Tick-borne disease could be deadly without quick diagnosis
Despite its name, people in New York and all over the country are at risk of tick-borne illnesses like Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever. Particularly widespread in the summer months when people camp, hike and engage in outdoor activities, they can be life-threatening for active individuals. Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever has been reported all over North and South America. The potentially fatal disease is caused by a bacterium, Rickettsia rickettsia. Physicians report that there has been a slow increase in cases of the disease over the years.
Lyme disease misdiagnoses increasing
According to a report released on June 15 by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, an increasing number of patients in New York and the rest of the United States who have confusing medical symptoms are being diagnosed with chronic Lyme disease. They are also being prescribed dangerous, expensive and ineffective treatments. There have been cases in which patients have died from septic shock after being given the wrong, long-term treatment of intravenous antibiotics. For other patients, the misdiagnosis results in a dangerous delay of the treatment necessary to address the patient’s true underlying medical condition.
Higher risk of rare complication with some diabetes drugs
New York residents who have type 2 diabetes may be interested in a study that found that a new class of drugs, SGLT2 inhibitors, could raise the risk of a complication known as ketoacidosis. However, although the condition can be deadly, it is also rare, and experts say this should not deter people from taking the class of drugs. Researchers said only about 1 in 1,000 people using SGLT2 inhibitors would develop the condition.
Mistakes with drug-thinning drugs prevalent in nursing homes
Blood-thinning drugs like Coumadin and Warfarin save lives by reducing the risk of strokes when people could get blood clots. Anticoagulant drugs, however, need to be administered with care, and when dosages are wrong or the drugs react with other medications or even food, people could die of internal bleeding. Some patients in nursing homes in New York and around the country have been the victim of the poorly-monitored use of blood thinners.
Facts regarding a collapsed lung
New York residents may be familiar with a condition called pneumothorax, also known as a collapsed lung. This condition happens when air, which usually circulates inside the lungs, leaks and becomes trapped in the pleural space around the lungs. As this air builds up, it puts pressure on the lungs and causes them to collapse. Typically, however, it only causes a part of the lung to collapse.
Suffering from IBD
Many New York residents who suffer from inflammatory bowel disease identify pain and fatigue as their most difficult symptoms. This is according to a survey of more than 4,000 respondents that was conducted by Health Union in early 2017.
Stroke misdiagnosis common for younger patients
A stroke is not something most New York residents think about when they are in their 30s or 40s. While it is true the chance of a stroke happening to a younger person is only about 1 in 1000, strokes may end up being even more dangerous to a younger person due to a misdiagnosis.
Poor communication among pharmacists can lead to errors
New York residents who rely on pharmacies to obtain their medications may be interested to learn that in 2016 more than 4.4 billion prescriptions were dispensed. However, research shows that the majority of serious or life-changing pharmaceutical errors occur during shift changes. As such, a study found that the rate of errors could be reduced if communication between pharmacists is improved.
New possibility for skin cancer diagnosis
Many New York residents may be interested in the report of a new option doctors have to help with skin cancer diagnosis. Metastatic melanoma, a type of skin cancer, has been difficult to diagnose correctly with current techniques. The new technique promises to make diagnosis easier and prevent either a misdiagnosis or missed diagnosis.
How technology can help patients get a second opinion
New York patients who are seeking a second opinion on a medical issue might be able to do so virtually, and this could reduce the incidence of misdiagnosis. According to the journal BMJ Quality & Safety, around 12 million American outpatients are misdiagnosed annually. The consequences of a misdiagnosis could include financial loss, treatments that are unnecessary, and a reduced quality of life or poorer outcomes for patients.