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Things to know about hand, foot and mouth disease
It starts with cold-like symptoms leading to mouth sores and skin rashes lasting almost 10 days. Patients are most contagious in the first few days, but the virus can pass through stools for weeks. Although it is common in kids aged under 5 years, even caregivers can get infected and sick. People can catch it multiple times as it is caused by multiple viruses.
Cleveland Clinic
Using masks at the doctor's office is still beneficial
Though the WHO declared the expiration of the COVID-19 public health emergency, using face masks in community settings, hospitals, and clinics could reduce the risk of catching the virus, as per a study. The study also revealed no significant differences in the protection provided by N95 respirators and surgical masks, while evidence was insufficient on cloth vs surgical masks.
Msn
FDA approves the first treatment for agitation in patients with memory loss
Rexulti (brexpiprazole) is an oral pill that can be used at a recommended initial dose of 0.5 mg once daily to a maximum of 3 mg once daily in adults with agitation symptoms like verbal and physical aggression from dementia due to Alzheimer's disease. It comes with a boxed warning of increased risk of death. This treatment was granted Fast Track designation.
FDA
WHO ends global health emergency of COVID-19 pandemic
With great hope, the head of WHO, Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, declared an end to the "public health emergency of international concern". The pandemic caused a death every three minutes. COVID-19 has caused almost 7 million deaths. WHO's head also reflected that COVID-19 also erased trillions from GDP, affecting businesses, travel and trade, pushing millions into poverty.
United Nations
Weight loss in older people may raise the risk of death
Even a 5% of loss in body weight in older healthy men and women aged above 75 years was associated with an increased risk of all-cause mortality, as per a study. The risk of all-cause mortality increased by 289% in older men and 114% in older women when weight loss was more than 10%. These findings highlight the importance of monitoring weight changes in this population.
Healio
Man gets $20 billion after two misdiagnoses caused him to lose a leg
A man in his 30s with a history of sciatica visited Lowell General Hospital in 2015 with left foot discomfort. He was diagnosed with worsening sciatica. His leg was cold to the touch and turned purple. He returned 6 days later with ankle pain and was sent home with the same diagnosis. He was diagnosed with deep vein thrombosis 4 days later. His leg was amputated above the knee.
Boston.com
What are the common allegations against nurse practitioners?
A study analyzed claims against NPs working in internal medicine and family medicine from 2011 to 2016. The top claims in the allegations included diagnosis-related, medication-related, and medical treatment-related issues. Diagnosis-related claims accounted for 41%, with myocardial infarction, colon cancer, breast cancer, lung cancer, and pneumonia as the top 5 allegations.
The Doctors Company
Bad contraception is trending on social media
Influencers on social media, especially on YouTube, are talking about stopping hormonal contraceptives, which can be inaccurate and incomplete sexual health information, as per a study. About 40% of them used cycle trackers to know when they might conceive. However, this method also relies on cervical fluid and basal body temperature, and failure rates range between 2% and 23%.
Health Reporter
FDA plans to ease restrictions on blood donation from gay and bisexual men
The restrictions were put in place during the AIDS epidemic, where men who have sex with men were stopped entirely from donating blood. The FDA removed the ban, and such men can donate blood only if they have not had sexual contact with men in the past 3 months. The new restrictions would remove these time-based limits and screen potential donors with an HIV risk questionnaire.
NPR
Which essential over-the-counter medicines should you keep at home?
A family medicine physician recommends the following: pain relievers like aspirin and ibuprofen; topical pain relievers with diclofenac; respiratory medicines like cough suppressants, expectorants, decongestants; allergy medications with cetirizine, fexofenadine; gastrointestinal drugs for heartburn, diarrhoea, constipation; and hydrocortisone cream for skin conditions.
Cleveland Clinic
