Could new drug make a difference for kids with autism?

Researchers are studying whether a first-of-its-kind drug can help with symptoms of autism

From: http://www.cbsnews.com/news/new-autism-drug-balovaptan-could-it-help-kids-with-asd-autism-spectrum-disorder/

Drug being tested for autism behaviors

Currently an estimated 1 in 68 children in the U.S. have an autism spectrum disorder. But there's no drug yet to treat the core symptoms. CBS News' Kenneth Craig reports on a first-of-its kind study.

From: http://www.cbsnews.com/video/drug-being-tested-for-autism-behaviors/

Could Medical Pot Help Curb the Opioid Crisis?

Opioid prescriptions tend to decrease in U.S. states that adopt medical marijuana laws or legalize recreational use of pot, two different research teams have concluded.

From: https://www.webmd.com/a-to-z-guides/news/20180402/could-medical-pot-help-curb-the-opioid-crisis?src=RSS_PUBLIC

CV Grand Rounds – Post-Graduate Medical Education: Coupling Technology with Learning Theory

From: Mayo Clinic https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GlcMxC6uxY8

CV Grand Rounds – TEE Guided Cardioversion After Cardiac Surgery

From: Mayo Clinic https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cQ7zHrWvpfc

CV Grand Rounds – The Evolution of Mechanical Circulatory Support Devices

From: Mayo Clinic https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DWxUnLWeXtE

CV Grand Rounds – Transcatheter Aortic Valve Replacement

From: Mayo Clinic https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TghDM0yeGOw

CV Grand Rounds – The Value of Social Media in Academic Medicine: What are the data?

From: Mayo Clinic https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HeUmLasHqBk

CV Grand Rounds – The Fontan Operation: Unanticipated Consequences

From: Mayo Clinic https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ipiuOknvfhg

"Condom snorting challenge" a dangerous teen trend

Do we really need to tell you why this viral teen trend is a bad idea?

From: http://www.cbsnews.com/news/condom-snorting-challenge-experts-warn-dangerous-trend/

ADA, NIH look for ways to collaborate on dentistry's role in preventing opioid misuse

When the ADA announced new policy on opioids in March, other organizations took notice. One of those was the National Institute on Drug Abuse.

From: By Jennifer Garvin
https://www.ada.org/en/publications/ada-news/2018-archive/april/ada-nih-look-for-ways-to-collaborate-on-dentistrys-role-in-preventing-opioid-misuse

Early Periods May Heighten Obesity Risk Later

Researchers at Imperial College London analyzed data from hundreds of thousands of women in the United Kingdom. They said their findings add to evidence linking onset of puberty with adult women's weight.

From: https://www.webmd.com/women/news/20180402/early-periods-may-heighten-obesity-risk-later?src=RSS_PUBLIC

Doctors warn about "opioid alternative" gabapentin

The drug is being found in more and more overdose deaths

From: http://www.cbsnews.com/news/gabapentin-opioid-alternative-doctors-warning-about-drug/

Abandoning Your Workouts May Bring on the Blues

The research included 152 adults who stopped exercising after doing at least 30 minutes of exercise, three times a week, for a minimum of three months.

From: https://www.webmd.com/fitness-exercise/news/20180402/abandoning-your-workouts-may-bring-on-the-blues?src=RSS_PUBLIC

Seeking Better Sleep Under a Weighted Blanket

Weighted blankets are usually filled with plastic pellets to add weight, ranging from about 4 to 25 pounds. Prices range from about $120 to $249 or more.

From: https://www.webmd.com/sleep-disorders/news/20180402/seeking-better-sleep-under-a-weighted-blanket?src=RSS_PUBLIC

CME Preview: Physician Assistant Board Review 2018

From: Mayo Clinic https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nRJSwGVlTrA

CME Preview: Physician Assistant Board Review 2018

From: Mayo Clinic https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i2_Au-dJToE

Mayo Clinic Minute: What are ultraprocessed foods?

From: Mayo Clinic https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7HeS6kG7NLQ

Infectious Diseases A-Z: Yellow fever outbreak

From: Mayo Clinic https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mbpQipC7NZk

Are you taking too much anti-inflammatory medication?

Follow me on Twitter @RobShmerling

You might call them pain relievers. You might take them for back pain, headache, or arthritis. Your doctor calls them “NSAIDs,” which stands for nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs. Whatever you call them and for whatever reason you take them, NSAIDs are among the most popular medications worldwide. In fact, estimates suggest that about 15% of the US population takes an NSAID regularly (including those that are over the counter and prescription strength). Along with sporadic users, more than 30 billion doses are taken each year.

Some of the most common NSAIDs include ibuprofen (as in Motrin), naproxen (as in Aleve) and celecoxib (as in Celebrex).

Why are NSAIDs so popular?

There are several reasons:

• For many conditions, they work quite well — in addition to working as pain relievers, they can reduce fever and inflammation.
• They are relatively inexpensive, with generic versions available for most of them.
• They’re available over the counter or, in higher doses, by prescription.
• They have a good safety profile.

The downside of NSAIDs

No medication is completely safe, and that’s certainly true of NSAIDs. At the top of the list are digestive problems including stomach upset, heartburn, and ulcers. Kidney injury, easy bruising or bleeding, and mild allergic reactions (such as rash) are common as well. Less common side effects, including severe allergic reactions and liver injury, can be serious. NSAIDs can also raise the risk of heart problems, though this risk varies depending on the particular NSAID and the person taking it. Still, the vast majority of people taking NSAIDs in the recommended doses who have appropriate monitoring (such as the occasional blood test) have no major problems with them.

It’s easy for things to go wrong

The widespread availability and good safety record of NSAIDs makes it easy to misuse them. For one thing, there are more than 20 different NSAIDs, so you could be taking more than one of them without realizing it. In addition, several of them are available over the counter and are included in combination with other medications. Examples include prescription drugs like Arthrotec (a combination of the NSAID diclofenac and misoprostol, a medication that helps protect the stomach) and products available on the drugstore shelf, like Advil PM (ibuprofen plus the antihistamine diphenhydramine). So whether intentionally or by accident, it’s easy to take more than recommended doses.

A new study finds that this may be a bigger problem than anyone realized. Among more than 1,300 people taking ibuprofen:

• More than one-third also took a second NSAID. Less than half of these “double NSAID” users realized that more than one of their medications was an NSAID.
• Up to 15% took more than the recommended dosage.
• Exceeding the recommended maximum dose was especially common among men, those with chronic pain, those with poor knowledge of dosing recommendations, and those who believed in “choosing my own dose.”

The bottom line

NSAIDs can be remarkably helpful medications, but they can cause trouble. The risk of serious side effects goes up when taken in higher than recommended doses.

Except for low-dose aspirin (commonly taken to prevent heart attack or stroke), NSAIDs are taken primarily to relieve symptoms of pain or fever. If you don’t think your NSAID is helping you (or if you aren’t sure), talk to your doctor about stopping it — even minor risks aren’t worth taking if there’s no benefit. Or there may be a better option, such as acetaminophen (as in Tylenol).

Keep an updated list of all of the medications you take, including over-the-counter drugs. Read the labels and instructions and take them only as prescribed. When in doubt, ask your doctor or pharmacist.

The post Are you taking too much anti-inflammatory medication? appeared first on Harvard Health Blog.

From: Robert H. Shmerling, MD https://www.health.harvard.edu/blog/are-you-taking-too-much-anti-inflammatory-medication-2018040213540

Raised BP Before Pregnancy Linked to Miscarriage

The risk also increases about 17 percent for every 10-point increase in mean arterial pressure, or the average blood pressure a person has during an entire heartbeat cycle.

From: https://www.webmd.com/baby/news/20180402/raised-bp-before-pregnancy-linked-to-miscarriage?src=RSS_PUBLIC

Baby's Heart Defects Tied to Mom's Heart Trouble

The study is the first to link newborn heart defects to heart disease in moms. And experts said the reasons for the findings are unclear.

From: https://www.webmd.com/parenting/news/20180402/babys-heart-defects-tied-to-moms-heart-trouble?src=RSS_PUBLIC

ADA Find-a-Dentist celebrates one-year anniversary

Find-a-Dentist, the ADA's online search tool that allows potential patients to easily find an ADA dentist in their area, launched one year ago this month. And based on the numbers, the response has exceeded the Association's goals and expectations.

From: By Kimber Solana
https://www.ada.org/en/publications/ada-news/2018-archive/april/ada-find-a-dentist-celebrates-one-year-anniversary

'A great chance to be on the right side of history'

After five days in an intensive care unit with a breathing tube, Dr. Stephen Lucas felt a calling. He would use whatever voice and strength he came away with to help prevent others from enduring the same suffering he did after major surgery following his diagnosis of HPV-related oropharyngeal cancer.

From: By Michelle Manchir
https://www.ada.org/en/publications/ada-news/2018-archive/april/a-great-chance-to-be-on-the-right-side-of-history

Code Maintenance Committee responsible for yearly changes to CDT Code

This is the 10th story in the Decoding Dental Benefits series featuring answers and solutions for dentists when it comes to the world of dental benefits and plans. The series is intended to help untangle many of the issues that can potentially befuddle dentists and their teams so that they can focus on patient care.

From: By David Burger
https://www.ada.org/en/publications/ada-news/2018-archive/april/code-maintenance-committee-responsible-for-yearly-changes-to-cdt-code

Dentists can help mitigate, prevent child abuse, neglect

April is National Child Abuse Prevention Month and offers an opportunity for dental professionals to reflect on their role in recognizing abuse or neglect.

From: By Michelle Manchir
https://www.ada.org/en/publications/ada-news/2018-archive/april/dentists-can-help-mitigate-prevent-child-abuse-neglect

Dentist to test physical endurance, fundraising skills before ADA 2018

Before ADA 2018 – America's Dental Meeting in Honolulu Oct. 18-20, Dr. Kessler will compete in the Ironman World Championship in Kailua-Kona, Hawaii.

From: By Michelle Manchir
https://www.ada.org/en/publications/ada-news/2018-archive/april/dentist-to-test-physical-endurance-fundraising-skills-before-ada-2018

FDI to meet Sept. 5-8 in Buenos Aires

The FDI World Dental Federation announced in March that its World Dental Congress will convene Sept. 5-8 in Buenos Aires, Argentina, to discuss the issues impacting dentistry and oral health today.

From: https://www.ada.org/en/publications/ada-news/2018-archive/april/fdi-to-meet-sept-5-8-in-buenos-aires

JADA+ resources offer lifelong learning 24/7

Looking for the latest information to help you enhance your clinical skills, your practice success and your work-life balance? JADA+ digital resources, available 24/7, continually compile practical information and resources to help dentists in their quest for lifelong learning.

From: https://www.ada.org/en/publications/ada-news/2018-archive/april/jada-resources-offer-lifelong-learning-24-7

Just the Facts — April 2, 2018

Dental school enrollment

From: https://www.ada.org/en/publications/ada-news/2018-archive/april/just-the-facts-april-2-2018

Local New York dental society helps new dentists with debt

In an effort to help new dentists overcome the burden of dental school debt, the Second District Dental Society in Brooklyn decided to do something to help.

From: By  Matt Carey
https://www.ada.org/en/publications/ada-news/2018-archive/april/local-new-york-dental-society-helps-new-dentists-with-debt

North Carolina dentist wins fat bike race

On March 17, Dr. Overton took the top spot in the 4th annual U.S. Open Fat Bike Beach Championship, a race held on an all-sand course along the shores of Wrightsville Beach using bikes with tires wider than 4 inches.

From: By Kimber Solana
https://www.ada.org/en/publications/ada-news/2018-archive/april/north-carolina-dentist-wins-fat-bike-race

Register for popular ADA 2018 courses

Many continuing education courses sold out soon after registration began Feb. 14 for ADA 2018 – America's Dental Meeting in Honolulu.

From: https://www.ada.org/en/publications/ada-news/2018-archive/april/register-for-popular-ada-2018-courses