Sindrome coronarica: con angioTac dimissioni più sicure

Nei reparti di emergenza – dove è elevato il numero di ricoveri per sospette sindromi coronariche – l’impiego dell’angioTac, dall’alto potere predittivo negativo, nei soggetti a basso-medio rischio aumenta le dimissioni sicure. La strategia, messa a punto per verificare rapidamente se il dolore del paziente sia di origine cardiaca o meno, è stato ideato e sperimentato con successo in un trial multicentrico da una task-force di radiologi e cardiologi interventisti statunitensi coordinata da Harold I. Litt, della University of Pennsylvania. I clinici hanno assegnato in modo randomizzato, e in proporzione 2:1, 1.370 pazienti presentatisi nel dipartimento di emergenza con i sintomi di una possibile sindrome coronarica acuta in due gruppi: il primo (n=908) avviato all’esecuzione di un’angioTac, il secondo (n=462) a ricevere un’assistenza tradizionale. Su 640 pazienti che hanno effettuato un esame angioTac con esito negativo, nessuno è morto o ha subito un infarto miocardico entro 30 giorni (outcome primario di sicurezza). Rispetto ai pazienti sottoposti a cure standard, il gruppoo angioTac ha fatto registrare un tasso più elevato di dimissioni dal dipartimento (49,6% vs 22,7%), un tempo inferiore di degenza (in media: 18 ore vs 24,8) e una quota maggiore di identificazioni di malattie coronariche (9% vs 3,5%). N Engl J Med, 2012; 366(15):1393-403 (fonte: doctornews33)

Westhouse Medical Services Plc Seeks to Expand Into US Market by Entering Negotiations

Image via Wikipedia

London, (PRNewswire)Glaucoma specialist will expand Westhouse Medical Services portfolio and allow access to US marketHealthcare specialist Westhouse Medical Services Plc (“Ticker Symbol 5WM”) today announces it is entering into negotiations for the acquisition of a majority control of US listed Sunridge International. Sunridge’s subsidiary, Ophthalmic International Inc., has developed a glaucoma procedure called PNT, which could revolutionise the way glaucoma is treated globally.Westhouse Medical Services, listed on the Open Standard Section of the Frankfurt Stock Exchange, is aggressively implementing its expansion plans, and this acquisition will further build its medical devices subsidiary.The majority control will also provide Westhouse Medical Services with access to the US markets for its BreastCheck product, which is patented and FDA approved. Currently Westhouse’s medical devices subsidiary is in the process of bringing BreastCheck to market, a new non-invasive, self-administered breast cancer screening device. BreastCheck is due for launch Summer 2012.As part of this acquisition, Westhouse aims to market PNT, the only non-invasive, non-pharmaceutical approach that has been clinically proven to reduce elevated intra-ocular pressure (IOP) in patients with primary open angle Glaucoma (POAG), as well as ocular hypertension (OH). POAG represents 95 per cent of diagnosed cases of glaucoma in Europe, the Americas and Africa.PNT reduces the fluid pressure in the eye, decreasing or eliminating the need for drug therapy in a significant proportion of patients.
Westhouse Medical consists of two divisions – Devices and Services. This will be the second acquisition by Westhouse’s medical devices division, following the purchase of US and UK patents for the Profemme breast cancer screening technology from the Battlebridge Group Limited in November 2011. Westhouse’s other subsidiary, medical services, provides specialist transport and ambulance services for the NHS in the UK.