Meth-Related Cardiomyopathy: Where the Biggest Clusters Are
The American West has seen the biggest surge of cardiomyopathy-associated hospital admissions among methamphetamine users, based on 13 years of the latest available hospital admission data. The National Inpatient Sample (NIS) showed that methamphetamine-related cardiomyopathy admissions spiked by 231% from 2008 to 2020 nationwide — whereas overall admissions for heart failure increased just 12% during […]
Over 80% of Nurses Face Workplace Violence, Survey Finds
U.S. nurses reported a surge in workplace violence in post-pandemic times, according to a new survey from the nation’s largest nursing union. In National Nurses United’s (NNU) poll of 914 nurses, 46% said workplace violence had increased and 82% said they had experienced at least one type of violence at work in 2023. Additionally, 68% […]
I Just Got Over COVID. Do I Need an Updated Shot?
Updated COVID shots are becoming available in the U.S. amid what appears to be a surge in cases — leaving some to wonder whether they need an updated shot if they recently recovered from an infection. Official CDC guidance states that people who are currently infected should wait “at least until recovery from acute illness” […]
Model Predicts COVID Deaths Will Flatline This Winter
The U.S. probably won’t see a major surge in COVID deaths this winter, according to new models from the Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation (IHME) at the University of Washington in Seattle. By Feb. 1, 2023, daily deaths are projected to be at a high point of 335, which pales in comparison to the […]
Opinion | Two Years of Excess Deaths: What Can We Learn?
Has anyone noticed that the nation has been going through a 3-month surge in COVID-19 infections and hospitalizations that is just now beginning to abate? The CDC community levels on July 28 reported over 80% of counties at medium or high risk levels, an all-time high since the CDC began reporting such information back in […]
COVID’s Assault on the Moral Fiber of Medicine
COVID-19’s fourth surge is testing the moral fiber of American medicine. The virus has infected more than 42 million Americans and claimed more than 675,000 lives in less than 2 years. Now the Delta variant is forcing us to once again face an onslaught of critically ill patients while at the same time delaying routine […]
To Prevent Chronic Illness, Start With Mental Health
It should come as little surprise that the pandemic triggered a surge in mental health issues. Millions lost their jobs, life-threatening illness lurked at every corner, and socializing in person became dangerous. Indeed, the CDC recently reported that since the pandemic started, 41% of Americans reported symptoms of anxiety or depression — up from about […]