While using the internet for a diagnosis is not recommended, there’s great power in finding other patients willing to share their own stories. Doctors may be too busy to properly inform or empathize on the level that patients need to hear. They may speak at a technical level well out of reach for most. Besides,
A study of Medicaid patients showed that those who received fecal immunochemical tests (FIT) in the mail were more likely to complete colorectal cancer screening than those who were just reminded. Colorectal cancer is more treatable if caught early, but only about 63% of the population is screened, and the rate drops further among vulnerable
There have been three deaths in Illinois that have been linked to the use of synthetic cannabinoid products. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) issued warnings regarding potential side effects from these drugs, including from major bleeding episodes. Synthetic cannabinoids are man-made drugs that have similar chemical structures to those found in marijuana
Teens and young adults who are cancer survivors appear to have more social networks and support than those who have not had cancer, according to a study in the journal Cancer. Overall, the cancer survivors were found to have more emotional and other types of support and to get more advice on health topics such
A new type of microbot that moves by tumbling through almost any kind of terrain–even liquids–could help usher in a new medical era. The tiny machines could be used for various medical applications, including super-focused drug delivery, breaking up blood clots, or closing off bleeding vessels. The “microscale magnetic tumbling robot,” or μTUM (microTUM), is about
California investigates Aetna as medical director admits under oath he never looked at records
It has been long understood that insurance companies make money by balancing collection of premiums with distribution of care. Accusations that this is tantamount to denying care for profits are hard to ignore after a recent revelation–under oath–that Aetna’s Medical Director routinely made decisions about whether or not to pay for care without ever looking
Symptoms meeting the Rome IV criteria for functional dyspepsia were found in 12% of US adults and 8% of people in the UK and Canada, researchers reported in The Lancet Gastroenterology & Hepatology. The most common subtypes were postprandial distress syndrome, epigastric pain syndrome and both syndromes together. These individuals had more-impaired health and used more
The FDA sent letters to manufacturers of loperamide, a longstanding and commonly used treatment for diarrhea, asking them to change the size of the drug’s packaging to limit the amount of opioid drugs in the package. The agency aims to discontinue the large bottles in which loperamide is often sold to deter its abuse. See
A nationwide study of Veterans Health Administration patients found a high percentage with functional abdominal pain received a prescription for an opioid medication during a 1-year period. The risks of opioid overuse has reached epidemic proportions and has received national attention. Compared with patients who had a structural GI disorder such as inflammatory bowel disease
Having an anesthesiologist hand off care and leave during the middle of a surgery was associated with worse outcomes for the patient on the operating table. Combined mortality, hospital readmission, and major complications within 30 days after the operation reached a rate of 44% when a handover between anesthesiologists occurred during surgery versus 29% when
