Dr. Mac Powell Steps Down as President of Bastyr
Mr. Harlan Patterson Named Acting President Kenmore, WA – Bastyr University has announced that Dr. Charles “Mac” Powell will be stepping down from the position of University President effective immediately; recent health concerns have caused him to reassess his work-life balance. Harlan Patterson, Chair of Bastyr’s Board of Trustees, will assume the role of president […]
Children Not Getting Epinephrine When Needed, Prior to Arriving at ED
In a very interesting study, the routine use of epinephrine for anaphylaxis was analyzed. It was found that less than half of children presenting to emergency departments for acute anaphylaxis were administered epinephrine before arriving to the hospital, though a majority of these patients had been previously prescribed epinephrine auto-injectors (EA).1 Epinephrine is the first […]
Importance of Testing Female Adolescents for Iron Deficiency and Anemia
Two new studies support testing for iron deficiency in female adolescents, even if routine blood work doesn’t show frank anemia.(1,2) Anemia is more common in females due to monthly menstrual blood loss. Because of this, routine blood screening often includes measurements that screen for anemia, beginning during teenage years. However, many women may be experiencing […]
Ibuprofen Linked to Acute Kidney Injury for Endurance Runners
A recent study conducted through Stanford University School of Medicine suggests that endurance athletes taking ibuprofen could be doubling their risk of acute kidney injury.1 Acute Kidney Injury Common in High Endurance Athletes Acute kidney injury is fairly common in high endurance athletes, as dehydration leads to a decrease in renal blood flow coupled by […]
Intranasal Oxytocin for Children with Autism
A recent study looked at using oxytocin to improve social abilities in children with autism.1 Autism is marked by difficulty adapting to social situations, reading social cues such as facial expressions, eye contact, and body gestures, as well as a marked difficulty engaging in social relationships, often resulting in extreme anxiety and discomfort. Oxytocin, a […]
Fermented Red Clover to Decrease Hot Flashes of Menopause
A study on red clover recently showed that using fermented red clover extract may decrease both the number and severity of hot flashes experienced by post-menopausal women.1 Red clover has been a mainstay of menopause, as its status as a hot flash remedy is well known, now the fermented extract has been shown to yield […]
3 Vitamins to Help with Eyestrain from Too Much Screen Time
A recent study looked at 3 vitamins to counter the adverse effects of excessive screen time.1 The rapid increase in use of smartphones, tablets, and computers over the past decades has raised a lot of concern regarding the potential negative effects associated with blue-light exposure – the wavelength of light given off by back-lit devices. […]
Turning Spinach into Heart Tissue
A team of researchers has recently turned spinach into beating heart tissue.1 As strange as it sounds, the team of researchers are exploring methods of building organs to account for a growing transplant list. The team from Worcester Polytechnic Institute in Massachusetts, used a decellularized spinach leaf to serve as the vascular scaffolding on which […]
Does Your Hospital Have a “Chief Physician Wellness Officer?”
Stanford Medical Center is the first academic medical center in the country to create a position exclusively for physician wellness, addressing concerns such as burnout and sense of fulfillment.1 Tait Shanafelt, MD, will join Stanford Medicine as the “chief wellness officer” on September 1, 2017. Dr. Shanafelt is a recognized leader in physician wellness, and […]
Misquoting of 1980 Letter May Have Contributed to Opioid Crisis
In a very interesting editorial in the New England Journal of Medicine, a 1980 letter on the use of narcotics in hospitals and addiction is implicated as a commonly misquoted source that has supported the widespread prescribing of opioid medications.1 The letter, written by Jane Porter and Hershel Jick, MD2 is included below in its […]