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FRIDAY, May 29, 2020 (HealthDay News) -- In a small French study, three-quarters of all COVID-19 patients admitted to intensive care went on to experience a dangerous blood clot in the leg that can travel to the lungs and potentially cause death. Known as a DVT, the condition first gained notoriety as so-called "economy class syndrome," when passengers on long-haul flights developed them after sitting still for too long. But the clots can be life-threatening, and the frequency at which they are showing up in COVID-19 patients is cause for alarm, experts say. The new findings "were quite astonishing," said Dr. Maja Zaric, a U.S. cardiologist who wasn't connected to the French study. "Sixty-five percent of all admitted patients had evidence of lower extremity DVT upon admission, and...

FRIDAY, May 29, 2020 (HealthDay News) -- Coronavirus-related safety is crucial if you wear contact lenses, eyeglasses or safety glasses/goggles, experts say. While the American Academy of Ophthalmology recommends limiting use of contact lenses and switching to eyeglasses during the pandemic, the American Optometric Association says there's no evidence that wearing contacts increases COVID-19 risk. "With proper hand-washing prior to inserting and removing lenses, proper cleaning of lenses, and making sure you are never touching your eyes throughout the day, it is reasonable to wear contact lenses safely," said Danielle Natale, an optometrist at LifeBridge Health Krieger Eye Institute in Baltimore. If you develop cold- or flu-like symptoms, however, stop wearing contact lenses,...

FRIDAY, May 29, 2020 (HealthDay News) -- Hospitalized COVID-19 patients in the United States spend more time in the hospital and are more likely to require intensive care than patients in China, a new study says. The findings suggest that the coronavirus pandemic may be putting greater strain on U.S. hospitals than previously assumed, according to researchers. "The hospital resources needed to meet the needs of severely ill patients are substantial," said lead author Joseph Lewnard, an assistant professor of epidemiology at the University of California, Berkeley. "We found that observations from China may not provide a sufficient basis for anticipating the U.S. health care demand," he said in a university news release. Lewnard and his colleagues analyzed the medical records of...

FRIDAY, May 29, 2020 (HealthDay News) -- As U.S. hospitals resume procedures put on hold by the coronavirus outbreak, there's an urgent need for blood and platelet donations, the American Red Cross says. Following a sharp decline in demand for blood products that began in early April, hospitals' needs have recently spiked 30%. "Blood donors are essential to ensuring the continued health of their community by making sure hospitals have a readily available supply of blood products for patients," said Chris Hrouda, president of the American Red Cross Biomedical Services. "Blood cannot be stockpiled like other medical supplies and must be constantly replenished." Hrouda said the Red Cross is grateful to the tens of thousands of donors who rolled up a sleeve to help early on. Though...