Health Care News

• Flu activity on the rise, CDC reports
  The CDC issued an update noting an early and serious flu season, with the number of people seeking care for influenza-like conditions increasing from 2.8% to 5.6% in a four-week period. "Antiviral treatment, started as early as possible after becoming ill, is recommended for any patients with confirmed or suspected influenza who are hospitalized, seriously ill, or ill and at high risk of serious influenza-related complications, including young children, people 65 and older, people with certain underlying medical conditions, and pregnant women," the agency said. PhysiciansBriefing.com/HealthDay News (1/4)     

• Women who walk more have lower stroke risk, study finds
  A European study in the journal Stroke revealed women who walked at least three hours weekly were less likely to suffer stroke than those who walked less, or those who did not walk at all. "The message for the general population remains similar: regularly engaging in moderate recreational activity is good for your health," said lead author Jose Maria Huerta from Spain. Yahoo/Reuters (1/3)     

• Intensive lifestyle intervention boosts odds of diabetes remission
  Data on 4,503 overweight type 2 diabetes patients showed those who underwent an intensive lifestyle intervention had higher rates of complete disease remission and were more likely to experience partial or complete remission compared with those who received diabetes support and education. The results appear in the Journal of the American Medical Association. Nurse.com (1/5)     

• More U.S. women are getting Pap tests as recommended
  CDC researchers found that more women aged 30 and younger are getting Pap tests in accordance with the national guidelines for cervical cancer screening. However, in a separate study, they reported that about 60% of women get Pap tests despite having a total hysterectomy, which is unnecessary in cases when the hysterectomy was performed for noncancerous reasons. Both studies were published in the agency's Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report. DoctorsLounge.com/HealthDay News (1/3), Nurse.com (1/3)     

• Hyperglycemia raises in-hospital mortality risk
  A study in Diabetes Care found non-critically ill hospitalized patients who developed hyperglycemia following total parenteral nutrition had more than a fivefold increased risk of in-hospital mortality compared with those with lower blood glucose levels. PhysiciansBriefing.com/HealthDay News (1/3)     

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SmartBrief AANP Best of 2012 As 2012 draws to a close, we're going to reflect on the top stories, trends, movers and shakers that made this such an interesting year. Don't miss out! See what our editors have chosen as the Best of 2012.

Pharmaceutical News

• Heart association joins NSAID alliance
  The American Heart Association has become a member of the Alliance for the Rational Use of NSAIDs, which includes AANP. The group raises awareness about the kidney, gastrointestinal and cardiovascular risks of nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs. MedPage Today (free registration) (1/6)     

• Antibiotic use during first trimester may raise miscarriage risk
  Taking the antibiotic clarithromycin in the initial trimester of pregnancy raises a woman's risk of miscarriage by 56%, according to an analysis of data on 931,504 pregnancies in Denmark. Clarithromycin use during early pregnancy, however, was not tied to higher birth defect risk. The study appeared online in the journal PLOS ONE. MedPage Today (free registration) (1/6)     

• Study rejects link between flu vaccine, epilepsy seizure risk
  Researchers looked at data from a vaccination database in Sweden and found that epilepsy patients who received the H1N1 flu vaccine Pandemrix were at no greater risk of suffering from seizures. The study, which involved 373,398 people, appeared in the British Medical Journal. DailyRx.com (1/4)     

Hot Topics

Top five news stories selected by AANP SmartBrief readers in the past week.

• Governors' report supports NPs' scope of practice (MedPage Today (free registration))

• Enrollment in advanced nursing programs is on the rise (Nurse.com)

• Oleic acid may up insulin sensitivity in women, small study finds (PhysiciansBriefing.com)

• Metformin outperforms glipizide in preventing CVD events in diabetes (Modern Medicine)

• Respiratory viruses linked to acute otitis media in children (Healio)

• Results based on number of times each story was clicked by readers.

Emerging Trends, Products and Technologies

• Poll: Most in U.S. are against restricting, taxing unhealthy foods
  Only one-third of about 1,000 people who responded to a poll by The Associated Press-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research said the federal government should be deeply involved in reducing obesity rates, while about the same percentage said it should have little or no role. Three-quarters of respondents were against restricting purchases of unhealthy foods and about 60% opposed taxing them, but 8 in 10 supported requiring more physical activity in schools or offering nutrition guidelines to consumers. The Washington Post/The Associated Press (1/4)     

• CDC: Falling asleep while driving is common in U.S.
  About 4% of almost 150,000 drivers in 19 states and Washington, D.C., said they have fallen asleep while driving in the past month, CDC researchers wrote in the Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report. Men and younger drivers were more likely to nod off. Drowsy driving was a factor in 2.5% of deadly motor vehicle crashes in 2009, according to data from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. Los Angeles Times (tiered subscription model)/Booster Shots blog (1/3)     

Health Policy and Legislative News

• CMS postpones HIPAA operating rules deadline
  Enforcement of HIPAA operating rules for transactions has been moved to April, according to a CMS Office of E-Health Standards and Services statement. "Industry feedback suggests that HIPAA-covered entities have not reached a threshold whereby a majority of covered entities would be able to be in compliance with operating rules by Jan. 1, 2013," according to the agency. BeckersHospitalReview.com (1/4)     

AANP News

• An evening with Larry King at 2013 AANP National Conference
  AANP 2013 national conference attendees will have a special treat on Wednesday evening, June 19. Larry King -- the king of conversation -- sits down with a couple of our legendary NP leaders to discuss their lives, their careers and their thoughts about the future of the NP role. Larry King has interviewed more than 50,000 people over the course of his legendary career, which started in radio, continued to television and is now making history online. With his unique, conversational approach to interviewing, he not only changed the landscape of cable television and television news in general, but he is now blazing a trail in the digital space. Make plans now to join your colleagues in Las Vegas, June 19-23 -- this is a conversation you won't want to miss. Learn more about the conference.     

SmartQuote

If money be not thy servant, it will be thy master. The covetous man cannot so properly be said to possess wealth, as that may be said to possess him." --Francis Bacon, British author and statesman