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New and Updated Topics

What's New in the Healthwise® Knowledgebase

Version 9.5

October 2012

What's New

  • New Decision Points
  • New Health and Disease Topics
  • New Learning Centers
  • Enhanced Content
  • New NCI
  • New Medication Topics
  • New Aisle 7 (CAM) Content
  • Updated Actionsets
  • Updated Decision Points
  • Updated Health and Disease Topics
  • Updated Illustrations
  • Updated Online Forms
  • Updated Medical Test Topics
  • Updated Symptom Topics
  • Updated NCI Topics
  • Updated Medication Topics
  • Topic Title Changes and Topic Replacements
  • Medical Guideline Reviews
  • What's Next

New Decision Points

Decision Points focus on key medical care decisions that are important for many health problems. Each Decision Point provides an overview of the issues involved in a decision and focuses attention on the information that is most helpful to people as they work with their health professionals to make the decision.

New Health and Disease Topics

  • Avoiding Infections in the Hospital : This new topic emphasizes the seriousness of hospital-acquired infections and offers prevention tips.
  • Blood Pressure Numbers: When to Get Help : This new topic provides information to help people who check their own blood pressure know when they need to call a doctor or seek emergency care.
  • Cancer Support: Being an Active Patient : This new topic encourages cancer patients to get involved in their care. It includes lists of questions to ask at each step, from diagnosis to treatment, and tells how to find reliable information.
  • Cancer Support: Coping With Cancer Treatments : This new topic offers advice about deciding what and how much information you want to get about your cancer and its treatment. It discusses the importance of getting a support system in place to ease the stress of treatment.
  • Cancer Support: Dealing With Emotions and Fears : This new topic describes the wide variety of emotions you may have after a cancer diagnosis. It includes advice on building inner strength and where to go for support.
  • Cancer Support: Family, Friends, and Relationships : This new topic helps patients figure out how to tell family and friends—including children—about a cancer diagnosis.
  • Cancer Support: Finding Out That You Have Cancer : This new topic offers advice and support to people who have just found out they have cancer. It discusses the importance of getting support and what to expect in the way of reactions from family members, including children.
  • Cancer Support: Life After Treatment : This new topic explains how your life may change after cancer treatment. It is aimed at helping cancer patients find their new "normal," and it explains that this may take longer than they thought.
  • Cancer Support: Managing Stress : This new topic offers advice about coping with the stress that comes with having cancer. It includes tips for fighting stress and discusses the value of counseling.
  • Cancer Support: When Your Cancer Comes Back or Gets Worse : This new topic offers advice about dealing with your emotions when you have been diagnosed with recurrent or metastatic cancer. It includes tips for staying positive, dealing with stress, and getting support.
  • Checking In to the Hospital : This new topic describes what happens when you are admitted to the hospital and what to expect after you're in your room.
  • Choosing a Hospital : This new topic explains the different types of hospitals and offers advice about comparing quality of care and other features.
  • Electronic Medical and Health Records : This new topic explains the difference between the terms "personal health record," "electronic medical record," and "electronic health record."
  • Energy and Sports Drinks : This new topic describes energy and sports drinks. It looks at what they do and whether or not they are safe or provide any benefit for children and adults.
  • Frailty in Older Adults : This new topic describes frailty. It offers tips for caregivers on how to prevent frailty or slow it down.
  • Getting Support When You Have Cancer : Having cancer can change your life in many ways. This new topic links to a variety of topics that can help you manage these changes.
  • Heavy Menstrual Periods : This new topic describes heavy menstrual periods (also called menorrhagia), including cause, symptoms, diagnosis, treatment, and home care.
  • Hospital Isolation Rooms : This new topic explains how isolation rooms work and what you can expect if you are a patient in isolation.
  • Hospital Patient Advocates : This new topic describes the work of the hospital patient advocate. It also offers advice on how to get help when your hospital doesn't have an on-staff advocate.
  • Kissing Bugs : This new topic provides a description of kissing bugs, where they are found, how their bites are treated, and how to get rid of kissing bugs.
  • Managing Your Medical Bills : This new topic offers help with organizing medical bills, keeping track of what you owe, and handling billing and payment problems.
  • Monitoring Your Medicines in the Hospital : This new topic describes the importance of keeping track of your medicines to prevent errors, both during your hospital stay and after discharge. It includes a list of questions to ask every time someone gives you medicine in the hospital.
  • Navigating Your Hospital Stay : This new topic offers a roundup of links to many topics that can help you get through your hospital stay. The topics are listed in three categories: before your stay, during your stay, and after your stay.
  • Physical Activity as You Get Older : This new topic describes how physical activity helps older adults. It tells how to get started being more active, and it gives a list of warning signs to watch for.
  • Post-Thrombotic Syndrome : This new topic describes post-thrombotic syndrome, including symptoms, treatment, and prevention.
  • Preparing for Your Hospital Stay : This new topic offers advice on how to plan for an upcoming hospital stay. It includes tips on how to prepare before you leave and what to take with you to the hospital.
  • Preparing Your Child for the Hospital : This new topic offers advice about how to prepare a child for an upcoming stay in the hospital.
  • Preventing Children's Injuries From Sports and Other Activities : This new topic offers guidance for lowering the active child's risk of injury. It discusses the sports physical, using protective gear, strengthening and learning proper form, avoiding overuse injury and dehydration, and paying attention to fatigue and pain.
  • Preventing Falls in the Hospital : This new topic describes the increased risk of falling while in the hospital and tells you what you can do to prevent falls.
  • Sex and Your Heart : This new topic is aimed at heart patients who are worried about having sex. It explains that sex is safe for most patients and offers tips on how to talk about this subject with your doctor.
  • Steroid Medicine for Asthma: Myths and Facts : This new topic describes the difference between daily controller medicine and quick-relief medicine for asthma. It offers reassuring information about using a daily steroid inhaler to control asthma.

New Learning Centers

Healthwise is pleased to introduce Learning Centers, searchable Web pages that link to detailed information about specific health concerns.

Enhanced Content

We've revised the following documents so that they are more concise and easier for readers to explore and use. The content is now more streamlined, there is less repetition across the various sections of each document, and we've provided more cues to the reader in the form of improved headings, lists, and well-placed links.

Other Enhancements

New NCI Topics

There are new Physician Data Query (PDQ) topics from the National Cancer Institute. Refer to your product Tech Docs for a complete list of new and updated titles.

New Medication Topics

Medication topics from Cerner Multum, Inc. are not included in all systems. Added topics may include new information and/or the addition of new drug names. Refer to the Tech Docs for a complete list of new and updated titles.

New Aisle 7 (CAM) Content

Refer to the Tech Docs for a complete list of new and updated Aisle 7 (CAM) content.

Updated Decision Points

A primary care physician or a specialist in the field reviewed the following topics. We verified all information for medical accuracy and added new medical information if available. While medically significant changes are listed here, minor revisions, such as editorial changes, may not be listed.

A primary care physician or a specialist in the field reviewed the following topics. No medical revisions were needed.

Updated Health and Disease Topics

A primary care physician and/or a specialist in the field reviewed the following topics. We verified all information for medical accuracy and added new medical information if available. While medically significant changes are listed here, minor revisions, such as editorial changes, may not be listed.

  • Bottle-Feeding :
    • Promoting Healthy Growth and Development: Under "Other concerns" for "When to offer liquids from a cup," we now say to try to have your child who's older than 12 months use a cup instead of a bottle. We also say to have your child stay seated while drinking in order to help prevent injuries from using bottles and cups during unsteady walking.
    • Bottle-Feeding: When Baby Doesn't Want to Stop (Special): We now say that a baby with a bottle or other object in his or her mouth is at risk for face and mouth injuries if he or she were to fall.
    • Choosing Baby Bottles and Nipples (Special): We no longer talk about BPA, because that chemical is now banned in baby bottles.
  • Cardiomyopathy : We added three more examples of types of cardiomyopathy: inflammatory cardiomyopathy, takotsubo (stress) cardiomyopathy, and tachycardia-induced cardiomyopathy.
  • Cervical Cancer :
    • Home Treatment: We now include a list of problems that a woman may have after a hysterectomy and suggestions for managing those problems.
  • Child Safety: Preventing Falls (Special): We now say that a baby with a pacifier or other object in his or her mouth is at risk for face and mouth injuries in addition to other injuries from a fall. Also, we added that it's best to have your child stay seated when he or she is eating or drinking.
  • Circumcision : We added that the American Academy of Pediatrics says the health benefits of circumcision outweigh the risks of the surgery, but it's up to you whether you have your baby circumcised.
  • Clostridium Difficile Colitis :
    • Topic Overview: Under "What causes it?" we added that medicines used to reduce stomach acid increase the risk of getting a C. difficile infection. We also added that C. difficile can be spread by an infected person who contaminates surfaces by touching them and that it is important to wash hands often to prevent the spread of the infection. Under "How is it treated?" we added both the antibiotic fidaxomicin and fecal transplants as possible treatments for a C. difficile infection. We also mentioned bile salt binders may be used to control the diarrhea, and probiotics may help prevent reinfection.
    • Clostridium Difficile Colitis (Definition): We added antibiotics and fecal transplants as possible treatments for a C. difficile infection. We also mentioned bile salt binders may be used to control the diarrhea, and probiotics may help prevent reinfection.
  • Cosmetic Surgery and Procedures :
    • Topic Overview: Under "What are the general types of cosmetic surgery and procedures?" we now include filler injections and laser hair removal in the list of examples of nonsurgical cosmetic procedures.
  • Early Disease Detection :
  • Fungal Nail Infections :
  • Gonorrhea :
    • Medications: We added an increasing number of strains of gonorrhea that are resistant to certain antibiotics.
  • Hair Loss :
    • Other Treatment: We now include laser phototherapy combs in the list of other treatments for hair loss and say that these combs use low levels of light to increase hair growth and are designed for use at home.
  • Health and Safety, Birth to 2 Years :
    • Safety Measures Around the Home: Under "Falls," we now say to not allow your child to walk or run with objects in his or her mouth, because an unsteady toddler could get face and mouth injuries in addition to other injuries from falling.
  • Immunizations :
  • Insect Repellents : We added a section on how to use insect repellent safely.
  • Lung Cancer :
    • Exams and Tests: Under "Screening tests," we now say that screening with low-dose CT scans may help if you are older than 55 and are a heavy smoker. This recommendation is from the National Comprehensive Cancer Network's Clinical Practice Guidelines.
    • Treatment Overview: We added targeted therapy and laser therapy as treatments for lung cancer. Under "Treatments for non-small cell lung cancer," we added ALK to the gene changes that may be checked before treatment is given.
    • Medications: We added crizotinib to the list of chemotherapy medicines.
    • Surgery: We added sleeve resection to the types of surgery that may be done for lung cancer. We also say that there is less pain with minimally invasive (VATS) than the traditional surgery (thoracotomy).
    • Other Treatment: Under "Radiation," we now include stereotactic radiosurgery (SRS).
    • Tyrosine Kinase Inhibitors (Drug Detail): We added crizotinib, erlotinib, and gefitinib as examples.
    • Lung Surgery for Lung Cancer (Surgical Detail): We now address video-assisted thoracoscopic surgery (VATS) as well as thoracotomy throughout this topic. We also include sleeve resection under the types of lung surgery.
  • Neck Pain :
    • Medications: We say corticosteroid injections are rarely used for neck pain, but they may be tried if you also have symptoms such as pain or numbness in your arm that suggest a nerve root is pinched or irritated (radiculopathy).
    • Cervical Collars (Special): We added information on hard cervical collars.
  • Nursery Equipment Safety Checklist : Since pacifiers come in different sizes, we now say to make sure that your baby is using a pacifier that's intended for his or her current age.
  • Parkinson's Disease :
  • Pregnancy: First Prenatal Visit (Special): We now include thyroid tests in the list of blood tests used for screening: we say that many women have thyroid tests done if they have a personal or family history of thyroid problems.
  • Preventing Tetanus Infections : In "How can I prevent tetanus?" we now say that all teens and adults who never got the Tdap shot need one dose.
  • Prostate Cancer : Throughout the topic, we now differentiate between active surveillance and watchful waiting.
  • Prostate Cancer, Advanced or Metastatic : Throughout the topic, we now differentiate between active surveillance and watchful waiting.
  • Restless Legs Syndrome :
  • Rheumatoid Arthritis :
    • What Happens: We say that people who have rheumatoid arthritis seem to develop plaque deposits in arteries (atherosclerosis) earlier than people who do not have rheumatoid arthritis and that this increases the risk of heart attack and stroke.
    • When to Call a Doctor: We say to call your doctor immediately if you have back or neck pain along with weakness in your arms or legs, or if you have loss of bowel or bladder control.
    • Living With Rheumatoid Arthritis: Under "Protect your joints," we now say to choose the right shoes that fit well and will not cause joint problems. Under "Avoid smoking," we added that smoking further increases your risk for plaque in your arteries and that smoking may lower your response to treatment for your RA. Under "Take care of your teeth and gums," we added that people who have RA tend to get gum disease.
    • Corticosteroids for Rheumatoid Arthritis (Drug Detail): In Why It Is Used, we say corticosteroids may be used in low doses for longer periods for people who do not respond to other DMARDs and for severe symptoms such as pericarditis or vasculitis.
    • Rheumatoid Arthritis: Classification Criteria (Focus): We replaced the content with a new table based on the 2010 Rheumatoid Arthritis Classification Criteria for rheumatoid arthritis from the American College of Rheumatology (ACR) and the European League Against Rheumatism (EULAR).
  • Stuttering :
    • Topic Overview: Under "What are the symptoms?" we added a few more symptoms that reflect specific DSM-IV criteria for developmental stuttering.
    • Treatments for Developmental Stuttering (Special): We now say that your child will need to practice his or her new skills after the therapy program has ended.
  • Understanding Health Insurance :
    • Choosing a Plan: We added descriptions of coinsurance and flexible spending accounts. And under "Coverage for medicines," we explain what prior authorization means.
  • Tetanus : Under "How can you prevent tetanus?" we now say that Tdap is recommended at age 11 or 12 and for all teens and adults who never had a Tdap shot.
  • Vaccine Information Statements :
    • Vaccine Information: We now link to the updated vaccine information statements for typhoid and influenza vaccines.
  • Weaning :
    • Promoting Healthy Growth and Development: Under "Tips for using a cup," we now say to strive to have your baby using a cup instead of a bottle around 1 year of age and to help your child to start using a lidless cup by age 2. We also say to help prevent injuries from using bottles and cups during unsteady walking by having your child stay seated while drinking.
  • Whiplash : We note that soft foam collars should only be worn for short periods of time.
  • Whooping Cough (Pertussis) : Under "How can you prevent whooping cough?" we now say that Tdap is recommended at age 11 or 12 and for all teens and adults who never had a Tdap shot.

A primary care physician or a specialist in the field reviewed the following topics. No medical revisions were needed.

Updated Illustrations, iTools, and Forms

Updated Interactive Health Tools

A primary care physician or a specialist in the field reviewed the following topics. No medical revisions were needed.

Updated Online Forms

These online forms have been updated for this release.

Updated Medical Test Topics

A primary care physician or a specialist in the field reviewed the following topics. We verified all information for medical accuracy and added new medical information if available. While medically significant changes are listed here, minor revisions, such as editorial changes, may not be listed.

  • Alkaline Phosphatase :
    • Overview: We added information about the alkaline phosphatase isoenzymes test that can measure the amounts of different types of ALP in the blood.
  • Catecholamines in Blood :
    • Overview: We added that normetanephrine also may be measured during a catecholamine test.
    • Results: We added the normal values for normetanephrine to the Results table.
  • Cystourethrogram :
    • How To Prepare: We added instructions for women who are breast-feeding.
  • Immunoglobulins :
    • Results: We added normal ranges for the immunoglobulins IgD and IgE to the Results table.
  • Intravenous Pyelogram (IVP) :
    • How To Prepare: We added instructions for women who are breast-feeding.
  • Lead :
    • Results: Based on updated CDC recommendations, we now say your doctor will likely want to do more evaluation if a child age 1 to 5 years has a blood lead level of 5 mcg/dL or higher. And we no longer include a table of the possible effects in children at a particular level of poisoning.
  • Rheumatoid Factor (RF) :
    • Why It Is Done: We say this test is also done to find out whether a child with polyarticular juvenile idiopathic arthritis has elevated rheumatoid factor.

A primary care physician or a specialist in the field reviewed the following topics. No medical revisions were needed.

Updated Symptom Topics

A primary care physician or a specialist in the field reviewed the following topics. We verified all information for medical accuracy and added new medical information if available. While medically significant changes are listed here, minor revisions, such as editorial changes, may not be listed.

A primary care physician or a specialist in the field reviewed the following topics. No medical revisions were needed.

Updated NCI Topics

There are updated Physician Data Query (PDQ) topics from the National Cancer Institute included in this release. Refer to your product Tech Docs for a complete list of new and updated titles.

Updated Medication Topics

Medication topics from Cerner Multum, Inc. are not included in all systems. Updates may include new information and/or the addition of new drug names. Refer to your product Tech Docs for a complete list of new and updated titles.

Topic Title Changes, Topic Replacements, Medical Guideline Reviews

Topic Title Changes

Topic Replacements

The following searchable topics have been archived, and replacement topics are listed. Many rank-3 frames, which are non-searchable documents, have also been archived, because they contained duplicate information. See your product Tech Docs for a complete list of archived documents.

Medical Guideline Reviews

The following medical guidelines have been reviewed to ensure Healthwise content is accurate, consistent, and helpful to consumers.

  • Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (2012). Updated recommendations for use of tetanus toxoid, reduced diphtheria toxoid, and acellular pertussis (Tdap) vaccine in adults aged 65 years and older — Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP).
  • U.S. Preventive Services Task Force (2012). Screening for Prostate Cancer: Final Recommendation Statement.

What's Next

The next release of the Healthwise Knowledgebase is scheduled for January 2013.

New Topics

New topics on the following subjects are in development and are expected to release within the next 6 months:

  • Elective C-section
  • Graft failure
  • Organic foods
  • Reducing BRCA risk
  • Sonohysterogram
  • Spasticity
  • Staying healthy around animals
  • Testosterone replacement for men

Enhancements

The following topics are currently being revised to improve the readability and key actions for consumers:

  • Asthma in Teens and Adults
  • Cystic Fibrosis
  • Early Disease Detection
  • Glaucoma
  • Hair Loss
  • Heart Failure
  • HIV (Human Immunodeficiency Virus) Infection
  • Hypertrophic Cardiomyopathy
  • Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS)
  • Living With a Spinal Cord Injury
  • Long-Term Care Choices
  • Lung Cancer
  • Patellar Tracking
  • Sexual Problems in Women
  • Spina Bifida
  • Turning Off Your ICD

Updates

We will be updating the following topics:

  • Abortion
  • Altitude Sickness
  • Alzheimer's Disease
  • Anxiety
  • Bed-Wetting
  • Bone Biopsy
  • Bone Mineral Density
  • Bone Scan
  • Bronchoscopy
  • Bullying
  • Bursitis
  • Canker Sores
  • Cardiac Rehabilitation
  • Carpal Tunnel Syndrome
  • Cerebral Palsy
  • Change in Heartbeat
  • Chest Problems
  • Choosing Child Care
  • Chronic Female Pelvic Pain
  • Colorectal Cancer
  • Colorectal Cancer, Metastatic
  • Crohn's Disease
  • Digital Rectal Examination (DRE)
  • Ear Infections
  • Farsightedness, Dry Eyes, and Corrective Lenses
  • Fever Seizures
  • Fever, Age 11 and Younger
  • Fever, Age 12 and Older
  • Finger, Hand, and Wrist Injuries
  • Finger, Hand, and Wrist Problems
  • Food Poisoning
  • Functional Ovarian Cysts
  • Ganglions
  • Hemochromatosis
  • Hepatitis A
  • Hepatitis B
  • Hyperventilation
  • Inguinal Hernia
  • Laryngitis
  • Lice and Pinworms
  • Lumbar Puncture
  • Lyme Disease
  • Male Genital Problems
  • Mammogram for Breast Cancer
  • Medication Monitoring
  • Meniscus Tear
  • Molluscum Contagiosum
  • Nail Problems and Injuries
  • Nighttime Leg Cramps
  • Osteoporosis
  • Panic Attacks and Panic Disorders
  • Pelvic Organ Prolapse
  • Preeclampsia and High Blood Pressure During Pregnancy
  • Pulmonology
  • Rabies
  • Radiology
  • Rubella
  • Schizophrenia
  • Sexual Orientation
  • Sickle Cell Disease
  • Skin Cancer, Melanoma
  • Skin Cancer, Nonmelanoma
  • Tendon Injury
  • Toe, Foot, and Ankle Injuries
  • Toe, Foot, and Ankle Problems
  • Type 1 Diabetes
  • Ulcerative Colitis
  • Urinary Incontinence in Women
  • Warts and Plantar Warts

This information does not replace the advice of a doctor. Healthwise, Incorporated disclaims any warranty or liability for your use of this information. Your use of this information means that you agree to the Terms of Use. How this information was developed to help you make better health decisions.

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