May, 2017 - Braunfotel and Frendel

Police break up Staten Island prescription drug ring

Two residents of Staten Island were recently arrested by New York City police in connection with their roles in operating and directing a prescription drug trafficking ring that operated on Staten Island and in Brooklyn. The drug arrests included the two men alleged to be ringleaders and four others who were involved in the operation.Police have alleged that the drug ring operated from August 2016 to October 2016. The six members of the ring have been charged with scheming to obtain the drugs from pharmacies and then sell them on the black market. The drug ring trafficked mostly in opioid painkillers. The operation is alleged to have fraudulently filled prescriptions for more than 2,800 oxycodone pills and then given the pills to the ring's leader for sale on the black [...]

Police break up Staten Island prescription drug ringjames2017-05-31T00:00:00+00:00

How syncope may affect people on the job

Workers in New York and throughout the country who are prone to fainting may be more likely to suffer from workplace injuries and job loss. This was the conclusion of a study that appeared online April 18 in the journal "Circulation: Cardiovascular Quality and Outcomes."Researchers for the American Heart Association examined data for over 3.4 million people from 2008 to 2012. The workers, in the age range of 18 to 64, included those with fainting spells, or syncope, and those without the condition. People who suffered from syncope were twice as likely to lose their jobs and 1.4 times as likely to be injured on the job.Injuries as a result of fainting on the job included internal bleeding, fractures and amputations, and manual laborers were the most likely to suffer [...]

How syncope may affect people on the jobjames2017-05-30T00:00:00+00:00

Times Square driver may have been high or mentally ill

Times Square is normally filled with pedestrians, especially during the noon hour in the summer. A driver who claims to have heard voices, and who may have been high on drugs, drove his car into Times Square crowd, killing one person injuring 22 others. The question being asked by police is not how the accident unfolded, but what motivated the driver to engage in such dangerous conduct. Was the incident the result of drunk driving or some other interference with the driver's cognitive abilities?The incident began when the driver allegedly heard voices telling him to hurt people. At first, police were concerned that the incident was a terror attack. After interviewing the driver, police now believe that the driver's actions were intentional but not motivated by a terroristic intent. Police [...]

Times Square driver may have been high or mentally illjames2017-05-26T00:00:00+00:00

Rise in Crypto outbreaks related to swimming

Cryptosporidium is a parasite that is transmitted when people consume substances that have been infected with fecal matter. People in New York should be aware that the number of yearly reported Cryptosporidium outbreaks caused by swimming pools doubled to 32 between 2014 and 2016, according to early data from the Centers for Disease Control.Crypto is the main cause of illnesses and outbreaks related to diarrhea associated with water playgrounds and pools. This is primarily because it is very difficult to kill with chlorine and able to survive in properly treated water for up to 10 days. A mere mouthful of water infected with Crypto can sicken healthy people for up to three weeks with vomiting, stomach cramps, nausea and watery diarrhea. These symptoms can cause the affected individuals to become [...]

Rise in Crypto outbreaks related to swimmingjames2017-05-23T00:00:00+00:00

Drunk tow truck driver crosses centerline, injures two

Tow trucks and their drivers are supposed to help people when their cars are disabled or involved in a collision. A recent accident in a suburban county northeast of New York City stood this scenario on its head, as a tow truck driver collided with another vehicle, injuring two people. The tow truck driver has been charged with drunk driving and texting while driving.The tow truck was headed north on Route 17 in Rockland County when it supposedly crossed the double yellow line and crashed head-on into a southbound Chevy Suburban. Investigation at the scene of the accident appeared to indicate that the tow truck driver was distracted by texting. Police also allege that the truck driver was intoxicated at the time of the accident.The two people in the Suburban, [...]

Drunk tow truck driver crosses centerline, injures twojames2017-05-18T00:00:00+00:00

Getting another diagnosis

New York residents who believe that they have received an incorrect initial medical diagnosis may want to consider obtaining a virtual second opinion. Without needing to go into a larger city or travel around the country, patients can contact specialists and subspecialists in order to obtain an additional diagnosis.It is estimated that each year 12 million people who receive outpatient care in the United States are victims of diagnostic errors. Such errors can result in delayed treatment, treatment for the wrong medical conditions as well as negative effects on the quality of life and financial security of the patients, employers and family members who serve as caregivers. These results account for a part of the $750 billion that is wasted on inefficient and unnecessary health services.While obtaining a second medical [...]

Getting another diagnosisjames2017-05-15T00:00:00+00:00

Former street hoops star, drug counselor, faces heroin charges

One New York resident was known for his prolific scoring ability as a street baller and his willingness to counsel black children on the evils of drugs and crime. Now, however, the hero of Brooklyn street basketball has been taken into custody and charged with masterminding a large heroin operation in the borough.The man was one of 13 drug arrests involving the alleged sale of large amounts of heroin in the neighborhoods of Bushwick, Flatbush, Fort Greene and Brownsville. Prosecutors have accused the ring of putting $12 million to $20 million on the street. The ring allegedly sold 2 million vials of heroin on Brooklyn streets. Investigators say they recovered more than $185,000 in cash, six weapons and 2 kilos of heroin. Two of the individual's sons were among the [...]

Former street hoops star, drug counselor, faces heroin chargesjames2017-05-11T00:00:00+00:00

Learning more about melanoma

As New Yorkers begin to spend more time outdoors as the weather gets warmer, they should keep in mind that May is Melanoma Awareness Month. They should know the potential risks of sunburns and exposure to the sun.Melanoma is the most frequently occurring cancer for women in their 20s and 30s and can increase in risk as people age. It can be the result of sunburns that occur in childhood as well as routine, unprotected sun exposure. The disease makes up only 1 percent of skin cancers, but according to the American Cancer Society, it is responsible for a significant portion of deaths related to skin cancer.The cure rate for melanoma that has been detected early is 94 to 100 percent. The survival rate for the cancer falls to 20 [...]

Learning more about melanomajames2017-05-09T00:00:00+00:00

NYC cop faces manslaughter charge in fatal accident

New York law imposes significant penalties on a person who is convicted of causing a fatal accident while driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs. An off-duty New York City police office now faces such drunk driving charges in connection with a recent fatal accident in Queens.The officer, who was off the clock at the time of the accident, was driving south on the Van Wyck Expressway when his Mercedes Benz allegedly rammed into the rear end of a Honda Accord. The Mercedes pushed the Honda onto the shoulder and then into a light pole. All three persons in the Honda were seriously injured. The driver died two days after the collision, and both passengers remain hospitalized and are being treated for serious and potentially life-threatening injuries. The driver, [...]

NYC cop faces manslaughter charge in fatal accidentjames2017-05-04T00:00:00+00:00

Hospitals aim to combat sepsis in children

When New York children have sepsis, their health could deteriorate rapidly. Symptoms could include pain throughout the body, a quick drop in blood pressure and organ failure. Each year, 75,000 children are hospitalized in the United States for sepsis, and about 7,000 children die each year from the condition, according to a study done in 2013.Those who survive may face secondary problems with their organs or need to have limbs amputated. To combat sepsis, a group of hospitals is banding together to significantly reduce the number of diagnoses as well as the number of childhood deaths. The goal is a 75 percent reduction in both categories in participating hospitals by 2020. One way to do this is to screen patients who show any signs of possible sepsis and treat them [...]

Hospitals aim to combat sepsis in childrenjames2017-05-02T00:00:00+00:00

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