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.
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.
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.
New York parents-to-be may be interested in learning that about 1.3 children are delivered via cesarean section every single year. However, researchers have determined that approximately half of the C-sections that are performed, which can pose additional risks to both the mother and child, are not even necessary. There are several factors that can help determine whether or not a pregnant woman will undergo a C-section to deliver her child.
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.
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.
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.
Multiple sclerosis is a serious disease that is often misdiagnosed. New York residents may be interested in the findings of a recent survey that found that many MS patients had to make repeated doctor or hospital visits before being diagnosed.
When the summer season arrives, many New York residents spend more time enjoying outdoor activities. However, they should be reminded that an increase in sun exposure is also an increase in the risk of melanoma, a skin cancer that can potentially be fatal if it isn’t diagnosed and treated as soon as possible.
New York residents who suffer from type 1 or type 2 diabetes run the risk of developing chronic kidney disease. Doctors generally study the estimated glomerular filtration rate and the urinary albumin to creatinine ratio to identify diabetes sufferers with high risks of developing these conditions, but doctors have long known that these two biomarkers are not always able to identify at-risk patients and often fail to accurately predict the onset of kidney failure.
