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While the U.S. Veterans Affairs health system has been criticized for long appointment wait times and limited access to specialists, the quality of care and access to a range of surgical services is as good as or better than at non-VA health centers on several measures, new research reveals. “Surgery involves many steps of care,” said lead study author Dr. Mariah Blegen, a fellow in the department of surgery at the University of California, Los Angeles David Geffen School of Medicine. “This updated review is important because it tells us that the veterans at the VA are getting good care. Quality improvement, through the VA National Surgical Quality Improvement Program (VA NSQIP), has been the focus of the VA for several decades and I think this effort is paying off,” Blegen said in a news release from the American College of Surgeons. The findings were published online May 8 in the Journal of the American College of Surgeons. VA NSQIP has helped track millions of surgical cases and improve outcomes, including improved rates of postoperative death and infection, according to the researchers. “The database continues to drive statistically reliable research that can help VA hospitals better assess its surgical outcomes and develop quality improvement programs,” said Dr. Clifford Ko, director of the ACS Division of Research and Optimal Patient Care. After the success of VA… read on > read on >

A study of triathletes reveals certain body types perform better in certain climates. Taller, leaner runners with long limbs tend to excel in Ironman endurance events held in warm climates, whereas marathoners with stockier builds and shorter limbs perform better in colder climates, a Dartmouth College researcher says. Endurance athletes may want to consider competing in climates their body types are best suited to, said study author Ryan Calsbeek, a professor of biological sciences. Calsbeek observed that Allan Hovda, three-time winner of Norway’s Norseman triathlon, is stockier and shorter than one might expect of a successful triathlete. “I wondered if there was something about body shape that allowed him to do better in the cold and thought about the role temperature might play for this one guy who doesn’t look like your standard endurance athlete,” Calsbeek said in a college news release. Triathletes in these competitions do about 150 miles combined of running, swimming and biking. Calsbeek’s analysis of nearly 200 Ironman contestants over two decades suggests that running performance, specifically, is linked to how an athlete’s physique is adapted to shedding or retaining heat in certain climates. The study is among only a few that connect human physiology to what are known as Bergmann’s and Allen’s rules, which predict how animal species are distributed across various climates, Calsbeek said. These ideas are named after… read on > read on >

In a unanimous vote, a panel of expert advisors to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration on Wednesday endorsed the over-the-counter sale of a birth control pill, a recommendation that will likely pave the way for far greater access to contraception for Americans. Opill, as the pill is called, was first approved by the FDA in 1973. There is no precise information available on how much Opill will cost if sold over the counter (OTC), but Opill manufacturer Perrigo said recently that it is committed to making the medication affordable. “Today’s vote to recommend a switch of Opill to OTC is a new, groundbreaking chapter in reproductive health. Perrigo is proud to lead the way in making contraception more accessible to women in the U.S.,” Perrigo President and CEO Murray Kessler said in a company news release. “We are motivated by the millions of people who need easy access to safe and effective contraception.” The American Medical Association, the American Academy of Family Physicians, the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG), and other medical organizations already support over-the-counter access to hormonal contraception without age restrictions. And the FDA panel agreed. “I do believe this is a viable option to support access and will support the prevention of unintended and unwanted pregnancies,” said panel member Jolie Haun, a researcher with the U.S. Department of Veterans… read on > read on >

Understanding what causes asthma can help you better manage its causes and triggers. Whether you, your child or another loved one has asthma, you can feel more in control by knowing your options for reducing asthma symptoms and managing its underlying causes. What is asthma? Asthma is a chronic condition that causes swelling and inflammation in the airway tissues. This leads to a narrowing of your airways, making it more difficult to breathe, according to the Asthma and Allergy Foundation of America (AAFA). About 1 in 13 people in the United States have asthma. It affects people who are seniors, low-income, Hispanic, Black and Native Americans more than other groups, and can start either in childhood or adulthood. The symptoms of asthma include wheezing, coughing, shortness of breath and chest tightening. Different people have different triggers for these symptoms. What are the causes of asthma? Figuring out what causes asthma can be tricky because there are several reasons why it develops. According to the American Lung Association (ALA) and the AAFA, the main causes of asthma include: Allergies Obesity Smoking Air pollution Health conditions Family history of asthma Here, you can learn about each cause, plus some ways to manage them so that asthma isn’t triggered as easily. Allergies Certain substances can cause you to develop allergic asthma. The AAFA says the most common include:… read on > read on >

(HealthDay News) – The U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration on Wednesday issued a six-month extension for people seeking to fill controlled medication prescriptions via telehealth. That ability had been set to expire along with the ending of the pandemic public health emergency on May 11. “These medications, including those used to treat opioid use disorder, are a vital form of care for millions of Americans who have come to rely on safe and effective telemedicine appointments,” Dr. Bobby Mukkamala, chair of the American Medical Association’s Substance Use and Pain Care Task Force, said in a statement. “Patients being treated with these medications often have challenges securing and traveling to in-person appointments. We are grateful the DEA is approaching this issue with the gravity it deserves, and we look forward to reviewing the details of the policy when they become available,” Mukkamala added. Prior to the pandemic, patients had to see a doctor for at least one in-person appointment before being able to access prescriptions for a long list of medications, including stimulants for attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, benzodiazepines for anxiety, and medications for opioid use disorder, sleep or pain. The DEA had offered proposals on March 1 that would allow prescribers to prescribe one 30-day supply of these controlled medications or the opioid use disorder buprenorphine without an in-person exam. Then an exam would be required… read on > read on >

Toxic chemicals that develop from car exhaust, smoking and backyard grilling might increase your risk of developing the autoimmune disease rheumatoid arthritis, a new study suggests. These chemicals are called polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs). They form as coal, oil, gas, wood or tobacco burn. Flame grilling of meat and other foods also contribute to PAH formation, the researchers said. “While more studies are needed, the findings suggest that polyaromatic hydrocarbons may be a significant contributor to rheumatoid arthritis,” said lead researcher Chris D’Adamo, director of the Center for Integrative Medicine at the University of Maryland School of Medicine. “People at risk of rheumatoid arthritis should be cautious of polyaromatic hydrocarbons and consider minimizing modifiable sources of exposure.” Blood and urine samples from nearly 22,000 adults revealed those with the highest PAH levels had the highest risk of rheumatoid arthritis. Rheumatoid arthritis is an autoimmune and inflammatory disease that primarily affects the joints, causing tissue damage and long-lasting pain. Joints may become deformed, and people with the disease may be unsteady on their feet. Women develop rheumatoid arthritis more often than men. The cause isn’t known, but is thought to involve genes, sex and age, and environmental factors, such as smoking, nutrition and lifestyle. D’Adamo said this study can’t prove that PAHs cause rheumatoid arthritis, only that there appears to be an association. “While the findings… read on > read on >

Finding out that you or a loved one has chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) can be alarming and may leave you with a lot of questions. Though COPD has no cure, it’s a condition that can be managed with the right treatments and medications, according to the American Lung Association (ALA). Here’s what you need to know about COPD, including what it is, its causes, symptoms, stages and risk factors, plus the many treatment options available to those living with the condition. What is COPD? COPD is a group of progressive, chronic diseases that constrict airflow in and out of the lungs so that less oxygen moves through the body. “It’s three different illnesses, all of which create the same fundamental problem, which is you can’t blow out as fast as you should,” explained Dr. Scott Eisman, a pulmonary disease and critical care medicine specialist at Scripps Memorial Hospital Encinitas in California. “And those three illnesses are asthma and chronic bronchitis and emphysema — and they’re all different,” he noted. Causes and risk factors According to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the cause of most cases of COPD is smoking. However, as many as 25% of people in the United States with the disease have never smoked cigarettes. “If you talk about chronic bronchitis and emphysema, the most common cause is cigarette… read on > read on >

Artificial intelligence (AI) research and development should stop until its use and technology are properly regulated, an international group of doctors and public health experts said. Certain types of AI pose an “existential threat to humanity,” the experts wrote in the May 9 issue of the journal BMJ Global Health. The group — led by Dr. Frederik Federspiel of the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine in the United Kingdom — included experts from the United States, Australia, Costa Rica and Malaysia. AI has transformative potential for society, including in medicine and public health, but also can be misused and may have several negative impacts, they said. The experts warned that AI’s ability to rapidly clean, organize and analyze massive data sets, which may include personal data and images, make it possible to be used to manipulate behavior and subvert democracy. There are already examples, they noted. AI was used in this way in the 2016 U.S. presidential election; in the 2017 French presidential election; and in elections in Kenya in 2013 and 2017, the experts reported. “When combined with the rapidly improving ability to distort or misrepresent reality with deep fakes, AI-driven information systems may further undermine democracy by causing a general breakdown in trust or by driving social division and conflict, with ensuing public health impacts,” the authors warned. AI-driven surveillance can… read on > read on >

Men who were overweight as boys may have infertility issues in adulthood, according to new research. Researchers studying the issue of male infertility, often a mystery, looked at health data from 268 young people between 2 and 18 years of age. They had been referred to the University of Catania in Sicily for weight control. “Although the prevalence of childhood obesity is increasing worldwide, the impact of obesity and associated metabolic disorders on testicular growth is not well known,” said study co-author Dr. Rossella Cannarella, a research fellow at the Glickman Urological & Kidney Institute in Cleveland. For the study, published May 10 in the European Journal of Endocrinology, the researchers collected data on testicular volume, body mass index and insulin resistance. They found that boys with normal weight had testicular volume that was 1.5 times higher than those who were overweight or obese before puberty. Young people in the study with normal insulin levels had 1.5 to 2 times higher testicular volume compared to those with hyperinsulinemia, which is often associated with type 2 diabetes. Lower testicular volume is a predictor of poorer sperm production in adulthood, the researchers said. About 48 million couples struggled with infertility in 2010, according to the World Health Organization. Male infertility is a contributor in about half of all infertility cases, researchers said, but its cause is often… read on > read on >

It’s easy to keep your skin safer in the summer sun if you have the right sunscreen. UCLA Health offers some tips for picking the best type and SPF level. Getting sunburned just five times in a lifetime doubles the risk of getting melanoma, the most serious skin cancer, so making sure you’re protected is worth the effort, the experts at UCLA Health said in a news release. Types of sunscreens can be divided into two categories: mineral and chemical. Each type has its pros and cons. Mineral sunscreen sits on the skin’s surface. It physically blocks ultraviolet (UV) light before those rays can penetrate the skin. While offering instant protection, it can be harder to rub in, needs to be applied more frequently and tends to leave a white film on the skin. Yet, it’s also gentler than chemical sunblock, making it a good choice for sensitive skin, according to UCLA Health. Mineral sunscreen contains titanium dioxide and zinc oxide, both recognized as safe and effective by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration. Chemical sunscreens allow UV light to penetrate skin, after which the chemicals convert the UV light into heat. This is released from the skin. The downsides are that chemical sunscreens need to be applied at least 20 minutes before sun exposure and there are concerns about the ingredients in chemical sunscreens,… read on > read on >

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All Sauce from Weekly Gravy:

VA Hospitals Offer Quality Surgical Care: Review

Different Body Types May Excel Depending on Climate, Study Finds

FDA Advisors OK Approval of First Over-the-Counter Birth Control Pill

What Causes Asthma? The 6 Most Common Causes

DEA Extends Telemedicine for Prescribing Controlled Meds as Pandemic Measures End

Toxins From Grilling, Smoking & Car Exhaust Could Raise Odds for Rheumatoid Arthritis

COPD: Causes, Symptoms & Treatments

International Group of Health Experts Raise Alarm About Dangers of AI

Overweight Boys May Be Grow Up to Be Less Fertile Men

Summer’s Near: What’s the Best Sunscreen for You?

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