May 6, 2016

Neurologists at Loyola University Chicago Stritch School of Medicine have found that certain new blood-thinning drugs could represent a major improvement over warfarin, a blood thinner that is often used by doctors to significantly reduce stroke risk when a patient has atrial fibrillation. The study was recently published in Current Treatment Options in Cardiovascular Medicine, a peer-reviewed medical journal that provides information on current and emerging treatment options. For patients with atrial fibrillation, a common type of arrhythmia that leads to irregular heartbeat, strokes are a very serious concern because blood clots can form from the heart. Blood thinners may…

May 5, 2016

A young driver in Texas was recently killed when a minor fender bender caused the car’s air bag to explode. Shrapnel from the air bag, which was manufactured by the Takata Corporation, flew into the victim’s neck, killing her instantly. The air bag contained in the victim’s car, a Honda Civic, was actually recalled in 2011. The US National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) ordered the recall, which affected 24 million vehicles, in response to a number of deaths and injuries caused by the defective auto part. The recent car accident in Texas highlights the importance of making…

May 4, 2016

Olympus America, a major manufacturer of medical and surgical products, is in the process of redesigning a duodenoscope because it reportedly had a defect that caused infections during surgeries. A duodenoscope is a long, flexible tube that allows surgeons to see inside a patient’s body during surgery. The medical device is typically used during an endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography (ERCP), a procedure that makes it easier for surgeons to move past a cancerous tumor and gain access to a blocked bile duct or the pancreas. The Olympus duodenoscope was found to pose a significant safety hazard because it was leaking…

May 3, 2016

Researchers now say that people may not want to consume Splenda, an artificial sweetener, after a study found that it can significantly increase the risk of leukemia. Since its introduction to the U.S. market in 1999, Splenda (also known as sucralose) has been promoted by its manufacturer as a healthy alternative to refined sugar. However, some health experts have warned that the artificial sweetener can cause significant health problems, including a risk of cancer. Although warnings about the adverse health conditions of consuming Splenda are not a new development, what is new is a study conducted by Italian researchers and…

March 22, 2016

US organic meat distributor Applegate Farms recently announced that it has issued a recall of several thousand packages of the company’s popular chicken nuggets. Applegate Farms, a major distributor of natural and organic deli meats in the United States, said that it is recalling approximately 9,000 packages of Applegate Naturals Chicken Nuggets. The company’s products, which include chicken nuggets, can be found in grocery stores and other food retailers in New York, Pennsylvania, Florida and elsewhere in the U.S. The recall was issued because some consumers reported finding tiny pieces of plastic in the eight-ounce packages of chicken nuggets. It…