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Results for search "Emergencies / First Aid".

Health News Results - 347

30 May
ER-Based Pharmacies Could Improve Kids' Care, Pediatricians' Group Says

ER-Based Pharmacies Could Improve Kids' Care, Pediatricians' Group Says

When parents rush their kids to an emergency room in the dead of night for an asthma attack or high fever, they are often discharged with a prescription. The problem is, there may be nowhere to fill it promptly.

Now, a new

26 May
Are ERs Safe? Patients, Nurses and Doctors Say No in New Survey

Are ERs Safe? Patients, Nurses and Doctors Say No in New Survey

Emergency departments aren't perceived as safe for professionals or their patients, according to an international survey from the European Society of Emergency Medicine (EUSEM).

More than 90% of emergency professionals surveyed said they felt at times the number of patie...

24 May
Opioid Overdose Survivors Face Higher Odds for Death in Following Year

Opioid Overdose Survivors Face Higher Odds for Death in Following Year

Surviving a trip to the emergency room for an opioid overdose dramatically increases a patient's odds of dying in the year after, U.S. health officials reported Tuesday.

Of nearly 287,000 emergency room visits in 2016, more than 8,300 were for opioid overdoses. Of these,...

23 May
Steroid Hydrocortisone Alone May Not Cut Death Risk From Septic Shock: Study

Steroid Hydrocortisone Alone May Not Cut Death Risk From Septic Shock: Study

A new study finds that while hydrocortisone on its own may not prevent death from sepsis, it can improve survival when combined with other steroids while eliminating the need for vasopressor drugs.

Vasopressor medications help raise blood pressure when it's so low that y...

18 May
Even Preschoolers Can Help Save a Life, Heart Experts Say

Even Preschoolers Can Help Save a Life, Heart Experts Say

If you're old enough to dial 911, you're old enough to be a lifesaver.

Building lifesaving skills can start as young as age 4 and be expanded over the years, the American Heart Association and others advise in a

11 May
ER Visits by Teens in Mental Health Crisis Have Declined: CDC

ER Visits by Teens in Mental Health Crisis Have Declined: CDC

There's a glimmer of good news when it comes to the mental health of America's adolescents: Visits to U.S. emergency departments for psychiatric troubles declined among kids aged 12 to 17 by the fall of 2022, compared to a year prior.

Overall, mean weekly adolescent emer...

03 May
Spring, Summer Is Peak Time for Dogs Biting Kids

Spring, Summer Is Peak Time for Dogs Biting Kids

In the spring and summer, everyone races outside with their dogs to enjoy the warmer weather, but a new study suggests there is a downside to that.

More children are bitten by dogs in those months, according to researchers at Nemours Children's Health.

But a dog bi...

26 Apr
Asthma, Lower Grades, Homelessness: How Climate Change Will Harm America's Kids

Asthma, Lower Grades, Homelessness: How Climate Change Will Harm America's Kids

Children are uniquely vulnerable to the effects of climate change, a new report from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) shows.

Climate change can affect learning, physical health and housing security, which can last throughout the child's life, according to t...

07 Apr
Income a Factor in Whether You Get Lifesaving ECMO Breathing Support: Study

Income a Factor in Whether You Get Lifesaving ECMO Breathing Support: Study

New research suggests that gender and money matter when it comes to getting a last-resort treatment after mechanical ventilation.

Funded by the U.S. National Institutes of Health, the study found that certain groups are more likely to receive advanced pulmonary support t...

04 Apr
Devastating Tornadoes Leave Hazards in Their Wake: Tips to Stay Safe

Devastating Tornadoes Leave Hazards in Their Wake: Tips to Stay Safe

Tornadoes bring with them many dangers, but perhaps not so evident are the risks from colorless and odorless carbon monoxide (CO) from generators used to temporarily restore power.

With parts of the United States expecting another round of severe weather, the Consumer Pr...

04 Apr
Baby First Aid Kit: The 15 Items You Really Need

Baby First Aid Kit: The 15 Items You Really Need

You just had a baby and you want to be ready for any infant emergency that might arise.

Wondering what items should be in your baby's first aid kit? Here are 15 essentials that you should have on hand once you bring your baby home, recommended by the experts at

29 Mar
FDA Approves First Over-the-Counter Nasal Spray for Opioid Overdoses

FDA Approves First Over-the-Counter Nasal Spray for Opioid Overdoses

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration on Wednesday approved the over-the-counter use of a nasal spray that can reverse an opioid overdose.

Research has shown that wider availability of naloxone (Narcan) could save lives as the opioid epidemic rages on in this country.

15 Mar
Cardiac Arrest During Childbirth Is Rare, But Some Women Face Higher Risks

Cardiac Arrest During Childbirth Is Rare, But Some Women Face Higher Risks

It's extremely rare, but the number of women suffering cardiac arrest during childbirth is rising in the United States as older, less healthy women have babies, a new study finds.

One in 9,000 women hospitalized during delivery has a cardiac arrest -- a higher rate than...

15 Mar
Post-Hurricane Period Is Dangerous for People With Dementia

Post-Hurricane Period Is Dangerous for People With Dementia

Hurricanes not only disrupt the communities they affect, they also pose an increased risk of death for people with dementia.

This heightened risk could owe to disruption in their normal routines, changes in their living environment or even changes in access to caregiving...

09 Mar
More Than 3 Million 'Calico Critters' Toys Recalled After Choking Deaths to 2 Kids

More Than 3 Million 'Calico Critters' Toys Recalled After Choking Deaths to 2 Kids

Calico Critters animal figures and sets that were sold with bottle and pacifier accessories are being recalled due to a choking hazard.

Epoch Everlasting Play has recalled more than 3.2 million of the toys, the

08 Mar
Is Your Tap Water Too Hot? Scalding Burns Send Thousands to ER Each Year

Is Your Tap Water Too Hot? Scalding Burns Send Thousands to ER Each Year

A water heater set to 120 degrees Fahrenheit can release water from the tap hot enough to cause a second-degree burn in about nine minutes.

Turned up to 130 degrees, that injury happens in just 25 seconds. At 140 degrees, it only takes three seconds, according to a new ...

16 Feb
FDA Panel Says Opioid Overdose Antidote Safe to Sell Over-the-Counter

FDA Panel Says Opioid Overdose Antidote Safe to Sell Over-the-Counter

A nasal spray that can reverse an opioid overdose should be sold over-the-counter, two expert panels to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration recommended Wednesday.

Research has shown that wider availability of naloxone -- brand named Narcan -- could save lives as the o...

15 Feb
FDA Panel Considers Making Opioid Antidote Drug Available Without Prescription

FDA Panel Considers Making Opioid Antidote Drug Available Without Prescription

A nasal spray that can reverse an opioid overdose may become available for easier over-the-counter purchase.

U.S. Food and Drug Administration advisers are meeting Wednesday to discuss making generic naloxone hydrochloride available without requiring interaction with a p...

13 Feb
Kids Visiting ER in Mental Crisis Often Get No Follow-Up

Kids Visiting ER in Mental Crisis Often Get No Follow-Up

A growing number of U.S. kids are landing in hospital emergency rooms for a mental health crisis. Now a new study finds that many do not get follow-up care after they're discharged.

Experts said the findings, published Feb. 13 in the journal

13 Feb
Lessons From a Wildfire on How to Save Pets' Lives

Lessons From a Wildfire on How to Save Pets' Lives

In the wake of natural disasters like wildfires that have destroyed whole communities with alarming speed, some folks are focused on the beloved pets left behind — and how to save others in the future.

More than 1,000 pets died in the Marshall fire on Dec. 30, 2021, in...

10 Feb
This Super Bowl, Keep Little Hands From Tip-Over TVs

This Super Bowl, Keep Little Hands From Tip-Over TVs

Watching the big game on a big TV? Keep safety in mind if young children are around.

Seven of 10 fatal furniture tip-over incidents in children involve a falling television, the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) warns.

Its latest report on furniture-re...

20 Jan
Poll Finds Nearly Half of Americans Unprepared for Medical Emergency

Poll Finds Nearly Half of Americans Unprepared for Medical Emergency

A medical emergency can happen at any moment. Will you be prepared?

Nearly half of American adults will not, according to a new

19 Jan
What's 'Code Blue'? New Study Finds Some Hospital Staff Mistake Emergency Codes

What's 'Code Blue'? New Study Finds Some Hospital Staff Mistake Emergency Codes

Hospital emergency codes are used to swiftly alert staff to something requiring a quick response, but a recent study suggests many health care workers can't accurately identify them.

To learn more, researchers focused on five Georgia health care facilities.

18 Jan
Appendicitis Often Spotted Later in Black Patients

Appendicitis Often Spotted Later in Black Patients

While appendicitis is a common emergency, Black people experiencing its symptoms more often have a delayed diagnosis.

But that doesn't happen in lower-quality hospitals that serve more Black patients, according to new research. There, Black people are diagnosed more quic...

17 Jan
Each Year, People Start Fires That Cost 20,000 American Lives

Each Year, People Start Fires That Cost 20,000 American Lives

Fires started by people account for a majority of premature deaths related to inhalation of tiny smoke particles in the United States, a new study reveals.

These blazes, which are increasing, led to 20,000 premature deaths in 2018. That was 270% more than in 2003, accor...

16 Jan
Marijuana-Linked ER Visits by Seniors Are Rising

Marijuana-Linked ER Visits by Seniors Are Rising

New research out of California finds seniors are being treated in emergency rooms in significantly higher numbers for adverse side effects from cannabis consumption.

Researchers from the University of California, San Diego (UCSD) said they studied the issue because they ...

11 Jan
Damar Hamlin Released From Buffalo Hospital As Recovery From Cardiac Arrest Continues

Damar Hamlin Released From Buffalo Hospital As Recovery From Cardiac Arrest Continues

Buffalo Bills safety Damar Hamlin has been released from a Buffalo hospital just nine days after he suffered cardiac arrest during a Monday night football game.

"Damar Hamlin has been discharged from Buffalo General Medical Center/Gates Vascular Institute," the Buffalo ...

10 Jan
Damar Hamlin Moved to Buffalo Hospital As He Recovers From Cardiac Arrest

Damar Hamlin Moved to Buffalo Hospital As He Recovers From Cardiac Arrest

Buffalo Bills safety Damar Hamlin is now back in New York.

The football player who collapsed on the field after suffering cardiac arrest during a Monday night game in Cincinnati has been released from an Ohio hospital, and will continue his recovery in a Buffalo hospital...

08 Jan
Emergency Care Vs. Urgent Care: What's the Difference?

Emergency Care Vs. Urgent Care: What's the Difference?

If you're sick or have been injured, you might not know whether the emergency room or urgent care is the right place to be treated.

The American College of Emergency Physicians (ACEP) offers some general advice, so you don't have to wonder where to go when immediate medi...

06 Jan
Damar Hamlin Improving, Alert, Communicating by Writing

Damar Hamlin Improving, Alert, Communicating by Writing

While NFL safety Damar Hamlin is still critically ill after suffering cardiac arrest during a game on Monday, he is making a "fairly remarkable recovery," his doctors said during a news conference on Thu...

04 Jan
Damar Hamlin Showing 'Signs of Improvement' After Cardiac Arrest

Damar Hamlin Showing 'Signs of Improvement' After Cardiac Arrest

Damar Hamlin, the Buffalo Bills player who collapsed Monday after suffering cardiac arrest during a game, is showing “signs of improvement,” his team said Wednesday.

Still, the 24-year-old "is expected to remain under intensive care as his health care team continues ...

03 Jan
Buffalo Bills' Damar Hamlin Hospitalized: What Experts Know About Cardiac Arrest

Buffalo Bills' Damar Hamlin Hospitalized: What Experts Know About Cardiac Arrest

Buffalo Bills safety Damar Hamlin threw himself into the path of a Cincinnati Bengals ball carrier, taking a hard hit to the chest that sent both NFL players to the ground.

Hamlin, 24, stood to dust himself off, took two steps — and then fell flat on his back, limp and...

28 Dec
Long Stays Common for Kids Who Visit ERs in Mental Health Crisis

Long Stays Common for Kids Who Visit ERs in Mental Health Crisis

It's a scenario no parent would ever want to witness: Their child suffers a mental health crisis and is taken to the emergency room, only to have to wait 12 hours or more for the right medical care.

Sadly, it is what 1 in 5 of these young patients now face, new research...

23 Dec
When Rural Hospitals Close, Nearby Hospitals Suffer

When Rural Hospitals Close, Nearby Hospitals Suffer

When rural hospitals shut down people need to go elsewhere, and a new study finds that nearby hospitals bear the strain of that patient overflow.

"Previous studies have shown that rural hospital closures can have negative health consequences for the communities they serv...

19 Dec
'Holiday Heart':  Heart Attacks Spike in Last 2 Weeks of December

'Holiday Heart':  Heart Attacks Spike in Last 2 Weeks of December

The holiday season is filled with to-do lists, but one should rise to the top: Take care of your heart.

Whether from stress, cold weather or falling out of good habits in terms of eating, sleeping and drinking, heart attack rates spike as much as 40% between Christmas an...

16 Dec
Shoveling Snow Is a Heart Hazard: Protect Yourself

Shoveling Snow Is a Heart Hazard: Protect Yourself

As yet another winter blizzard barrels down on the U.S. East Coast, the the American Heart Association (AHA) is cautioning people to take care when shoveling snow, since the exertion and the cold can cause serious heart problems.

Many people, especially those who don't ...

10 Dec
Holiday Kitchen Accident? Here's How to Treat Minor Cuts, Burns

Holiday Kitchen Accident? Here's How to Treat Minor Cuts, Burns

From burns to cuts, kitchen accidents happen, and they may be more likely as you cook for holiday gatherings.

Treating those injuries quickly and effectively can help begin the healing process and may reduce scarring, according to a skin expert at the American Acade...

04 Dec
Put Safety at Top of Your Holiday Toy Gift List

Put Safety at Top of Your Holiday Toy Gift List

Getting toys for some of the tots in your life this holiday season? Experts at Penn State Health offer tips on making safe choices.

Each year, about 200,000 U.S. children end up in the emergency room with a toy-related injury, ranging from poisoning to choking hazards, a...

02 Dec
988 Mental Health Hotline Back in Business After Daylong Outage

988 Mental Health Hotline Back in Business After Daylong Outage

A national hotline that people can call in a mental health emergency went down for a day before it was restored late Thursday.

Those in crisis could still reach counselors by texting 988 or visiting 988lifeline.org during the outage. The U.S. Substance Abuse and Mental ...

23 Nov
Your Child Is Sick. Do You Call Your Doctor or Head to the ER?

Your Child Is Sick. Do You Call Your Doctor or Head to the ER?

It's a common dilemma when your child seems sick: Do you call the doctor, make a trip to urgent care or head straight to the emergency room?

If it's not an emergency, a call to your child's pediatrician may help guide you. The doctor's staff may recommend bringing your c...

23 Nov
Keeping T-Day Kitchens Safe for the Whole Family

Keeping T-Day Kitchens Safe for the Whole Family

The whole family — even the youngest members — can take part in Thanksgiving's hours of food preparation by following some safety tips.

The nation's leading pediatrics organization offers some holiday advice for families with young children.

“There's a lot of...

16 Nov
America's ERs Are Jammed, Affecting Patients on Other Wards

America's ERs Are Jammed, Affecting Patients on Other Wards

A crowded, overwhelmed emergency department raises the risk of death and suffering for patients throughout a hospital, a new study warns.

“The more the emergency room was crowded, the more people were dying throughout the hospital,” said lead researcher

15 Nov
More U.S. Kids Are Heading to ERs After Drinking Cough Suppressant

More U.S. Kids Are Heading to ERs After Drinking Cough Suppressant

Increasing numbers of young children are showing up in emergency rooms after accidentally ingesting the cough suppressant benzonatate, U.S. health officials reported Tuesday.

Benzonatate is a non-narcotic cough suppressant first approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Adminis...

14 Nov
Illinois Study Shows Big Jump in Suicide-Linked ER Visits by Teens

Illinois Study Shows Big Jump in Suicide-Linked ER Visits by Teens

Illinois has seen a recent surge in the number of kids arriving in the emergency room for suicidal thoughts -- both during and shortly before the pandemic, according to a new study.

Among kids ages 5 to 19, ER visits for suicidal thoughts rose by 59% across the state bet...

14 Nov
Dangerous Myths Keep Many Adults With Food Allergies From Getting an EpiPen

Dangerous Myths Keep Many Adults With Food Allergies From Getting an EpiPen

The EpiPen is a known lifesaver when someone with a serious food allergy eats something they can't tolerate.

Yet the auto-injection treatment is greatly underused in the United States, according to a new survey.

Just over half of at-risk adults said they had ever ...

14 Nov
Does Your Child Have a Cold or Severe RSV? Signs to Look For

Does Your Child Have a Cold or Severe RSV? Signs to Look For

As most American parents already know, cases of respiratory syncytial virus (RSV), a common illness of childhood, are surging this year. Hospitals are filling up with babies and toddlers very ill with the easy-to-catch illness, which is coming back with a vengeance after lying...

11 Nov
America's ER Docs Warn of Surge in Patients Due to 'Tripledemic'

America's ER Docs Warn of Surge in Patients Due to 'Tripledemic'

Emergency rooms are clogged with people who are waiting for inpatient beds or other care and it's causing a crisis, according to the American College of Emergency Physicians (ACEP).

ACEP is one of more than 30 medical, patient advocacy and public health and safety groups...

11 Nov
Liability Fears Keep Some Schools From Stocking Asthma Inhalers

Liability Fears Keep Some Schools From Stocking Asthma Inhalers

It's a potentially deadly issue: Some U.S. school administrators don't keep life-saving albuterol asthma inhalers on hand because they're afraid of getting sued for misuse. That's true even in states like Illinois, where strong "stock albuterol" laws are on the books, research...

08 Nov
Heat Waves, No A/C: A Deadly Combo at Texas Prisons

Heat Waves, No A/C: A Deadly Combo at Texas Prisons

Heat waves may be killing prisoners in Texas, according to an analysis that found far-higher-than-normal death rates in the state's non-air-conditioned prisons.

“The majority of Texas prisons do not have universal air conditioning,” noted ...

03 Nov
Check Smoke, Carbon Monoxide Alarm Batteries as Clocks Go Back on Sunday

Check Smoke, Carbon Monoxide Alarm Batteries as Clocks Go Back on Sunday

When you set your clocks back on Sunday, do some simple at-home safety checks that could save your life.

Check your smoke alarms and carbon monoxide (CO) detectors to be sure they're working. This is also a good time to replace their batteries.

The