Articles related to MEDICAL LIFE

There haven’t been any national guidelines developed for managing patients with stage 1 hypertension who don’t respond to lifestyle modification. This population represents an important guideline gap: most patients with stage 1 hypertension progress to stage 2 hypertension, which increases the risk for cardiovascular events. The AHA has published a scientific statement to fill the gap – if lifestyle modification fails to reduce blood pressure, consider pharmacotherapy.

According to Dr. Keshav Khanijow, a hospitalist and an instructor of medicine at Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine in Baltimore: “Research has shown that using appropriate pronouns and terminology with transgender youth can be lifesaving. And I would posit that using appropriate pronouns and terminology for all LGBTQ people helps to build and foster trust with a medical provider, and that ultimately saves lives. It’s not the patient’s job to teach us while they’re battling illness. Rather, the onus is on us to learn it.”

Walking exercises have been found to improve outcomes for people suffering from peripheral artery disease (PAD). Specifically, among adults with PAD and intermittent claudication, a home-based, walking exercise behavior change intervention, compared with usual care, resulted in improved walking distance at three months. However, authors of the JAMA study concluded that further research is needed to determine the durability of these findings.

There’s been a strong response to actor Will Smith’s behavior at this year’s Academy Awards, including in the medical community. In this article, psychiatrist Melissa Hankins analyzes the psychology behind the “slap heard around the world.” And commenting readers disagree vehemently.

Habitual alcohol consumption at all levels has been found to increase the risk of cardiovascular disease. However, the relationship between level of consumption and risk is not linear, and at lower consumption levels, other lifestyle patterns have mitigating effects.

More doctors than ever are building a public presence and sharing their expert perspectives with the American public, almost creating themselves as “celebrities.” Still, their influence cannot be understated. Here are seven of the most influential, according to Healthgrades. Our guess is you’ve probably heard of a few.