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Hurricane Helene causes dire IV fluid shortage at hospitals nationwide

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Hurricane Helene causes dire IV fluid shortage at hospitals nationwide

Even as Floridians cope with Hurricane Milton, the aftermath of Hurricane Helene continues to affect the U.S.

Among those feeling the aftershock, hospitals around the U.S. have reported a shortage of IV fluid.

Baxter International, an IV fluid manufacturing plant in North Cove, North Carolina, was hit particularly hard by the hurricane, causing its supply to be damaged by flooding.

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The plant produces 60% of America’s IV fluid supply at 1.5 million bags daily, the company stated.

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Baxter International in North Carolina produces 60% of America’s IV fluid supply. (iStock)

Various hospitals have already felt the impact, according to a report by FOX Business’ Lydia Hu.

This includes Mass General Brigham in Boston, which is conserving its fluid supply, and UVA Hospital, which is postponing some elective and non-life-threatening surgeries.

Hospitals have noted that they’ve received less than half of the IV fluid they get in their shipments, Hu reported on Fox News’ “America Reports.”

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Baxter International announced in a Monday statement that several of its global plants are “scaling and ramping production to help meet U.S. needs.”

“We expect to receive product from these sources throughout the month of October,” the company said.

Brian McCormack pauses after using a wheelbarrow to clean up debris left in the aftermath of Hurricane Helene on Oct. 1, 2024, in Marshall, North Carolina. (AP Photo/Jeff Roberson)

As of Wednesday, the company announced its goal to restore North Cove production in phases and return to 90% to 100% allocation by the end of 2024.

The American Hospital Association (AHA) sent a letter to the Biden Administration on Oct. 7 requesting a declaration of the shortage and asking to invoke the Defense Production Act.

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“The AHA strongly urges the Administration to take immediate actions to increase the supply of IV solutions for the nation’s hospitals, health systems and other health care providers that are already struggling to provide care,” AHA President Richard J. Pollack wrote in the letter.

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Dr. Chris Derienzo, the association’s chief physician officer, told Hu that using the act would allow the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and the Department of Defense (DOD) to increase production and ensure nationwide supply.

“I’ve heard from hospitals from coast to coast,” he said. “This impact is felt by patients everywhere.”

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Cars sit submerged in a flooded area at a used tire dealer after Tropical Storm Helene in Hendersonville, North Carolina, on Sept. 27, 2024.    (Ken Ruinard/USA Today Network via Reuters)

Kenneth J. Perry, MD, FACEP, emergency physician at Trident Medical Center in Charleston, South Carolina, shared with Fox News Digital that IV fluids are “very important” for treating a variety of conditions in the emergency department.

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“From nausea and vomiting, dehydration, rhabdomyolisis and even infections, fluids are a cornerstone of treatment,” he said. “With the recent destruction in North Carolina from Hurricane Helene, the production of intravenous fluids has been severely limited.”

To mitigate this, Perry suggested, the first step should be to ensure that everyone in a hospital setting is aware of the shortages.

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IV fluids are essential for treating a variety of conditions in the emergency department, a doctor noted. (iStock)

“There has to be a team approach when we have such an acute shortage,” he said. 

“Hospitals need to utilize every possible option for fluid administration, such as small-as-possible volumes of fluids and even changing protocols that initiate fluids without specific needs.”

“Physicians need to stay vigilant to ensure that we are able to adapt and change patient care protocols as new pressures arise.”

Shortages within the health care system are not new, the physician added, as hospitals around the world experienced supply shortages during the coronavirus pandemic.

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“Health care entities had to manage to treat patients even as the supply chains were not keeping up,” Perry noted. 

“Physicians need to stay vigilant to ensure that we are able to adapt and change patient care protocols as new pressures arise.”

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Katie Couric couldn’t remember the year or the president during frightening brain episode

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Katie Couric couldn’t remember the year or the president during frightening brain episode

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Journalist Katie Couric is sharing a scary medical episode that she experienced on June 27.

In a post on Substack titled “The Day I’ll Never Remember,” she detailed a sudden episode that left her unable to recall the current month, year and president.

“I thought it was 2024. And I believed Joe Biden was president,” she wrote.

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The event occurred while Couric was attending the Aspen Ideas Festival in Colorado, during which she participated in two public panels — one on AI and one on journalism — both of which she cannot remember at all.

“I have no idea what we talked about, or of what occurred when the panels ended,” she said.

Journalist Katie Couric is sharing a scary medical episode that she experienced on June 27. (Getty Images)

John Molner — Couric’s husband, who was in attendance at the festival and the two panels — also shared his account.

After the event, someone told Molner that Katie wasn’t feeling well. When he reached her, an EMT and a doctor were tending to her. “I could tell something was off,” he wrote. “It could have been altitude sickness, but Katie was definitely not all there.”

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At the hospital, when Couric struggled to recall the year, the president and her grandchildren’s names, doctors began checking for a stroke.

An MRI revealed no signs of stroke, which was a relief, but “Katie’s ‘fog’ became a lot more apparent,” Molner wrote.

John Molner, Couric’s husband, who was in attendance at the festival and the two panels, also shared his account. (Getty Images)

“She repeatedly asked me the same questions: ‘What was I doing before we got to the hospital?’ ‘Why am I at the hospital?’”

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Couric was ultimately diagnosed with transient global amnesia, a sudden, temporary episode of memory loss that prevents a person from forming new memories and may also erase some recent memories, according to Mayo Clinic.

“The cause seems to be as mysterious as the brain itself.”

It is not caused by a stroke, seizure or head injury, and it usually resolves completely within 24 hours.

“[It’s] just a very weird neural episode that’s pretty uncommon and, at least in most cases, is a ‘one and done’ experience,” Molner said.

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Couric said she finally began feeling “like herself” again around 9 p.m. and went to sleep at 2 a.m.

As TGA leaves a “permanent gap in memory” for the duration of the episode and for hours beforehand, Couric said that from around noon on that day until at least 7 p.m. will remain a “big, black hole.”

As TGA leaves a “permanent gap in memory” for the duration of the episode and for hours beforehand, Couric said that from around noon on that day until at least 7 p.m. will remain a “big, black hole.” (Getty Images)

Data shows that approximately three to eight people per 100,000 will have an episode of transient global amnesia, with people 50 years of age and older at higher risk.

The specific cause of TGA is not known, but some experts believe it stems from a “temporary dysfunction in the brain’s hippocampus — the area responsible for creating new memories,” Couric shared.

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“Doctors believe this is driven by brief interruptions in blood or oxygen flow, or microscopic spasm in the blood vessels.”

Episodes could potentially be triggered by intense physical exertion, emotional distress, extreme temperature changes or migraines, experts say.

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Approximately 15% of patients will have a recurrence 10 years later.

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“Why did this happen to me? Was the altitude an issue? Was I dehydrated? Tired? Stressed? The literature doesn’t seem to indicate that these are contributing factors, but the cause seems to be as mysterious as the brain itself,” Couric wrote.

Anyone who experiences sudden memory loss, confusion, difficulty speaking, weakness, numbness, vision changes, severe headache or other stroke-like symptoms should seek immediate medical attention or call 911, doctors advise. (iStock)

“All I know is that those hours will be forever lost. Someone described it as my brain failing to hit the ‘record button.’”

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“While this was a freaky occurrence, it could have been much more serious. So ultimately, I’m relieved — even though several hours of a Saturday in June will always be missing for me.”

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Anyone who experiences sudden memory loss, confusion, difficulty speaking, weakness, numbness, vision changes, severe headache or other stroke-like symptoms should seek immediate medical attention or call 911, doctors advise.

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One walking habit could signal a healthier brain after 80, scientists say

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One walking habit could signal a healthier brain after 80, scientists say

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Older adults identified as “super movers” are about half as likely to develop cognitive impairment than their peers.

That’s according to a recent study led by Stony Brook Medicine in New York, which evaluated the cognitive function of 4,000 adults 80 and over who participated in multiple aging and longevity studies over several years.

Among this group, 6% to 10% were classified as super movers, which means they walk at a much faster pace than others of the same age and gender — at speeds comparable to people three decades younger.

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The super movers were found to have about half the risk of cognitive decline compared to seniors with typical gait speed.

The findings were published in the journal Neurology on June 16.

Older adults identified as “super movers” are about half as likely to develop cognitive impairment than their peers. (iStock)

“The study reinforces that mobility and brain health are closely connected,” lead study author Dr. Joe Verghese, MD, neurologist at Stony Brook Medicine, told Fox News Digital. “This suggests that preserving mobility may be an important marker of healthy brain aging and resilience.”

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The most intriguing finding, according to Verghese, was that super movers maintained cognitive function despite having similar dementia-related brain changes as their peers.

In postmortem brain analysis, there was no difference in dementia-related pathologies between the super movers and the slower walkers, the study stated.

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“This suggests they may possess resilience mechanisms that help preserve brain function even in the presence of age-related changes,” he said. “Understanding these resilience factors could lead to new strategies for promoting healthy brain aging.”

As the study was observational, there were some limitations, and it does not prove that walking faster prevents dementia, the researchers noted.

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Super movers were found to have about half the risk of cognitive decline compared to seniors with typical gait speed. (iStock)

“Other factors, such as cardiovascular health, physical fitness or genetics, may also contribute to both faster walking and better cognitive outcomes,” Verghese said.

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This study adds to growing evidence that what’s good for the heart and muscles also benefits the brain, he noted, adding that “staying physically active remains one of the most effective, evidence-based ways to support healthy aging.”

“Walking speed is best viewed as a marker of overall health, not a treatment.”

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“The broader message is that physical activity is important at any age,” Verghese said. “Walking is an easy step-up point because you don’t need any special equipment. You can do it inside or outdoors, and you can do it on a regular basis. You can walk with a dog, you can walk with a friend.”

Any activity is beneficial if it’s done regularly and with the right intensity, he added.

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Rather than just trying to walk faster, the neurologist recommends that seniors focus on maintaining mobility through regular physical activity, strength training, balance exercises and good cardiovascular health.

“Walking speed is best viewed as a marker of overall health, not a treatment,” Verghese noted.

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Major public health guidelines from the CDC and U.S. Physical Activity Guidelines recommend at least 150 minutes of moderate-intensity aerobic activity each week, such as brisk walking.

Major public health guidelines from the CDC and U.S. Physical Activity Guidelines recommend at least 150 minutes of moderate-intensity aerobic activity each week, such as brisk walking. (iStock)

This can be achieved by walking 30 minutes a day, five days a week, or about 20 to 25 minutes most days. Another option is to engage in shorter sessions that add up over the day.

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“You have to do it within your health limitations and medical conditions,” Verghese advised. “So if there are any medical concerns, I would get your physician to clear you before starting exercise.” The good thing about walking, he added, is that you can start at a slow pace and then gradually build up to a brisker pace.

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“And then adding on strength and balance training, whatever age you are, I think is also important.”

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I Tried the Viral Gelatin Weight-Loss Recipe—Here’s My Honest Take

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I Tried the Viral Gelatin Weight-Loss Recipe—Here’s My Honest Take


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I Tried the Viral Gelatin Weight-Loss Recipe: Does It Really Work?




















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