EMBARGOED FOR RELEASE UNTIL 4 PM ET, October 27, 2003
Tip Sheet for the October 28, 2003 Neurology
St. Paul, Minn. -
Prognosis in nonconvulsive status epilepticus studied Patients experiencing nonconvulsive status epilepticus (a state in epilepsy in which the attacks occur in rapid succession without recovery of consciousness), met with a higher incidence of mortality when they had co-existing medical conditions (18 percent versus 3 percent among 100 patients studied). Yet another reason to quit smoking In this month’s Neurology Patient Page, Robin Brey, MD, a neurologist in San Antonio, TX, and co-editor of the Patient Page, explains how researchers have identified cigarette smoking as a risk for developing multiple sclerosis. Contact AAN Media Relations staff for a copy, or download one after the embargo ends at www.neurology.org. Other News Neurologists Back Medicare Reforms Neurologists consider the House and Senate Medicare bills to be of critical importance, particularly since the House provision provides for two years of positive Medicare payment updates rather than two years of cuts. Without the House provision, a physician payment cut of more than 4 percent could take effect on January 1, 2004. This directly affects patient access to quality neurological care. For the AAN’s position statement on this and other federal issues visit http://www.aan.com/advocacy/federal/academy.cfm