Study Pinpoints Growing Use of Cannabis to Manage Menopause Symptoms
PHILADELPHIA — One in 10 midlife women said they used cannabis in the past month, some of which was to manage menopausal symptoms, a researcher reported here. In a nationally representative sample of U.S. women, ages 45 to 64, 42% said they had ever used cannabis either recreationally or for medical purposes in their lifetime, […]
Reassuring Registry Data on Going Into TAVR Sans Symptoms
Transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR) got some preliminary affirmation for asymptomatic or minimally symptomatic severe aortic stenosis in a retrospective registry study. Of participants who got elective TAVR, the one in five who had minimal symptoms before the procedure tended to have good outcomes that compared favorably against the majority of more symptomatic peers: Fewer […]
Acetazolamide May Help COPD Patients Reach New Heights
Acetazolamide may prevent some patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) from suffering altitude-related adverse health effects (ARAHE) when traveling, a randomized controlled trial showed. In patients with moderate to severe COPD traveling to and staying for 2 days at 3,100 m, ARAHE occurred in 50% of those taking acetazolamide compared with 74% of those […]
McConnell’s Medical Report; Mask Mandate War Brews; OTC Naloxone Hits Stores
Note that some links may require registration or subscription. Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) had no evidence of stroke, seizure disorder, or movement disorder like Parkinson’s disease, Capitol physician Brian Monahan, MD, stated in a letter. (Politico) But Sen. Rand Paul, MD (R-Ky.), an ophthalmologist, thinks differently. (USA Today) Mask on; mask off: President […]
Certain SSRIs May Increase Arrhythmia Risk in Select Patients
Therapeutic doses of some selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) may lead to cardiotoxic concentration levels associated with increased risk of arrhythmia in certain groups of patients, including those 65 and up, according to a Norwegian cohort study. In patients 65 and over taking escitalopram (Lexapro) daily, about 20% were predicted to reach potentially pro-arrhythmic concentrations […]
Deadly Milkshakes; Masks Back at College Campus; Task Force Updates PrEP Guidance
Note that some links may require registration or subscription. Three people died after drinking milkshakes contaminated with listeria at a Frugal’s burger restaurant in Tacoma, Washington. (NBC News) Of course first-year medical residents who started training before the COVID-19 pandemic had lower rates of PTSD symptoms compared with those who started their training during the […]
Big Bump in Starting Salaries for Specialists
Average starting salary offers for specialists zoomed up year-over-year, in some cases by double-digit percentages, a new report found. In addition, entities such as retail clinics, urgent care centers, insurance companies, and private equity firms are vying with hospitals and medical groups for a limited number of doctors, according to AMN Healthcare’s 2023 Review of […]
Opinion | ‘Not Going to Change a Hardened Racist’: What We Heard This Week
“Taking some dippy course is not going to change a hardened racist.” — Marilyn Singleton, MD, a Los Angeles-based anesthesiologist, discussing implicit bias training as part of continuing medical education course work. “It would be very helpful to be able to tell my patient ‘lay off of the sugary sodas, but if you need a […]
Sen. McConnell Appears to Suffer Medical Incident During Press Conference
WASHINGTON — Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) appeared to have suffered some kind of medical problem during a press conference Wednesday afternoon. McConnell, 81, stepped up to a lectern, greeted the reporters, and began speaking about the Senate Republicans’ agenda in the near term when he stopped in the middle of a sentence. He […]
Doctors Share Why You ‘Run Hot’ Or ‘Run Cold’
Illustration:Jianan Liu/HuffPost It’s true: Some people may naturally feel more warm or cold compared to oy. You probably know ― or maybe even are ― one of those people who’s always hot or always cold. You may have even uttered the phrase “I run hot” or “I run cold” as those around you experience the […]