Readmission rates higher with long stays, heart failure As the industry focuses on curbing readmissions, a new a report reveals that roughly 13.5 percent of hospital stays in Pennsylvania in 2010 were followed by at least one readmission within 30 days, while 5.6 percent were followed by a readmission specifically for a complication or infection, according the Pennsylvania Health Care Cost Containment Council (PHC4). Fierce Healthcare
Some Schools Don't Let Kids Carry Asthma Inhalers Although all 50 states have laws that allow children with asthma to carry inhalers at school and 48 states have laws that let youngsters carry epinephrine pens for serious allergies, experts say that some kids are still being denied access to these lifesaving medications during the school day. HealthDay
Drugs, FDA and Pharma
FDA approves Glaxo cancer drug Votrient U.S. regulators gave the nod to GlaxoSmithKline Plc's Votrient for a type of sarcoma on Thursday, following a positive advisory panel vote last month. Reuters
FDA: Don't Mix New HCV Drug with HIV Drugs The FDA has issued a warning against using boceprevir (Victrelis) and anti-HIV drugs that contain the protease inhibitor ritonavir (Norvir) because of possibly dangerous drug interactions. MedPage Today
Strokes Follow Xarelto to Warfarin Switch Atrial fibrillation patients who transition from rivaroxaban (Xarelto) to a vitamin K antagonist may have an increased risk of stroke, a subanalysis of the ROCKET-AF trial found. MedPage Today
Drug-overdose antidote is put in addicts' hands The drug, widely sold under its generic name, naloxone, counteracts the effects of heroin, OxyContin and other powerful painkillers and has been routinely used by ambulance crews and emergency rooms in the U.S. for decades. Associated Press
