Tobacco regulatory science: research to inform regulatory action at the Food and Drug Administration's Center for Tobacco Products.

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) promotes the development of regulatory science to ensure that a strong evidence base informs all of its regulatory activities related to the manufacture, marketing, and distribution of tobacco products as well as public education about tobacco product constituents and effects.

Optimizing hemostatic practices: matching the appropriate hemostat to the clinical situation.

Achieving hemostasis is a critical focus of clinicians working in the surgical setting, given that uncontrolled surgical bleeding is associated with increased mortality rates and higher costs of care. As principal members of the surgical team, perioperative nurses are in an optimal position to plan and direct care during a bleeding event and throughout a patient's surgical stay. This supplement includes an assessment of the clinical and economic effects of surgical bleeding, a thorough review of available therapies, and a detailed comparison of these products to demonstrate which agents are best suited for a given clinical situation.

Achieving hemostasis with topical hemostats: making clinically and economically appropriate decisions in the surgical and trauma settings.

Achieving hemostasis is a crucial focus of clinicians working in surgical and trauma settings. Topical hemostatic agents-including mechanical hemostats, active hemostats, flowable hemostats, and fibrin sealants-are frequently used in efforts to control bleeding, and new options such as hemostatic dressings, initially used in combat situations, are increasingly being used in civilian settings. To achieve successful hemostasis, a number of vital factors must be considered by surgeons and perioperative nurses, such as the size of the wound; bleeding severity; and the efficacy, possible adverse effects, and method of application of potential hemostatic agents.

Implementing methods to improve perioperative hemostasis in the surgical and trauma settings.

Achieving perioperative hemostasis is vital to surgical success. Inadequate control of bleeding is associated with serious adverse outcomes, including extended duration of surgery, unanticipated blood transfusions, shock, infection, impaired wound healing, longer hospital stays, and mortality. Appropriate clinical management of bleeding in the surgical and trauma settings requires careful collaborative planning and coordination by the entire perioperative team.