July 19, 2019

Mayo Clinic in the News Weekly Highlights for July 19, 2019

By Emily Blahnik

New York Times, Is Your Heartbeat Off, or Blood Sugar High? On the Road, You Can Keep Track by Joshua Brockman — Dr. Bithika Thompson, the director of the diabetes program at the Mayo Clinic in Arizona, said the F.D.A.-approved wearable monitors — including the continuous glucose monitors and flash monitors like Abbott’s Freestyle Libre, a 14-day sensor worn on the upper arm that can be read by a reader or smartphone — had “revolutionized diabetes care.” They make it easier for patients, especially those who are insulin dependent, to measure what’s happening with their blood sugar — where it is at the moment and where it’s going. “It allows for better blood-sugar control because you just have so much more information for which to make the decisions,” Dr. Thompson said.

NBC News, Is targeting brain inflammation the key to beating Alzheimer's disease? by Erika Edwards and Ali Galante — That inflammation plays a role in Alzheimer’s is not a new idea — scientists have been studying its role for some time. In 2013, researchers at the Mayo Clinic published a study that looked at post-mortem brains. All of the brains had evidence of amyloid plaques and another Alzheimer’s hallmark, tau tangles. But only half of the patients had dementia when they were alive. The others were cognitively normal. "The only thing that differentiated them was an inflammatory response. There were more inflammatory cells in the brain … in the people who had clinical dementia versus those who were clinically normal, again suggesting that inflammation is a key mediator here," Dr. Ronald Petersen, a neurologist at the Mayo Clinic, said.

NBC News, Can Alzheimer's be stopped? Five lifestyle behaviors are key, new research suggests by Linda Carroll — …In a third study University of California, San Francisco, researchers found that smokers had twice the risk of developing cognitive impairment compared to non-smokers and those who had kicked the habit. “This reinforces the notion that some of these lifestyle factors may actually affect the trajectory of cognitive aging and the development of dementia,” said Dr. Ronald Petersen, director of the Mayo Clinic Alzheimer’s Disease Research Center. “We certainly accept that with heart disease. We need to adopt a similar mindset for cognitive aging.” Additional coverage: KVOA Tucson

NBC News, Broken heart syndrome may be linked to cancer, study suggests by Shamard Charles, M.D. — Broken heart syndrome, which is also called stress cardiomyopathy or takotsubo cardiomyopathy, is a temporary condition that can be brought on by stressful situations. During broken heart syndrome, one part of the heart stops pumping normally, which may cause the rest of the heart to pump more forcefully, according to the Mayo Clinic.

Los Angeles Times, Column: Alexa may be key to Amazon’s looming domination of the healthcare market by David Lazarus — Amazon announced its latest move in this direction last week by introducing a feature that allows British users of its Alexa digital assistant to ask for medical advice, with answers provided by Britain’s National Health Service. For example: “Alexa, how do I treat a migraine?” American Alexa users already can receive general health information from the likes of WebMD and the Mayo Clinic. But Amazon’s deal with Britain’s state-run NHS appears to be more treatment-oriented, and raises the possibility of similar U.S. tie-ups with Medicare, private insurers or hospital chains.

San Francisco Chronicle, Rare disease discovery: Antibodies fighting cancer go on to attack brain by Erin Allday — The discovery of ketch-like protein 11 actually started about 20 years ago at the Mayo Clinic, where doctors run a national program for studying autoimmune disorders that specifically affect the brain and central nervous system. The program screens about 150,000 patients every year. Part of that screening process involves taking antibodies from a sample of spinal fluid from the patient and applying those antibodies to a sliver of mouse brain, which closely resembles human tissue on a molecular level.

Boston Globe, Passing the torch: Cardiologist prepares younger colleagues to confront nuclear threat by Robert Weisman — The insults and nuclear threats exchanged between President Trump and the North Korean leader, Kim Jong Un, in 2017 were “a wake-up call that the problem was back,” said Muller. He arranged a meeting in New York with the North Korean ambassador to the United Nations. Muller was invited to visit Pyongyang, but the trip was canceled by the US government during preparations for the first Trump-Kim summit…He and a pair of coauthors, Pastore at St. Elizabeth’s Medical Center and Dr. Amir Lerman of Mayo Clinic, drew a provocative analogy in a paper published last month in Circulation, an American Heart Association journal.

NY Daily News, Self-cloning ticks that suck animals’ blood dry spark concern humans may be next by Kassidy Vavra — Self-cloning super-ticks are sparking worry in some as the insects recently were linked with killing five cows by sucking their blood dry in North Carolina…Dr. Bobbi S. Pritt, director of the Clinical Parasitology Laboratory in Mayo Clinic, said the finding was “extremely worrisome for several reasons,” she wrote in a commentary for the journal Clinical Infectious Diseases, as reported by Arts Technica.

Quartz, Five habits can reduce dementia risk—but you’ve got to go all in by Katherine Ellen Foley — The cumulative effect of their benefits likely stems from the fact that each of these changes is effective in the same way, according to Klodian Dhana, a geriatrician at Rush University who presented the research. “I like to think of it as a balance,” says Nilufer Ertekin-Taner, a neurogeneticist at the Mayo Clinic in Jacksonville, Florida who was not affiliated with the work. On one side of the scale are risk factors for dementia, and on the other there are protective factors against it. While adopting one lifestyle change may not be enough to tip the scale towards protection, several can do the job at once.

US News & World Report, Are Summer Colds Worse Than Winter Ones? by Elaine K. Howley — The Mayo Clinic reports that current research offers conflicting evidence as to whether or not loading up on vitamin C can help you avoid getting sick, but that “taking vitamin C before the onset of cold symptoms may shorten the duration of symptoms. Vitamin C may provide benefit for people at high risk of colds due to frequent exposure – for example, children who attend group child care during the winter.”

US News & World Report, Health Tip: Minimizing Shortness of Breath — Shortness of breath is marked by difficulty breathing or intense tightening in the chest. Medical problems, strenuous exercise, extreme temperatures, obesity and high altitude can all trigger shortness of breath, says Mayo Clinic. To keep chronic shortness of breath at bay, Mayo Clinic suggests: Exercise regularly. Quit smoking. Take time to adjust to changes in elevation. Avoid extremes in temperature. Avoid exposure to chemical fumes and secondhand smoke. Discuss with your doctor what to do if symptoms get worse.

Morning Brew, Nanotechnology: A Giant Leap for Medicine by Alex Hickey — Nanomedicine was a medical buzzword around a decade ago, and research funding was pouring in from the government and other backers, the Mayo Clinic’s Joy Wolfram told the Brew. Today, that funding is starting to plateau—but that’s not a bad thing: It means after steady uphill progress, nanomedicine is becoming integrated across fields (therapeutics do take decades and billions of dollars to develop, after all).

Bustle, The 7 Best Oils For Hair Growth And Thickness by Marshall Bright — First, the not-so-good news. “Vitamins, supplements, and other products including hair oils that promise thicker, fuller hair are not FDA approved, are an unregulated market, and not well researched,” Alina G. Bridges, D.O., a dermatologist at the Mayo Clinic explained. That means major hair loss likely cannot be reversed or stopped simply with a topical oil. That doesn’t mean all is lost, however. For people with mild hair loss due to genetics, stress, or diet, some oils can actually help. While not all will aid in hair regrowth, they can also make hair look fuller by keeping the hair and scalp healthy. “All

Yahoo! Lifestyle, 7 Essential Exercises For Building A Strong Core by Matt Schneiderman — …These are the muscles that, among other things, help you hinge, bend, pivot, lean, and balance better. And they’re the ones you use every day. Here then are 7 essential exercises for strengthening your core, as offered by Dan Gaz, an exercise specialist for The Mayo Clinic Healthy Living Program. Add them to your standard workouts and you’ll become you’ll be a fitter, more functional, and more durable dad.

Yahoo! Lifestyle, There Are Scarily Few High Blood Pressure Symptoms for Women — In general, the Mayo Clinic says the risk factors for high blood pressure include family history, race (people of African descent often develop hypertension at a younger age than white people), weight, lack of physical activity, tobacco use, excess sodium in the diet, too little potassium, and drinking too much alcohol. Secondary hypertension, or high blood pressure related to an underlying disease, is also common. In these cases, hypertension usually comes on more suddenly and is higher than in the case of other risk factors.

Health, Taking Calcium and Vitamin D Supplements Together Could Increase Your Risk of Having a Stroke by Maggie O’Neill — This isn’t the first time the combination of calcium and vitamin D has been the subject of health stories. “It’s been looked at a lot. A few years ago, articles came out that said the same thing,” Stephen Kopecky, MD, a cardiologist at Mayo Clinic, tells Health. Dr. Kopecky explains that you shouldn’t panic if you’ve been taking vitamin D and calcium supplements together. The authors of the new report looked at previously published evidence concerning how supplements affect our health. But Dr. Kopecky says many of the studies that have looked at the use of vitamin D and calcium supplements rely on follow-up data that lacks precision.

Daily Mail, Revolting passenger uses his TOES to swipe through in-flight entertainment touch-screen by Harriet Johnston — …Passengers use tray tables for everything from eating and reading to even resting their heads on while they try and catch some shut eye. This makes these fold-down plastic trays one of the most germ-ridden places on an aeroplane, Dr Abinash Virk, an infectious-disease expert at the Mayo Clinic, told Frommer's.

Express UK, Parkinson’s disease: Evidence suggests this common complaint may be an early warning sign by Adam Chapman — In a study, Dr. Walter A. Rocca at the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minnesota, and colleagues found a history of constipation about two times more frequent in a group of men and women with Parkinson's disease than in an age-matched group of men and women who did not have the disease.

Express UK, Parkinson’s disease: Do you suffer from this condition? Warning sign you shouldn't ignore  by Adam Chapman — According to the Mayo Clinic: “Rapid eye movement (REM) sleep behaviour disorder is a sleep disorder in which you physically act out vivid, often unpleasant dreams with vocal sounds and sudden, often violent arm and leg movements during REM sleep — sometimes called dream-enacting behaviour.”

Express UK, Flights: You risk this very painful problem when flying - how can it be be avoided? by Harriet Mallinson — One way it can happen is if you don’t move for a long time - so what can you look out for on a plane? The Mayo Clinic told Express.co.uk: “Deep vein thrombosis signs and symptoms can include: Swelling in the affected leg - rarely, there's swelling in both legs; pain in your leg - the pain often starts in your calf and can feel like cramping or soreness.” Two further symptoms include: “Red or discoloured skin on the leg and a feeling of warmth in the affected leg.”

Metro UK, What to do if your partner always has bad breath by Almara Abgarian — According to the Mayo Clinic, other factors can be existing health problems such as certain types of cancer and metabolic disorders such as gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD). Mouth dryness can also be the culprit, which can be exacerbated by medication, as can mouth, nose and throat conditions.

Health, Scientists Have Developed a Promising New Migraine Medication—Here's What You Should Know by Maggie O’Neill — Migraines are now treated with a number of medications. These range in strength from over-the-counter pain relivers, such as Advil, to opioid medications, which are highly addictive painkillers that kill thousands of Americans who overdose on them every year. In addition, medications known as triptans are used to treat migraines. These are prescription drugs that obstruct pain pathways in your brain, Mayo Clinic explains.

American Medical Association, Inside Mayo Clinic's 5-step process for handling biased patients by Timothy M. Smith — Incidents of patient bias towards physicians and other health professionals are all too common, from subtle nonverbal actions to outright verbal attacks. Yet many health care organizations still lack policies, mechanisms and cultures to address them. Mayo Clinic recently developed a model for its staff to deal with racism, sexism, ageism and other types of patient misconduct while preserving patients’ rights and safety. Additional coverage: Neurology Advisor

KAAL, Unbreakable Hope: Toddler Receives Life-Changing Rod Surgery — Patients with osteogenesis imperfecta (OI) have a higher risk of breaking and fracturing bones, and two and a half-year-old Ellie Butts is no stranger to that. ABC 6 News has followed Ellie from her infancy, as she’s learned to adapt to living life with her diagnosis of OI, commonly known as “Brittle Bone” disease. However, Ellie recently received a surgery that could change the rest of her life. About 3 months ago, Ellie was sitting in the pediatric surgery ward at Mayo Clinic Hospital-Saint Marys campus. She’d been there many times prior, but never for a surgery as major as this one.

KIMT, Blood donors needed in the Med City: ‘I call it the gift of life’ by Calyn Thompson — During the summer the need for blood increases, and that means there’s a need for people to donate. On Wednesday, Mayo Clinic’s Blood Donor Program posted a plea on their Facebook page saying “We need your help! Our patient need blood type O-negative.” For Duane Jones, giving blood is his way of giving back. “It's pretty simple, it's painless, it's something I can do,” Jones said. “It kind of really is, I'm giving somebody life. I really feel that way.”

Med City News, Who are some of the healthcare leaders taking part in ENGAGE@HLTH?Cris Ross, Mayo Clinic: CIO Since joining the Mayo Clinic in 2012, Ross has revamped IT strategy, helped lead an enterprise-wide electronic health record convergence program, developed partnerships, and initiated major innovation programs in data, analytics, and machine learning. Prior to Mayo, he held technology and business leadership roles with Surescripts, MinuteClinic, and UnitedHealth Group.

Star Tribune, St. Cloud woman reflects on liver transplant 1 year later by Nora G. Hertel — Bel Kambach's dying liver had maybe seven days left by the time she received a transplant last summer. She read that assessment in her medical records a month after surgery, but Kambach knew her liver was essentially dead by July 1, 2018. She was dying, too. Her transplant took place three weeks later at the Mayo Clinic campus in Scottsdale, Arizona. As Kambach approaches the year anniversary of her transplant, she talked with the St. Cloud Times about her feelings of bittersweet gratitude. Additional coverage:Southernminn.com

Star Tribune, Norm Coleman undergoes cancer surgery at Mayo Clinic — Former U.S. Sen. Norm Coleman underwent surgery Monday at Mayo Clinic to remove the cancerous part of a lung. Last August, Coleman learned that the throat and neck cancer he began battling in 2015 had spread to his lungs and was at the most advanced stage. After heavy doses of chemotherapy, Coleman said the tumor was gone. Still, his doctors had him undergo a program of intensive radiation for five weeks in hopes of crushing the disease. Additional coverage: KVRR, KTTC, KAAL, Pioneer Press, KARE 11

St. Paul Pioneer Press, ‘All traces of visible cancer’ removed from left lung of former Sen. Norm Coleman by Nick Woltman — Former U.S. Sen. Norm Coleman underwent a successful surgery on Monday at Mayo Clinic to remove the cancerous lower lobe of his left lung, according to a post on his Facebook page. Although the disease was more invasive than his doctors had anticipated, his surgeon in Rochester was able to remove “all traces of visible cancer,” Coleman wrote in his Tuesday afternoon post. Additional coverage: Star Tribune

Minneapolis/St. Paul Business Journal, Preventing golf injuries will make the game more enjoyable – until you hit the ball into the water by Laurie Garrison — Golf isn’t the first sport many think of as resulting in injuries, but pain and injuries can occur from the repetitive nature of the game and how various muscles are impacted by the swinging and hitting of the ball. “Golf is a full-body sport,” said Chris Fjosne, lead physical therapist at Mayo Clinic Sports Medicine in Minneapolis. “Every joint is affected in the golf swing, so your body can get injured anywhere. Most injuries are caused by overuse.”

Minneapolis/St. Paul Business Journal, List Leaders: Minnesota's largest employers in 2019 by Patrick Rehkamp — The five largest employers in the state employ more than 182,600 Minnesotans. Those five, or the list leaders, make up 33 percent of the almost 556,000 Minnesota-based employees on the list. The top five remain the same as last year, with Mayo Clinic leading the pack with more than 43,000 Minnesota-based employees.

Jacksonville Daily Record, Health & Business: Jacksonville poised to become ‘proton capital’ of US by Katie Garwood — When Mayo Clinic’s $233 million integrated cancer treatment facility is complete, Jacksonville will be home to three proton therapy centers, the most of any city in the country. That will make Jacksonville “the proton capital of the U.S.,” says Stuart Klein, the executive director of UF Health’s Proton Therapy Institute.  Proton therapy delivers radiation more precisely than traditional methods, minimizing damage to surrounding healthy tissue. It’s ideal for tumors that are difficult to reach, prone to shifting positions, are near sensitive organs or in pediatric cases.    There will be more than enough demand for three facilities, say those already offering the treatment in Jacksonville.

KSAZ Phoenix, Woman warns of rare condition after little sister has seizure-like reaction to hair curling by Colleen Killingsworth — Sometimes it isn’t possible to completely avoid a fainting episode, but there are a few steps you can take to remain as safe as possible. According to the Mayo Clinic, if you begin to feel light-headed or like you might faint in any way, lie down and lift your legs above your head so that gravity can support the flow of blood to your brain. If lying down isn’t possible, the next best tactic is to sit down and put your head between your knees until the feeling has completely passed. The Mayo Clinic also warns that once you have fainted, it’s important not to stand up too quickly. During the first 15-30 minutes following an episode, the risk of fainting a second time is elevated. Additional coverage:FOX 11 Los Angeles

Belle Plaine Herald, Heatstroke Prevention Tips During Festival, Parade Season — Parade and festival season in Minnesota is such a fun time of year, drawing people to the outdoors for fun in the sun. But numerous factors at these events can lead to heat exhaustion or heatstroke, which is why Mayo Clinic Health System is reminding people of some easy preventive steps to stay cool. “Heatstroke is very serious and usually happens as a result of prolonged exposure to high temperatures or physical exertion in high temperatures,” said Robert Taylor, D.O., Mayo Clinic Health System in New Prague Family Medicine lead. “Heatstroke occurs when the body temperature reaches 104 degrees or higher.”

Mankato Free Press, Wet, hot, Minnesota summer coming next week; highs to reach lower 90s — dewpoints could top 70 by Trey Mewes — “Heatstroke is usually due to prolonged exposure to high temperatures or physical exertion in high temperatures,” Mayo Clinic Health System in Mankato physician Brian Bartlett said in a statement. Bartlett said heatstroke occurs when the body reaches a temperature of 104 degrees or higher. Symptoms can include confusion, altered speech, nausea or vomiting, rapid breathing and a racing heartbeat, among other symptoms.

Mankato Free Press, Has your student athlete gotten their sports physical? —  It may be hard to believe, but fall sports are just around the corner. Parents and kids are gearing up for the upcoming athletics season by training, finding the right equipment and signing up for activities. As a reminder, your preparation checklist should also include a pre-participation sports physical. Student athletes entering grades seven or 10, or those who are starting to play sports for the first time, need a sports physical examination per Minnesota State High School League (MSHL) requirements. — Robert Freed, D.O., is an Orthopedics and Sports Medicine provider at Mayo Clinic Health System in Mankato.

KEYC Mankato, Blue Earth County Relay For Life takes place Friday July 19 — Oncology nurse manager at Mayo Clinic Health System, Tracy Culbertson, joined KEYC News 12 This Morning to talk about this year’s Relay for Life event which takes place Friday, July 19 at 6 p.m. in Sibley Park. The MCHS Mankato Andreas Cancer Center is one of many teams taking part this year.

WXOW La Crosse, Staying Safe in the intense heat — Mid July is our hottest time of the year in the Coulee Region. Doctors say hydration and limiting time outdoors are key to staying healthy when the temperatures skyrocket...“Drink-wise water is of course the best. Gatorade’s or any of those electrolyte replacing fluids are really only needed if you’re an athlete if you’re practicing for marathons or you’re outside being active. Otherwise they are not really needed,” said Doctor Chris Smith with Mayo Clinic Health System. “Also of course avoiding alcohol because that will make you even more dehydrated.”

WXOW La Crosse, Coulee Recovery Center celebrates first year in new location — The Coulee Council of Addictions celebrated one year in their new recovery center Thursday morning. Coulee Council members held a short ceremony in front of the Coulee recovery Center Building…Coulee Council Executive Director Cheryl Hancock also said a few words about the growth of the recovery center and their partnership with Mayo Clinic. Regional Vice President of Mayo Clinic Health System Dr. Paul Mueller was there as a representative of Mayo Clinic. During the ceremony, Dr. Thompson and Dr. Mueller unveiled a plaque dedicated to Mayo Clinic. Additional coverage: WEAU Eau Claire

WKBT La Crosse, Construction workers brave heat wave; health experts advise staying hydrated in hot weather by Jordan Fremstad — Extreme heat kills more Americans than any other kind of weather, according to the National Weather Service. Some communities in the La Crosse area have heat indices close to triple digits and that's expected to continue through the week... "Most people don't drink enough water at baseline. They start out the day usually dehydrated," said Dr. Chris Smith, with Mayo Clinic Health System.

La Crosse Tribune, Anesthesia Career Day gives aspiring and practicing nurses a glimpse at an anesthetists role in the operating room by Emily Pyrek — Education and training are the fundamentals, but the best anesthetists also come armed with a joy for human interaction, a love of learning and a passion for collaboration. “There are so many different people you connect with,” says certified registered nurse anesthetist Jessica Peterson. “You feel like you’re contributing to the patient and to the other (professionals) in the operating room. Peterson, along with fellow CRNA Michelle Dahl, gave 20 individuals a peek at their role in the operating room during an Anesthesia Career Day clinic Saturday morning at the Mayo Clinic Health System Center for Advanced Medicine and Surgery.

WKBT La Crosse, Sports medicine experts warn against specializing too early by Ken Kosirowski— Specialization has now taken the country by storm. It's seen as a pathway to get to the next level, but doing it from an early age causes problems. "That athlete becomes significantly more susceptible to overuse-related injuries because their body is never really allowed the time to recover and heal from that repetitive stress," said Andrew Jagim, Ph.D., Director of Sports Medicine Research at Mayo Clinic.
MD Magazine,

HealthDay, AHA News: Pregnancy Complications Could Be Early Sign of Heart Disease Risk in Black Women — Dr. Marysia S. Tweet, a cardiovascular medicine specialist at the Mayo Clinic College of Medicine in Rochester, Minnesota, said it is important for women who have had pregnancy complications to "be aware that this history is associated with increased long-term health risks." Tweet, who wrote an editorial that accompanied the study, said a diagnosis of gestational diabetes should alert women that it is even more important to "pay attention to aspects of their life that can be modified." This includes not smoking as well as controlling blood sugar, blood pressure and cholesterol levels. These women should also "adopt heart-healthy eating habits and regular exercise with the goal of achieving and maintaining a healthy weight," she said.

Healthline, What ‘Netflix and Chill’ May Be Doing to Your Heart Health by Brian Mastroianni — Dr. LaPrincess Brewer, MPH, assistant professor of medicine at Mayo Clinic, called the study “brilliant” and one that highlights the importance of moving and maintaining physical activity. “This is especially important among African Americans, particularly African American women as they are the least physically active group in the United States,” she said. “We all enjoy watching our favorite TV programs from time to time, either with our family and friends or alone to decompress for stress relief. However, it is extremely important that we avoid making this practice routine for prolonged periods of time,” Brewer, who wasn’t involved with this research, told Healthline.

Future Tech Podcast, Programming the Code of Life —Stephen Ekker—The Genome Writers Guild — Not long ago, the idea of being able to edit DNA with the same precision as we edit a Word document or computer code was merely science fiction, but today it’s reality, and it’s having an impact on the world around us. Technology that’s been in the making for the past three decades is now being implemented into everyday life, and holds the potential to completely transform the way we live our lives. Dr. Stephen Ekker is Dean of the Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences, Director of the Office of Entrepreneurship, and professor of biochemistry and molecular biology at the Mayo Clinic.

Fierce Healthcare, NHS partners with Amazon to provide health information through Alexa by Heather Landi — The use of voice-assisted technology is growing rapidly in healthcare. Boston Children’s Hospital piloted several voice applications, including to improve the efficiency of ICU care and to streamline the preoperative organ transplant process. Rochester, Minnesota-based Mayo Clinic first launched a first-aid voice app on Amazon Alexa devices in 2017 and has since expanded its services while also researching the use of voice to potentially diagnosis disease. Gartner predicts that by 2020, 30% of web browsing sessions will be done without a screen. Given that consumers are looking up their health symptoms through online searches, organizations like Mayo and now the NHS are putting their clinical expertise behind first-aid instructions and symptom checkers.

Radiology Business, Most patients undergoing image-guided biopsies don't feel any pain by Michael Walter — A majority of patients don’t experience any pain during image-guided percutaneous biopsies, according to a new study published in the American Journal of Roentgenology. But researchers did find that certain groups report pain more often than others.  “Appropriately managing pain and anxiety has a direct impact on safely and successfully performing percutaneous image-guided procedures,” wrote Veena R. Iyer, MD, department of radiology at Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minnesota, and colleagues. “Radiologists are increasingly involved in direct patient interaction and patient care. Understanding the prevalence and predictors of procedure-related pain can help referring clinicians and radiologists appropriately counsel patients before their procedure and can help proceduralists know when to anticipate and therefore more effectively manage pain.”

SELF, How to Spot Heat Exhaustion Because, Wow, It's Freaking Hot Outside by Anna Borges — Heat exhaustion is a temperature-related illness that happens when your body’s usual cooling mechanisms just aren’t cutting it, according to the Mayo Clinic. As a result, you become way too hot, which can eventually be harmful if you don’t take steps to cool down quickly. In order to keep your core temperature around 98.6 degrees Fahrenheit, your body has a few different mechanisms to cool you down or heat you up when necessary, the Mayo Clinic explains. In extreme heat, especially for long periods of time or while exerting yourself, your body can wind up taking in more heat than it’s able to expel through these mechanisms.

MD Magazine, Study: Biological Alzheimer More Common than Clinical Alzheimer by Sara Karlovitch — The 15-year study—which was conducted by Mayo Clinic investigators and led by Clifford R. Jack, MD—evaluated 4660 individuals. Approximately half were men and half were women. Participants were between 60-85 years old. Investigators found that biological AD is always more prevalent than clinical AD and becomes 3 times as prevalent at age 85 years. “These findings illustrate the magnitude of the consequences on public health that potentially exist by intervening with disease- specific treatments to prevent symptom onset,” the study states. 

HealthLeaders, How to Reach Agreement Between Clinicians and Families on ICU Care by Christopher Cheney — While some level of disagreement over ICU care is unavoidable, the magnitude of disagreement found in the recent research can be reduced, the lead author of the study told HealthLeaders."For there to be more agreement about whether a trial of life support is the right thing to do for a particular patient, we need to help families accurately understand the available treatment pathways and their outcomes. And we need to help physicians be able to accurately understand the values and preferences of the patients," said Michael Wilson, MD, a critical care specialist in the Department of Pulmonary Medicine at Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minnesota.

Fierce Biotech, Yale, Mayo Clinic tap Biofourmis' sensors and the new Apple Watch to study digital endpoints for heart disease by Amirah Al Idrus — Could wearable biosensors change the face of clinical trials and shorten a drug’s regulatory journey? That’s what Yale University and the Mayo Clinic are trying to find out, using biosensors and Biofourmis’ mobile health platform. The partners will study the use of various patient-focused endpoints, including quality of life, alongside the so-called “hard outcomes” such as mortality or rehospitalization rates, which have traditionally served as endpoints in clinical trials. They will monitor patients with heart failure at home for at least two months after being discharged from the hospital. Additional coverage: HIT Consultant, mHealth Intelligence

FOX 17 West Michigan, Muskegon man using his addiction story to help others by Julie Dunmire — A Muskegon man who spent years dealing with an addiction to prescription medication is hoping sharing his story will inspire other people who need help. Ken Start got addicted to prescription medications after he broke his back in a bad car crash. He was prescribed opiates, and from there, things got worse — and worse, and worse again…In a last attempt to save his life, he drove to the Mayo Clinic in Minnesota, who he credits with saving his life. They got him through his pain, and his addiction.

KQWC TV 6, Tick borne diseases on the rise — As you head out to hike, bike or just relax, there is a health warning you should be aware of. Tick-borne illnesses are on the rise according to the CDC, with record numbers reported in recent years. The summer is bringing with it greater chancer for contracting tick-borne illnesses and Dr. Bobbi Pritt with the Mayo Clinic says, "You want to avoid ticks at all costs." Doctor Pritt says Lyme Disease is the most well know, but different varieties of ticks transmit a variety of diseases.

WRAL, Sundowning and Strategies to Cope by Lisa Ogburn — We don't know precisely what causes it, though there are theories. The Mayo Clinic surmises it may be due to fatigue, low lighting, increased shadows, disruption of the body's "internal clock," difficulty separating reality from dreams, or the presence of an infection such as a urinary tract infection.

MedPage Today, Can Exercise Protect Against Alzheimer's? by Judy George — "This study shows that physical exercise allows persons to tolerate a higher burden of amyloid pathology," said David Knopman, MD, of the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minnesota, who was not involved with the research. "Even though there was no association between how much people exercised and whether they had elevated amyloid, physical activity affected the downstream clinical expression of the Alzheimer's process," Knopman told MedPage Today. In some ways, this is similar to cognitive reserve: "These people didn't start exercising the day they joined the study. Their degree of physical activity is probably a proxy for attention to other cardiovascular risk factors," Knopman said.

MedPage Today, Admissions Up in RA After Heart Failure Dx by Nancy Walsh — Among adults who developed heart failure, rates of hospitalization for those previously diagnosed with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) were higher than for patients without RA, a retrospective study found. Following the diagnosis of heart failure, the rate ratio for hospitalization was 1.17 (95% CI 1.08-1.26) for RA versus non-RA patients, according to Elena Myasoedova, MD, PhD, of the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minn., and colleagues…Hospitalizations declined in both groups after 2005 and the differences in rates between the two was less apparent since 2010. This decline "mirrors the trend in the general population and likely reflects overall improvement in heart failure management following the implementation of the 2005 American College of Cardiology/American Heart Association heart failure management guidelines," Myasoedova told MedPage Today.

MedPage Today, Is It Time to Start Stopping Aspirin for Stroke Prevention in Afib? by Anthony Pearson, M.D. — "The European guidelines have done away with aspirin for stroke prevention in atrial fibrillation. It barely made it into our current US guidelines. I don't think aspirin should be in there and I don't think it will be there in the next guidelines. The role of aspirin will fall away," said Bernard J. Gersh, MB, ChB, DPhil, Professor of Medicine at the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minnesota. "It's not that aspirin is less effective than the oral anticoagulants, it's that there's no role for it. There are no good data to support aspirin in the prevention of stroke in atrial fibrillation."

Medscape, Chronotherapy Improves Sleep in Mild Cognitive Impairment by Megan Brooks — "Doing behavioral interventions is very challenging, and as a preliminary study there were some promising results that hopefully will lead to a larger study that will provide more data," said briefing moderator David Knopman, MD, a clinical neurologist at the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minnesota, and member of the Alzheimer's Association Medical and Scientific Advisory Group.

Healio, Micronutrient deficiencies common in celiac disease — Deficiencies in micronutrients like zinc, copper and vitamin B12 are common in patients with celiac disease, according to study results. Despite these deficiencies, Adam C. Bledsoe, MD, a gastroenterology fellow at Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minnesota, and colleagues found that fewer patients experience the common symptoms of celiac disease, like low weight and weight loss. “It was somewhat surprising to see the frequency of micronutrient deficiencies in this group of newly diagnosed patients, given that they were presenting fewer symptoms of malabsorption,” Bledsoe said in a press release.

Healio, Mouthwash reduces radiation-induced oral mucositis pain among patients with head and neck cancer — A mouthwash consisting of diphenhydramine, lidocaine and antacids significantly reduced pain from oral mucositis among patients receiving radiation for head and neck cancer, according to results of a randomized phase 3 trial published in JAMA. “Radiation therapy may cause mouth sores because it is designed to kill rapidly growing cells, such as cancer cells,” Terence Tai-Weng Sio, MD, MS, assistant professor of radiation oncology and radiation oncologist at Mayo Clinic in Phoenix, said in a press release. “Unfortunately, healthy cells in the mouth also divide and grow rapidly, and may be damaged during radiation therapy, which can cause discomfort. We are glad to have identified a proven method to help treat the discomfort of this side effect.”

Healio, Atogepant well tolerated, effectively reduces migraine days — Atogepant, a novel, oral calcitonin gene-related peptide receptor in development for the prevention of migraine, achieved positive results in trials presented at the American Headache Society Annual Meeting…David Dodick, MD, of the Mayo Clinic, and colleagues, evaluated the proportion of patients who experienced 25%, 50%, 75%, and 100% reduction in migraine days in placebo and in all five treatment arms.  Researchers found that the reduction in headache days from the baseline was 25% in 77% of patients, 50% in 57% of patients, 75% in 34% of patients, and 100% in 10% of patients.

Healio, Emgality has varied results across types of headache — Emgality, an FDA-approved treatment for preventing migraines, was effective in chronic and episodic migraines but had varied results in other types of headache, according to studies presented at the American Headache Society Annual Scientific Meeting. David Dodick, MD, of the Mayo Clinic, and colleagues reviewed data from 237 patients with chronic cluster headache who were randomly assigned to receive placebo or Emgality (galcanezumab, Lilly) 300 mg…“[Galcanezumab] 300 mg did not achieve its primary and key secondary endpoints in this [chronic cluster headache] prevention trial. The safety profile is consistent with that observed in patients with migraine and episodic cluster headache,” Dodick and colleagues wrote.

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Editors: Emily BlahnikKarl Oestreich

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