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How microplastics harm your health

Conditions

April 5, 2024

The New England Journal of Medicine recently published a paper titled “Microplastics and Nanoplastics in Atheromas and Cardiovascular Events,” which detected the presence of microplastics and nanoplastics (MNPs) in carotid artery plaque, with a higher risk of a composite of myocardial infarction, stroke, or death from any cause at 34 months follow-up than those in whom MNPs were not detected. Although this study did not establish a causal effect, …

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How microplastics harm your health

Disparities between physician and C-suite contracts [PODCAST]

The Podcast by KevinMD

Podcast

April 4, 2024

Subscribe to The Podcast by KevinMD. Watch on YouTube. Catch up on old episodes!

In this episode, health care attorney Dennis Hursh delves into the contentious issue of executive compensation within the health care sector. With a critical eye on the disparities between physician and C-suite salaries, …

Autoimmune disease flares: stress, grief, and management tips

Nancie Wiseman Attwater

Conditions

April 4, 2024

Autoimmune diseases occur when the immune system mistakenly attacks healthy cells and tissues in the body. More than 80 recognized autoimmune diseases exist, including alopecia areata, rheumatoid arthritis, psoriasis, lupus, multiple sclerosis, celiac disease, scleroderma, and Raynaud’s. These conditions can cause a wide range of symptoms, making management crucial for maintaining a good quality of life.

Why the immune system attacks healthy cells is a bit of a mystery in most …

Unlocking compassion: lessons from a prison clinic

Francisco M. Torres, MD

Physician

April 4, 2024

The healing potential of human interaction should always be considered, particularly when practicing medicine. Early in my medical career, I worked in the electromyography laboratory at Charity Hospital, Louisiana State University. During my time there, I saw an astonishing variety of patients. Among other things, we were the hospital of choice for the nearby Louisiana State Penitentiary, Angola, or “The Alcatraz of the South.” This prison was infamous for housing …

Rise of mega payouts: Physicians are now the white whales

Jay K. Joshi, MD & Ron Chapman II, JD

Physician

April 4, 2024

In recent years, malpractice attorneys have intensified their efforts to target physicians, becoming more aggressive in their pursuit of legal action. This relentless pursuit can be likened to Captain Ahab’s relentless quest for the white whale in the famous novel Moby Dick. The landscape has become increasingly challenging for physicians, as recent tort reform legislation in numerous states is rolling back the protections they once enjoyed. This unsettling trend underscores …

Fighting for choice in dementia deaths

Lewis Cohen, MD

Conditions

April 4, 2024

Last month, the daughters of Wendy Miller, a 68-year-old author of three bestselling books about her experience with dementia, posted online her final words: “In the end, I died simply by deciding not to eat or drink anymore.”

Her stark statement reminded me of my interviews with Dan Winter, 62, which had begun nine months before he, too, took his own life. Alzheimer’s disease was slowly disassembling Dan’s rich and …

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Fighting for choice in dementia deaths

When physicians disagree with medical journals [PODCAST]

The Podcast by KevinMD

Podcast

April 3, 2024

Subscribe to The Podcast by KevinMD. Watch on YouTube. Catch up on old episodes!

Join infectious disease physician Sami El-Dalati as we delve into the complex issues surrounding medical literature and clinical guidelines. Sami sheds light on the challenges faced by medical providers in delivering patient-centered care, …

Breaking through the cobwebs of dementia

Althea Halchuck, EJD

Conditions

April 3, 2024

“Some memories are unforgettable, remaining ever vivid and heartwarming!”
– Joseph B. Wirthlin

I love my role as a hospice volunteer mostly because I enjoy meeting the patients and hearing their life stories. I heard a tale from the Vietnam vet who won the Congressional Medal of Honor, which he humbly said was for “just driving a jeep.” (He later admitted that he saved a general by “just driving a jeep” through …

Top 10 commandments for the ethical and effective use of AI

Harvey Castro, MD, MBA

Tech

April 3, 2024

As we navigate the digital renaissance, the advent of artificial intelligence (AI) has undeniably marked a pivotal era in technological innovation and societal advancement. This era, brimming with potential, necessitates a framework to ensure that our journey is not only propelled by the wings of advancement but is also anchored in ethical integrity. Here are DrGPT’s ten commandments for navigating the …

10 harsh truths doctors must understand to avoid burnout

Tomi Mitchell, MD

Physician

April 3, 2024

In the high-stakes world of medicine, doctors are revered for their dedication to saving lives and providing compassionate care. However, behind the white coats and stethoscopes lies a harsh reality that many health care professionals often overlook—the risk of burnout. Burnout among doctors is a pressing issue that affects their personal well-being and compromises the quality of care they deliver to patients. To combat this pervasive problem, doctors must confront …

Why minorities need more representation in breast cancer research

Ananth Ravi, PhD

Conditions

April 3, 2024

I’ve always been interested in democratizing health care and have tried to incorporate this in my image-guided therapeutics research.

As a health care CEO, I’ve been afforded the opportunity to broaden my research scope and examine a personal area of interest: disparities in health care and how we can address these through innovation and scientific inquiry.

Racial disparities in health care outcomes are a pervasive issue, and breast cancer is not immune …

Mental health support for teens [PODCAST]

The Podcast by KevinMD

Podcast

April 2, 2024

Subscribe to The Podcast by KevinMD. Watch on YouTube. Catch up on old episodes!

We delve into the pressing issue of teenage mental health with undergraduate student Ruhi Saldanha. From discussing the need for mental health days in schools to addressing the challenges faced by today’s teenagers, …

Nurse burnout: causes, symptoms, and solutions by gender and generation

Andrea Coyle, DNP

Conditions

April 2, 2024

Burnout is a syndrome resulting from chronic workplace stress that has not been successfully managed. Burnout occurs gradually over time and has three fundamental symptoms:

Exhaustion is feeling physically and emotionally exhausted and can be related to spending an excessive amount of time and effort on a particular task. Depersonalization is having an indifferent attitude and can manifest as negative, sarcastic, or cynical people towards people you are meant to serve. …

A crisis of alcoholism is surging in the United States

L. Joseph Parker, MD

Physician

April 2, 2024

The CDC is trying, desperately, it seems, to pound a square peg into a round hole, blaming COVID-19 for a surge in alcohol use and ignoring a glaring problem with the evidence. That’s not something you generally expect from scientists. However, I would argue the CDC is no longer controlled by scientists. While dedicated scientists still work there, the CDC is now controlled by politics. Founded as the Communicable Disease …

The hidden menu of physician contracts

Tod Stillson, MD

Physician

April 2, 2024

Many of you prioritize the clinical aspects of our profession, but understanding the business side of medicine is equally crucial. One key area to consider is your contract, as it can significantly impact your career path and financial stability.

I believe it’s essential for every doctor to be knowledgeable about the variety of contracts they may encounter in the marketplace. The most common type of contract is the business-to-individual contract, where …

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The hidden menu of physician contracts

Evolution of targeted cancer therapies: a radiation oncologist’s perspective

Kevin L. Schewe, MD

Conditions

April 2, 2024

On July 1, 1987, I started treating cancer patients as a full-time radiation oncologist – a cancer specialist who uses radiation therapy to help cancer patients beat their disease. Now, nearly 37 years later, I have the privilege of caring for cancer patients at a cancer center. Nearly every type of cancer is treated differently; for example, breast cancer is treated differently than colon cancer, which is treated differently than …

Disability insurance for doctors: the key to protecting your financial future

Pattern & The Podcast by KevinMD

Finance

April 1, 2024

This article is sponsored by Pattern.

Pattern advisor Shelby Heiser discusses how disability insurance is more than a box that doctors need to check—it’s a tool for financial security and peace of mind.

Each physician is unique.

They come …

Common pitfalls underlying cause-and-effect relationships

Arthur Lazarus, MD, MBA

Physician

April 1, 2024

In the realm of medicine, cause-and-effect relationships are those where a specific cause, such as a disease, condition, or treatment, directly leads to a specific outcome or effect. An example of this is the established fact that smoking causes lung cancer. Similarly, it is well-documented that regular, heavy alcohol consumption directly leads to liver cirrhosis.

On the other hand, phrases like “associated with,” “linked to,” and “tied to” denote a correlation …

Laughter is the best medicine (but use it wisely with patients)

Bradley B. Block, MD

Physician

April 1, 2024

According to The Onion founder Scott Dikkers, “Comedy is meant to afflict the comfortable and comfort the afflicted.”

As physicians, our patients are the “afflicted,” so how can we use comedy to comfort them? Before we get to the how, let us start with the why.

Why make patients laugh? Because laughter is the best medicine. After steroids. Steroids are the best medicine. Laughter is the second-best medicine, and it has fewer …

Palliative and hospice care in hospitals and clinics: the good, the bad, and the ugly

Earl Stewart, Jr., MD & Miguel Villagra, MD

Physician

April 1, 2024

I walk into the patient’s hospital room during evening rounds. He looks pale and tired, having recently completed a round of chemotherapy for his stage IV pancreatic cancer. His wife is at the bedside, scared and concerned about her husband’s rapid decline. I sit down to discuss goals of care when the patient immediately says, “I can’t do this anymore.” His wife responds immediately to the patient: “Of course you …

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