This Viewpoint discusses the apparent association between a reduction of psychiatric beds and increasing suicide rates in the United States, and proposes an expansion of inpatient psychiatric treatment facilities as a component of a national suicide prevention strategy. Source: Decline in Psychiatric Beds and Increase in US Suicide Rates | Psychiatry | JAMA | The… Read More
An article in December 2016 issue Brain, Behavior and Immunity, investigates on whether 20-minute exercise sessions can improve someone’s anti-inflammatory response. The theory is this happens by activating the sympathetic nervous system. More specifically, the researchers tested the hypothesis that a single 20-minute session of exercise would be enough to trigger sympathoadrenergic activation, which, in turn, would… Read More
This is a AMA website that looks at why US prescriptions have dramatically increased in price. Spending on prescriptions in the US increased nearly 20% between 2013 and 2015.* It’s clear – the cost of medications is rising. What’s unclear is just how prescription drugs are priced and whether we need laws to stem the… Read More
“Superbug” Klebsiella Pneumoniae, a carbapenem-resistant Enterobacteriaceae (CRE) claimed the life of a Reno Nevada woman in 2016. This was in the heals of two highly publicized deaths at UCLA Medical Center in 2015. That strain was resistant to all available (26) antimicrobial drugs. Although the patient was hospitalized in Nevada, the pathogen was reportedly contracted in… Read More
This study in the April 15, 2016 issue of Elife examines and concludes the estrogen blockers may be helpful in the treatment of seizures. Most anti-seizure medications work by globally reducing brain activity leading to side effects like drowsiness, dizziness and difficulty concentrating. Estrogen was been found to be elevated in both men and women after seizures. The… Read More
A January 10, 2017 JAMA Viewpoint article looks at Altmetrics. The article makes note that there are over 2.5 million articles published every year and the number of articles in the literature more than doubles every decade. Clearly differentiating the relevant from the irrelevant is crucial. Typically, the influence of a published article would primarily… Read More
This article published in the November 1, 2016 issue of the American Journal of Physiology – Heart and Circulatory Physiology concludes that lifting weights and resistance training might improve your risk of a myocardial event in people with diabetes. With regard to specifics the study concluded a single workout involving resistance training can change endothelial shear stress and… Read More
This JAMA article examines the health value of physical activity and especially riding your bike to work. Not only is cycling good for your health, it is good for the environment and a great way to get around and add more enjoyment to your day. The article concludes that people that ride their bicycles to work have 40%… Read More
This cohort study in the January 17, 2017 issue of JAMA looks at the Prognostic Accuracy of Sepsis-3 Criteria for In-Hospital Mortality Among Patients With Suspected Infection Presenting to the Emergency Department The study concluded that the quick Sequential Organ Failure Assessment (qSOFA) score is better than the systemic inflammatory response syndrome (SIRS) or severe… Read More
