Do adults really need tetanus booster shots?
If you haven’t had a tetanus booster shot in the past decade, your doctor may recommend getting one. Many people think of a tetanus shot as something you only need if you step on a rusty nail. Yet even in the absence of a puncture wound, this vaccine is recommended for all adults at least every 10 years. But why? A group of researchers recently questioned whether you need to repeat tetanus vaccines on a regular schedule.
What is a tetanus booster?
Booster shots are repeat vaccinations you receive after your first series of immunizations as a child. Protection from certain vaccines can wane over time, which is why doctors...
Source: Harvard Health Blog - May 12, 2020 Category: Consumer Health News Authors: Sara W. Dong, MD Tags: Health Men's Health Vaccines Women's Health Source Type: blogs
Caring for Babies and Small Children During COVID-19
The good news is emerging evidence shows that coronavirus affects children and babies the least out of all age groups. While there have been a small number of newborns who have contracted the disease, it is extremely rare. In these cases, it’s impossible to tell, as yet, if the virus was contracted in utero, or shortly after birth.
Babies and COVID: The Breastfeeding Question
Many mothers are wondering if they should continue breastfeeding if they are showing symptoms of illness. Traditionally, in cases of common influenza, encouraging a baby to breastfeed even when the mother is sick has the effect of increasing immunit...
Source: Conversations with Dr Greene - May 11, 2020 Category: Child Development Authors: Alan Greene MD Tags: Dr. Greene's Blog COVID COVID-19 Source Type: blogs
A man in his 50s with fever and shortness of breath
Written by Pendell MeyersA man in his 50s with HTN, HLD, obesity, and restrictive lung disease presented with shortness of breath worsening over the past 3 days. He also had a cough and subjective fevers. He denied chest pain. His vitals were within normal limits.Here is his triage ECG (no baseline available):What do you think?Findings: - sinus rhythm at about 100 bpm - STE in I and aVL (meets STEMI criteria) - hint of STD in III and aVF - STD in V1 and V2 - hyperacute T-waves in I and aVL (with reciprocal negative hyperacute T in III)Interpretation:This is definitive evidence of acute transmural i...
Source: Dr. Smith's ECG Blog - May 10, 2020 Category: Cardiology Authors: Pendell Source Type: blogs
Will This Novel Virus Revive Older Ones?
Jeffrey A. SingerAs I recently wrotehere, and spoke abouthere, bans on elective surgery invoked by governors across the country in response to the COVID-19 pandemic have caused many people to suffer and even possibly face fatal consequences due to delays in necessary medical care. But there are other reasons why the public health emergency has the potential to generate secondary public health crises.In some cases people are avoiding doctors ’ offices and emergency rooms because they worry about handling theexpense at a time they have seen their income, and perhaps their savings, vanish during the current econom...
Source: Cato-at-liberty - May 9, 2020 Category: American Health Authors: Jeffrey A. Singer Source Type: blogs
Podcast: It ’ s See You Later, Not Goodbye
All good things must come to an end. And today is one of those days. In this episode of The Not Crazy Podcast, we say a sad farewell to our amazing cohost, Jackie Zimmerman. Tune in, as Jackie and Gabe reminisce about the good old days, ponder the fate of podcasts, and discuss Jackie’s decision to leave. They also introduce you to Gabe’s new cohost, Lisa, who just happens to be his ex-wife. Yep! You heard that right! Will this divorced duo be an absolute train wreck (as most divorced cohosts would be) or an inspiration to all? You’ll have to stick around to find out.
Join us for a sweet farewell to Jackie and...
Source: World of Psychology - May 4, 2020 Category: Psychiatry & Psychology Authors: Not Crazy Podcast Tags: General Not Crazy Podcast Source Type: blogs
COVID-19 and the LGBTQ+ community: Rising to unique challenges
As the COVID-19 pandemic continues, new challenges arise each day for people across the world. Some of these challenges particularly affect the LGBTQ+ community. This unique time calls for LGBTQ+-specific resources and new ways to connect and cope.
Minority stress in the LGBTQ+ community
Unrelated to COVID-19, this community faces minority stress based on anti-LGBTQ+ stigma that is harmful for their health and well-being (see key articles here and here). Those among us who are also racial/ethnic minorities, people with disabilities, immigrants, and people with low income may experience compounded minority stress at the int...
Source: Harvard Health Blog - April 30, 2020 Category: Consumer Health News Authors: Sabra L. Katz-Wise, PhD Tags: Anxiety and Depression Health Health care disparities Mental Health Source Type: blogs
Did I have Covid-19?
A few blog readers have suggested to me, privately, that the awful flu I had back in early January might have been Covid-19. But well before I had read their suggestions, that same thought had occurred to me, too, in the early days of the outbreak here in Italy. So this morning I decided to write a post about it, just for the record.
I certainly did have some of the Covid-19 symptoms, namely:
fatigue (probably my very first symptom)
sore throat (also an early symptom)
terrible intestinal woes (ditto as above)
high fever…a very high fever
aches, of course
nasal congestion
cough (see below)
and, finally, pneumonia, ye...
Source: Margaret's Corner - April 27, 2020 Category: Cancer & Oncology Authors: Margaret Tags: Blogroll coronavirus covid-19 Source Type: blogs
Another Shark Fin. With a twist.
I was reading stacks of ECGs for a study, without any clinical information.I came across this one and immediately recognized it and knew the diagnosis (Pendell did too when I sent it to him):There is a Shark Fin!What is the diagnosis?But this is not the kind Shark Fin we usually see, which is due to STEMI! This ECG is pathognomonic for severe hyperkalemia. Wide QRS, large R-wave in aVR, Brugada-like ST Elevation in V1-V3 with inverted T-waves, extremely peaked T-waves (in many leads).I went to the chart to find the case:56 y.o. type 1 diabetic presented for evaluation of hyperglycemia. He had stopped t...
Source: Dr. Smith's ECG Blog - April 24, 2020 Category: Cardiology Authors: Steve Smith Source Type: blogs
COVID-19: Keys to Long-term Recovery
The COVID-19 virus has impacted and will continue to impact every aspect of our lives. Fortunately, we can get a head start on successful recovery from these effects by taking lessons from people who are grieving and those who are battling substance abuse.
At first glance, this may seem an unusual comparison. Maybe losing loved ones to the pandemic ties into grief support, but how can economic and social turmoil be calmed by that? How can sobriety, long-term or not, be remotely related to any of these subjects? It turns out the three are closely related in coping strategies and systematic approaches required for our world...
Source: World of Psychology - April 23, 2020 Category: Psychiatry & Psychology Authors: Jan McDaniel Tags: Anxiety and Panic General Substance Abuse coronavirus COVID-19 pandemic Source Type: blogs
Keeping Kids Healthy in the Age of Coronavirus: Dr. Greene on The People ’ s Pharmacy
Transcript
[00:00:00] Joe Graedon: I’m Joe Graedon.
[00:00:01] Terry Graedon: And I’m Terry Graedon. Welcome to this podcast of the People’s Pharmacy.
[00:00:06] Joe Graedon: You can find previous podcasts and more information on a range of health topics at PeoplesPharmacy.com.
[00:00:14] How’s your family holding up during the coronavirus pandemic? Isolation can be especially challenging for children.
[00:00:22] This is the People’s Pharmacy with Terry and Joe Graedon.
[00:00:33] Terry Graedon: Children appear less susceptible than older adults to serious complications of COVID-19...
Source: Conversations with Dr Greene - April 21, 2020 Category: Child Development Authors: Alan Greene MD Tags: Dr. Greene's Blog COVID COVID-19 Viral Infection Source Type: blogs
Keeping Kids Healthy in the Age of Coronavirus: Dr. Greene on The People ’ s Pharmacy
Transcript
[00:00:00] Joe Graedon: I’m Joe Graedon.
[00:00:01] Terry Graedon: And I’m Terry Graedon. Welcome to this podcast of the People’s Pharmacy.
[00:00:06] Joe Graedon: You can find previous podcasts and more information on a range of health topics at PeoplesPharmacy.com.
[00:00:14] How’s your family holding up during the coronavirus pandemic? Isolation can be especially challenging for children.
[00:00:22] This is the People’s Pharmacy with Terry and Joe Graedon.
[00:00:33] Terry Graedon: Children appear less susceptible than older adults to serious complications of COVID-19...
Source: Conversations with Dr Greene - April 21, 2020 Category: Child Development Authors: Alan Greene MD Tags: Dr. Greene's Blog COVID COVID-19 Viral Infection Source Type: blogs
Case of the Week 588
This week ' s case was donated by the very astute microbiology laboratory at the MetroHealth System who detected an important - but unexpected - finding. The patient is an elderly man on inhaled bronchodilators and steroids for persistent eosinophilic asthma who presented with fever, dry cough and shortness of breath. Reverse transcription PCR (RT-PCR) for the SARS-coronavirus-2 (cause of COVID-19) was negative, as was RT-PCR for influenza A and B viruses. However, blood cultures grew a number of bacteria including Gram negative bacilli, and the following were noted in a stool ova and parasite exam:An additional finding wa...
Source: Creepy Dreadful Wonderful Parasites - April 20, 2020 Category: Parasitology Source Type: blogs
What you need to know about COVID-19 if you have diabetes
Preliminary data from China suggest that people with diabetes and other preexisting conditions are more likely to experience serious complications and death from COVID-19 than people without diabetes and other conditions.
But COVID-19 and the coronavirus that causes it are new, and researchers are still investigating how they impact immunity. We also know that if a person has diabetes and gets influenza or another infection, they can experience worse health outcomes. The question is why.
High blood sugars can interfere with white blood cells’ ability to fight infection. So there’s a possibility that people with high bl...
Source: Harvard Health Blog - April 17, 2020 Category: Consumer Health News Authors: Robert Gabbay, MD, PhD, FACP Tags: Diabetes Health Source Type: blogs
Neglected Diseases – Neglected Once Again
written by Dr. Stephen A. Berger
For several years, the World Health Organization has been following a group of twenty-or-so Neglected Tropical Diseases. In the Developed World, these conditions are largely unknown to the general public, and even to physicians working in fields outside of Epidemiology and Infectious Diseases. In only three months, the list of neglected diseases has grown to include more than 360 infectious conditions – all because of a single new viral disease called COVID-19.
As of this morning, 287 cases of COVID-19 had been reported in the DRC (Democratic Republic of Congo) resulting in 23 deaths. H...
Source: GIDEON blog - April 17, 2020 Category: Databases & Libraries Authors: Kristina Symes Tags: Diagnosis Epidemiology Outbreaks Source Type: blogs
COVID-19 Podcast: Mom Driven, Doctor Aligned & HeyMama Join Forces
Transcript
[00:00:00] Agatha: Hi! It’s Agatha Luczo. Welcome to “Mom Driven, Dr. Aligned”. Dr. Alan Greene and I were just on with the HeyMama Community doing a Q&A about COVID-19. Dr. Greene gave us such amazing advice and tips about how to deal with immunity health and how to take care of ourselves during this time. And some advice I haven’t heard anywhere else. I’m excited to bring all of the conversation to our family and friends.
[00:00:36] Dr. Greene: Wonderful to get to be with the HeyMama Community. I’ve gotten a bunch of questions already ...
Source: Conversations with Dr Greene - April 16, 2020 Category: Child Development Authors: Alan Greene MD Tags: Dr. Greene's Blog Uncategorized COVID COVID-19 Parenting Source Type: blogs
