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Alpha-gal syndrome is an increasingly common cause of gastrointestinal issues that remains underrecognized by the medical community, according to an American Gastroenterological Association clinical practice update. Although the allergic response is best known for a combination of anaphylaxis, skin changes, and gastrointestinal symptoms that occurs within hours of consuming mammalian-derived food products, health care providers should

An orally consumable antibiotic called doxycycline can reduce sexually transmitted infections (STIs) by two-thirds in both the cases of gay sex and transgender women having unprotected sex given they take the medication within 72 hours of the intercourse, a new study found. The findings, published in the New England Journal Of Medicine, noted that the

[embedded content] A fire may not be the first thing that comes to mind when people consider what could go wrong in the operating room. In this video, Max Feinstein, MD, explains the training anesthesiologists receive in managing this unlikely scenario. Following is a transcript (note errors are possible): Feinstein: What would you do if

NEW ORLEANS, Louisiana — As the study of cutaneous dysbiosis and its role in the pathogenesis of dermatoses continues to evolve, how the mounting evidence on this topic translates into clinical practice remains largely unknown. “There’s still a lot for us to learn,” Adam Friedman, MD, professor and chair of dermatology at George Washington University,

Two pregnant moms passed COVID-19 to their unborn children, and the infection led to brain damage in a new study. The University of Miami Health System issued a press release on Wednesday to report two cases of babies born with brain damage after their moms contracted SARS-CoV-2 during pregnancy. According to university researchers, both cases

The US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has decided to withdraw approval of Makena and generic versions of the drug, the agency announced April 6. The medication was approved in 2011 to reduce the risk for preterm birth in women with a previous spontaneous preterm birth. The treatment had been approved under an accelerated pathway that

Preterm babies and newborns with certain health conditions, such as low birth weight and breathing difficulties, often need incubators to keep them warm and safe from infections. However, a new study has revealed the sounds inside these life-saving devices may damage the hearing of premature babies. When do babies need an incubator? Incubators are self-contained

It’s less nature and more about noshing when it comes to the adverse impact of obesity on the heart, a twin study from Sweden suggested. In an analysis of nearly all twins in the country, obesity predicted cardiovascular disease (CVD) risk across the board in every genetic risk group, reported Ida Karlsson, PhD, of the

A large study from Sweden concludes that a high salt intake is an important risk factor for atherosclerosis, even in the absence of hypertension. The study, including more than 10,000 individuals between the ages of 50 and 64 years from the Swedish Cardiopulmonary bioImage Study, showed a significant link between dietary salt intake and the

The highly contagious avian influenza currently wreacking havoc across the U.S. and other parts of the world has killed one domesticated dog in Canada. On Tuesday, the Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) released a report detailing the rare case of a pet dog that died after contracting the bird flu. According to the agency, the

US regulators may soon clear blood-based biomarker tests for colorectal cancer (CRC), expanding potential options for patients seeking more convenient forms of screening. Most recently, Guardant Health, Inc, announced the completion of its US premarket approval application for its Shield blood test to screen for CRC. Approval by the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA)

Aside from seasonal influenza episodes, bacterial and viral infections have been the leading cause of death during the pandemic. The flu season generally kicks in during fall and lasts through spring. During its onset, humans are exposed to scores of bacteria that can cause serious illness. The severity of flu symptoms often leads to an

When the Biden administration killed the X waiver late last year, all clinicians registered with the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) learned they would need 8 hours of training on substance use disorder (SUD) management in order to renew their licenses. The DEA has now issued a deadline for that requirement, and it’s less than 3

The youngest patient with cannabis-induced psychosis (CIP) whom Karen Randall, DO, has treated was a 7-year-old boy. She remembers the screaming, the yelling, the uncontrollable rage. Randall is an emergency medicine physician at Southern Colorado Emergency Medicine Associates, a group practice in Pueblo, Colorado. She treats youth for cannabis-related medical problems in the emergency department

A new nasal spray designed with live but weakened coronavirus can prevent COVID-19 from causing an infection by targeting its entry point in the body. As vaccines continue to play a vital role amid the pandemic, scientists are looking for more efficient ways to counter the disease before it even happens. One team in Germany

(Reuters) – A Delaware judge on Monday dismissed Merck & Co’s lawsuit seeking to hold Bayer AG responsible for more talc-related liabilities stemming from its $14.2 billion purchase of Merck’s consumer care business in 2014. Vice Chancellor Nathan Cook of the Delaware Chancery Court said the purchase agreement “clearly and unambiguously” left Merck liable for

An 84-year-old man in Minnesota reportedly died due to rabies despite receiving appropriate post-exposure treatment. In a case report recently published in Clinical Infectious Diseases, experts discussed what happened to the elderly man and what could be responsible for his demise even though he had received the right therapy for the virus. According to the

The FDA gave accelerated approval to enfortumab vedotin (Padcev) and pembrolizumab (Keytruda) as first-line treatment for certain patients with locally advanced or metastatic urothelial cancer, the agency announced on Monday. Specifically, the combination is indicated for those who are ineligible for cisplatin-containing chemotherapy, and the approval marks the first anti-PD-1/antibody-drug conjugate combination for this patient

Over-the-scope clips (OTSC) may prevent further bleeding more so than standard endoscopic treatment when used as primary treatment in patients with high-risk nonvariceal upper gastrointestinal lesions, shows a randomized controlled trial (RCT). However, noted the investigators, writing in Annals of Internal Medicine, and physicians who wrote an accompanying editorial, reservations remain about first-line use of OTSCs, but mostly

Babies born to moms exposed to drinking water with high levels of lithium could have a higher risk of developing autism spectrum disorder (ASD). A new study published in the peer-reviewed journal JAMA Pediatrics this week examined the association between maternal exposure to lithium in drinking water and the risk for autism in children. The

NEW ORLEANS — More than one third of pediatric residency programs do not have a pediatric rheumatologist on faculty, a situation that has changed little since 2004, according to a poster presented at the Pediatric Rheumatology Symposium 2023 conference. “This shortage has significant downstream effects,” according to author Miriah Gillispie-Taylor, MD, an assistant professor of

Even though earaches are more common among children, it can also afflict adults, resulting in sleepless nights. The burning pain can stem from issues like wax build-up inside the ear canal, infection, as an accompanying symptom of tooth abscesses, etc. Doctors claim the answer to whether the pain poses a serious threat to overall health

“There’s just no place that’s deemed to be safe.” — Ryan Mire, MD, president of the American College of Physicians, who practices medicine near Covenant School in Nashville, Tennessee, where a shooting took place Monday. “You should not have to get healthcare with a side of bias.” — Ashley Denmark, DO, MS, CEO and founder

A statement released by the American Heart Association (AHA) and the American College of Cardiology (ACC) advocates use of supervised exercise training in patients with heart failure with preserved ejection fraction (HFpEF), as well as coverage for these services by third party payers. The authors hope to boost the stature of supervised exercise training (SET)

Smartwatches are designed to be more than just timepieces. Aside from tracking schedules, location and activities, they boast health-monitoring capabilities, especially activities affecting heart health. Many Americans spend hundreds to thousands of dollars on the latest wearable devices thinking the more sophisticated and advanced they are, the better their chances of saving their lives. But

Editor’s note: Find the latest COVID-19 news and guidance in Medscape’s Coronavirus Resource Center. An antiviral therapy in early development has the potential to prevent COVID-19 infections when given as a nasal spray as little as 4 hours before exposure. It also appears to work as a treatment if used within 4 hours after infection

Canada has witnessed an alarming increase in pediatric cases of syphilis, with the rate rising faster than those recorded in the United States and Europe. Based on official data presented by Health Canada, the incidence of early congenital syphilis was only 7 in 2017. But this soared to 96 cases in 2021 — recording a

The 24-hour news cycle is just as important to medicine as it is to politics, finance, or sports. At MedPage Today, new information is posted daily, but keeping up can be a challenge. As an aid for our readers, and for a little amusement, here is a 10-question quiz based on the news of the