Howard G. Smith, MD, AM
PENTA Medical Network
617-488-9699
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RoundUp - 4th Week of October 2023
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HEALTH REPORTS
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Bioelectronic Skin Stimulation Reduces Opioid Need After C-Section
Vidcast: https://www.instagram.com/p/Cy_V8SyxkfP/
Non-invasive application of high frequency electrical stimulation around a caesarian section abdominal incision reduces the need for narcotic pain med by nearly half. This the conclusion of Ohio State University maternal-fetal investigators after their randomized, blinded clinical study of 134 c-section patients.
Those women selected for treatment underwent three 12 minute applications of pulsed, high frequency direct current transcutanously delivered to points around their incisions. The control group received similar applications from sham devices that did not deliver any electrical stimulation.
The data indicates that these electrical stimulations reduced the amount of narcotics required to maintain post-op patient comfort by 47%. The treated women were also 60% less likely to be discharged from the hospital with a prescription for an opioid.
The current opioid epidemic is driving medical teams to search for innovative ways to reduce the need for narcotic-based pain control. This technique shows promise to do just that for not only c-section patients but for other patients with painful surgical incisions.
https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jamanetworkopen/fullarticle/2810949
#pain #surgery #caeserean #opioid #bioelectronic #obgyn #womenshealth
pain, surgery, caeserean, opioid, bioelectronic, obgyn, womenshealth
Women’s Depression Risk Higher After Brain Trauma
Vidcast: https://www.instagram.com/p/Cy_XXFZRaaL/
A woman’s risk of developing depressive illness following a traumatic brain injury, a TBI, is 50% greater than a man’s. Harvard’s Mass. General Hospital anesthesiologists report this finding at their specialty’s annual scientific meeting. They performed a meta-analysis of 9 studies covering 691,364 persons who suffered TBI.
Their calculations show that 29.3% of the women developed serious psychological depression after TBI versus on 21.9% of men. That represents a 48% higher risk. The most frequent causes of this brain trauma in females turn out to be falls, partner violence, sports injuries, and concussions sustained during military service. Contrast that with men’s TBIs which are caused by by blunt trauma with objects, motor vehicle accidents, self-harm, and assaults.
The bottom line: women sustaining head injuries should be carefully watched over time for the development of depression by their medical teams as well as by their families.
#depression #tbi #trauma #braininjury #concussion #women #womenshealth #psychiatry
depression, tbi, trauma, braininjury, concussion, women, womenshealth, psychiatry
Playing In A Marching Band Can Be Dangerous
Vidcast: https://www.instagram.com/p/Cy_YUlFRm3W/
Toting, tooting, or banging a musical instrument while precision marching around the football field leads to a musculoskeletal injury in one of every four high school students who participate in marching bands. In a study to be presented at the American Academy of Pediatrics annual fall meeting, 70% of the 20,335 marching band injuries treated at our nation’s emergency departments over a recent 9 year period occurred in young women. Half of the injuries involved the lower body, mainly the ankles and knees, while 6% were traumatic brain injuries.
Perhaps not as physically demanding as the sports for which they provide musical accompaniment, playing in a marching band is an athletic activity. The teens who participate spend long hours practicing not only the tunes but also the on-field choreography. The players are called upon to perform in hot uniforms during sometimes adverse weather while carrying instruments that may be heavy such as tubas or bass drums.
Many, but not all, high schools and colleges now require pre-qualification physicals as well as musical auditions. Parents of the adolescent band members as well as the musical department staff should be ever alert and take precautions to prevent physical injuries and dehydration.
https://medicalxpress.com/news/2023-10-band-injuries-wrong-emergency-departments.html
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/26046616/
#marchingband #injuries #musculoskeletal #tbi #dehydration #athletics
marchingband, injuries, musculoskeletal, tbi, dehydration, athletics
Fast Food May Foster Breast Cancer
Vidcast: https://www.instagram.com/p/Cy_Z4foRS98/
Highly processed fast food contains elevated levels of fat, sugar, and protein. Consuming these goodies during teen years seems to drive the development of the atypical breast tissue hyperplasia associated with later breast cancer. Medical University of South Carolina pathology researchers studied this phenomenon in a pre-clinical mouse model.
Groups of animals were fed 3 different diets from 3 weeks of age: a diet high in so-called advanced glycation end products, AGEs, typical of fast foods; a low AGE diet; and a regular diet. Their breast tissues were then evaluated during puberty and adulthood.
The high AGE diet, equivalent to gorging fast food, led to multiple pathological changes in the developing mammary tissues including delayed ductal elongation, increased primary branching, increased density, as well as the atypical hyperplasia that can lead to cancer.
Teen girls, particularly those with a family history of breast cancer, should be warned to moderate their consumption of fast food. This strategy has so many benefits: weight control, improved complexions, and, now, breast disease prevention.
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/37803429/
#fastfood #processedfood #AGE #girls #breast #hyperplasia #density #cancer
fastfood, processedfood, AGE, girls, breast, hyperplasia, density, cancer
Exercise Reduces Erectile Dysfunction
Vidcast: https://www.instagram.com/p/Cy_a_RsRs4G/
Regular aerobic exercise significantly improves erectile dysfunction or ED. This the the conclusion of Baylor College of Medicine researchers who performed a meta-analysis of 11 studies looking at this intervention. The studies compared 636 men who regularly exercised to 511 control couch potatoes. The men’s mean age was 55 years and all members of the group suffered from mild to moderate ED. The exercise sessions typically took place over 30 to 60 minutes 3 to 5 days a week. Erectile dysfunction was quantitated using the International Index of Erectile Dysfunction.
The analysis showed that this type of aerobic exercise drove a 12% overall improvement in ED for the entire group. The best news is that exercise was most beneficial for those with the most serious ED problems. The ED scores improved a whopping 20% for those with severe dysfunction versus 14% for those with moderate problems and 10% for those with mild ED.
How does exercise compare with drug therapy like Viagra, Cialis, or testosterone supplements? Viagra and Cialis drive ED improvements between 16 and 33% while testosterone drives only an 8% gain. Clearly, the drugs to work, but they can be costly and they have other side effects.
The study authors suggest mechanisms for this effect of regular aerobic exercise on ED including improvement in blood circulation, weight reduction, the generation of nitric oxide, an increase in testosterone, and reduction of inflammation. Whatever the reasons, the HARD fact is that it works, and it give you guys out there more good reasons to engage in STIFF exercise as often as possible.
https://academic.oup.com/jsm/advance-article/doi/10.1093/jsxmed/qdad130/7301709
#ed #erectiledysfunction #exercise #aerobics
ed, erectiledysfunction, exercise, aerobics
Oral Therapy Effectively Treats Childhood Peanut Allergy
Vidcast: https://www.instagram.com/p/Cy_cuY_RkOG/
Having peanut allergic children ingest powdered peanuts over a one year period allowed nearly 75% of them to safely tolerate a substantial amount of peanut protein when given as a challenge. Just published in the New England Journal of Medicine is a phase 3, randomized, double blind, placebo-controlled study of 98 peanut allergic kids 1 to 4 years of age. Only 2% of the children undergoing desensitization with the peanut powder suffered a serious or severe allergic reaction, and all were successfully treated.
This oral immunotherapy is not a cure for peanut allergies. It is intended only to avoid or reduce the risk of a severe or life-threatening allergic reaction should an individual accidently ingest peanut allergen. The peanut powder used in this study is already FDA approved for treatment of children 4 to 17 years of age. This study suggests that it may be safely used in younger children above the age of 12 months.
https://evidence.nejm.org/doi/full/10.1056/EVIDoa2300145
https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/peanut-allergy/diagnosis-treatment/drc-20376181
#peanut #allergy #immunotherapy #desensitization #anaphylaxis #peanutpowder
peanut, allergy, immunotherapy, desensitization, anaphylaxis, peanutpowder
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FUTURE MED
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Promising Liquid Biopsy Assay For Ovarian Cancer
Vidcast: https://www.instagram.com/p/Cy_dyL1RlWX/
Ovarian cancer is the 3rd most common cancer in women’s reproductive organs and it usually goes undetected until it becomes untreatable and deadly. University of Southern California researchers have now developed a liquid biopsy called OvaPrint capable of pinpointing high-grade serous ovarian cancer with an overall accuracy of 91%, a positive predictive value of 95% and a negative predictive value of 88%. The test differentiates circulating DNA from aggressive ovarian cancer from the DNA with benign origins. The test isn’t perfect, but it is an exciting first step toward developing reliable screening for one of the most dangerous cancers that befall women.
#ovariancancer #liquidbiopsy #ovaprint #usc #cfDNA
ovariancancer, liquidbiopsy, ovaprint, usc, cfDNA
Suction Cups Can Replace Drug Injections
Vidcast: https://www.instagram.com/p/Cy_ezVeR_Fr/
For those with an extreme fear of needles, Swiss researchers have developed an alternative means of introducing large molecule drugs into the circulation. Based on the suction cups on the tentacles of an octopus, the device consists of a reservoir of drug attached to a suction device that is placed in the mouth on the inner lining of the cheek. The suction holds the device in place and stretches the oral lining sufficiently to permit entry of the drug molecules into the tissues. The trick was to create a device that would produce enough suction to remain in place and deliver drug without damaging the delicate inner cheek linings. Very clever.
https://www.science.org/doi/10.1126/scitranslmed.abq1887
https://www.medgadget.com/2023/10/suction-cup-delivers-drugs-through-cheek.html
#suctioncup #octopus #needles #drugdelivery #needlephobia
suctioncup, octopus, needles, drugdelivery, needlephobia
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BUSINESS OF HEALTH
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First FDA Approved Oral Drug For Postpartum Depression
Vidcast: https://www.instagram.com/p/Cy_f7hvRw2w/
One in every 8 new mothers experience postpartum depression. The number is surging with a 7-fold increase over a 15 year period. The FDA has now approved the oral neuronsteroid drug zuranolone, branded by Sage Therapeutics/Biogen as Zurzuvae. This drug is a synthetic version of the naturally occurring allopregnanolone that stimulates the brain’s GABA-A receptors leading to a calming and antidepressant effect. Phase 3 clinical trials have demonstrated that this oral drug works to effectively ease depression within 3 days whereas conventional therapy requires injections and may take weeks to become effective. The downside: the drug passes into breast milk precluding breast-feeding until studies show that zuranolone is safe for newborns.
https://www.yalemedicine.org/news/postpartum-depression-pill-zurzuvae-zuranolone
https://www.cdc.gov/reproductivehealth/features/maternal-depression/index.html
#postpartum #depression #zuranolone #Zurzuvae #breastfeeding
postpartum, depression, zuranolone, Zurzuvae, breastfeeding
A Pocket Ultrasound With AI Simplicity
Vidcast: https://www.instagram.com/p/Cy_g-aTRYRe/
Exo (echo) Inc. has just introduced its IRIS point-of-care ultrasound system that uses smartphone-powered AI technology to instruct users how to obtain the best imaging for a variety of target organs within the body. Once the clinician selects the organ, the program automatically dials in the best ultrasound settings, tells the user what to look for in the images obtained, and provides a preliminary thumbs up or down regarding the normality of the imaged organ. So far, the FDA has cleared Eco’s AI bladder subroutine, and the company is expecting similar clearances for their cardiac and pulmonary AI subroutines soon. This andsimilar devices will bring timely, accurate imaging to every examining room, ambulance, and maybe your home.
https://www.exo.inc/article/exo-introduces-a-new-age-of-ultrasound-with-exo-iris
#ultrasound #ai #portable #exo #iris #bladder #cardiac #pulmonary
ultrasound, ai, portable, exo, iris, bladder, cardiac,pulmonary
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CPSC Recalls
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Bobcat and Kubota Lawnmowers Have Defective Steering
Recall By: CPSC; Doosan Bobcat North America
Vidcast: https://www.instagram.com/p/Cy_h6LzRNrV/
Problem: Bobcat Model ZS4061SK and Kubota Model SZ22NC-48-2 Stand-On Zero Turn Mowers have defective steering dampers that prevent the mower’s control levers from returning to a neutral position, activation of the operator presence switch, and engine shutdown. This creates crash, laceration, and other injury hazards for the operator and bystanders.
Sold: About 830 mowers were sold in the US and about 30 were sold in Canada.
Actions: Owners should immediately discontinue use of these mowers and contact Bobcat at 1-800-743-4340 or Kubota at 1-888-458-2682 to arrange for a free inspection and repair.
#bobcat #kubota #lawnmowers #steering #cutoff #injury #lacerations #recall
bobcat, kubota, lawnmowers, steering, cutoff, injury, lacerations, recall
Walmart’s Cosco Jump, Spin, & Play Activity Centers Have Flimsy Security Straps
Vidcast: https://www.instagram.com/p/Cy_jABqxUkL/
Recall By: Cpsc; Dorel Juvenile Group
Problem: Cosco Jump, Spin & Play Activity Centers have security streps that detach or break while a young child is playing in the center leading to fall and injury hazards. Affected are model numbers WA105FZW and WA105GML.
Sold: About 21,000 of these toy railway cars were sold in the US and about 400 were sold in Canada online at Amazon.com and other websites and at Barnes & Noble and specialty stores nationwide.
Actions: Do not allow your infants or toddlers to use these activity centers. Contact Dorel at 1-877-657-9546 or via email at CoscoActivityCenterRecall@djgusa.com to receive a replacement. To get the replacement, you must take and submit a photo of your unit after you have cut the security straps.
#walmart #cosco #activitycenter #straps #fall #injuries #recall
walmart, cosco, activitycenter, straps, fall, injuries, recall
Kawasaki Engine-Equipped Lawn Mowers Have Defective Fuel Lines
Vidcast: https://www.instagram.com/p/Cy_kV2DRFrO/
Recall By: Cpsc; Kawasaki Motors Manufacturing Corp.
Problem: Ariens, Gravely, Husqvarna, John Deere and Redmax Brand Lawn Mowers have Kawasaki gasoline engines with easily damaged fuel lines that may leak leading to fires and burns.
Sold: About 954 mowers were sold in the US at Kawasaki, Ariens, Gravely, Husqvarna, John Deere, and Redmax dealers, Home Depot, Lowe’s, and Tractor Supply stores nationwide.
Actions: Stop using these recalled mowers and contact Kawasaki Motors at
1-866-836-4463 to arrange for a free repair.
#Ariens #Gravely #Husqvarna #JohnDeere #Redmax #Kawasaki #lawnmowers #fires #burns #recall
Ariens, Gravely, Husqvarna, JohnDeere, Redmax, Kawasaki, lawnmowers, fires, burns, recall
Best Buy Insignia Pressure Cookers Overflow
Vidcast: https://www.instagram.com/p/Cy_lflZRAdR/
Recall By: Cpsc; Best Buy
Problem: These Insignia pressure cookers have incorrect volume markers causing users to overfill the cookers. A a result, when the cooker is vented hot food and liquids can spew out leading to burns. Affected are Multi-Function Pressure Cookers with model numbers NS-MC60SS8, NS-MC60SS9, or NS-MC80SS9, and inner cooker pots with model numbers NS-MCRP6NS9 and NS-MCRP6SS that are sold separately as replacements.
Sold: About 930,000 pressure cookers were sold at Best Buy stores nationwide and online at bestbuy.com.
Actions: Stop using these recall pressure cookers and contact Best Buy at 1-888-359‐4485 to arrange for a free replacement.
https://www.cpsc.gov/Recalls/2024/Best-Buy-Recalls-Insignia-Pressure-Cookers-Due-to-Burn-Hazard
#bestbuy #insignia #pressurecooker #burns #recall
bestbuy, insignia, pressurecooker, burns, recall
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FDA Recalls
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Multiple Dietary Supplements Have Hidden NSAIDS
Vidcast: https://www.instagram.com/p/Cy_mNYcxcDH/
Recall By: Fda; Botanical-Be
Problem: Kuka Flex Forte Capsules, Artri King Capsules, and Reumo Flex Capsules are tainted with the NSAID diclofenac. Though this drug is FDA-approved, those who may be on other NSAIDS or blood-thinning medications could suffer serious cardiovascular, gastrointestinal, kidney, and allergic reactions.
Actions: If you bought any of these supplements, call Botanical-Be at 1-915-412-6237 or email the company at botanical.be@gmail.com to discover if your product is included in the recall. If so, discontinue its use and return it to the place of purchase.
#KukaFlex #ArtriKing #ReumoFlex #diclofenac #nsaids #bloodthinners #allergies #recall
KukaFlex, ArtriKing, ReumoFlex, diclofenac, nsaids, bloodthinners, allergies, recall
Qilu Enoki Mushrooms Have Bacterial Contamination
Vidcast: https://www.instagram.com/p/Cy_oJDyRESc/
Recall By: Fda; Utopia Foods Inc.
Problem: All lots of Qilu Enoki Mushrooms are contaminated with listeria monocytogenes. This bacterium causes serious infections in the very young, elder individuals, and in those with weak immune systems. It also causes miscarriages and stillbirths. Affected are packages with expiration date of 10/26/23.
Sold: In NY, NJ, PA, MA and MD.
Actions: Return this product to the place of purchase for refund. For additional information, call the company at 1-718-389-8898.
#utopia #enoki #mushrooms #listeria #infection #recall
utopia, enoki, mushrooms, listeria, infection, recall
Gills Diced Onions Have Salmonella
Vidcast: https://www.instagram.com/p/Cy_pIHfRZpg/
Recall By: Fda; Gills Onions
Problem: Gills branded fresh diced on it ions are contaminated with salmonella. This bacterium causes a serious gastroenteritis and systemic infections in the very young, elder individuals, and in those with weak immune systems.
Sold: Arizona, California, Idaho, Montana, Oregon and Washington state.
Actions: If you have any Gills Onions, call the company at 1-800-348-2255 to check if your product is included in the recall. Do not consume the product and return it to the place of purchase.
#gills #onions #salmonella #infection #gastroenteritis #recall
gills, onions, salmonella, infection, gastroenteritis, recall