RedScrubs
The Resource for Medical Professionals

Here is our Top Blog Post for today, brought to you by MedReader:

• Nine Natural Neuroprotective Agents You Can’t Live Without

“While scientists are busy conducting research and not talking to one another, ethnobotanists are collecting real-world data that can help your brain survive the onslaught of aging and the 21st century.”

Read the whole blog to find out what the nine neuroprotective agents are, suggested dosages and perceived mechanisms of action of each agent.

Here is our Top Medical Video for today, brought to you by ScrubTV:

Video

Psoriasis Treatment

A non-contagious, chronic skin condition, psoriasis is generally characterized by thick, reddened, and scaly patches of skin. Although there is no cure for psoriasis, even severe cases can be managed by a medical dermatology specialist.

Here is our Top News Post for today, brought to you by MedReader:

• Electronic Records Still Rare In U.S. Hospitals

Electronic health records are still rare in US hospitals as a national survey reveals that under 2 per cent have installed comprehensive electronic health records in all departments, with many giving the high cost of capital investment and maintenance as the primary barriers to adoption.

Here is our Top Blog Post for today, brought to you by MedReader:

• Alzheimers, Dysphagia, And Peg Tubes – A Conversation

“Grandpa had been gradually declining from Alzheimer’s dementia for years (he was confined to bed and he could no longer communicate with his family), but on this visit, after he was admitted to the hospital with pneumonia for the second time in a few months, it was clear he was now also having difficulty swallowing (dysphagia in medical terms). Grandpa was choking on the simplest of foods, including liquids and pureed foods, when he was tested by the speech therapist. Even when slowly fed small spoonfuls he wasn’t safe to eat.”
Continue reading. . . this blog discusses real end-of-life issues in a realistic, yet compassionate manner. Living with a percutaneous endoscopic g-tube (PEG) brings on its own issues on quality of life vs. length of life. Every family is different and each family has their own issues and priorities in life. This was an insightful blog into one family’s struggle with Alzheimers, swallowing problems (dysphagia) and feeding tubes.

Here is our Top Medical Video for today, brought to you by ScrubTV:

Video

New Warning On Depo-Provera Contraception Injection

The FDA announced recently that a new black-box warning is being added to the labeling for Depo-Provera Contraceptive Injection. The warning alerts prescribers that prolonged use may result in loss of bone density. Pfizer, the drug’s manufacturer, has also issued a “Dear Doctor” letter with the same information.

Here is our Top News Post for today, brought to you by MedReader:

• Study Looks At Celebrex And Lipitor To Treat Prostate Cancer

The FDA-approved drugs Celebrex® and Lipitor® used respectively for arthritis pain and lowering one’s cholesterol are being tested by investigators at The Cancer Institute of New Jersey (CINJ) to see if they hold any promise in slowing or stopping the growth of prostate cancer when combined. CINJ is a center of excellence of UMDNJ-Robert Wood Johnson Medical School.

Here is our Top Blog Post for today, brought to you by MedReader:

• CAM On Campus: Naturopathy

“The latest event sponsored by “integrative medicine” proponents on my medical school campus featured the naturopath Peter Bongiorno, a 2003 graduate and valedictorian from Bastyr University. Advertisements all over campus billed the lecture as “Stress, nutrition, and the GI tract,” which seemed innocuous enough. However, the lecture title as written on Bongiorno’s slide show was “Naturopathic apologetics for treating the gut.” He explained “treating the gut” to mean that for a wide variety of symptoms the naturopath’s diagnosis inevitably focuses on the intestine and interventions nearly always involve dietary changes or supplements.”

This rather lengthy discussion on naturopathy brings head-on some of the controversies between conventional medicine and clinical nutrition with complementary alternative medicine (CAM) approaches used in naturopathy. Part of the problem is lack of an evidence based approach that CAM is struggling with. Also brought to light by this blogger was the efficacy of allowing naturopaths to prescribe in certain states with the point being made that they (the naturopaths) do not have the training to practice medicine, but in many cases your local physician wouldn’t mind chatting about CAM therapies such as de-stressing techniques.

Here is our Top Medical Video for today, brought to you by ScrubTV:

Video

Meds Linked To Bone Fractures

Millions of Americans take prescription drugs for heart burn and acid reflux disease. A new study finds that prolonged use of many of these drugs could put you at risk for bone fracture. The class of drugs is called proton pump inhibitors, or ppi’s. The acid blocking effect also affects absorption of calcium which when considered long term may affect bone health.