Reducing the Risks of Relief — The CDC Opioid-Prescribing GuidelineThomas R. Frieden, M.D., M.P.H., and Debra Houry, M.D., M.P.H. Deaths from prescription-opioid overdose have increased dramatically in the United States, quadrupling in the past 15 years. Efforts to improve pain management resulted in quadrupled rates of opioid prescribing, which propelled a tightly correlated epidemic of…
Sustainable Growth Rate (SGR) Repeal and Replacement Summary Bipartisan legislation passed by Congress contains significant reforms to the Medicare physician reimbursement system. The Medicare Sustainable Growth Rate formula (SGR) is a budget cap that was passed into law in 1997 as an attempt to control federal spending on physician services. Since 2003, Congress has routinely…
First new antibiotic in 30 years discovered in major breakthrough By Sarah Knapton, Science Editor The discovery of Teixobactin could pave the way for a new generation of antibiotics because of the way it was discovered. The first new antibiotic to be discovered in nearly 30 years has been hailed as a ‘paradigm shift’ in the fight…
The Secret Lives of Doctors STARLA FITCH, MD | PHYSICIAN | Recently, when my parents came for a visit, our conversations led me to realize something important: I have been a doctor for more than 20 years, and yet my parents have no idea what my daily life is like. It then occurred to me…
In first federal guidelines on circumcision, the benefits are said to outweigh the risks. http://rt.com/usa/210863-cdc-circumcision-guidelines-comment/ The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said Tuesday that years’ of research and mounds of medical evidence suggests the benefits of male circumcision outweigh the risks. The CDC stopped short of fully advocating for circumcision in all circumstances this…
Human DNA Shows Traces of 40 Million-Year Battle For Survival Between Primate and Pathogen Dec 11, 2014 Study Highlights Importance of Nutritional Immunity in Fighting Infectious Disease Listen to an interview about the research on The Scope Radio (SALT LAKE CITY) – Examination of DNA from 21 primate species – from squirrel monkeys to humans…
By Dr. Mercola Besides sharing time with family and friends over food, the primary ingredient of the American Thanksgiving holiday is gratitude. While it’s certainly good to have an annual holiday to remind us to express gratitude, there’s much to be said for the benefits of cultivating the spirit of thankfulness year-round. People who are…
From PA to MD: An Appreciation for Physician Education CHRISTIN M. GIORDANO, PA | EDUCATION | Via KevinMD.com My journey in medicine began as a young child: I was the typical kid who knew I wanted to a be a doctor since I was a child and was thrilled when I was accepted into an…
Via Sploid by Jesus Diaz Many people are freaking out about ebola, but the fact is that there’s no reason to panic because it spreads too slowly. Way slower than other infectious diseases. The graphic above shows it clearly: While a measles patient can infect a maximum of 18 people on average, an ebola patient…
Relaxnews. Researchers at the American Academy of Sleep Medicine conducted a study to find out why a small percentage of people appear to only need six hours of sleep whereas most everyone else needs between eight and nine hours for optimal functioning during the day. They worked with 100 pairs of twins and identified a…
I was reviewing my ICU notes and was wondering the roles of corticosteroid therapy for sepsis/septic shock. Here are the current summary for corticosteroid therapy for sepsis/septic shock according to uptodate.com: SUMMARY AND RECOMMENDATIONS Summary Laboratory assays of plasma cortisol concentration and response to adrenocorticotropic hormone (ACTH) stimulation are likely unreliable in critically ill patients.…
Why Brain Death Is Death Fran Lowry September 19, 2014 In the final weeks of December 2013, Jahi McMath, a 13-year-old girl from Oakland, California, went into Children’s Hospital & Research Center Oakland for a tonsillectomy, adenoidectomy, and removal of redundant sinus tissue. Tragically, complications ensued. Jahi was declared legally dead on December 12, 2013, following 2…
