Lynn Hetzler

Lynn Hetzler has been a freelance writer for more than 15 years. She has extensive experience in a variety of specialties, including transplantation, oncology, fertility, negligible senescence, laboratory science, addiction, general research and more. Lynn specializes in creating informative and engaging medical content for readers of all levels, from patients to researchers and everyone in between.

Articles by Lynn Hetzler

• The US may be discarding thousands of viable kidneys each year

  Organ transplant professionals make tough decisions when it comes to deciding which organs are suitable…

  Tuesday, December 11, 2018

• ‘Waterfall’ shifts improve flow of patients in the emergency department

  Shift change can be a dangerous time for emergency department (ED) patients. This is especially true…

  Monday, December 10, 2018

• Online patient reviews of EDs and urgent care centers inform care delivery

  The internet has changed how consumers experience healthcare. People now search the internet for information…

  Monday, December 03, 2018

• Doubling the dosage of influenza may improve immunogenicity in solid-organ transplant recipients

  Influenza infection poses special challenges for solid-organ transplant recipients, as "the flu" increases…

  Thursday, November 29, 2018

• Transcranial direct current stimulation linked to improved object naming following a stroke

  Using transcranial direct current stimulation can improve object naming following a stroke, according…

  Tuesday, November 06, 2018

• Study: Dialysis modality choice does not affect kidney transplant outcomes

  Does the choice of dialysis modality prior to renal transplantation affect transplant outcomes for patients…

  Wednesday, October 31, 2018

• Acetaminophen may decrease recurrence of febrile seizures in children within the same episode

  When administered soon after the initial seizure, rectal acetaminophen can decrease the rates of second…

  Friday, October 26, 2018

• New study measures lesions, other health problems during routine kidney donor screening

  Kidney transplantation is the best treatment option for patients with end-stage renal disease (ESRD).…

  Wednesday, October 24, 2018

• Wave of complex street drugs complicates diagnosis of overdose

  Drug overdoses are increasingly common and more lethal in nearly every area of the country. New research…

  Monday, October 01, 2018

• Research provides new insight into transplant rejection

  Surgeons now perform more than 30,000 organ transplants a year, according to the U.S. Department of Health…

  Thursday, September 27, 2018

• CDC issues new recommendations for treating pediatric mild traumatic brain injury

  Epidemiological data indicate a market increase in the number of emergency department (ED) visits for…

  Tuesday, September 25, 2018

• Discovery of key mechanism in embryonic skin development could improve skin grafts

  A new discovery of a key mechanism by which skin begins to develop in embryos could improve skin grafts.…

  Thursday, September 20, 2018

• New study suggests progress in graft survival is slowing down

  The last 30 years have seen significant improvements in the lifespan of a transplanted kidney, but improvements…

  Tuesday, September 04, 2018

• New approach to mapping tuberculosis paves way for new treatments

  More than 10 million people worldwide became infected with tuberculosis (TB) in 2016, according to the…

  Thursday, August 30, 2018

• New study blames 3 factors for rapidly increasing physician burnout

  Physician burnout is a serious problem, for both providers and for patients. In fact, 83 percent of respondents…

  Wednesday, August 29, 2018

• Opt-in or opt-out organ donation: Which is a better indicator of ‘true wishes?’

  Which inferred preference for organ donation is stronger: when the decision is made by mandate or under…

  Thursday, August 23, 2018

• New study: Intravenous alteplase may not be necessary for mild stroke

  The results of a new study, published in the July 10 edition of JAMA, suggest alteplase may not be necessary…

  Wednesday, July 25, 2018

• Newer, older insulin formulations are similar for lowering glucose

  Basal insulin analogues do not produce substantially different glucose-lowering effects in adults with…

  Thursday, July 19, 2018

• Skin cancer study improves use of sun protection measures in transplant recipients

  Long-term immunosuppressive therapy can significantly increase the risk and mortality of skin cancer…

  Monday, June 25, 2018

• New study looks at transplants from drug overdose donors

  Demand for donor organs for transplant is high. Someone is added to the national transplant waitlist…

  Friday, June 22, 2018

• Negative pressure wound therapy for lower leg fractures might be ineffective

  Compared with standard dressings, negative pressure wound therapy (NPWT) does not improve 12-month outcomes…

  Wednesday, June 20, 2018

• Automated robotic device draws blood, performs analysis

  Researchers from Rutgers have developed an automated blood drawing and testing device that promises quick…

  Monday, June 18, 2018

• The man with 3 faces: Hamon receives 2nd face transplant

  Jerome Hamon became known as "the man with three faces" in April, when he was the first patient to undergo…

  Thursday, May 31, 2018

• Transporting STEMI patients to specialized hospitals provides faster lifesaving treatment

  Heart attack patients living in states that allow direct transport to hospitals offering percutaneous…

  Wednesday, May 30, 2018

• Stigmatizing language in medical records might affect a patient’s care

  Clinicians who use stigmatizing language in their patients’ medical records might be affecting the…

  Thursday, May 24, 2018

• Study shows many unaware that racial disparities exist on kidney transplant waitlists

  Racial disparity in waitlisting prevents many Americans from getting the kidney transplants they need.…

  Tuesday, May 22, 2018

• Even 1 TBI increases risk of subsequent dementia

  Experiencing just one traumatic brain injury (TBI) can increase the risk of dementia, according to a…

  Monday, April 16, 2018

• Liver transplants: From ‘macabre’ experiment to life-saving procedure

  Early liver transplantation was such a terrible failure that anesthesiologists in England refused to…

  Monday, April 02, 2018

• ED opioid overdose visits jump 30 percent in a year

  ​The opioid epidemic is still getting worse. The evidence? Emergency department visits for opioid overdoses…

  Thursday, March 29, 2018

• New approaches to treating septic shock

  With a mortality rate of about 50 percent, septic shock is the most common cause of death among critically…

  Thursday, March 22, 2018

• Why are women donating kidneys more than men?

  Most living kidney donors are women and, according to a recent study, men are donating even fewer kidneys…

  Wednesday, March 21, 2018

• Bed bug dust increases histamine levels in infested homes

  There are plenty of reasons to hate bed bugs. These parasitic insects pop up unexpectedly in even the…

  Thursday, March 01, 2018

• Study: Reducing unnecessary transport of fallen seniors

  ​Results from a recent study suggest that collaboration between emergency medical services (EMS) and…

  Thursday, February 01, 2018

• Study: Robotic kidney transplantation is safe and feasible

  Robotic kidney transplantation can provide speedy recovery, low complication rates and excellent graft…

  Tuesday, January 30, 2018

• Study: Racial-ethnic gap in living kidney transplantation continues to widen

  ​Despite national efforts to address the racial and ethnic disparities in living kidney transplantations,…

  Tuesday, January 23, 2018

• Geriatric screening in the ED cuts hospitalizations

  Simply talking to a specially trained nurse in a quiet room, away from the chaos of the emergency department…

  Wednesday, January 17, 2018

• Report: Injuries from firearms becoming more severe

  Firearm injuries have become more severe over the past 20 years, according to the results of a new study.…

  Friday, December 01, 2017

• Study: 6 OTC supplements contain banned stimulants

  Researchers recently identified four banned and potentially harmful stimulants in six over-the-counter…

  Tuesday, November 21, 2017

• Study: Older donor lungs may be acceptable for double-lung transplants

  Approximately 1,400 people in the United States are waiting for a lung transplant, according to the U.S.…

  Tuesday, November 14, 2017

• Accepting more DCD donor kidneys may reduce discard rate

  ​Despite being a vital source of kidneys for transplantation, donation after circulatory death (DCD)…

  Monday, October 30, 2017

• Study: Vaccination rates hold steady after ACIP change

  ​Medical professionals worried that vaccination rates would plummet after the CDC's Advisory Committee…

  Wednesday, October 25, 2017

• At last: Ebola vaccine deemed a success

  Ebola is one of the deadliest viruses known to medical science. In just one outbreak occurring between…

  Tuesday, October 17, 2017

• Infective endocarditis common among ESRD patients

  Patients with end-stage renal disease (ESRD) are at higher risk for infective endocarditis, according…

  Friday, October 13, 2017

• Study: White children more likely to receive unnecessary antibiotics from ED

  ​White children were nearly twice as likely to receive antibiotics for viral illnesses from emergency…

  Thursday, September 21, 2017

• Researchers: Thermotherapy could fight organ rejection, cancer

  ​Practitioners may someday use heat therapy to reduce organ rejection in transplant patients, fight…

  Monday, September 18, 2017

• Study opens possibility for first diagnostic test for chronic bronchitis

  ​Scientists have taken a huge step toward understanding chronic bronchitis and developing a diagnostic…

  Wednesday, September 13, 2017

• Reports of dietary supplement exposure rising

  Every 24 minutes, someone calls a poison control center in the U.S. regarding exposure to a dietary supplement,…

  Tuesday, August 29, 2017

• Study: Kidney transplant recipients face higher risk of melanoma

  Kidney transplant recipients face a greater risk of melanoma, according to a recent study published in…

  Tuesday, August 22, 2017

• Research: MRI contrast agents accumulate in the brain

  Gadolinium-based contrast agents (GBCAs) are widely used for the diagnosis and monitoring of many diseases.…

  Wednesday, August 16, 2017

• Are we turning down kidneys for reasons other than quality?

  Poor allograft quality may not be the only reason for turning down a donor kidney, according to a new…

  Tuesday, August 15, 2017

• Corticosteroids may do more harm than good in severe asthmatics

  The primary treatment for asthma may actually worsen the disease, according to a recent study published…

  Wednesday, August 02, 2017

• Study: New kidney allocation system narrows racial gaps

  ​A new kidney allocation system helps more minorities get the kidney transplants they need, according…

  Monday, July 24, 2017

• Help from above: Drones may one day save lives

  Drones are currently useful for capturing breathtaking pictures and video from the air, and in a variety…

  Tuesday, July 18, 2017

• Study: Patients with cirrhosis at increased risk of stroke

  Patients with liver cirrhosis have a higher risk of stroke — particularly hemorrhagic stroke — according…

  Wednesday, June 28, 2017

• Many transplant recipients miss important cancer screenings

  Routine cancer screenings are recommended for everyone, but a new study shows that most solid organ transplant…

  Tuesday, June 27, 2017

• New electronic sepsis alert system drastically reduces missed diagnoses

  Using an electronic sepsis alert (ESA) can reduce missed sepsis diagnoses by 76 percent, according to…

  Monday, June 19, 2017

• New study examines why firefighters have higher risk for heart attack

  Firefighting is one of the most dangerous jobs in the world — but why? We know sudden cardiac death…

  Thursday, April 27, 2017

• Study: Point-of-care testing speeds treatment, addresses antibiotic resistance

  Researchers from the University of Southampton in England recently used a point-of-care swab test to…

  Monday, April 17, 2017

• History of migraine associated with ischemic stroke

  ​Cervical artery dissection (CEAD) is a common cause of ischemic stroke (IS) in younger adults, with…

  Tuesday, April 11, 2017

• Despite guidelines, antibiotic choice to treat pediatric pneumonia varies

  ​A new study shows that outpatient clinicians prescribe macrolide antibiotics to treat community acquired…

  Wednesday, March 22, 2017

• How killer cells organize troops in fight against infection

  Within days of a viral infection, an army of cytotoxic T cells spreads out to track and kill infected…

  Monday, February 27, 2017

• Controlling anemia in kidney transplant recipients

  Kidney transplant recipients re-entering hemodialysis (HD) with a failing allograft are frequently more…

  Tuesday, February 14, 2017

• Study: Any amount of calcified plaque raises risk of heart disease

  Even a small amount of calcified coronary plaque in people under the age of 50 is strongly associated…

  Monday, February 13, 2017

• Indoor smoking bans result in fewer kids visiting the ER for asthma

  ​Indoor smoking bans reduce the number of emergency department (ED) visits in children with asthma,…

  Monday, January 23, 2017

• Kidney transplant may reactivate HPV infection in females

  ​Women who receive a kidney transplant have a higher risk of developing HPV-related premalignant lesions…

  Friday, January 20, 2017

• Alarming levels of hypertension in the Canadian public

  ​Half the population of Canada could suffer from hypertension — according to the results of a new…

  Tuesday, January 17, 2017

• Organ transplants break record again in 2016

  ​Organ transplants in the United States reached an all-time high for the fourth consecutive year in…

  Wednesday, January 11, 2017

• Study: CPR performed by bystanders improves survival rates in children

  Children are more likely to survive and have better neurological outcomes after cardiac arrest outside…

  Wednesday, November 16, 2016

• Paperwork confusion can affect life-saving care in the ED

  ​A new study published in The Journal of Post-Acute and Long-Term Care Medicine (JAMDA) shows that…

  Wednesday, November 09, 2016

• Most results from late-stage trials of failed drugs go unpublished

  ​About half of all investigational drugs fail late-stage clinical development, according to a new study…

  Thursday, November 03, 2016

• No benefit in therapeutic hypothermia for in‑hospital cardiac arrest

  Healthcare professionals often administer therapeutic hypothermia to optimize survival of both out-of-hospital…

  Wednesday, October 26, 2016

• Is your transplant patient leading a sedentary lifestyle?

  ​Patients with advanced cirrhosis are at a high risk for frailty, which increases the risks of liver-related…

  Thursday, October 20, 2016

• Dealing with occupational stress in the ED

  ​Occupational stress is ubiquitous in the workplace today, and it presents major challenges to health…

  Tuesday, October 18, 2016

• Study: Extended primary care hours linked to fewer ED visits

  ​Extending primary care practice hours at night and over the weekend may reduce emergency department…

  Friday, September 23, 2016

• How nurses help relieve ED overcrowding

  Emergency department (ED) overcrowding threatens access to healthcare and the quality of that care. It…

  Thursday, September 15, 2016

• The number of pediatric concussions may be significantly underestimated

  ​The number of pediatric concussions may be substantially greater than what is reported in the United…

  Friday, June 24, 2016

• Pregnant women face another challenge this summer

  Most pregnant women and women of childbearing age are worried about the Zika virus this summer, but they…

  Thursday, June 16, 2016

• 3-D-printed ear creates hope for organ transplants

  Researchers at Wake Forest Baptist Medical Center in North Carolina used a 3-D printer to fabricate human…

  Tuesday, March 29, 2016

• Mini-stomachs created from reprogrammed cells can produce insulin

  ​In a study published this month in Cell, researchers used stomach cells to create "mini-organs" that…

  Tuesday, March 15, 2016

• Ketamine is safe, effective for difficult‑to‑sedate ED patients

  A small segment of patients presenting to emergency departments with acute behavioral disturbances do…

  Monday, March 14, 2016

• Would you trust a robot in an emergency?

  Understanding human trust in robots is increasingly important as we enter an age of self-driving cars…

  Thursday, March 10, 2016

• Team develops wireless, dissolvable sensor for TBI

  An estimated 1.7 million people in the U.S. sustain a traumatic brain injury (TBI) annually, and about…

  Tuesday, February 23, 2016

• New method can detect wound infection in minutes

  ​New point-of-care diagnostic testing could help doctors detect wound infection in less than a minute,…

  Thursday, February 18, 2016

• Key differences in new guidelines for heart transplantation

  ​The International Society for Heart and Lung Transplantation (ISHLT) has published new guidelines…

  Wednesday, February 17, 2016

• Scientists working on saliva test to detect date rape drug, fake alcohol

  ​The number of emergency department visits related to alcohol has risen dramatically in the United…

  Tuesday, January 26, 2016

• Study: Short people may be at disadvantage for lung transplants

  ​Short people have lower odds of getting a lung transplant, ​according to a recent report by Columbia…

  Tuesday, January 12, 2016

• This new blood test may be the future of detecting concussions

  ​Doctors, healthcare providers and even coaches may someday use a simple blood test to detect concussions…

  Thursday, December 03, 2015

• Study: Link between income and organ transplant access for the wealthy

  Wealthy people appear to have an edge when it comes to organ transplants, according to research presented…

  Tuesday, December 01, 2015

• How 3-D-printed blood vessels may help organ transplantation

  Transplant surgeons need more than simply a mass of cells — they need vessel inlets and outlets that…

  Monday, November 23, 2015

• Should medics stop for breathing or keep pumping during CPR?

  A new study suggests that medics' use of continuous chest compressions with positive-pressure ventilation…

  Wednesday, November 18, 2015

• New blood test can detect whether chest pain is a heart attack

  Performing high-sensitivity cardiac troponin I at presentation in patients with suspected acute coronary…

  Wednesday, October 21, 2015

• Study: Use of a metronome helps in pediatric CPR

  ​Using a metronome during pediatric CPR may save lives, according to a new study published in the journal…

  Thursday, October 15, 2015

• Paul’s Law would remove disability as factor in transplant decisions

  The State of Pennsylvania is considering a proposal that removes disabilities as factors in decisions…

  Tuesday, September 01, 2015

• Study: Transport times for stroke patients still need improvement

  Stroke is the fifth-leading cause of death in the United States, according to the Centers for Disease…

  Wednesday, August 19, 2015

• Induced hypothermia in kidney donors can improve transplantation

  Dropping the temperature of a deceased organ donor by just 2 degrees C could improve efficiency of kidney…

  Tuesday, August 18, 2015

• Study: Southern diet leads to higher risk for heart disease

  Consuming a Southern diet can increase the risk of heart disease, according to a new study. Published…

  Thursday, August 13, 2015

• Are online symptom checkers accurate?

  More than a third of all adults in the United States use the Internet to self-diagnose everything from…

  Tuesday, August 04, 2015

• Pediatric stroke response teams speed diagnosis

  Although stroke typically occurs only in elderly patients, this condition can strike infants, children…

  Thursday, July 23, 2015

• Study: ED intervention helps encourage tobacco cessation

  ​Smokers listen when emergency department doctors tell them to kick the habit, according to a new study…

  Tuesday, May 26, 2015

• Study: Frequent ED users are at higher risk for death

  Those who use emergency department services frequently are not time-wasters, according to a new study,…

  Wednesday, May 20, 2015

• Study: Generic as good as name brand for post-transplant drugs

  Generic formulations of tacrolimus are as effective as the name-brand version, according to a recent…

  Tuesday, May 19, 2015

• Experts: Make organ donation cheaper for donors

  ​Everyone involved with organ donation profits, except for the donor. In fact, living organ donors…

  Tuesday, April 28, 2015

• Get to know the designer drug N‑bomb and its effects

  Recreational use of designer psychoactive drugs is rising dramatically. Designer drugs have gained popularity…

  Thursday, April 23, 2015

• Researchers regenerate heart cells in mice

  ​Myocardial infarction (MI) causes irreversible necrosis of heart muscle secondary to prolonged ischemia.…

  Tuesday, April 21, 2015

• New technique may help speed up heart attack diagnosis

  Acute myocardial infarction (MI) is a common cause of death and disability in the United States and around…

  Friday, April 17, 2015

• Researchers engineer stem cells to treat sickle cell disease

  ​Researchers at Johns Hopkins have taken an important step toward a more effective treatment for some…

  Tuesday, March 17, 2015

• FDA approves new CPR devices that may increase cardiac arrest survival

  ​On March 9, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) ​approved new CPR devices that might improve…

  Friday, March 13, 2015

• Think you know CPR? You’re probably doing it wrong

  ​The depth and rate of chest compressions during cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) affects the recovery…

  Wednesday, March 04, 2015

• Study: Paramedics could administer drugs for ischemic stroke earlier

  ​Most ischemic stroke patients have to wait until they arrive at a hospital and undergo testing before…

  Thursday, February 26, 2015

• Novel drug therapy lowers antibodies in kidney transplant patients

  ​A new preoperative drug therapy may reduce antibodies in kidney patients better than using traditional…

  Tuesday, January 27, 2015

• Strict rest after concussion offers no additional benefit

  ​Emergency department physicians currently suggest that pediatric patients rest for one to two days…

  Wednesday, January 14, 2015

• New cardiac monitor process reduces alarm fatigue in hospitals

  ​A hospital monitor alarm can save a patient's life, as a single beep or high-pitched wail spurs doctors…

  Thursday, December 04, 2014

• Research: Spinal cord injuries may cause brain degeneration

  According to the National SCI Statistical Center, about 276,000 people in the U.S. currently live with…

  Friday, November 21, 2014

• 2 days of chemotherapy drug may control immune disease post-transplant

  A short course of a chemotherapy drug may control life-threatening immune response, according to a new…

  Wednesday, November 05, 2014

• World’s smallest liver-kidney transplant saves toddler’s life

  At 16 months old, Aspen Erickson received her combined liver-kidney transplant in a six-hour procedure…

  Wednesday, October 22, 2014

• Study shows complications of dermatology cases in ED

  ​More than 75 percent of all dermatology complaints seen in emergency departments are acute rather…

  Thursday, October 16, 2014

• Thymus grown in mouse holds great potential for lab-created organs

  Scientists have created a fully functioning organ from cells created in a lab then transplanted into…

  Wednesday, September 24, 2014

• Study: ED visits for hypertension on the rise

  Emergency department visits for high blood pressure jumped 25 percent in just five years, according to…

  Wednesday, September 17, 2014

• New hydrogel drug delivery helps prevents transplant rejection

  ​Clinicians currently use systemic immunosuppression in vascularized composite allotransplantation…

  Thursday, August 21, 2014