October 4, 2019

Mayo Clinic in the News Weekly Highlights for October 4, 2019

By Emily Blahnik

New York Times, Hysterectomy May Raise Depression and Anxiety Risk by Nicholas Bakalar — The observational study, in the journal Menopause, controlled for dementia, substance use disorders, hypertension, coronary artery disease, arthritis, all types of cancer and more than a dozen other mental and physical conditions. “Hysterectomy is right for some women,” said the lead author, Dr. Shannon K. Laughlin-Tommaso, associate professor of obstetrics and gynecology at the Mayo Clinic. “But there is this 4 to 6 percent of women who will be affected by depression or anxiety. We’re hoping women will talk with their doctors and see if there’s any alternative they could use instead.”

New York Post, EEE virus: What to know about the deadly mosquito disease by Marisa Dellatto — It’s one of the deadliest years ever for a disease that comes from a simple mosquito bite. At least 29 people have been struck by EEE, or Eastern Equine Encephalitis, since January. That’s an alarming number considering only seven people on average report the deadly disease annually, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. So far this year, 10 people have died from the rare mosquito-transmitted illness, health officials say. Those who survive may not be entirely in the clear, either, Dr. Elitza Theel, director of the Mayo Clinic Infectious Diseases Serology Laboratory, tells The Post. “Many of those with severe symptoms, after they resolve that initial infection, can die within a few years.”

Washington Post,The longevity files: A strong grip? Push-ups? What actually can help you live to a ripe old age. by Christie Aschwanden — …What these tests have in common is they’re good shorthand of things that matter for longevity: overall health, fitness and muscle strength. A fit person walks faster than someone out of shape, and getting up off the floor is tricky for people with weak bones and muscles. “Frailty is a really bad thing starting in middle age, and even worse as you get older,” says Michael Joyner, a physician and human physiology researcher at the Mayo Clinic. Additional coverage: Florida Times-Union

ABC News, Optimism has a surprising benefit: Better heart health, study finds by Erin Schumaker — While depression itself carries numerous health burdens and complications, including weight gain, heart disease, substance use disorders and risk for suicide, according to the Mayo Clinic, Rozanski stressed that we have clear approaches for treating depression.

Post-Bulletin, At Transform, a patient-first Mayo bets on machines by Paul Scott — The Mayo Clinic innovation summit known as Transform has always looked hopefully towards the convergences, synergies and creative disruption awaiting medicine in the promising digital future. This may have been the year those words finally seemed real. Google, in case you hadn't heard, has arrived in Rochester, and every breakout session in the two-day happening at Mayo Civic Center, now in its 11th year, seemed to anticipate that partnership with all of its hopes and challenges for patients, medicine and health. But Transform 2019 was also a program intent on tripping up its 400 internal and external attendees up with the knotty, nagging people-problems facing medicine, challenges that smart design and Big Data cloud computing will be sorely tested to unravel. Additional coverage: West Central Tribune

Post-Bulletin, Needed or not, hepatitis C testing awaits us all by Paul Scott — The change is coming thanks to the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force, an expert panel charged with evaluating the effectiveness of medical procedures for the federal government. This week, the panel closed the window for comments on a draft recommendation expanding the pool of Americans who should be routinely tested for hepatitis C. The list once included just those mentioned above and a cost-effective cohort of persons born between 1945 and 1965. "We were thinking this was coming," says Dr. Stacy Rizza, a Professor of Medicine and specialist in infectious disease at Mayo Clinic, "just because it's cost-effective to diagnose anybody who could potentially have hepatitis C and get them treated and cured. That's a lot cheaper than treating them when they are in end-stage liver disease." Additional coverage: Brainerd Dispatch

Post-Bulletin, Parking woes changing Mortenson's Discovery Square plans by Randy Petersen — The followup to the recently completed One Discovery Square complex could be delayed by Mayo Clinic’s parking woes. “What we submitted on Aug. 28 assumed we’d be leasing paces from Mayo, and that doesn’t work in their current (parking) deficit situation,” said David Mortenson, chairman of the Twin Cities-based M.A. Mortenson Co, While One Discovery Square was built by M.A. Mortenson Co. with an agreement calling for Mayo Clinic to lease parking for building tenants, Mortenson said the clinic isn’t able to provide a similar commitment for Discovery Square Two, which is scheduled to be built south of the first phase. Additional coverage: Star Tribune, Med City Beat,

Post-Bulletin, As Rochester grows, so does Cafe Steam by Matthew Stolle — William Forsman started his ascent in the coffee shop world as a dishwasher. Today, Forsman is general manager and part-owner of Cafe Steam, which, in addition to the downtown store, includes outlets in the One Discovery Square, DoubleTree by Hilton and Thesis Beer Project.  Cafe Steam started out three years ago as single shop that served 75 people a day. Now, it serves 750 customers through its four outlets. That growth has coincided with Destination Medical Center.

KROC-Radio, Rochester hearing on prescription drug prices by Kim David — Mayo Clinic professor Dr. Vincent Rajkumar will provide an overview of pharmaceutical drug prices, followed by a recap of prescription drug proposals currently on the table and a discussion of possible next steps. Eric Tichy, Mayo Clinic’s Vice-Chair of Pharmacy Supply, will give an overview of Civica, a not-for-profit generic drug and pharmaceutical company founded to address drug shortages and high prices.

Med City News, Healthtech firm Eko aims to be the new face of digital cardiac care by Joel Berg — The company also is planning to invest more in the clinical research it has been undertaking with academic partners like the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minnesota. Mayo and Eko are collaborating on an algorithm that would screen patients for what is known as low ejection fraction, a sign of a weak heart pump. The goal is earlier identification of the condition, which is a risk factor for heart failure.

KAAL, Face transplant recipient transforming lives with a message of hope by Hannah Tiede — It’s an incredible story of a second chance at life.  For years, ABC 6 News has been following Andy Sandness; the first Mayo Clinic patient to receive a face transplant. On Thursday, he publicly shared his mental health journey at Mayo Clinic's annual Transform Conference. “I regret that day and I hate the word regret,” Sandness said to a packed auditorium at the Mayo Civic Center. Additional coverage: KARE 11, KTTC, KMSP, Grand Forks Herald, KIMT, Mitchell Republic, Jamestown Sun, Pioneer Press,West Central Tribune, Alexandria Echo Press, WSAV NBC

KAAL, Google and Mayo talk data privacy at annual conference by Alice Keefe — This month, the Mayo Clinic announced a partnership with Google Cloud.  At Mayo’s annual Transform conference Thursday, leadership from both teams talked about what the new relationship means for patients.“Our vision is to put these great physician scientists with Mayo shoulder-to-shoulder with A.I. and machine learning engineers from Google,” said Christopher Ross, Mayo Clinic’s Chief Information Officer. Patient care is at the core of the new partnership between the two powerhouses. Additional coverage: KIMT, Post-Bulletin

KAUS-Radio, Technology making breast cancer screenings better, easier at Mayo Clinic Health System — October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month, and while breast cancer is still the most common cancer among women, technology is making the screening process easier than ever. New this year, patients have the opportunity to self-schedule their mammogram appointments through Patient Online Services, Mayo Clinic’s patient portal. After the patient’s care team sends an email with a go-ahead to schedule the screening, the patient can log in and choose the date, time and location that works best. In addition, patients who visit Mayo Clinic Health System in Austin and Albert Lea have greater access to enhanced technology for breast cancer screenings. Additional coverage: KTOE-Radio

KRFO-Radio, Mayo Clinic Health System donates to Owatonna Foundation by Roy Koenig — Owatonna Foundation Executive Director Laura Resler said, "We're so appreciative of this donation from Mayo Clinic. It is this continued support that keeps the Foundation's Mission to improve the quality of life for present and future generations by supporting Owatonna projects that focus on community, arts, recreation, and education a reality for all of us that live in Owatonna."

Star Tribune, Legislators on the road in southern Minnesota hear about skyrocketing drug prices by Jessie Van Berkel — Lawmakers who trekked to Rochester and the Mayo Clinic on Wednesday heard about skyrocketing prescription drug prices and offered assurances that stemming the rise will continue to be a top priority at the Capitol next year.. “Insulin is the one Achilles’ heel of the pharmaceutical industry, because they cannot justify the price,” said Dr. S. Vincent Rajkumar, a hematologist at Mayo Clinic. He said it is “baffling” how a drug created about 100 years ago can still be priced so high. Legislators also heard about Civica Rx, a nonprofit made up of numerous health care organizations — including the Mayo Clinic — which formed last year to manufacture generic medications. The nonprofit delivered its first drug on Wednesday in Utah, said Eric Tichy, vice chair of pharmacy supply solutions at Mayo. Additional coverage: KAAL, KTTC, KIMT, Bemidji Pioneer

Star Tribune, Minnesota students getting more test accommodations, data show by Greta Kaul — With increasing use of parent websites and forums online, it's easier for parents who are concerned about their kids to access advice, too. "Parents have become more educated about what is out there to help their child. There has also been the emergence of various parent advocacy groups that put stuff on the Internet that parents can follow," said Michael Zaccariello, a psychologist at the Mayo Clinic. But the increase in awareness hasn't happened everywhere, and disparities in 504 plan rates exist at both the state and national level.

WCCO, Memory Of Daughter Inspires Mother To Help Other Families That Experience Stillbirth by Kate Raddatz — A Minnesota mother has turned the grief of losing her daughter into something good to help other families. “You have to think about what positive way you can use your baby’s memory to impact this world, and that’s what keeps me going,” Dena Iverson said. Iverson’s daughter Cassie never came home to their house in New Ulm, but her story is everywhere. Cassie Jean was born at 29 weeks, sleeping…Iverson plans to donate the Caring Cradle to the Mayo Clinic health system. It costs over $5,000.

KARE 11, Guys get it too: Renewed attention on male breast cancer by Adrienne Broaddus — Because men have breast tissue, they can get breast cancer. It is rare. According to the The Mayo Clinic’s website, about 2,000 men are diagnosed with breast cancer every year. That is about 1 percent of all breast cancer cases in the U.S. According to the Mayo. In men, the cancer often occurs near the nipple. Symptoms may include a lump, dimpling or puckering, redness or a discharge.

Minneapolis/St. Paul Business Journal, U.S. Bank, Mayo Clinic named leading employers of people with disabilities by Imani Cruzen — U.S. Bank and Mayo Clinic are two of 59 organizations awarded the 2019 National Organization on Disability's Leading Disability Employer seal. Awarded since 2016, the seal is given to companies that are leaders in disability inclusion and employment and is also meant to encourage other employers to improve their practices, according to NOD. The 2019 seal recipients were announced last week.

MPR News, The invisible battles of sickle cell and lupus by Manda Lillie and Angela Davis — Five million people struggle with lupus, and it can be deadly. Normal blood cells are round and flexible. But people with sickle cell have some crescent-shaped cells that can get stuck in blood vessels and block the flow of oxygen. This can cause severe pain in the extremities, along with other complications. Host Angela Davis spoke with guests about their experiences with these diseases. Guests: Dr. Ashima Makol is a rheumatologist at Mayo Clinic. She specializes in connective tissue diseases.

Minnesota Monthly, Heart Health: Which Tests Are Right for You? by Katelyn Bloomquist — Work Out Your Issues: Exercise Stress Test: This functional test illustrates how your heart handles exertion and, in turn, reveals blood flow problems. Dr. Panithaya Chareonthaitawee (affectionately called Dr. C), the director of the Nuclear Cardiology Laboratory at the world-renowned Mayo Clinic’s Rochester campus, says she’ll exercise a patient whenever possible to get more data for assessment… Stress tests are ordered to evaluate heart disease symptoms. Because you’re exercising, your heart should show clearer signs of any struggle. “If it’s heart disease, (symptoms) should be worse with exertion and activity,” Dr. C says.

Florida Times-Union, A look Back: More than 30 years of Mayo Clinic in Jacksonville — The Mayo Clinic of Jacksonville, located off San Pablo Road, opened to patients in Oct. 13, 1986. Back then, the Jacksonville facility had one medical building, 37 physicians and 158 other employees. Thirty years later, Mayo’s campus includes more than 18 buildings, about 500 physicians and scientists and more than 4,600 other employees.

WJCT-Radio, Breast cancer awareness — Mayo Clinic is reaching new advances in treatment. Senior associate consultant in radiology at Mayo Clinic Dr. Kristin Robinson and senior associate consultant in hematology-oncology Dr. Pooja Advani joined us with an update. Segment begins at about 31:20.

Arizona ABC 15, How to beat jet lag during your travels by Nohelani Graf — It’s one of the most dreaded aspects of flying out of town, besides the awkward family reunions: jet lag.  While it’s long been something travelers just deal with, doctors say there is a bit of science to speeding up your recovery. Dr. Lois Krahn is a sleep medicine specialist with Mayo Clinic and says you should resist the urge to go straight to sleep when you arrive if you’re feeling foggy, moody or have gastrointestinal issues. She says the most important trick is to sleep when the locals sleep, even if that means waiting up a while or going to sleep earlier than you feel ready for. If you have trouble falling asleep, she recommends being active so your body will naturally be more tired, and for extra help, try a natural sleep aid like melatonin supplements.

Mankato Free Press, Tips for a successful run — Running is one of the world’s most popular sports, hobbies and ways of staying fit. However, running also can lead to the occasional injury. At some point, whether it’s a 5K, 10K or marathon, runners of all levels tend to cross this familiar bump in the road. As a physical therapist for Mayo Clinic Health System, I treat all types of runners, from ultramarathoners to novices. With a doctorate in physical therapy, I’m an expert in motion, and have been trained to treat and prevent injuries in many athletes, particularly runners. — Jordan Moen, D.P.T., Physical Therapy, Mayo Clinic Health System

Mankato Free Press, In honor of a friend: Local girl scout troop donates blankets to Mayo cancer center by Dan Greenwood — When the sixth graders in Girl Scout Troop 34641 in Mankato were asked what they missed the most about their friend and fellow Girl Scout Audrey Wood, who lost her battle to cancer last year, they began with one word. “Everything.” Many of them had known Wood since before they could walk, as infants at the Golden Heart Childcare Center in North Mankato. They went to pre-school together and joined the Girl Scouts together, forming a tight bond over the years. After Wood found out she had a brain tumor in early 2018, she shared with her friends how meaningful it felt to receive a tie blanket when she was being treated at Andreas Cancer Center at the Mayo Clinic in Mankato.

KEYC Mankato, Timberwolves, Lynx players teach Mankato Youth Place kids skills both on and off the court by Holly Bernstein — Mayo Clinic Health System and Mankato Youth Place, previously the Boys and Girls Club of Mankato, partnered to bring Minnesota Timberwolves and Minnesota Lynx players to play basketball with kids in the MY Place program Tuesday. The players taught the kids lessons both on and off the court...“We know that a child can’t be healthy without being healthy in all aspects of their life. It’s not just their physical health, right. It’s their social health, their emotional health, that they’re connected to other kids that they feel that they belong," she said. Additional coverage: Mankato Free Press

KEYC Mankato, New classes on chronic kidney disease at Mayo Clinic Health System in Mankato — Kristi Wempen, clinical dietitian at Mayo Clinic Health System in Mankato, joined KEYC News 12 Midday to discuss their new classes on chronic kidney disease. Chronic kidney disease is the gradual loss of kidney function. Chronic kidney disease shows no early symptoms, so it’s important to know your risks.

Austin Daily Herald, Getting ahead of the problem: Mayo online program helps families deal with the effects of trauma by Eric Johnson — A new online program offered by Mayo Clinic Health Systems-Austin and Albert Lea is looking to help confront the effects of trauma in the home. The Youth Resiliency Virtual Program seeks to bring resources together in order to help adults reduce the effects of trauma in the home on children. “This program, Road to Resiliency, is really looking at how we can take the information we know about adverse child experiences and put it toward how that impacts health and well-being,” said Reese Druckenmiller, therapist in the Department of Psychology and Psychiatry. “How do these experiences impact kids and how we can help buffer the experiences.”

Faribault Daily News, Mayo offers Women’s Morning of Well-Being Oct. 26 by Suzanne Rook — Daughter, partner, friend – whatever the role, women frequently put others’ needs before their own. Take time for yourself at Mayo Clinic Health System’s Women’s Morning of Well-Being. The program will be held Saturday, Oct. 26 at Owatonna Country Club, 1991 Lemond Road in Owatonna. Mayo Clinic experts will provide energizing and inspiring information for women of all ages on healthy eating, resiliency and taking care of ourselves as we take care of others.

Duluth News Tribune, 'We're legislators on a road trip': Minnesota lawmakers to visit Rochester, Winona for mini-session by Dana Ferguson — Members of the Minnesota House of Representatives are set to travel across southern Minnesota this week to tour area businesses, hold listening sessions and weigh policy changes. Lawmakers will fan out across the southeastern corner of the state visiting the Hormel plant in Austin to see how Spam gets made, touring the Mayo Clinic in Rochester after talking with doctors and patients about prescription drug prices and ending in Winona, where local officials and residents will sit down with legislators to talk about various topics.

RiverTowns.net, Prescription price tool aims to end pharmacy sticker shock by Michael Brun — Minnesota lawmakers have taken steps to tackle drug costs, including outlawing “gag clauses” that prevented pharmacists from telling consumers about cheaper alternatives to drug insurance plans…September also marks the one-year anniversary of Civica Rx, a not-for-profit generic drug company founded to increase competition in the market and improve availability and affordability of generic medications. Mayo Clinic is among the company’s governing organizations. Civica Rx plans to make its first deliveries of the antibiotic Vancomycin this fall.

Coeur d’Alene Press, In the fight against breast cancer, it’s quality that matters by Andrea Nagel — …When a unique case comes through, Kootenai providers are able to consult with providers at Mayo Clinic through the Mayo Clinic Care Network. Through the eConsult program, local providers can request a second opinion or consultation directly from Mayo Clinic at any time, so patients and providers get the information they need, without traveling. Last year, 120 patients benefited from this service.

WKBT La Crosse, Drinking at Oktoberfest: When to seek medical attention by Rachel Ausman — Drinking during Oktoberfest is, of course, part of the tradition. But it's important to know when someone may have taken it too far. According to Mayo Clinic Health System, drinking too much, too quickly, can affect your breathing, heart rate, body temperature and gag reflex and potentially lead to a coma or death. Paramedics say if you see signs or symptoms of Alcohol poisoning, it's important to get help right away.

WKBT La Crosse, Flu vaccine encouraged ahead of flu season by Greg White — The CDC recommends getting vaccinated by the end of October, ahead of the typical start of flu season in November or December. "It usually fluctuates from year to year depending on what the virus is doing, also depending on how many people are getting the vaccines and kind of what that coverage is too," said Olivia Theal, Mayo Clinic Health System Resident Physician. Flu vaccines are available at Mayo Clinic Health System and Gundersen Health System during regular appointments.

La Crosse Tribune, After Onalaska sophomore goes down, community takes closer look at youth sports by Kyle Farris — “I’ve known Devyn for 10 years or longer, and I know how aggressive she is as a player, but could this have been avoided?” said Dr. Paul Molling, who works in family medicine for Mayo Clinic Health System in Onalaska, and who treated Devyn immediately after her injury. “It’s hard to look back like that at an injury,” he said. “But Devyn was doing 10 hours of activity, wearing herself down mentally and physically. And when you do that, your body doesn’t respond as if it were fresh.

Yahoo! Lifestyle, What To Do When Separation Anxiety Is Getting You Down by Molly Longman — For a long time, doctors would only diagnose children with separation anxiety. Mayo Clinic still discusses the disorder as one that affects kids who miss their parents. “If your child’s separation anxiety seems intense or prolonged — especially if it interferes with school or other daily activities, or includes panic attacks or other problems — he or she may have separation anxiety disorder,” Mayo Clinic dictates. “Most frequently this relates to the child’s anxiety about his or her parents, but it could relate to another close caregiver.”

Everyday Health, Laser Therapy May Be as Effective as Estrogen Cream for Treating Vaginal Problems by Beth Levine — …These are more global things than just sex,” says Stephanie S. Faubion, MD, MBA, the medical director of the North American Menopause Society…Dr. Faubion adds that 50 to 60 percent of post-menopausal women experience GSM symptoms, and of those, only 7 to 9 percent get treatment for it. “A lot of women perceive GSM to be a problem but don’t seek help for a variety of reasons — they don’t know treatments are available or that the symptoms are related to menopause, or they are too embarrassed to talk about it or are even afraid they will embarrass their medical providers,” says Faubion, who is also the Penny and Bill George Director at the Mayo Clinic Center for Women’s Health, and a professor of medicine in the division of general internal medicine at the Mayo Clinic.

Romper, 7 Surprising Signs You Might Want To Cut Back On Caffeine by Lindsay E. Mack— …Consider just how much caffeine is generally thought to be OK for a single person to enjoy on a daily basis. "Evidence demonstrates that for most healthy adults, 400mg of caffeine a day appears to be safe," Kelsey Western, M.D., resident physician in the Mayo Clinic Family Medicine Residency Program in Eau Claire, Wisconsin, tells Romper. "This is roughly the equivalent of 4 cups of coffee, though caffeine content of coffee varies widely." In addition to coffee, it's important to remember that teas, sodas, and energy drinks can also pack in the caffeine.

Becker’s Hospital Review, Rest, journaling and listening: The habits hospital leaders developed this year by Kelly Gooch — As hospital and health system leaders evolve in their role, they often pick up new habits that stick with them.  Becker's Hospital Review asked some of these leaders to share a leadership habit they've developed in 2019 and why it is important to them... Richard Helmers, M.D.: Vice president of Mayo Clinic Health System's northwest Wisconsin region :The leadership habit I have tried to develop this year is to consciously try to get more/enough sleep every night. I read this in a business leadership journal. It pointed out that you make the best decisions when consistently rested, and that is better than not getting enough sleep due to reading every detailed  email and every report, and those you lead are better off when you are better rested but  less well-read!

Maryville Daily Times, Blount Memorial is partnering with the Mayo Clinic by Melanie Tucker — Blount Memorial Hospital announced today it will become part of the Mayo Clinic Care Network, allowing physicians to access Mayo's expertise for its patients without ever having to leave Blount County. The announcement was made by Don Heinemann, BMH's CEO, and Dr. Harold Naramore, chief medical officer and in-house legal counsel for BMH. On hand as well was Dr. Ryan Uitti, medical director, Southeast region, Mayo Clinic Care Network. Additional coverage: WBIR Knoxville, WATE 6

Pittsburgh Business Times, Mayo Clinic, St. Clair Hospital hail partnership by Paul J. Gough — Mayo Clinic and St. Clair Hospital officials say they're happy with the partnership from both ends of its clinical relationship. The Mt. Lebanon hospital struck a collaboration with the Mayo Clinic in 2016, allowing among other things St. Clair Hospital the ability to be connected with Mayo Clinic specialists for diagnosis, treatment or clinical management of complex diseases. It's one of only about 40 such relationships Mayo has with other hospitals. Both sides said it's working well.

Chicago Now, My Breast Cancer Screening Journey (So Far) by Sister Christian — …So I called Mayo Clinic's Breast Clinic. I'm scheduled for a consultation there on August 30th, which could stretch into 3 to 5 days of appointments depending on the kind of tests and treatments I might need. I'm in the process of hand-collecting all of my test results so far which has been challenging and extremely time consuming. In addition to seeing the breast clinic team at Mayo, I have an appointment with my nutritionist next Monday to discuss the findings so far. I will also talk with my gynecologist on the phone for her interpretation of the results so far as well as she is the referring physician. Additional coverage: Part 2, Part 3

Chicago Tribune, Doctors and nurses with addictions often denied a crucial recovery option by Emma Yasinski — Clinical studies show medication-assisted treatment significantly decreases the rate of relapse and overdose more than other interventions alone. Most advocates advise using it in conjunction with regular therapy or counseling…A review in Mayo Clinic Proceedings of several studies in 2012 showed small effects of both methadone and Suboxone on performance in measures such as reaction time and memory. The review was criticized for weak evidence and a lack of appropriate control groups.

MD Magazine, Elena Myasoedova, MD: Cardiovascular Disease in Rheumatoid Arthritis Patients by Patrick Campbell — With rheumatoid arthritis patients predisposed to a slew of comorbidities, including cardiovascular disease, clinicians have been working for decades to minimize the impact of these concomitant conditions. Results of a study presented at the Clinical Congress of Rheumatology (CCR) West 2019 annual meeting in San Diego, CA, are suggesting their efforts may be paying dividends in the form of declining cardiovascular disease rates among patients…To learn more about the impact of declining rates and a more in-depth look at the study, MD Magazine® sat down with lead author Elena Myasoedova, MD, rheumatologist at the Mayo Clinic.

MedPage Today, A Rescue Therapy for Vestibular Migraine? by Judy George — "Vestibular migraine is a migraine subset that can be very disabling and for which we lack effective treatments," noted Rashmi Halker Singh, MD, of the Mayo Clinic in Phoenix, who was not involved with the study. "The idea that these authors found noninvasive neuromodulation to be helpful is extremely exciting, especially since the nVNS device is easy to use and without significant side effects for most patients," she told MedPage Today.

Medscape, Women Can Take Charge of Certain Breast Cancer Risk Factors by Tara Haelle — "In medical school, we focus on pathophysiology and mechanisms and medicines and treatments, and not so much on lifestyle" when it comes to breast cancer, said Jewel Kling, MD, from Women's Health Internal Medicine in Scottsdale, Arizona. But when women implement a range of healthy behaviors, they can cut their risk for preventable breast cancer substantially, she told Medscape Medical News. Kling acknowledged that framing is important, and noted that lifestyle advice can become a slippery slope.

Medscape, Heart Health After Hot Flashes a 'Wake-up Call' by Tara Haelle — This study could be a "wake-up call" for women and their healthcare providers to take hot flashes seriously and not dismiss them as unimportant, said Stephanie Faubion, MD, director of the Mayo Clinic Center for Women's Health in Rochester, Minnesota, and medical director for NAMS. "I think it's a lot harder to blow off a woman with hot flashes if it's associated with a heart disease risk," she told Medscape Medical News. "We still don't know if treating with hormone therapy, for example, is going to reduce that risk, but we do know there's an association, so we need to be paying attention to other risk factors for these women."

TCTMD, Transseptal Transcatheter Mitral Valve-in-Valve Ups Survival in High-Risk Patients — “Transcatheter mitral valve-in-valve is preferable to redo mitral surgery and should be the standard of care for patients with failed surgical prostheses who have favorable anatomy,” said Mayra Guerrero, MD (Mayo Clinic, Rochester, MN), who presented the findings today in a late breaking science session at TCT 2019. She told TCTMD that over her 6 years of experience performing these procedures she has never once used transapical access and believes transseptal should be the default option. “From day one, I knew and I made the conscious decision that if we're going to do this, we're going to do this with transseptal access because I don't want anybody to be poking a hole in my left ventricle,” she said. “So . . . why would I want to do that to somebody else?”

Healio, Guidelines at Mayo Clinic decrease number of opioids prescribed — With its guidelines that restrict opioid prescriptions, Mayo Clinic has drastically reduced the number of opioids prescribed to patients who undergo surgery. “With the guidelines, we have seen dramatic drops in the number of opioids prescribed to our surgical patients but no observed increase, in general, across most of our procedures for patients needing opioid refills,” Elizabeth B. Habermann, PhD, professor of health services research at Mayo Clinic, told Healio.com/Orthopedics. “[That] was a concern. We don’t want patients to not be able to access care that they need but, in general, we haven’t seen any increases in refills which is a signal to us that even with the decrease in the number of opioids prescribed, patients are having enough opioids to manage their pain.”

Minot Daily News, Community event explores genomics and individualized medicine — Individualized medicine, the concept of tailoring medical care to a patient’s genetic makeup, will be the focus of a community education event Oct. 1 at 7 p.m. at Health Center – Riverside, 1900 8th Avenue SE. Experts from the Mayo Clinic Center for Individualized Medicine will present “Genomics and Individualized Medicine in 2019,” an update on how individualized medicine is benefitting patients with better diagnoses, earlier interventions, and more effective drug therapies.

Journal Gazette, Keep fitness routine during next vacation — Summer is over, but it's not too late to plan a fall getaway. After all, the shoulder season – those months before and after peak summer travel time – is primed for good deals and smaller crowds. But just remember: Physical activity can be part of the fun, too. These four principles can keep people active despite easing up a bit on their fitness routine during vacation, said Dr. Michael Joyner, a professor of anesthesiology who researches exercise physiology at Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minnesota.

WMTV Madison, Local doctors provide preventative tips following an increase in youth sports injuries by Hayley Spitler — Mayo Clinic Health System (MCHS) in La Crosse saw a spike in youth sports related injuries this summer. That spike is a national trend. According to Mayo, high school athletes account for over two million injuries each year. Doctors say some of those injuries are caused by teens trying to specialize too soon. "The biggest thing is that when kids take it almost too seriously sometimes and they try and specialize in one sport, that can put a lot of stress on one part of the body," said Dr. Scott Kuzma, an orthopedic surgeon at MCHS.

Post Crescent, After a German bone marrow donor saved her life, a Wisconsin woman took him to a Packers game, Miller Park and her daughter's homecoming by AnnMarie Hilton — Last week, Georg Lochner traveled from Germany to Wisconsin to witness the life of Christy Stubbe, a single mother from Plymouth. She took him to a Packers game, and Miller Park, and he even saw Stubbe's daughter be named for homecoming court. The significance: Stubbe might not have lived to see any of it without Lochner's selflessness. In September 2015, Stubbe spent a week at The Mayo Clinic. She went with her mom after her doctors in Sheboygan County couldn't figure out what was going on. Stubbe was told she had a rare form of leukemia and would need a bone marrow transplant to live. Her only sister wasn't a match, so her fate was left up to an anonymous donor.

Express UK, Dementia: Best exercise to keep symptoms of the condition at bay by Adam Chapman — According to a Mayo Clinic study published in Mayo Clinic Proceedings, any exercise that gets the heart pumping may reduce the risk of dementia and slow the condition's progression once it starts. Researchers examined the role of aerobic exercise in preserving cognitive abilities and concluded that it should not be overlooked as an important therapy against dementia. The researchers broadly defined exercise as any aerobic activity that raises the heart rate and increase the body's need for oxygen. "We culled through all the scientific literature we could find on the subject of exercise and cognition, including animal studies and observational studies, reviewing over 1,600 papers, with 130 bearing directly on this issue. We attempted to put together a balanced view of the subject," says J. Eric Ahlskog, M.D., Ph.D., a neurologist at Mayo Clinic.

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Tags: Andy Sandness, anxiety, Blount Memorial, Breast Cancer, caffeine, Christopher Ross, Civica Rx, dementia, Dena Iverson, depression, destination medical center, Discovery Square, DMC, Dr. Ashima Makol, Dr. Elena Myasoedova, Dr. Elizabeth Habermann, Dr. Jewel King, Dr. Kelsey Western, Dr. Lois Krahn, Dr. Michael Joyner, Dr. Panithaya Chareonthaitawee, Dr. Paul Molling, Dr. Pooja Advani, Dr. Rashmi Halker Singh, Dr. Richard Helmers, Dr. Shannon K. Laughlin-Tommaso, Dr. Stacy Rizza, Dr. Vincent Rajkumar, Eastern equine encephalitis, EEE virus, Eko, face transplant, fitness, flu vaccine, google, heart health, Hepatitis C, hysterectomy, Individualized medicine, jet lag, Jordan Moen, kidney disease, Kristi Wempen, lung disease, lupus, Lynx, Mayo Clinic Care Network, Mayo Clinic Transform 2019, Mayra Guerrero, Michael Zaccariello, Oktoberfest, Olivia Theal, opioids, optimism, rheumatoid arthritis, Separation Anxiety, sickle cell, St. Clair Hospital, Stephanie Faubion, trauma, Uncategorized, vestibular migraine

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