New European HTN Guidelines Hit Hard With Initial Therapy, Keep ‘High-Normal’ Label

he new European guidelines for diagnosing and managing arterial hypertension maintain the previous classification system based on blood pressure  (BP) levels but recommends a harder-hitting initial treatment approach compared to the previous version, released in 2013.
The 2018 European Society of Cardiology (ESC) and European Society of Hypertension (ESH) guidelines document still categorizes patients with systolic/diastolic BP of 130 to 139/85 to 89 mm Hg as having “high-normal” BP.

Splenic Abscess Treatment & Management

Once the diagnosis of a splenic abscess has been made, the patient must be admitted to the hospital and treated. Treatment depends on the patient’s overall condition, comorbidities, and primary disorder (if any), as well as the size and topography of the abscess. [22]
Empiric broad-spectrum antibiotic therapy has a primary role in the initial management of splenic abscesses. The success of antibiotic therapy is not affected by the presence of multiple abscesses or by a polymicrobial flora. The choice of antibiotics is tailored to the culture results.

How to Use Condoms Safely

 
If you’re looking for protection against pregnancy and sexually transmitted infections (STIs) without a prescription, condoms may be a good option to explore. They’re discrete, relatively inexpensive, and don’t involve any synthetic hormones. Condoms are also readily available at your nearest convenience or drug store.
What are the safest condoms on the market? Here’s what you need to know.

Practicing safe sex

A sexually transmitted disease (STD) is an infection that’s spread during sexual contact with another person. This includes touching, since some STDs can be spread from skin-to-skin contact.
In general, STDs are highly preventable. Almost 20 million new STDs are diagnosed each year in the United States, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). However, a large number of those infections could be avoided if people made different decisions about their sexual health.

Eardrum Rupture

What is an eardrum rupture?
An eardrum rupture is a small hole or tear in your eardrum, or tympanic membrane. The tympanic membrane is a thin tissue that divides your middle ear and outer ear canal.
This membrane vibrates when sound waves enter your ear. The vibration continues through the bones of the middle ear. Because this vibration allows you to hear, your hearing can suffer if your eardrum is damaged.
A ruptured eardrum is also called a perforated eardrum. In rare cases, this condition can cause permanent hearing loss.

Ear Infections

What causes an ear infection?
An ear infection occurs when one of your eustachian tubes becomes swollen or blocked, causing fluid to build up in your middle ear. Eustachian tubes are small tubes that run from each ear directly to the back of the throat. The causes of eustachian tube blockage include:

Colleagues Laugh At ‘Awkward’ Doctor For Writing Name On Cap, Don’t Realize It Saves Lives

Sydney based anesthetist Dr. Rob Hackett’s colleagues thought he was a little strange, a little bit off for his decision.
Little did they know that his “awkward” decision to write his name and profession across the top of his scrub hat would lead to some beneficial safety changes in the world of medicine.

“There were some side remarks, like ‘can’t you remember your name?’” Hackett told Daily Mail.