Details of Critically Ill Patients with H1N1 in Mexico and Canada

October 22, 2009 | by

Two studies, which are available online as early release articles and will be published in the November edition of the Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA), detail the characteristics, treatment and outcomes of critically ill patients with H1N1 in Mexico and Canada [1-2].

respiratory-ventilation

Although the death rate in each of the studies is quite different, it nonetheless is as high or higher than that of seasonal flu. Furthermore, although seasonal flu typically affects people of older age — the average annual rate of influenza-associated hospitalizations over the last 20 years for people age 65 and older is 70% [3] — these studies show that H1N1 is striking many who are much younger. In both studies, the majority of critically ill patients with influenza A H1N1 had rapidly progressive respiratory failure and required mechanical ventilation.

Health Highlights – June 26th, 2007

June 26, 2007 | by

Health Highlights is a biweekly summary of particularly interesting articles from credible sources of health and medical information that we follow & read. For a complete list of recommeded sources, see our links page.

Health Highlights
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    Part of staying healthy is managing stress. Borzack over at Healthy Lifestyle presents a series of mental exercises that can help increase and protect our energy levels to better manage everyday stress.

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    Clark over at Unintellegent Design discusses a study that examines the impact of birth order on intelligence. Conclusions are difficult to make given the small but significant differences in IQ. My take on the subject is that parental bias trumps other factors. What do you think?

  • Are Your Cosmetics Poisoning You? | The Beauty Brains

    The Beauty Brains presents an example of why references are so important in the deluge of information we all are bombarded with everyday.

  • Healthcare Isn’t a Right? Public Health Might Change Your Mind | Universal Health

    Universal Health’s N=1 offers an interesting perspective to the “healthcare as a right” argument, namely keeping disease under control, and suggests the number of sick and disabled will eventually poise the US for “pandemics of untold proportion”.

  • What’s in Your Wallet? | InsureBlog

    Bob over at InsureBlog writes about the surprising results of a heathcare survey given to Americans living in Canada. What are your thoughts on publicly funded healthcare?