Stress Cardiovascular Magnetic Resonance Imaging for Stable Chest Pain
Stress cardiovascular magnetic resonance imaging is not as commonly used for evaluation of persons with stable chest pain as other modalities of non-invasive evaluation. Ricci and colleageus have reported a systematic review and meta-analysis on this aspect in JAMA Cardiology [1]. They evaluated 33 diagnostic studies including 7814 persons and 31 prognostic studies including 67,080 persons. The included studies were between 2002 and 2021. The authors concluded that stress CMR had high diagnostic accuracy and had robust prognostication, especially when 3 Tesla MRI scanners were used. Myocardial ischemia and late gadoliniu...
Source: Cardiophile MD - June 12, 2023 Category: Cardiology Authors: Johnson Francis Tags: General Cardiology Source Type: blogs

Hit by Scandal, Petro Can Still Ruin Colombia
Daniel RaisbeckLess than a  year ago, I wrote of the almost certain regret that awaited the prosperous, urban, multiple ‐​degree‐​holding types who voted for Gustavo Petro, Colombia’s Chavista president. They thought they had supported a Nordic‐​style social democrat—failing to notice that they had helped to elect a tropical socialist who, given his past as a guerrilla group member and Hugo Chávez supporter, was also a potential autocrat.Caveat emptor (or rathersuffragator) indeed. But I  never thought that voter’s remorse would set in so quickly. Or so extremely.According to poll data from June 1...
Source: Cato-at-liberty - June 11, 2023 Category: American Health Authors: Daniel Raisbeck Source Type: blogs

Myocardial Insulin Resistance
Myocardial insulin resistance is said to occur in about 60% of patients with type 2 diabestes mellitus and is associated with higher cardiovascular risk compared to those with insulin sensitive myocardium [1]. It is  known that systemic insulin resistance is an independent risk factor for heart failure and cardiovascular death [2]. Myocardial insulin resistance occuring along with systemic insulin resistance is characterized by ineffecient energy metabolism and contributes to post ischemic heart failure. Myocardial insulin resistance can also be caused by myocardial hypertrophy, independent of systemic insulin resist...
Source: Cardiophile MD - June 3, 2023 Category: Cardiology Authors: Johnson Francis Tags: General Cardiology Source Type: blogs

Smart Sutures Sense Inflammation, Deliver Drugs, Cells
Researchers at MIT have developed smart sutures with a hydrogel coating that contains sensing and drug delivery components, and could even be used to implant therapeutic cells. The sutures are made using pig tissues that have been decellularized with detergents to reduce the possibility that they could provoke an immune reaction. The surrounding hydrogel layer contains microparticles that can release peptides when enzymes involved in inflammation are present, and other microparticles that allow for controlled release of drugs. Another potential cargo is therapeutic stem cells that can assist with tissue repair. So far, the...
Source: Medgadget - May 30, 2023 Category: Medical Devices Authors: Conn Hastings Tags: GI Materials Medicine Surgery mit sutures Source Type: blogs

How AI Is Transforming the Patient-Provider Relationship
The following is a guest article by Ronen Lavi, Co-Founder and CEO at Navina As Paul Starr famously wrote about in The Social Transformation of American Medicine, the healer’s relationship with the patient was historically perceived not unlike a religious leader’s relationship with a parishioner: an opportunity to get closer to a higher spiritual plane.  Today, with patients routinely “consulting” with online resources, self-diagnosing, or requesting medication they saw on a television ad, the physician-patient relationship has materially changed. That said, the objectives have not: patients wish for their doctors...
Source: EMR and HIPAA - May 26, 2023 Category: Information Technology Authors: Guest Author Tags: AI/Machine Learning Clinical Communication and Patient Experience Health IT Company Healthcare IT Telemedicine and Remote Monitoring Algorithmic Bias Artificial Intelligence Care Delivery EHR Generative AI Healthcare Barriers Navin Source Type: blogs

The Future of Telemedicine Transformed by Large Language Models
Conclusion Integrating AI, particularly large language models, into telemedicine holds immense potential for transforming healthcare delivery and improving patient outcomes. By acknowledging and navigating the associated risks and challenges, AI-driven telehealth solutions can lead to a more accessible, efficient, and personalized healthcare experience.  As we continue to improve and develop and refine these technologies, it is crucial to maintain a strong focus on ethical considerations and inclusivity to ensure a future of equitable and responsible AI-driven telehealth services. (Source: EMR and HIPAA)
Source: EMR and HIPAA - May 18, 2023 Category: Information Technology Authors: Guest Author Tags: AI/Machine Learning C-Suite Leadership Communication and Patient Experience Healthcare IT Telemedicine and Remote Monitoring AI in Telemedicine AI Virtual Assistant Artificial Intelligence BERT ChatGPT Deepak Singh Interoperability Source Type: blogs

Seven Reasons To Be Optimistic About The Future Of AI In Medicine
Everywhere we look, there seems to be an air of pessimism surrounding AI, despite the fact that we have actually not made significant advancements in AI development recently. The only difference is that during the past few months, due to ChatGPT, the topic has greatly entered the spotlight. Figures like Tristan Harris spread fear, Harari claims that this is even worse than nuclear war, major tech companies and moguls call for a six-month moratorium on the development of large language models (though it’s clear that nations such as China won’t halt their progress), countries ban it, and Silicon Valley has spl...
Source: The Medical Futurist - May 18, 2023 Category: Information Technology Authors: Andrea Koncz Tags: Artificial Intelligence in Medicine AI AI in medicine digital health AI in heaalthcare future large language models MedPaLM ChatGPT in healthcare Virtual care Source Type: blogs

Machine Learning Aids Rapid Design of Protein Therapeutics
Researchers at Ecole Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne (EPFL) in Switzerland have created a machine learning approach to scan millions of protein fragments and assess their structure and binding properties. Based on the surface chemistry and geometry of a protein, the developed software can determine a ‘fingerprint’ for each protein and predict how they might bind to various protein fragments. The researchers have now used their approach to design new protein ‘binders’ that have been created specifically to bind to proteins of therapeutic interest, such as the SARS-CoV-2 spike protein. The technique could allow ...
Source: Medgadget - May 17, 2023 Category: Medical Devices Authors: Conn Hastings Tags: Medicine EPFL machine learning Source Type: blogs

Learning ACT (acceptance and commitment therapy)
Around 2001 I read what I believe is the first randomised controlled trial of ACT for people living with chronic pain (McCracken, 1998). I quickly dived into this ‘new’ therapy – it appealed to me because it resonated with my own experiences with psychological therapies for depression, and in the way I had learned to live alongside my own pain. For those who don’t know, I developed chronic pain around the age of 22ish (dates are hard to remember!) and after seeing a pain specialist was given those fateful words ‘I’m sorry, there’s nothing we can do from a medical perspective.’...
Source: HealthSkills Weblog - May 14, 2023 Category: Anesthesiology Authors: BronnieLennoxThompson Tags: 'Pacing' or Quota ACT - Acceptance & Commitment Therapy Chronic pain Motivation Occupational therapy Pain conditions Physiotherapy Professional topics Psychology Research Science in practice acceptance and commitment therapy Therap Source Type: blogs

Wearable Ultrasound Measures Tissue Stiffness Under Skin
Researchers at the University of California San Diego have developed a wearable ultrasound patch that is intended to provide information on the stiffness of underlying tissues as deep as 4 cm below the surface of the skin. The patch consists of a flexible 16 x 16 ultrasonic array with a silver-epoxy composite backing layer that is designed to absorb excessive vibrations. It can provide tissue stiffness data, which could be useful in a wide array of medical scenarios, including monitoring liver cirrhosis, cancer progression, sports injuries, and myocardial ischemia. The technology is part of a new wave of wearable ultrasoun...
Source: Medgadget - May 12, 2023 Category: Medical Devices Authors: Conn Hastings Tags: Radiology UCSD Source Type: blogs

Brain Decoder Spells Out Thoughts
Researcher scientists at the University of Texas at Austin have developed a brain decoding technology that combines an fMRI scanner and artificial intelligence, similar to well-known AI systems such ChatGPT or Bard. The technology can spell out our thoughts in text form, but more importantly may allow patients who cannot otherwise communicate, such as those experiencing significant paralysis, to communicate their thoughts. Unlike other attempts to achieve this, the technique is completely non-invasive and does not require surgical implants. The technique involves training the AI system, which occurs when a participant spen...
Source: Medgadget - May 11, 2023 Category: Medical Devices Authors: Conn Hastings Tags: Neurology Radiology Rehab fMRI UTAustin Source Type: blogs

Should doctors prescribe lecanemab (Leqembi) to women? The answer, given available evidence, is probably No
This article is an edited combination of two previous blog posts by him at www.skin2neuron.org. News in Context: CMS: anti-amyloid drug Leqembi (lecanemab) doesn’t meet the “reasonable and necessary” standard required for wider Medicare coverage The post Should doctors prescribe lecanemab (Leqembi) to women? The answer, given available evidence, is probably No appeared first on SharpBrains. (Source: SharpBrains)
Source: SharpBrains - May 10, 2023 Category: Neuroscience Authors: Prof. Michael Valenzuela Tags: Brain/ Mental Health amyloid amyloid antibodies amyloid removal CLARITY trial Clinical Dementia Rating immunotherapy lecanemab Leqembi women Source Type: blogs

A 30-something woman with intermittent CP, a HEART score of 2 and a Negative CT Coronary Angiogram on the same day
This was sent by a colleague.A 34 yo woman with a history of HTN, h/o SVT s/p ablation 2006, and 5 months post-partum presented with intermittent central chest pain and SOB.  She had one episode of pain the previous night and two additional episodes early on morning the morning she presented.  Deep breaths are painful and symptoms come and go.  She had one BP that was measured at 160/120, uncertain when and what the BP was at other moments.  Home meds were labetalol and nifedipine.  There are T-wave inversions in precordial leads.  The patient is pain free, so it is qu...
Source: Dr. Smith's ECG Blog - May 10, 2023 Category: Cardiology Authors: Steve Smith Source Type: blogs

AI ’s role in Healthcare: Exclusive Interview with Catherine Estrampes, President & CEO at GE Healthcare
AI is increasingly being used in healthcare to reduce clinician workloads and improve patient outcomes. AI-driven technologies are helping to automate mundane tasks, freeing up clinicians to focus on more complex clinical decisions. AI-powered tools can also help identify patterns in medical data that can lead to faster diagnoses and better patient outcomes.  From the perspective of low hanging fruit, AI can be used to automate tedious administrative tasks such as scheduling appointments, updating medical records, or processing paperwork, saving clinicians time allow them to devote more of their efforts to direct p...
Source: Medgadget - May 3, 2023 Category: Medical Devices Authors: Alice Ferng Tags: Exclusive Informatics AI medicine GEHealthCare Source Type: blogs

Digital Self-Neuromodulation Therapy for PTSD: Interview with Oded Kraft, CEO of GrayMatters Health
GrayMatters Health, a medtech company based in Israel, has developed Prism for PTSD, a self-neuromodulation therapy. The company has identified what they describe as brain-mechanism-specific biomarkers for certain mental disorders. These involve combining fMRI and EEG data. The Prism for PTSD system targets a specific biomarker called amygdala-derived-EFP, which is involved in the fight or flight response, and which can frequently be triggered in those with PTSD. The new technique that GrayMatters Health developed involves applying an EEG cap to a patient’s head, and then placing them in front of a screen. An animatio...
Source: Medgadget - May 2, 2023 Category: Medical Devices Authors: Conn Hastings Tags: Exclusive Neurology Psychiatry GraymattersH PTSD Source Type: blogs