are also taking other medications that may either lower the effectiveness or increase the harmful side effects of the cancer drug.

The research, conducted by Medco Health Solutions, included pharmacy claims of roughly 11,600 patients who were taking one of nine kinase inhibitors, or oral cancer drugs. The drugs included Nexavar, Gleevec, Tasigna, Sutent, Tarceva, Sprycel and Tykerb.

Of the patients taking Gleevec, a drug used for leukemia, 43 percent were also taking another medication that could possibly lower the potency of the cancer drug. Sixty-eight percent were also taking a drug that could increase the level of toxicity of Gleevec.

The types of medications that were found to cause potentially dangerous effects when combined with the cancer drugs included proton pu,p inhibitor (PPI) heartburn drugs (i.e. Nexium and Prevacid), calcium channel blockers used for blood pressure and the heart, and certain antibiotics, antifungal treatments and steroids.

In most cases, the cancer drugs were prescribed to patients by their oncologists, and the other medications were prescribed by the patient’s primary care physician. Study authors stressed the importance of communication between the patient’s doctors. Better physician communication can help prevent dangerous combinations of prescription drugs, improving overall patient safety.

When physicians negligently prescribe a drug that has a bad interaction with another medication, patients can be seriously hurt. If you or a loved one were harmed by a doctor’s negligence, call or email the prescription malpractice attorneys at Silberstein, Awad & Miklos. We have over 30 years of experience helping clients with medical malpractice and personal injury matters. Call or email us today to discuss your possible Bronx medical malpractice, Brooklyn medical malpractice, Queens medical malpractice, Manhattan medical malpractice or Long Island medical malpractice case.
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Many Local Hospitals Receive Low Rating by Consumer Reports

Consumer Reports recently released their list of the 50 worst hospitals in the nation, with 30 local medical centers landing themselves among lowest rated.

The report rated hospitals based on the number of patients readmitted to the hospital within 30 days, the number of patients that developed an infection while at the hospital, and the quality of instructions given regarding medication and discharge. Report authors used these criteria to rate 1,045 of the over 4,000 hospitals nationwide.

Jacobi Medical Center in the Bronx received the lowest score in New York, followed by Nassau University Medical Center on Long Island. The 30 lowest-scoring area hospitals were ranked as follows:

1. Jacobi Medical Center, Bronx, NY
2. Nassau University Medical Center, East Meadow, NY
3. Forest Hills Hospital, Forest Hills, NY
4. St. Joseph’s Medical Center, Yonkers, NY
5. St. John’s Riverside Hospital, Yonkers, NY
6. Wyckoff Heights Medical Center, Brooklyn, NY
7. Lawrence Hospital Center, Bronxville, NY
8. Kings County Hospital Center, Brooklyn, NY
9. Jamaica Hospital Medical Center, Jamaica, NY
10. Coney Island Hospital, Brooklyn, NY
11. Brookdale Hospital Medical Center, Brooklyn, NY
12. New York Westchester Square Medical Center, Bronx, NY
13. Flushing Hospital Medical Center, Flushing, NY
14. St. Luke’s Roosevelt Hospital Center, New York, NY
15. Sound Shore Medical Center of Westchester, New Rochelle, NY
16. Lincoln Hospital, Bronx, NY
17. New York Community Hospital, Brooklyn, NY
18. St. Michael’s Medical Center, Newark, NJ
19. St. John’s Episcopal Hospital – South Shore, Far Rockaway, NY
20. Montefiore Medical Center, Bronx, NY
21. New York Methodist Hospital, Brooklyn, NY
22. JFK Medical Center, Edison, NJ
23. Harlem Hospital Center, New York, NY
24. Brooklyn Hospital Center, Brooklyn, NY
25. New York Hospital Queens, Flushing, NY
26. Trinitas Regional Medical Center, Elizabeth, NJ
27. Brookhaven Memorial Hospital Medical Center, Patchogue, NY
28. Bronx-Lebanon Hospital Center, Bronx, NY
29. St. Barnabas Hospital, Bronx, NY
30. Mercy Medical Center, Rockville Centre, NY

New York’s highest scoring hospital was NYU Langone Medical Center; however it was still reported to be 10 percent below the national average for patient safety.

Although many hospitals disputed the report, stating that the ratings were misleading, as they were based on outdated information, it still raises concern about the safety of patients being treated in New York area hospitals.

When a hospital provides substandard care, they put their patients at risk of serious injury or death. If you or a loved one has been hurt by the negligence of a doctor or hospital in New York, call or email the medical malpractice attorneys at Silberstein, Awad & Miklos today for a free consultation. Our experienced attorneys have been helping clients with Bronx medical malpractice, Brooklyn medical malpractice, Queens medical malpractice, Manhattan medical malpractice and Long Island medical malpractice cases for over 30 years.

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Higher Risk of Blood Clots for Cancer Outpatients

According to a recent study conducted by researchers at the University of Rochester Medical Center, cancer patients that that have been treated with chemotherapy usually develop blood clots following hospital discharge, and not while still admitted.

The study, which examined almost 18,000 cancer patients over about four years, revealed that outpatients made up 78 percent of the 5.6 percent that developed blood clots. When a blood clot, or venous thromboembolism (VTE), occurs, red blood cells, clotting proteins and platelets form a mass, preventing blood flow.

Roughly one in five cancer patients develops a blood clot following their diagnosis, and the report points out that once a cancer patient develops a blood clot, it is more likely that they will develop others. Cancer outpatients need to be at the center of blood clot prevention efforts, as they are more likely to develop a clot than those patients still admitted to the hospital.

Many cancer patients need to be educated on the importance of blood clot prevention, as well as on preventive treatment they can receive if they are at risk of a clot. If a cancer patient has symptoms of a clot, such as swelling of the limbs or shortness of breath, they should contact their physician immediately.

If a blood clot goes undiagnosed, it can cause serious complications or death. If you or a loved one was hurt by doctor or hospital negligence, call or email the medical malpractice attorneys at Silberstein, Awad & Miklos for a free consultation. Our experienced attorneys have helped clients with Bronx medical malpractice, Queens medical malpractice, Brooklyn medical malpractice, Manhattan medical malpractice and Long Island medical malpractice cases.

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Survey: ER visits result in infection for some elderly patients

A recent study published in the Canadian Medical Association Journal has found that elderly adults in long-term care facilities that were recently treated in a hospital emergency room are three times more likely to develop a gastrointestinal or respiratory infection than those not recently seen in an ER.

For the study, researchers looked at about 1,270 seniors who lived in 22 long-term care facilities located in four Canadian cities between September 2006 and May 2008. The study focused on emergency room visits in the fall, winter and spring months, since respiratory and gastrointestinal infection rates are higher at these times than in the summer.

During the nearly two year study, about 425 of the seniors included in the study were treated at a hospital emergency room for something other than a gastrointestinal or acute respiratory problem. The rest of the seniors in the study were not seen at an ER.

The research found that those who were seen at a hospital emergency room were roughly three times as likely to develop a gastrointestinal or acute respiratory infection in the week after their visit.

In some cases, infections are not preventable and do not occur as a result of hospital negligence. However, some infections can be avoided and it is the responsibility of the hospital to prevent their patients from developing such infections.

If you or a loved one has acquired a serious infection while in a hospital and have questions about the quality of the medical care received, please call Silberstein, Awad & Miklos' hospital malpractice lawyers for answers. We have helped clients with Queens hospital malpractice, Bronx hospital malpractice, Brooklyn hospital malpractice, Manhattan hospital malpractice and Long Island hospital malpractice matters.

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