Upper endoscopy patients who inhale cannabis may need more anesthesia than edible users - Medical Xpress

Choice of general anesthetic for major surgery can continue to be based on patient and clinician preference, according to the largest-ever trial comparing the two main techniques used in the NHS. The VITAL trial, led by the University of Warwick and The Royal Marsden NHS Foundation Trust, involved 2,507 patients across 49 NHS hospitals and compared total intravenous anesthesia (TIVA), delivered through a continuous infusion of the drug propofol, with the more traditional method of using volatile anesthetic gases, such as sevoflurane or isoflurane, inhaled through a mask during surgery. The findings are published in the journal JAMA.

Even when a person is fully unconscious under general anesthesia, their brain may still be doing something remarkable: processing language, recognizing patterns, and even anticipating which words will come next. Researchers at Baylor College of Medicine have discovered that the brain retains surprisingly sophisticated abilities during anesthesia, despite the absence of conscious awareness. The findings, published in the journal Nature, challenge traditional assumptions about the relationship between consciousness and thinking. They could also provide new insights into how the brain processes memories and language, potentially leading to advances in technologies that help people communicate after neurological injuries.

Background The Royal College of Radiologists' (RCR) iRefer guidelines are an established evidence-based clinical decision support tool intended to optimise diagnostic imaging referrals, reduce unnecessary radiation exposure, and improve radiology workflow efficiency. In Ireland, imaging referrals also carry statutory weight: Statutory Instrument (S.I.) No. 256 of 2018 places defined duties on referrers regarding the justification of medical exposures, and Health Service Executive (HSE) guidance requires referrers to have access to iRefer or an equivalent decision support tool. Awareness and use of iRefer among non-consultant hospital doctors (NCHDs) in smaller, high-turnover hospital settings are poorly described. Aim To evaluate awareness, utilisation, and accessibility of the iRefer guidelines among NCHDs in a Model 3 hospital and to identify the systemic, technological, and cultural barriers preventing routine use. Methods A sequential explanatory mixed-methods design was employed. Phase 1 comprised an in-person, anonymous cross-sectional audit questionnaire developed by the authors for this study, administered to NCHDs to assess awareness, decision-making sources, and guideline

Dengue feverAccording to the Directorate General of Health Services (DGHS) in Dhaka, at least six dengue patients died and 2,088 others were hospitalised in the past 24 hours, bringing the total cases and deaths to 112,400 and 348, respectively. September has been the deadliest month of the year so far, logging 43,774 hospital admissions and 148 deaths. Significant outbreaks are hitting the Dhaka area and the Chattogram, Khulna, and Barishal divisions due to high population density and inadequate waste management. Typically a monsoon-season illness (June to September), dengue transmission in Bangladesh is increasingly shifting and extending into late autumn due to unseasonal rains and climate shifts. Currently, 6,026 dengue patients are undergoing treatment at hospitals across the country. Bangladesh’s record dengue fever season in 2023 with Dr. Md Rafiul HasanMeaslesThe large measles outbreak in Bangladesh has yet to be contained. Sonce mid-March, the country reported 203,000 suspected measles cases, including 23,000 confirmed cases have been reported. At least 1,196 people have died, with children under five accounting for 94% of reported deaths.

LOS ANGELES — Scientists have found microplastics in virtually every part of the human body. Yet many questions remain about what exactly these infinitesimal flecks of synthetic polymers do to human health, and how they might cause disease. A new paper looking at the chemical reactions between water and disintegrating plastic offers a potential hypothesis for how microplastics might make us sick.