March 29, 2017 — In patients with a complete, persistent arterial blockage, medication alone was found to be equal to ...

Philips and the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) announced the company has initiated a recall of its HeartStart MRx Monitor/Defibrillator. The Class I recall is due to electrical and battery connection issues that may prevent the device from powering up, charging and delivering electrical shock therapy. The device may also unexpectedly stop pacing. A delay in delivering therapy could result in serious patient injury such as permanent organ damage, brain injury or death.

Young rabbits exposed to ultrasound during fetal development had weaker thighbones than unexposed rabbits, according to a study published in the Pertanika Journal of Science & Technology. While the finding applies to a relatively small group of test subjects, 142 young rabbits, it raises questions about the rising use of prenatal ultrasounds in women worldwide.

Participants in Web-based lifestyle counseling reduced their systolic blood pressure by 10 mmHg, compared with a 6 mmHg reduction for those taking part in a web-based control intervention, a statistically significant difference, according to a new study. The research from this trial — the first randomized, double-blinded trial of an online behavioral intervention for high blood pressure — was presented at the American College of Cardiology’s 66th Annual Scientific Session, March 17-19 in Washington, D.C.

Safe implementation of new technologies and therapies accompany classic patient safety challenges on ECRI Institute's “2017 Top 10 Patient Safety Concerns for Healthcare Organizations.” The report highlights concerns from health information management, clinical decision support and new oral anticoagulants, to long-standing concerns like test result reporting and follow-up and unrecognized patient deterioration.