Public Meducation

DISCLAIMER Nothing on this page should be taken as medical ADVICE. It is purely for educational purposes, and to partake in meaningful discussion with other professionals. My goal is to help educate the general public, while simultaneously educating myself!

Drug-Free cure for Postpartum Depression on the Horizon? Postpartum depression is a seriously overlooked part of the pregnancy. Hormones plummet, exhaustion sets in, and a surge of negative emotions can feel overwhelming. Repetitive magnetic brain stimulation is already an FDA-approved method of depression treatments for OTHER types... so why not postpartum? It makes perfect sense, as most patients prefer to not take pharmaceuticals while also breastfeeding. So how do we treat these specific patients without drugs? Well, it looks like magnetic brain stimulation is making its move - currently under trial for postpartum use. It is specifically used to target the areas of the brain linked to depression, stimulating nerve cells with magnetic pulses. #PostpartumDepression #Pregnancy #MagneticBrainStimulation #Medicine

FIRST EVER DUAL COVID-FLU VACCINE The @EU_Commission (European Commission) granted marketing authorization for mCombriax. mCombriax is a combined flu and COVID vaccine developed by Moderna, designed for patients over the age of 50. It surpassed standard/current vaccines in trial, demonstrating strong immune responses with a manageable safety profile. The availability will depend on pricing and national guidelines, but it marks the first approval world-wide of such a vaccine. The study contained a total of 8,015 adults, showing both promising and very manageable results. #COVID #Flu #Vaccines #Moderna #Medicine

"Normal" Cholesterol Levels may not be Enough During Pregnancy? Prepregnancy levels of LDL-cholesterol on the higher end of normal may not be good enough at warding off hypertensive disorders during the pregnancy. Lipidemia and diabetes are established risks during pregnancy, but we are now seeing that even those who fall within normal ranges may be at risk for cardiovascular issues during pregnancy and labor. This stresses that providers should not just test a patient's BP during regular visits, but also lipid and glucose levels. Educating patients on lifestyle changes prior to conception could be the healthiest way to ensure the pregnancy goes with as few health concerns as possible. #Pregnancy #Cholesterol #CardiovascularDisease #Medicine

Probiotics Boost both Gut AND Brain Health! A small study led by Dr. Tao Bai promoted that probiotic treatment for IBS patients led to not just improved symptoms, but positive brain changes. Though further research would be necessary to confirm or prove these findings, they suggest that further research is definitely warranted. Though probiotics are often suggested to patients with GI issues, there is little knowledge on their neurobiological effects. #Probiotics #BrainHealth #IBS #Medicine

Respiratory Disease is the Leading Cause of Death in Men with Rheumatoid Arthritis A 10-year study in England, presented by Dr. Melina Dissanayake, reported that 1 in 3 deaths over that 10-year period were due to respiratory disease. Just 1 in 15 were related to cardiovascular disease (CVD), highlighting the large difference. 33.5% of deaths among 200 rheumatoid arthritis patients puts massive emphasis on integrated respiratory care in these patients. #RespiratoryDisease #RheumatoidArthritis #Medicine

The MOST EFFECTIVE Way to Diagnose Pericarditis Recent months have seen updates from the @escardio regarding guidelines for diagnosing pericarditis. The ESC is pivoting to Cardiac MRI's, deeming them crucial to an accurate diagnosis. This type of imaging can enhance detection of both inflammation and fibrosis. Along with diagnostic updates, we have also seen treatment updates be released as well. These recommend aspirin and NSAIDs, combined with colchicine to reduce the risk of recurrence. Second-line of therapy would be corticosteroids if there are contraindications or failure with aspirin/NSAIDs. IL-1 inhibitors are recommended for recurring cases that don't respond to prior treatment. #Pericarditis #CardiacMRI #DiagnosticImaging #Medicine

Does Cushing's Surgery Cause a New Problem with Lipid Profiles? Cushing's Syndrome (CS) is an endocrine disorder that causes the adrenal glands to release and subject the body to excess levels of cortisol for a prolonged period. The study, led by Moritz Schrenk, included patients who had undergone curative surgery for CS (transsphenoidal or adrenalectomy) as well as control patients with no indication of hypercortisolism. Their findings suggested that in early remission/postoperative stages, patients faced a worsened lipid profile. Increases in triglycerides. Decreases in HDL. This suggests that lipid profiles NEED to be heavily monitored during the early stages of recovery. Determining individualized strategies to lower lipid levels is crucial to lower cardiovascular risk in these patients. #CushingsSyndrome #Cortisol #Surgery #Medicine

Does Weight Training Improve Outcomes in Breast Cancer Surgeries? In a study led by Dr. Colin Champ, involving 200 female patients who underwent either lumpectomy or mastectomy procedures, they noticed something. Patients were put on a post-procedural 3-month weight training program, and across these patients, improvements were seen in... Strength Mobility Balance Body Composition This challenges traditional recovery advice, as most patients are often told to avoid strenuous activity. However, even 70+ year old patients had achieved remarkable gains physical ability through this program (deadlifting up to 200 lbs). #WeightTraining #BreastCancerySurgery #Medicine

Surgeon's fatigue is a serious issue in the medical field, now being recognized as a critical safety issue. This prompts new workplace standards, research into mitigating fatigue in the workplace, among other new practices. This is where technology like AI can become seriously useful, using brain monitors identify cognitive overload and optimize surgical schedules. Not just for the patient's safety, but the surgeon's as well. #Surgery #Fatigue #Medicine #Safety #Protocol

REAL PATIENT EXPERIENCE - Never Forget Neuro Exams Today my unit was dispatched to a behavioral health center for a woman in her early 50's experiencing hypertension and a headache. The headache was localized to the left frontal lobe and was described as throbbing. The patient had no prior medical history, and they were on a range of medications - including antihypertensives. It would be really easy to chalk this up to a patient who ran out of their BP meds (which they had), and whose body was reacting naturally to that. In fact, many would just assume that and not further examine the patient (besides vitals). However, the localized headache being uncommon for her had me thinking, what's that cause of her intracranial pressure? We did a neuro exam to further evaluate her sensory and motor skills, and everything seemed normal until... The pupils. The golden tell. The right one: normal size, constricted at the light/reactive. The left one: large and unreactive, blown. Suddenly, this woman whose caretaker's thought was just a little worked up because she was missing her meds - was actually being emergency transported to the hospital for a possible brain bleed. Always be diligent. Always perform your job as you should, no matter the presentation. #EMT #BrainBleed #TBI #PupillaryReaction #Medicine

There is very limited geriatric data regarding most psychiatric drugs, however they are often prescribed to geriatric patients. These types of medications include Caplyta and Cobenfyl, among others. Experts have started urging caution in administration due to these gaps in evidence. "Potential risks necessitate careful consideration" #Geriatric #Antipsychotics #Psychiatry #Medications

A New Gene Expression Signature Outperforms Current Clinical Staging!! SSCore-GEP is a novel gene signature, now thought to surpass traditional clinical staging in effectiveness. What does it do better? Well, it can predict metastasis risk in cutaneous squamous cell carcinoma. This is a more accurate way of identifying high-risk patients, ensuring they get the care they require. Biotechnology is slowly giving patients more and more time, and this is another way right here. #GeneSignature #Biotech #Genomics #SkinCancer #Medicine

The Expected RISE of Aesthetic Treatments When we think of plastic surgery we probably think of the classics: botox, facelifts, implants, breast-reconstruction, BBL, etc. However, a new one is expected to SKYROCKET in popularity in the near future. Skin-tightening procedures. GLP-1's have found massive popularity and have shown effectiveness in rapid weight loss but dropping all that weight so quickly doesn't give the skin time to adjust. As these weight-loss therapies become even MORE affordable, aesthetic procedures related to tightening of the skin are expected to boost in popularity. #PlasticSurgery #SkinTightening #GLP1 #WeightLoss #Medicine

Do changes in the gut microbiome indicate early stages of Parkinson's? GI symptoms may arise in Parkinson's patients BEFORE the classic motor symptoms. The gut microbiome differs by about 25% in a healthy individual vs. one with Parkinson's, suggesting the potential for early identification and intervention. An early warning sign for one of the most difficult-to-live-with diagnoses in the world is a good step in the right direction. #GutBiome #Microbiome #Parkinsons #Medicine

Migration and Climate Change are taking a toll on European healthcare. Diverse patient profiles due to varying cultures exposes a large gap in the healthcare system. Development of training procedures to emphasize how to care for this broadened patient pool is necessary, as well as the integration of migrant needs into national health systems. #EuropeanHealthcare #Healthcare #MigrantHealth #Medicine

Development of the BAVENO VI criteria will allow patients with cirrhosis to safely avoid endoscopies! The criteria involve non-invasive tests that have proven effective in ruling out significant portal hypertension (SPH) and high-risk varices. Ruling these two specific issues out will help reduce unnecessary screening by 21%. #Endoscopy #MedicalScreening #BAVENOVI #Medicine

Increased Heart Failure Rates Among Younger Patients Between 2010 and 2022, hospitalization for heart failure in adults <65 years old has increased, while rates in elderly decrease. For the younger patients this reflects an increase in cardiometabolic risks, while the older populations trend is likely due to increased professional management. Increasing youth obesity, hypertension and diabetes can play a role in these findings. #HeartFailure #Hypertension #Healthcare #Medicine

Viral Outbreak at Sea? A Netherlands-based cruise ship (@OceanwideExp) with around 150 passengers fell victim to a suspected hantavirus outbreak. As of right now there are 3 reported deaths, and 3 illnesses (one in the ICU in South Africa). Carried by rodents (droppings), this virus can result in severe respiratory or kidney-related illnesses when contracted. When the lungs are affected, known as hantavirus pulmonary syndrome (HPS), it proves fatal in around 38% of cases. The @WHO is currently investigating and hantavirus has been confirmed in one of the six victims thus far. There are no drugs considered as treatment, supportive care being the typical course of action. Evacuation efforts are underway. #Hantavirus #Disease #Outbreak #Medicine

Anorectal Morbidity Noted After Bariatric Surgeries A Saudi Arabian study led by Hefzi Alratrout used a self-reported questionnaire to help link bariatric surgeries to benign anorectal symptoms. Though these symptoms are often not serious, they can certainly hinder a patient's quality of life. The two major connections that were found? 1. Laparoscopic sleeve gastrectomy - constipation. 2. Laparoscopic Roux-en-Y Gastric Bypass - diarrhea. #BariatricSurgery #WeightLoss #Medicine #GISurgery