Podcast: Did Heart Disease Kill Whitney Houston?
October 16th 2024The Los Angeles county coroner’s office recently ruled that singer Whitney Houston drowned in her hotel bathtub but that other factors contributed to her demise. Did the 48-year-old have preexisting cardiovascular disease? Did cocaine abuse trigger a deadly cardiac event? Drs Payal Kohli and Christopher Cannon put the autopsy results and the pop star’s final moments in context.
Podcast: Dental X-Rays and Brain Tumors-A Sensible Response
October 16th 2024A new study that showed a link between a yearly dental x-ray and meningioma must have sent a shiver down many a spine. Here, oral medicine specialist Dr Jeff Burgess offers guidance about what to think, and how to respond when a concerned patient asks.
Podcast: Guide to the New NIH Online Directory of Genetic Tests
October 16th 2024With genetic tests rapidly entering medical practice, and some patients even ordering them on their own, the NIH has launched a Genetic Testing Registry to help doctors interpret and follow up on these tests. In this interview, the director of the new Genetic Testing Registry tells why you need it, and what's there for your reference.
Eating Red Meat Now Associated With Cardiovascular and Cancer Mortality
October 16th 2024It’s a known fact that regular consumption of red meat increases the risk of many chronic diseases-including diabetes, coronary heart disease, and cancer. Now, data from 2 large, long-term studies link daily consumption of red meat with death from cardiovascular disease and cancer. Drs Kohli and Cannon discuss what to tell your patients.
Podcast: New Codeine Guideline and More Help With Pharmacogenomics
October 16th 2024A consortium called CPIC has issued a new guideline on genetic tests that can mean the difference between toxic reactions or unrelieved pain for some patients on codeine. Dr. Mary Relling tells why primary care doctors need good information right now about the links between genes and drug response, and where you can find it.
Novel Treatment Lowers LDL Cholesterol by Up to 80%
October 16th 2024There’s a new way to lower LDL cholesterol levels-by approximately 60% to 80%. Studies unveiled at the 2012 ACC meeting found that an injectable monoclonal antibody, when added to statin therapy cuts LDL cholesterol levels far in excess of what can be achieved with statin therapy alone. Drs Christopher Cannon and Payal Kohli discuss.
Podcast: Hip Replacement Failure Risk-What To Tell Your Patients
October 16th 2024The FDA will launch an intensive review of data on the safety of metal-on-metal hip implants in June, responding to yet more evidence that they present a high risk of failure and revision surgery. Listen as orthopedic surgeon William Maloney of Stanford University School of Medicine discusses the risks and the realities of hip replacement today.
Statin Therapy and Oral Antidiabetic Drugs: On Adherence and Initiation
October 16th 2024Patients with type 2 diabetes should be receiving statin therapy, but many patients who would benefit from these agents are not taking them-and not reaching target lipid levels. A recent study shows that timing of statin initiation can make a difference. Here to put the issue into perspective are Drs Christopher Cannon and Payal Kohli.
Statins and the New FDA Warnings: What Does It All Mean for Your Patients?
October 16th 2024Statins have been shown to significantly reduce the risk of heart attacks, heart disease and death. But this week, the FDA decided that the package inserts of the various statins must now include a warning that these agents may raise blood glucose levels and that they can cause memory loss. Here to put this issue into perspective are Drs Christopher Cannon and Payal Kohli.
Podcast: Judging Osteoporosis Screening Intervals From the Latest T Score
October 16th 2024Data from a long-term prospective study reveal that for many older women, the pace of bone mass deterioration takes place on the scale of decades, not single years. Here, the lead author of the study describes how to interpret the results to choose the date for your own patient's next bone density test.