Health Care News

• Government study measures state-by-state sleeplessness
  A government study found people in West Virginia have the most trouble getting enough sleep, with almost one in five reporting they didn't get even one good night's rest in the previous month. Tennessee, Kentucky and Oklahoma also were above the national average of one in 10, while in North Dakota only one in 13 people reported they had trouble sleeping. Yahoo!/The Associated Press (10/30)

• Chronic stress is linked to consumption of high-fat foods
  Researchers who interviewed more than 600 overweight or obese women found that those with chronic stress are more likely to eat high-fat foods and feel they lack control over their eating and hunger. The chronically stressed were also more likely to try to control their weight through "rigid restraint" techniques such as vowing to avoid certain foods or skipping meals -- strategies that often backfire. USA TODAY (11/1)

• High fructose intake increases blood pressure, study finds
  Researchers found in a study of 4,528 adults that consuming more than 74 grams of fructose, or about 2.5 sugary soft drinks, a day increases the risk of hypertension, even among those with no previous history of hypertension. More research is needed to determine if lowering fructose intake could help lower blood pressure, the researchers said. HealthDay News (10/30)

• Study: Vaccine protects women from group B strep bacteria
  U.S. researchers found that women of childbearing age who received group B Streptococcus vaccine had a lower chance of carrying the bacteria in the vagina and gut than those who took a dummy vaccine. They think the vaccine could reduce pregnant women's risk of contracting the bacteria, which can cause blood and brain infections in newborns. WebMD (10/30) , Yahoo!/Reuters (10/30)

• Alcohol, marijuana use reduce antidepressant efficacy
  Antidepressant therapy may be less effective for children with treatment-resistant major depressive disorder if they also engage in casual use of marijuana and alcohol, a U.S. study showed. Researchers said the findings suggest clinicians should screen for and address substance use in children taking antidepressants. Medscape (free registration) (10/30)

• Which of the following do you think will see the most growth in 2010?
  Look out for the AANP SmartBrief Year-End Report on Dec. 8 and 15. The results of this poll will appear in Part 2 on Dec. 15.

	Independent NP-run practices
	Retail-based clinics
	Urgent-care clinics
	Community clinics

CE: Successful Strategies to Support Your OAB Patients Free CE available for nurse practitioners and other APN prescribers – Earn 1.0 contact hours sponsored by IPMA. Case-based activity will provide clinical pearls, practice recommendations and tools for your patients with urinary incontinence. Visit www.SuccessfulStrategiesforOAB.org for resources.

Pharmaceutical News

• HHS says more flu vaccine arriving this week
  HHS said 10 million more doses of H1N1 flu vaccine are expected in the U.S. this week as five drug companies producing the medicine have increased production. At least 114 children have died of the flu strain since April and drug company production problems have led to short supplies of the vaccine across the U.S. Reuters (10/31)

• WHO panel recommends 1 dose of H1N1 vaccine
  A panel convened by the World Health Organization encouraged health care providers to administer one dose of the H1N1 flu vaccine to as many children as possible before giving a second dose in countries that "want to do a very large campaign in children." However, the WHO's Strategic Advisory Group of Experts said it is up to each country to decide the best dosing strategy for its population. The Washington Post (10/31)

Hot Topics

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

• President declares H1N1 flu outbreak a national emergency (Yahoo!)

• Study: Oral contraceptives can double stroke risk in women (United Press International)

• Disney offers refunds for "Baby Einstein" videos (The New York Times)

• Diabetes guidelines stress universal screening in pregnant women (Medscape (free registration))

• Study finds 1 in 5 U.S. children is vitamin D deficient (Google)

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

Emerging Trends, Products and Technologies

• Experts cite 5 ways to improve medication adherence
  A group of consumer and medical organizations has cited the adoption of health IT as one of the five strategies toward achieving better patient adherence to medications, which they say could improve health outcomes and save up to $300 billion in health care costs. Other recommendations include care coordination and a focus on medication adherence in quality improvement initiatives and health research. Healthcare IT News (10/30)

• NP cherishes "sacred encounters" with elderly patients
  Gerontological nurse practitioner Laura Rodriguez says she has been blessed to have had many "sacred encounters" with her elderly patients, when they talk about death, afterlife and their beliefs. She makes house calls around Santa Rosa, Calif., where she learns about her patients' medical conditions, along with their life stories. The Press Democrat (Santa Rosa, Calif.) (10/31)

	The Buzz(CORPORATE ANNOUNCEMENTS) Help your patients stay almond-informed with our intuitive and educational teaching tools at AlmondBoard.com. They'll help answer questions such as "How many almonds are in the recommended daily portion?" and "Do almonds fit into my diet plan?" Download and print as many as you'd like for a simple way to help your patients smarten up about snacking. Interested in learning more about advertising in AANP SmartBrief? Contact Eric Yeager at 202.737.5500 ext. 255 or eyeager@smartbrief.com.

Health Policy and Legislative News

• Rep. Boehner: GOP to introduce health reform plan soon
  House Minority Leader John Boehner, R-Ohio, said Sunday that Republican lawmakers are preparing to introduce their own health reform proposal that would be less costly to taxpayers and take "a step-by-step approach" to expanding insurance coverage with limited government intrusion. The GOP plan would also leave out mandatory insurance for individuals and businesses, Boehner said. The Wall Street Journal (11/2)

AANP News

• One week and counting until National NP Week
  Nov. 8 to 14 is National NP Week. The theme for this year's celebration is "Nurse Practitioners -- 125,000 Solutions to the Primary Care Shortage." The 2009 AANP National NP Week Resource Guide is available here. With health care reform at the top of the national agenda this year, there has never been a better time to demonstrate to your communities the value of NP-delivered health care. Plan now to make NP Week 2009 an event to remember.

• Special Offer from AANP CareerLink
  In recognition of National Nurse Practitioner Week, HEALTHeCAREERS and AANP are offering a discount on all positions posted on the AANP CareerLink throughout the month of November. Don't miss this opportunity to receive a discount on advertising to these highly qualified health care providers.

SmartQuote

Accept the challenges so that you may feel the exhilaration of victory." --George S. Patton Jr., World War II general