CLINIC

Dec 21 2024HEALTH

New Pain Solution for Surgeries: A Phase 3 Trial

Imagine having an operation and waking up with less pain and needing fewer strong painkillers. That's what VVZ-149, a new type of pain-blocking drug, aims to do. This small molecule targets two key components in our pain system – the glycine transporter type 2 and the serotonin receptor 5-HT2A. Re

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Dec 21 2024HEALTH

Immunotherapy Combo for Kidney Cancer: Real-World Results

Let's talk about a powerful duo in the fight against advanced kidney cancer. Nivolumab and ipilimumab, often called NIVO + IPI, are like the dynamic duo of immunotherapy. They're used to treat people with intermediate- or high-risk advanced or metastatic renal cell carcinoma (mRCC). Now, you might b

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Dec 20 2024HEALTH

Treating Polycythemia Vera: A Community Clinic Perspective

In the United States, many patients with polycythemia vera (PV), a blood disorder, are treated in community practices. Recent research looked at 5871 PV patients to understand their blood counts, treatments, and outcomes after six months of taking hydroxyurea (HU), a common drug used to lower blood

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Dec 20 2024HEALTH

Is Shockwave Therapy Really Better for Achilles Tendon Pain?

You’ve probably heard that shockwave therapy can help with Achilles tendon pain. But does it really work? Let's dig into a study that tried to find out. Researchers wanted to know if adding shockwave therapy to exercise could help people with insertional Achilles tendinopathy feel better and move ea

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Dec 20 2024HEALTH

Vagus Nerve Stimulation: A New Hope for Severe Depression

Imagine a life changed by a small device. Nick Fournie, now 62, knows this well. His depression journey started 40 years ago, turning his life upside down. Medications caused more harm than good. Then, a nurse suggested vagus nerve stimulation (VNS). This treatment uses electric pulses to stimulate

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Dec 20 2024HEALTH

Who's in Charge? Identifying Daily Care Providers in Hospitals

You might think all doctors are the same, but that's not true. Some are better than others, and this can affect how well patients get better. Usually, researchers don't consider who's taking care of a patient when they study healthcare. This is a missed opportunity because different doctors can lead

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Dec 19 2024HEALTH

Inflammation in Atherosclerosis: Beyond Lipid Control

For years, atherosclerosis has been linked to both inflammation and lipid buildup. But even with the best lipid-lowering treatments, some patients still show high inflammatory markers. This is where anti-inflammatory therapies come in, aiming to tackle this leftover risk. Let's explore the main infl

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Dec 19 2024HEALTH

Chatbot Decision-Making: A New Look in Healthcare

Chatbots are popping up all over the place, and healthcare is no exception. Scientists are now figuring out the best ways to study chatbots that help make clinical decisions. Why is this important? Because good decisions can save lives. Imagine this: you're feeling sick, but you're not sure what's

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Dec 19 2024HEALTH

How Tiny Pieces of Cancer DNA Help in Monitoring Treatment

Scientists have been studying something called circulating tumor DNA, or ctDNA. These are tiny bits of DNA that cancer cells release into the bloodstream. They've found that checking these bits can help doctors know if a treatment is working. Researchers looked at patients with two types of kidney c

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Dec 18 2024HEALTH

Improving Antibiotic Use: A Study on Feedback and Clinical Decision Tools

Several programs try to reduce incorrect antibiotic prescriptions, but we need proof they work to make future efforts better. Researchers decided to test two methods in primary care: a feedback visit and a clinical decision support system. The feedback visit involved experts meeting with doctors to

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