A study of the survival rates of heart attack patients treated between 1994 and 2012 suggests that patients treated better in hospitals live longer than patients who are not treated as well. The researchers looked at short-term survival but also followed the patients for 17 years.
Read More »Medical Care for Adults
The National Center for Health Research reviews important new research as soon as it is published. We cut through the hype regarding various medical treatments to let you know what is proven and what is unknown about the risks and benefits of various treatment options. We do not accept funding from the companies that make medical products, so you can trust that our information is based on science, and not biased by financial ties to the treatments we’re evaluating.
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Some of these articles were written this year and others were not, however, if they are on our website it means the information is up-to-date. We always scrutinize new research and call the researchers to learn even more. Then we translate it into plain language that everyone can understand.
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Antibacterial Soaps Will Be Banned by FDA: Soap and Water Is the Better Choice
The FDA announced that there is no evidence that “antibacterial” soaps prevent more infections than plain soap, and they can be harmful.
Read More »Insurance Coverage Information for Breast Implant Removal
First of all, the original reason for getting your breast implants matters to health insurance companies (as well as Medicare and Medicaid). If your implants were put in after a mastectomy and your doctor believes that removing your implants is “medically necessary,” then your health insurance is legally obligated to cover your breast implant removal. Click here to learn more about your rights under the Women’s Health and Cancer Rights Act of 1998 (WHCRA). If the original reason for getting breast implants was for augmentation of healthy breasts, then some health insurance companies will cover your explant surgery if they consider the services to be “medically necessary,” but others will not.
Read More »Some Antibiotics are Riskier than Others: What You Should Know about Quinolones
There are many different classes of antibiotics, grouped by their pharmacological properties and chemical compounds. While all of the approved antibiotics should be capable of treating bacterial infections, different types are often used to treat different types of infections. This article is focused on the risks and benefits of quinolones.
Read More »Namenda only Works for Severe Alzheimer’s Disease and Dementia
None of the current treatments for dementia will radically improve patients’ memory or thinking, nor will they stop the progression of the disease. However, Namenda may help moderate or severe dementia, while Aricept, Razadyne, or Exelon may help patients with dementia ranging from mild to severe.
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