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TTHealthWatch is a weekly podcast from Texas Tech. In it, Elizabeth Tracey, director of electronic media for Johns Hopkins Medicine, and Rick Lange, MD, president of the Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center in El Paso, look at the top medical stories of the week. This week’s topics include the best oral anticoagulant, managing immune-modulating

Field cancerization and subsequent second cancer in squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) patients was significantly associated with cigarette and alcohol use, based on data from more than 300 individuals. Cigarette and alcohol use are established risk factors for SCCs of the esophagus, head, and neck, Manabu Moto, MD, of Kyoto University, and colleagues wrote. “In addition,

Alexandra Floyd said her friends and co-workers were generally understanding when she called and texted them to say she had tested positive for COVID-19 — but still, she worried about being judged. “I think there’s definitely that stigma related to, ‘Well, where were you? Who are you with the last couple of days? What did

Researchers have identified a potential cause of molar hypomineralization (MH), or “chalky teeth,” an underrecognized condition affecting 1 in 5 children worldwide. The discovery could lead to preventive medical therapies to reduce dental caries and extractions, they said. According to a team led by biochemist Michael J. Hubbard, BDS, PhD, a professor in the Faculty

Patients with severe generalized pustular psoriasis (GPP) had rapid clearance of skin lesions when treated with an investigational interleukin (IL)-36 inhibitor, a small randomized trial showed. One week after treatment with intravenous spesolimab, more than half of patients with GPP had complete clearance of skin pustules. In contrast, only 6% of placebo-treated patients met clinical

The omicron variant could cause a lot of confusion this holiday season as cold and flu cases are on the rise. The new strain causes symptoms similar to those of the other two conditions.  Before omicron came, people could breathe a sigh of relief when experiencing symptoms typical of mild allergies or a minor cold.

For many adolescents, the first visit to a gynecologist can be intimidating. The prospect of meeting a new doctor who will ask prying, deeply personal questions about sex and menstruation is scary. And, in all likelihood, a parent, older sibling, or friend has warned them about the notorious pelvic exam. The exact timing of when

At Kristen’s Pharmacy in Southampton, Ont., the day begins with staff shuffling in for their COVID-19 symptom screenings, temperature checks and daily rapid tests. Doors and phone lines open at 9 a.m., and from then until roughly noon, it’s “utter pandemonium,” according to owner and pharmacist Kristen Watt. Eight phones ring off the hook; the

Pregnant women exposed to higher levels of endocrine-disrupting plasticizers experienced steep increases in blood pressure late in pregnancy and elevated BP up to 6 years postpartum, researchers have found. Urine samples from 892 pregnant women contained traces of nine phthalates, a ubiquitous class of synthetic chemicals used in food production and packaging, as well as

It felt like watching a train go by with no control over its destination and no way to stop it. We simply had to watch our loved one as he made his way towards death. The doctor said he had a traumatic brain injury with herniation. His pupils were fixed and dilated on arrival to

A recurring theme of the pandemic has been how COVID’s impacts have not fallen equally across the UK population. The health and financial burden of the disease has been felt disproportionately by people living in deprived areas. An example of the starkness of this disparity is the fact that, once you account for age differences

Editor’s note: Find the latest COVID-19 news and guidance in Medscape’s Coronavirus Resource Center. The US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) granted emergency use authorization to Merck’s antiviral drug to treat adults with mild to moderate COVID-19 who are at risk for severe disease. Similar to FDA authorization of another antiviral pill regimen ― ritonavir

U.S. health regulators on Wednesday authorized the first pill against COVID-19, a Pfizer drug that Americans will be able to take at home to head off the worst effects of the virus. The long-awaited milestone comes as U.S. cases, hospitalizations and deaths are all rising and health officials warn of a tsunami of new infections

The US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved inclisiran (Leqvio) as an adjunct to statins for further reduction of LDL cholesterol levels, the drug’s developer, Novartis, announced today. The first-in-class small interfering RNA (siRNA) agent is also novel among peer drug therapies for its administration by injection initially, at three months, and thereafter twice

FDA finally approved inclisiran (Leqvio), making it the first small interfering RNA (siRNA) therapy to hit the market for reducing LDL cholesterol, Novartis announced on Wednesday. The PCSK9 inhibitor was handed an indication as an adjunct to diet and maximally-tolerated statin therapy for the treatment of adults with clinical atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease or heterozygous familial

The omicron variant of SARS-CoV-2 could be causing patients to experience bizarre symptom that only happens at night. A doctor in the United Kingdom has claimed that the new variant of concern is causing several infected people to sweat profusely at night. Telltale Symptoms British physician Dr. Amir Khan, who works with the U.K.’s National

Editor’s note: Find the latest COVID-19 news and guidance in Medscape’s Coronavirus Resource Center. The impact of respiratory syncytial virus (RSV)will likely be greater in 2021 and 2022 in the United States than in previous years as a result of the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, based on data from a simulation-modeling study involving approximately 19 million

COVID-19 testing clinics across Quebec are stretched to the limit and Quebecers who are headed there en masse face long waits for tests — and results. At Montreal’s Hôtel-Dieu, hundreds of people were waiting in line Tuesday morning. Many of them, including Jonathan Nault, were experiencing symptoms but were unable to get a free rapid-test kit at their local

Editor’s note: Find the latest COVID-19 news and guidance in Medscape’s Coronavirus Resource Center. With the Omicron variant of the coronavirus blazing across the United States, President Joe Biden offered reassurance on Tuesday to Americans who have followed public health guidance to get vaccinated and boosted, and delivered a stark warning to those who haven’t.

Trying to match into residency or fellowship can be stressful. I’ve gone through the match once for residency, and I’m currently going through it a second time for fellowship, so I understand your plight if you are going through it too. There are many variables that are out of our control. As much as we

The omicron variant is now the most dominant strain of SARS-CoV-2 in the U.S. With this latest development in the ongoing pandemic, many people fear the aftermath of omicron’s sudden and faster takeover than the delta variant. However, experts are also confident that certain treatments can effectively cure the infection caused by the virus. Below

Editor’s note: Find the latest COVID-19 news and guidance in Medscape’s Coronavirus Resource Center. An analysis of hospitalized patients with COVID-19 finds that those with no history of epilepsy had more than 3 times the odds of suffering a new-onset seizure than patients with epilepsy were to have breakthrough seizures (odds radio [OR] 3.15, P