LocalHealthGuide - Part 204

Picture of a U.S. penny next to milligrams of fentanyl, which is a fatal dose for most drug users. DEA

Fentanyl deaths rise in Washington State

In the first half of 2018, there were 81 deaths linked to fentanyl, versus 48 deaths recorded during the same time period last year, a 70% increase in deaths.

December 5, 2018 Health Costs / Health Insurance / Transplantation

No Cash, No Heart. Transplant Centers Require Proof Of Payment.

Virtually all transplant centers require patients to verify how they will pay bills that can total $400,000 for a kidney transplant or $1.3 million for a heart.

December 4, 2018 Biotechnology / Cardiology / Seniors

An Apple Watch for Grandma’s Stocking?

The new Apple Watch includes new features designed to detect falls and heart problems.

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December 4, 2018 Alternative Medicine / Antibiotics

Probiotics not helpful for young children with diarrhea, study

A probiotic treatment did not show any benefit for young children brought to the hospital with acute gastroenteritis.

December 3, 2018 Ethics / Genetics

Go slow, start small with genome screening, experts urge

Programs to screen the genomes of healthy adults to identify genes that may put them at risk for disease later in life need to be implemented with care so that they do not do more harm than good, says an expert panel.

December 3, 2018 Depression / Mental Health / Suicide

Recognizing Suicide’s Warning Signs Could Save Lives

More than 47,000 Americans died by suicide last year. That’s a nearly 5% increase over 2016. And it’s a continuation of a nearly 20-year rise in suicide rates.

December 1, 2018 HIV/AIDS / Public Health / Sexually Transmitted Disease

What you need to know about HIV/AIDS today

Efforts to stop the spread of HIV are hindered by fear and stigma.

November 30, 2018 Food-borne Illness / Public Health / Shigella

Health officials investigate Shigellosis outbreak at Cascade Ridge Elementary School

Public Health is investigating an outbreak of shigellosis associated with the kindergarten classrooms at Cascade Ridge Elementary School in Issaquah.

November 30, 2018 Addiction / Methamphetamine / Opioids / Pregnancy

Meth and opioid use during pregnancy rises, study

Amphetamine and opioid use in pregnancy has increased substantially over the last decade in the U.S., particularly in rural counties, a new study has found

November 30, 2018 HIV/AIDS

An update on HIV in King County

Last year 161 King County residents were diagnosed with HIV, the lowest number since 1994. This is a 51% decrease in new HIV diagnoses overall.

November 30, 2018 Surgery

Sales Reps May Be Wearing Out Their Welcome In The OR

Patients might not realize that salespeople working on commission are frequently present in the OR and sometimes even advise the clinical team during surgery.

November 29, 2018 Addiction / Drugs / Mental Health / Substance Abuse

Kim Kardashian West and ecstasy: A reminder of the social dangers of the drug

“I did ecstasy once, and I got married … I did it again, I made a sex tape … like, everything bad would happen.”

November 29, 2018 Child Health / Health Insurance / Medicaid

Number of uninsured kids rises

After years of steady decline, the number of U.S. children without health insurance rose by 276,000 in 2017.

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November 28, 2018 Medicare

Tips to avoid Medicare card scams

Medicare has been mailing new Medicare ID cards to beneficiaries since September and scammers are taking advantage of this opportunity to commit fraud.

November 28, 2018 Air Pollution / Environment / Environmental Health / Public Health

Climate report a frightening forecast for public health – viewpoint

There are numerous harmful human health effects of climate change expected in our region, some of which we’re already experiencing, writes Jeff Duchin, MD.