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Road safety is always a concern when you suffer from a chronic medical condition. Results have been released from a recent study focused on obtaining a better understanding of the accident risks facing patients with epilepsy.

According to statistics, between 2.5 to 3 million people in the United States currently suffer from epilepsy. Not all types of epilepsy are the same. There are variations in the number of seizures, the frequency of seizures, and the area of the brain from where these attacks emanate. The study focused on understanding how to better protect people with epilepsy, and keep them safe while driving. The researchers found that persons who suffered from longer seizures were more likely to be involved in an accident.

Approximately 70% of people who currently suffer from epilepsy are allowed to drive, provided that they control their seizures using medication. The remaining 25% of patients typically record the frequency and duration of their seizures, and discuss it with their doctors as part of a an ongoing monitoring of their condition.

Improved safety measures associated with catheters are reducing the risk of contamination of central venous lines and fatal blood stream infections in hospitals.

According to a new study, when hospitals improve catheter safety, there is a significant reduction in the number of potentially fatal bloodstream infections, as well as a drop in health care costs. In the United States alone, more than 50,000 bloodstream infections every year are directly linked to the use of central lines or central venous catheters. Approximately 12% of these infections are fatal.The central lines are used in intensive care units to deliver nutrients and drugs directly to the patients’ bloodstreams. However, the risk of contamination during handling and changing of these catheters is very high. Any contamination of the catheter could quickly result in an infection, spreading quickly to a patient’s bloodstream through the central lines and causing complications.

However, since the spotlight on hospital-acquired infections has increased, many hospitals have moved to implement new safety measures that are designed to reduce the risk of catheter contamination. More hospitals have enforced policies that require staff members to use sterile gloves and other protective equipment during the handling of catheters. Some hospitals are also now training staff members in the proper use and management of catheters, and use of other equipment and supplies to prevent infections.

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Drivers with Epilepsy Face Increased Accident Risks

Enhanced Catheter Safety Helps Reduce Hospital Infections