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How the U.S. blood pressure validated device listing (VDL) ensures accurate readings and revolutionizes hypertension control

Conditions

June 15, 2023

Blood pressure is an important upstream indicator of overall patient health, and high blood pressure can be a precursor to more serious medical conditions like cardiovascular disease, kidney disease, and stroke. Measuring blood pressure frequently is the best way to stay on top of any changes, but as telehealth and at-home monitoring gain in popularity, how can you be sure your patients are getting accurate measurements outside of a physician’s …

Cracking the code to a healthy spine: Revealing the secrets of aging gracefully [PODCAST]

The Podcast by KevinMD

Podcast

June 14, 2023

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Join us in this enlightening episode as we welcome orthopedic surgeon and author Yoshihiro Katsuura, who sheds light on the process of spinal degeneration and the secrets to aging gracefully. With a focus on back and neck …

Revolutionizing communication and enhancing prosthetics: breakthroughs in neural engineering systems

Julian Gendreau, MD

Tech

June 14, 2023

An excerpt from Future of Technology in Medicine, The: From Cyborgs to Curing Paralysis.

Have you ever experienced the urge to text someone in the middle of cooking? Have you ever experienced the necessity of responding to a friend’s eager text when performing small tasks such as holding groceries? Brain-machine interfaces, …

The journey through loss: a personal reflection on healing and hope

Harvey Castro, MD, MBA

Physician

June 14, 2023

Losing a loved one is an experience that leaves an indelible mark on your soul. It changes your world, shaking the foundations of what you once thought stable, leaving you to navigate an ocean of grief. For me, this was my reality when I lost someone dear to me. During my journey, I found solace and guidance in the themes of enduring love, nostalgia, resilience, and hope, beautifully depicted in …

How to approach teen nose jobs with parents

Babak Azizzadeh, MD

Conditions

June 14, 2023

Getting a nose job, also known as rhinoplasty, requires extensive research and planning. For teenagers, it requires extensive communication and collaboration, and for parents, it requires a lot of understanding and compassion.

A nose job can be a life-changing decision for anyone planning on getting the procedure. If someone is a good candidate, it can help one’s confidence and even improve breathing function in some scenarios. However, discussing such a sensitive …

On the front lines of COVID-19: the untold sacrifices and heroic efforts of health care professionals

Nicole M. King, MD

Conditions

June 14, 2023

There is a phenomenon sweeping across various medical circles on social media that is forcing people to address accusations from those who were not on the front lines of COVID at the beginning of the pandemic. Though I have refused to pay much attention to the details, I have become more and more enraged at the audacity and frank ignorance that it takes to judge when not in the arena. …

COVID-19: Unveiling the transformative shifts in health care [PODCAST]

The Podcast by KevinMD

Podcast

June 13, 2023

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Join us as we chat with medical writer Steven Marshall about the evolving health care landscape during the COVID-19 pandemic. We discuss the transformative effects on health care delivery, the availability of testing, vaccination, and therapies, and …

Unveiling the game-changing diabetic drugs: Revolutionizing weight loss and diabetes management

Dinesh Arab, MD

Meds

June 13, 2023

The drug representative had a smug look; she knew she had a winner. She didn’t need to sell anything—the American public had already bought the story. There are very few drugs in history where patients are excited about the conversation and want to take a new medication. I am talking about the new class of diabetic drugs called GLP-1 (glucagon-like peptide) agonists. The particular drugs are Ozempic (semaglutide) and Mounjaro …

The power of small teams: communication complexity and its impact on health care leadership

Harvey Castro, MD, MBA

Physician

June 13, 2023

In organizational leadership, the adage “less is more” often rings accurate, particularly regarding team size. Small teams, with their inherent communication advantages, often outperform larger ones. This phenomenon, communication complexity, is increasingly recognized as a critical factor in team success. In this article, we will explore the concept of communication complexity, its application in health care leadership, and how it influences various team structures such as grand rounds, regular teaching …

Surviving the chaos: an inspiring journey of health care heroes

Debbie Moore-Black, RN

Conditions

June 13, 2023

Calling all health care personnel: EMTs, paramedics, nurses, CNAs, respiratory therapists, police, firefighters. All of you.

You’ve been cursed at, spat upon, hit, and scratched by fingernails. You never got that 30-minute break during those 12 long hours. You had to beg to use the restroom. Your staffing was minimal, and your 24/7 manager was nowhere to be found. Your fellow doctors are shouting at you, and patients’ family members are …

The power of embracing life’s seasons: rest, reflection, and growth

Diana Londoño, MD

Physician

June 13, 2023

If we look around and spend time in nature or just walk outside, we realize everything has a season. The trees, the flowers, the weeds—they all change during the seasons. Flowers don’t constantly bloom; trees show their beautiful display of colors on their leaves, shed them, and grow a new set of beautiful leaves each year. There is constant change. As famously said by Heraclitus, “The only thing constant is …

Nurse-physician collaboration for superior patient care [PODCAST]

The Podcast by KevinMD

Podcast

June 12, 2023

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Join us as we host Angel J. Mena, an internal medicine physician and health care executive, along with Ali Morin, a nurse and health care executive. In this episode, we explore the importance of strong nurse-physician relationships …

Navigating gender-affirming care: Pediatricians’ perspective on open discussions and societal fears

Anonymous

Physician

June 12, 2023

“We fear that CPS is going to take them away,” the mother of my patient chokes with tears. My patient on the inpatient pediatric wards looks at me with guarded eyes. I can still see the markings on their neck where they tried to strangle themselves. They were intubated in the pediatric ICU. This transgender patient and their family have gone through a living hell only to come out again …

Unmasking the hidden mental health struggles of professionals: Breaking the silence for empowerment and healing

Tomi Mitchell, MD

Physician

June 12, 2023

In the fast-paced and demanding world we live in, professionals often face immense pressure to portray strength, competence, and unwavering resilience. However, beneath the surface, many individuals silently battle their own mental health challenges. According to CDC, more than 1 in 5 U.S. adults live with a mental illness.

One of the most difficult hurdles to overcome is the fear of admitting our struggles to others. In this compassionate article, …

Revolutionizing oral health care: the affordable solution that’s breaking barriers and boosting health equity

Dr. Theekshana Fernando

Policy

June 12, 2023

Concern is rising about the shortage of health care workers in the U.S. As Senator Bernie Sanders told the media, “We don’t have enough doctors. We don’t have enough nurses. We don’t have enough psychologists or counselors for addiction. We don’t have enough pharmacists.”

He should have added, “We don’t have enough dental health workers.” Because study after study shows that oral health is integral to overall …

How an emergency physician’s knowledge and confidence save lives in high-stakes situations

Veronica Bonales, MD

Physician

June 12, 2023

I think that from time to time, everyone has had the feeling that they weren’t doing their best. Maybe something we did wasn’t the right thing at the time. Perhaps we should have thought about it longer or acted sooner. We often second-guess the decisions we make, whether they involve matters of love, career, finances, child-rearing, or even where to meet the in-laws for dinner.

While I can do that in …

Unveiling the truth about medical cannabis [PODCAST]

The Podcast by KevinMD

Podcast

June 11, 2023

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Join us in this insightful episode as we welcome Peter Grinspoon, an internal medicine physician specializing in medical cannabis. Peter enlightens us on the current landscape of medical cannabis, focusing on its potential benefits for patients. We …

Awakening the dormant elements of humanity

Johnathan Yao, MD, MPH

Physician

June 11, 2023

When I was first paged about Mr. P, I braced myself for the worst. He had already had three “code greys” called—the hospital code for aggressive behavior. When we met him on his hospital bed, he was bound by restraints on his wrists and ankles to protect the staff. He was admitted to the intensive care unit (ICU) for alcohol withdrawal, though the medications used to treat his condition had …

Breaking free from BMI’s limitations for fair and effective care

Natasha Agbai, MD

Conditions

June 11, 2023

The 2023 Clinical Practice Guideline for Evaluation and Treatment of Children and Adolescents with Obesity heralds a new era of evidence-based anti-obesity treatments for children, a cause I wholeheartedly support. However, amidst these advancements, I harbor concerns about the ongoing reliance on the body mass index (BMI) as a screening and diagnostic tool.

Originally designed for population-level assessments, the ease of measuring BMI and its historical precedence has led …

Unlock the secrets to aging gracefully: specialized care and support for elderly patients

Ton La, Jr., MD, JD

Conditions

June 11, 2023

She sat in the hospital bed, staring out the window as the nurse flitted in and out of the room, adjusting IV lines and checking her vitals. It had been a long time since she’d been in a hospital, but at 75 years old, her health was beginning to fail. She knew that she was considered “elderly” now, but she didn’t feel old. She still had so much life left, …

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