Focus on Active Ingredients – Not Brands

Easy to do! Sometimes, tho’ it might take a magnifying glass to read the fine print. But well worth the effort.

2020health's Blog

Guest blog post by Sandy Getzky, associate editor at ProveMyMeds, a public health and education startup focused on producing helpful resources concerning the treatment of common ailments. 

I work for a startup called: ProveMyMeds. And when I tell people this they usually assume we are some “Big Pharma” subsidiary tasked with proving the effectiveness of certain drugs. Not quite. We exist for the simple purpose of exposing the science of products and looking past brands and marketing. Let me explain with an example:

Which of these four sports drinks would you choose after your workout?

1. Dihydrogen Monoxide. A research-based beverage containing ingredients scientifically proven to help your body transfer its internal healing nutrients to muscles and systems that need rebuilding.
2. Aqua Fria. When you’re hot after a workout, Agua Fria cools you down and helps you feel better.
3. Eau d’Vie. Working out isn’t just about building strength and…

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Life expectancy, life disparity

Family Inequality

This is a serious post about life expectancy and inequality. But first a short rant.

Quick: Life expectancy in the U.S. is 78.7 Your parents are 85. How much longer are they expected to live? If you were worried about how much time you had left to spend with them, and you asked the helpful site seeyourfolks.com, you would get this:

This app, and the Slate piece about it, managed to combined two of my pet peeves: the understandable difficulty with understanding life expectancy, and the inexcusable use of second-person reporting on social science findings, which does more to discredit than to disseminate important research.

The error here (apart from “you”) is the common notion that “life expectancy” is the average age at which people of any current age can expect to die. If we were more rigorous about using the phrase “life expectancy at birth” it would be easier…

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[Reblog] Brief Summary of Google Glass in Medicine

Google Glass (Photo credit: Stuck in Customs)

 

Reblog

 

From the posting at the Krafty Librarian (July 2013)

 

Brief Summary of Google Glass in Medicine

Google is letting several people “play” with Google Glass. I know of two people at my institution who are trying it out.  Since I don’t have Google Glass(es) and I don’t have a real need for them right now other than playing with them and obsessively worrying about breaking them (there is a reason I buy cheap sunglasses).  I thought I would summarize some of things the medical/technical people testing Glass have said.

John Sharp at eHealth
John works at the Cleveland Clinic.  He had three days with Google Glass and his thoughts are:

• Voice command takes some getting used to
• Menu gets some getting used to
• Nice to be hands free browsing, taking videos/photos -camera quality excellent
• Possiblity for healthcare – Physicians receive alert on patients lab results via Glass
• Network access for surfing is currently problematic. Need an available wireless network or an open network that does not require authentication. Alternative is to connect using your phone’s bluetooth (wifi) or  enable your phone as a wireless hotspot (dataplan!)
• Messages are alerts are short and limited text to fit on tiny screen/glass
• Permissions/privacy concerns because you don’t know somebody is filming using Glass

John Halamka at Life As a CIO
Chief Information Officer of Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center briefly describes Google Glass and how it works and lists 5 potential uses.

• Google Glass basics: (He calls it basically an Android cell phone without the cellular transmitter.)
• Can run Android apps (Krafty thought: Candy Crush andyone?)
• Videos displayed at half HD resolution
• Sound uses bone conduction only wearer can hear it (Krafty note: I am very familiar with this method, there is an underwater MP3 player that uses the same technology.)
• Has motion sensitive accelerometer for gestural commands
• Right temple is touch pad but also has microphone for voice commands
• Battery lasts about a day

Potential uses:

• Meaningful Use Stage 2 for hospitals- Screen shows picture of patient and medication on Glass to nurse who is about to administer the drug to ensure that she has correct patient and medication. (Krafty thought: The movie Terminator is coming to mind and I can imagine the the nurse “scanning the room” and it flashes on patient and does face recognition with ID bracelet confirmation then scans the barcode of the medication and gives a green screen if it is right or red screen if it is wrong. But according to this post facial recognition apps are currently banned.)
• Clinical documentation – provide real time video of the patient/doctor encounter.
• Emergency Department Dashboards – ER doc puts on Google Glass and looks at patient and it does a “tricorder” like scan of patient providing vital signs, triage details, nurse documentation, lab results, etc. John states “At BIDMC, we hope to pilot such an application this year.”  (Krafty thought: Dude  that is the Terminator screen up display that I am thinking of.)
• Decision Support – Google glass would retrieve the appropriate decision support for the patient in question and visually sees a decision tree that incorporates optimal doses of medications, the EKG of the patient, and vital signs.
• Alerts and Reminders – Communication, emails, phone calls, calendar, etc.

Timothy Aungst and Iltifat Husain at iMedicalApps
I can’t tell from the post whether they tried one out or whether they were just coming up with usage scenarios.  They provides a lot of scenarios (too many to list here) so I just thought I would mention a few that I think stand out. There is also a lively discussion in the comments section.

• EMS Responder at an accident has Google Glass on and transmits live stream to ER department status of patients and the traumas for each patient enabling the ER to better prepare for the patients upon arrival.
• A cardiologist in a cath lab overlays the fluoroscopy as they perform a femoral catheterization for a patient with a recent myocardial infarct.
• A physical therapist can see past sessions with a patient from previous recordings, overlaying their current range of motion, identifying changes as well as progression.
• Any healthcare professional could walk up to a patient’s bed and instantly see all their vitals such as pulse, BP, O2 Sats, etc.

Dr. Rafael Grossmann @ZGJR Blog
Has several very interesting posts on his current use of Google Glass treatpatients. He is not only using it in medical scenarios but also with real patients.

• CPRGLASS, THE AUGMENTED REALITY APP THAT CAN HELP YOU SAVE A LIFE Creating apps such as a CPR app or other medical education videos and procedures.
• “OK GLASS:..TEACH ME MEDICINE!”  -Used a medical simulator mannequin for emergency and medical treatment scenarios, to show the potential of Google Glass in Medical Education.
• “OK GLASS: HAND ME THE SCALPEL, PLEASE…” GOOGLEGLASS DURING SURGERY! -Using Glass during surgery with a real patient and streamed of non-identifying patient information thru a Google Glass Hang-Out.

There are a lot of people in library land writing posts about Google Glass and its potential impact on libraries.  I don’t know of a librarian who has tried them (if there is one let me know) and asside from iMedicalApps I chose to focus on those who have actually tried them.  A future post will look at the potential of Google Glass in libraries.

 

 

Related articles

• Google Glass Could Help Doctors View Vital Data in Emergency Rooms (eweek.com)
• The Healthcare IT Applications of Google Glass (medcitynews.com)
• Google Glass in the OR and in Medical Education: Becoming a Disruptive Technology (scienceroll.com)
• Google Glass Testers Have Clear Mission (manhattan.ny1.com)
• What’s Using Google Glass Really Like? (pittsburgh.cbslocal.com)
• Google Glass – Day 3 – Future Applications for Healthcare (ehealth.johnwsharp.com)

 

Pain significantly reduced, quality of life improved by integrative medicine interventions

English: graph of age-adjusted percent of adults who have used complementary and alternative medicine: United States, 2002 (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

 

From the 24 July 2013 article at Medical News Today

 

An integrative approach to treating chronic pain significantly reduces pain severity while improving mood and quality of life, according to a new study from the Bravewell Practice-Based Research Network (BraveNet) published last month in BioMed Central Complementary and Alternative Medicine journal. Researchers found a reduction in pain severity of more than 20 percent and a drop in pain interference of nearly 30 percent in patients after 24 weeks of integrative care. Significant improvements in mood, stress, quality of life, fatigue, sleep and well-being were also observed.

…

In keeping with the integrative medicine philosophy of individualized, patient-centered care, no standardized pre-specified clinical intervention for chronic pain was prescribed for all study participants. Instead, practitioners at each of the network sites devised integrative treatment plans for participating chronic pain patients. All BraveNet sites include integrative physicians, acupuncturists, mindfulness instructors, and yoga instructors; some also incorporate massage therapists, manual medicine therapists, fitness/movement specialists, dietician/nutritionists, psychologists, healing touch therapists, and other energy practitioners.

 

Related articles

• Integrative medicine interventions found to significantly reduce pain, improve quality of life (eurekalert.org)
• A New Model Of Understanding Chronic Pain & Depression May Offer Hope To Sufferers (medicalnewstoday.com)
• Accupuncture Found to Relieve Pain Better Than Traditional Treatments (liveinthenow.com)
• One Yoga Class Per Week Sufficient For Lower Back Pain Relief (asianscientist.com)
• Could chronic pain become a thing of the past? (express.co.uk)
• Yoga Helps Ease Lower Back Pain (medindia.net)
• Managing Horrible Pain with Narcotics (apluscaregiver.com)

 

Think before you drink: Erosion of tooth enamel from soda pop is permanent

This is an example of Dental Erosion (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

 

From the 24 July 2013 article at Medical News Today

 

You may be saving calories by drinking diet soda, but when it comes to enamel erosion of your teeth, it’s no better than regular soda.

In the last 25 years, Kim McFarland, D.D.S., associate professor in the University of Nebraska Medical Center College of Dentistry in Lincoln, has seen an increase in the number of dental patients with erosion of the tooth enamel – the protective layer of the tooth. Once erosion occurs, it can’t be reversed and affects people their whole life.

“I’d see erosion once in a while 25 years ago but I see much more prevalence nowadays,” Dr. McFarland said. “A lot of young people drink massive quantities of soda. It’s no surprise we’re seeing more sensitivity.”

Triggers like hot and cold drinks – and even cold air – reach the tooth’s nerve and cause pain. Depending on the frequency and amount of soda consumed, the erosion process can be extreme.

…

Dr. McFarland said it’s best not to drink soda at all, but she offers tips for those who continue to drink it.

• Limit consumption of soda to meal time
• Don’t drink soda throughout the day
• Brush your teeth afterwards — toothpaste re-mineralizes or strengthens areas where acid weakened the teeth
• If tooth brushing is not possible, at least rinse out your mouth with water
• Chew sugar free gum or better yet, gum containing Xylitol.

 

Related articles

• UNMC warns erosion of tooth enamel from soda is permanent (nebraskaradionetwork.com)
• Have a Cuppa and Protect Your Smile! (medispasalisbury.wordpress.com)
• Brush up on dental hygiene (TBO.com)
• Research Into Special Degradable Particles To Reduce Tooth Decay Wins Venture Prize Award – Could Bring Toothache Relief To Millions (medicalnewstoday.com)
• Tooth Enamel Erosion: Symptoms, Prevention and Alternative Treatments (monashdental.wordpress.com)
• Addicted to Soda : Sandy Springs Dental (therightsmile.wordpress.com)
• Bisphenol-A #BPA may destroy Tooth Enamel, making Teeth more susceptible to Pain, Cavities, Decay (laitom.wordpress.com)
• The Benefits of Xylitol (akdsmiles.wordpress.com)
• Sensitive teeth (alaskapremierdental.wordpress.com)
• Bisphenol-A #BPA may destroy Tooth Enamel, making Teeth more susceptible to Pain, Cavities, Decay (desdaughter.wordpress.com)

 

No Link Between Prenatal Mercury Exposure and Autism-Like Behaviors Found

Subject: Quinn, a boy with autism, and the line of toys he made before falling asleep See more about Quinn at: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G7kHSOgauhg Date: Circa 2003 Place: Walnut Creek, California Photographer: Andwhatsnext Original digital photograph (cropped and resized) Credit: Copyright (c) 2003 by Nancy J Price (aka Mom) (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

 

From the 23 July 2013 article at Science News Daily

 

The potential impact of exposure to low levels of mercury on the developing brain — specifically by women consuming fish during pregnancy — has long been the source of concern and some have argued that the chemical may be responsible for behavioral disorders such as autism. However, a new study that draws upon more than 30 years of research in the Republic of Seychelles reports that there is no association between pre-natal mercury exposure and autism-like behaviors.

 

Read the entire article here

 

Related articles

• Mercury Exposure Is Not Linked To Autism, After All; Pregnant Women Can Eat Up To 12 Meals Of Fish Weekly With No Risks (medicaldaily.com)
• Could autism be linked to pollution? (wwlp.com)
• Ultrasound and Autism: Association, Link, or Coincidence? (fetalsonosafety.com)
• Causes of Autism During Pregnancy: Air Pollution Doubles the Risk – Study (latinospost.com)

 

Herbal medicine: 6 tips to consider when talking to your patients

Pictures of herb samples from categories of Chinese Herbs Substances for Topical Application (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

 

From the 4 July 2013 article at KevinMD.com

 

ROBIN FRIEDLANDER, MD | MEDS | JULY 4, 2013

Herbal medicines make most doctors cringe, laugh, or want to put blinders on and pretend they don’t exist. This is understandable. While allopathic medical education hammers pharmaceutical formulas and mechanisms of action into our brains, we learn little-to-nothing about herbs in medical school. Quite the opposite – we are most often told to uniformly discourage our patients from taking herbs out of concern for safety; a conversation stopper with little room for nuance.

In Western medicine, at best, herbs and plants are recognized for their role as an anchor ingredient in many pharmaceutical drugs. At worst, herbs are shunned for being unstudied and unregulated – fraught with reports of contamination, false-advertising and misuse by patients. This is thanks in large part to the Dietary Supplement Act of 1994, which allowed their sale without prescription.

Yet at least 15 million Americans say they take some form of herbal medication, and the dietary supplement market grosses $28 billion dollars annually. In other words, chances are that some of your patients are taking herbs, whether you know it or not.

First, some context: Not all herbs are restricted to mysterious Internet sites or eight hour energy drinks. Far from it. Tumeric root, a staple in Indian food, is a great example of an herbal medicine whose active ingredient, curcumin, has been proven to have anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, adaptogenic, and immunomodulatory properties. Not only has it been widely studied and used, but it also has basically no side-effects.

Ginger, cinnamon, not to mention others less likely to show up in your salad – milk thistle, for example – all have double-blind studies backing their claims. Indeed, many herbs can be a great sources of antioxidants, phytonutrients, and alkaloids, and have properties ranging from the anti-microbial to the anxiolytic. These anti-inflammatory properties can lend them a supportive role in the continuum of health and illness, helping nourish the body properly so it can do what it was designed to do – heal from and resist disease.

So how do you, as a Western doctor, with a responsibility to do no harm, approach herbs intelligently? The following is a pathway for addressing the use of herbal medicine in your practice even if you would never recommend an herb yourself.

1. Do your research. I find that the most easy-to-use and comprehensive guides are the online databases The Natural Standard, and The Natural Medicines Comprehensive Database, as well as the textbook, The Essential Guide to Herbal Safety. For a quick reference, the National Institutes of Health also offers the online“Herbs At A Glance,” patient-focused resource with information on the most common Western herbs. Finally, the American Journal of Cardiology published two helpful lists in 2010 summarizing common herb-drug interactions and herbs to avoid in patients with cardiovascular diseases. The databases and textbook in particular offer a digestible run-down of efficacy, contraindications, side effects, drug interactions, and pregnancy classification.

 

Read the entire article here

Related Resources

• Complementary and Alternative Medicine (my Health &Medical News/Resources site)

• Alternative and Complementary Health (New Hanover Public Library)

• Wellness (Berkeley Public Library)

 

Related articles

• University of Ibadan to begin course on Herbal Medicine (whatsupibadan.com)