News from NYU Langone Health
AI Improves Echocardiogram Reports Readability: Study. (Becker's Hospital Review)
Becker’s Hospital Review (8/2) A study published in the Journal of the American College of Cardiology: Cardiovascular Imaging reveals that AI can simplify echocardiogram analysis for patients, with researchers from NYU Langone Health licensing OpenAI’s GPT-4 tool for clinician use in March 2023 and using it experimentally while adhering to patient data privacy rules. Jacob Martin, MD, clinical instructor, Department of Medicine, stated, “If dependable enough, AI tools could help clinicians explain results at the moment they are released.”
8 Questions To Ask A Geriatrician At Your First Appointment. (US News & World Report)
US News & World Report (8/1) Whether to go to a geriatrician or a primary care physician depends on one’s individual situation, and if “the primary care physician feels that the patient’s issues are more aligned to what a geriatrician does, then” one should visit a geriatrician, “says Nina Blachman, MD, associate professor, Department of Medicine, Division of Geriatric Medicine and Palliative Care who is also a primary care physician.”
Can ‘Nose Blindness’ Keep You From Smelling Your Bad Breath? (Washington Post)
The Washington Post (8/2) Erich P. Voigt, MD, clinical professor, Department of Otolaryngology – Head and Neck Surgery, chief, Division of General/Sleep Otolaryngology, explained that olfactory sensory neurons become saturated when exposed to a high concentration of an odor or an odor that lingers for an extended period, stating, “They’re no longer going to respond because it’s not new or necessary information, and you need to be able to smell other odorants in the environment.”
I’m A Doctor – Here’s The No.1 Way You Can Stay Pain-Free. (New York Post)
The New York Post (8/5) Jason Kreiner, MD, clinical assistant professor, Department of Anesthesiology, Perioperative Care, and Pain Medicine, discusses ways that readers can “manage common aches and pains,” saying, “I am a huge believer – and I preach this to all my patients – in regular exercise, strength training and weight loss.”
These Are The Best Hospitals In NY, According To A Recent Report. (Staten Island (NY) Advance)
The Staten Island (NY) Advance (8/3) U.S. News & World Report evaluated 205 hospitals in New York, recognizing 29 as Best Regional Hospitals, with top rankings in the Albany, Buffalo, New York City, Poughkeepsie-Newburgh, and Rochester metro areas, including NYU Langone Health.
So THAT’S Why You Always Need To Pee When You Get Close To Home. (HuffPost)
HuffPost (8/4) “Latchkey incontinence,” a phenomenon where arriving home and putting your key in the door triggers the need to urinate, is more common in individuals with overactive bladder and urgency urinary incontinence but can happen to anyone; Jessica B. Stern, PhD, clinical assistant professor, Department of Psychiatry, explains, “The closer you are to that access, the more you’re going to feel that sense of urgency and your body is going to say, ‘Oh, hey, we’re almost there, we have it.’”
Out-Of-State Medical Providers Reap Major Donations. This Time, It’s Invested Here. (Palm Beach Post (USA))
The Palm Beach Post (USA) (8/2) NYU Langone Health is planning a significant expansion in West Palm Beach with the help of a $75 million pledge from the Julia Koch Family Foundation, which will fund the new Julia Koch Family Ambulatory Care Center, providing space for over a dozen specialties, imaging services, and outpatient surgery.
Eating Processed Red Meats Could Increase Dementia Risk. (Everyday Health)
Everyday Health (8/2) “People who eat too much processed red meat, which can be loaded with unhealthy ingredients like sodium, nitrates, and saturated fats, may be treading a path toward cognitive decline,” which for Joel Salinas, MD, MBA, clinical assistant professor, Department of Neurology, the Pearl I. Barlow Center for Memory Evaluation and Treatment, “these latest results highlight how certain ingredients in processed red meats may be especially harmful”, saying, “These additives can contribute to inflammation, oxidative stress, and vascular damage, all of which are linked to increased dementia risk.”
New Study: A Simple Blood Test Might Be The Most Accurate Way To Detect Alzheimer’s Disease. (Health)
Health (8/2) “A simple blood test can accurately identify whether a person with memory issues has Alzheimer’s 91% of the time, making it significantly more accurate than traditional methods doctors use to assess and diagnose the disease,” with Joel Salinas, MD, MBA, clinical assistant professor, Department of Neurology, the Pearl I. Barlow Center for Memory Evaluation and Treatment remarking, “The blood test described in the study is a promising development, but it is not yet a replacement for the current comprehensive diagnostic process.”
What Is ‘Tusi’, ‘Pink Cocaine’?The Colorful New Designer Drug That’s Taking Over. (WNYW-TV New York)
WNYW-TV New York (8/2) Joseph J. Palamar, MPH, PhD, associate professor, Department of Population Health, recently published a study on ‘Tusi,’ also known as pink cocaine, which is gaining popularity in nightclubs nationwide due to its bright color and low cost, remarking that its “prevalence appears to be increasing, but it’s a pretty new drug, so we don’t know how popular this drug concoction is going to be in the near future.”
Also reporting is WNYW-TV (8/2).
Freed American Prisoners Gershkovich And Whelan May Face ‘Disruptive’ Trauma, Say Mental Health Experts. (Fox News)
Fox News (8/2) The release of American prisoners from Russia brought celebration and relief, but experts warn of potential future health challenges; Marc K. Siegel, MD, clinical professor, Department of Medicine, Division of General Internal Medicine and Clinical Innovation saying “It is likely the prisoners experienced physical and mental abuse, sleep deprivation, dehydration, malnutrition and possibly infections.”
In a separate article with Fox News (8/2) A new study shows “‘an association between regular, low-dose aspirin use and decreased colon cancer use (close to 20%) in patients who are already at higher risk for several reasons, including smoking or poor diet,’ said Marc K. Siegel, MD, clinical professor, Department of Medicine, Division of General Internal Medicine and Clinical Innovation, who was not involved in the study.”
News from NYU Langone Hospital – Brooklyn
How To Make Sense Of Inhaled Medications For COPD. (Everyday Health)
Everyday Health (8/1) “It’s important now to have an inhaler that’s for COPD,” says Jorge M. Mercado, MD, clinical associate professor, Department of Medicine, Division of Pulmonary, Critical Care, and Sleep Medicine, associate section chief, Pulmonary, Critical Care, and Sleep Medicine, NYU Langone Hospital—Brooklyn, noting that treatments have advanced and physicians are “able to prescribe treatments now that work on the inflammation in the lungs and open up the airways, which is much better at treating symptoms of COPD.”
Some Pregnant Women Use Castor Oil To Speed Up Labor, But Experts Say It’s Not For Everyone. (Fox News)
Fox News (7/31) Castor oil’s popularity on social media as a method to induce labor has led to mixed testimonials from pregnant women on TikTok, with Meleen Chuang, MD, clinical associate professor, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, chief, Obstetrics and Gynecology, Family Health Centers, NYU Langone Hospital—Brooklyn, advising caution due to “limited scientific evidence to support its effectiveness,” and recommending consultation with an OB-GYN for personalized guidance.
