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Should We Be Screening all Patients Over 50 for Age-Related Macular Degeneration?
Posted By: 
Mary Knudtson, DNSc, NP, FAAN
April 30, 2021
A growing public health issue for older adults is impaired sight. In fact, in 2011, 12% of US adults aged 65 to 74 years reported trouble with their vision, even with the use of glasses or contact lenses; in those aged 75 years and older, this increased to 15%.
One prominent condition impacting sight in older adults is age-related macular degeneration (AMD), which results in central vision loss (peripheral vision generally is unaffected) and significantly impacts quality of life. In... Continue Reading
Filed under: Miscellaneous, Preventive Medicine
What Can You Tell Patients After Their Second COVID Vaccination?
Posted By: Mary Knudtson, DNSc, NP, FAAN
February 23, 2021
Patients are beginning to ask what they can safely do after they have received both doses of the currently approved COVID vaccines. What do the experts and t... Continue Reading
Filed under: Preventive Medicine, Public Health
It’s Time to Talk About Vaccinations
Posted By: 
Daniel Thibodeau, MHP, PA-C
February 16, 2021
As we make our way through the immunization phase of the COVID pandemic, I cannot help but think about the many Americans who have not received their vaccine... Continue Reading
Filed under: Preventive Medicine, Public Health
Can Leading a Healthy Lifestyle Change the Likelihood of Developing Systemic Lupus Erythematosus?
Posted By: 
Richard S. Pope, PA-C, MPAS
December 31, 2020
An abstract presented at this year's American College of Rheumatology (ACR) conference asked whether the likelihood of being diagnosed with systemic lupus er... Continue Reading
Filed under: Preventive Medicine, Rheumatology
Will You Get a COVID-19 Vaccine?
Posted By: 
Lawrence Herman, DMSc, MPA, PA-C
November 27, 2020
In a post earlier this week, I wrote about public skepticism concerning COVID-19 vaccines, with some surveys showing an estimated 50-50 split in terms of whe... Continue Reading
Filed under: Allergy/Immunology, Health Policy and Trends, Infectious Diseases, Preventive Medicine, Public Health
COVID-19 Vaccine Trials: Reality Check
Posted By: Lawrence Herman, DMSc, MPA, PA-C
November 24, 2020
There is both good and bad news with respect to the ongoing COVID-19 vaccine trials. As a preface, know that approximately 90% of vaccine trials fail to lead... Continue Reading
Filed under: Allergy/Immunology, Infectious Diseases, Preventive Medicine, Public Health
Single HCV Screening for All Adults
Posted By: 
Ben Taylor, PA-C, PhD, DFAAPA
April 21, 2020
Hepatitis C virus (HCV) is a contagious hepatic disease that lives in blood and bodily fluids, and can be passed from person to person through infected blood... Continue Reading
Filed under: Infectious Diseases, Preventive Medicine
New Cholesterol Drug Soon to Make It to the United States
Posted By: Daniel Thibodeau, MHP, PA-C
January 31, 2020
Normally, when a new drug hits the United States market you will see a small market spike of curiosity. As we continually seek ways to improve the health and... Continue Reading
Filed under: Cardiometabolic, Preventive Medicine
Cancer Screening Guidelines 2020: Let’s Recap!
Posted By: 
Beth Sandy, MSN, CRNP
January 24, 2020
We now have screening tools and methodologies for several of the most common types of cancer. Each year, the American Cancer Society (ACS) publishes updated... Continue Reading
Filed under: Health Policy and Trends, Oncology/Hematology, Preventive Medicine
Better Sleep Linked to Reduced Cardiovascular Disease and Stroke Risk
Posted By: Ben Taylor, PA-C, PhD, DFAAPA
January 10, 2020
We all know that sleep is crucial for heart health. Research has shown that regardless of a person's age, weight, smoking habits, and exercise l... Continue Reading
Filed under: Cardiometabolic, Preventive Medicine, Pulmonary Medicine
Can High-dose Vitamin D Prevent Functional Decline in Our Older Population?
Posted By: Richard S. Pope, PA-C, MPAS
December 24, 2019
Lower extremity functional decline in our elderly population is a major risk factor for falls, hip fracture, frailty, and loss of autonomy. As the baby boome... Continue Reading
Filed under: Miscellaneous, Orthopedics, Preventive Medicine
Intermittent Fasting
Posted By: 
Susan M. Tiso, DNP, APRN, FNP-BC
December 20, 2019
If you think about how humans have been eating for centuries, it has likely included some "natural" intermittent fasting. For examp... Continue Reading
Filed under: Cardiometabolic, Miscellaneous, Preventive Medicine, Public Health
Circadian Rhythms and Metabolic Syndrome
Posted By: Susan M. Tiso, DNP, APRN, FNP-BC
December 17, 2019
As researchers explore the complex relationship of circadian rhythm and metabolic syndrome, they are searching for root causes and best treatment approaches Continue Reading
Filed under: Cardiometabolic, Miscellaneous, Preventive Medicine, Public Health
November is Diabetes Awareness Month
Posted By: 
Lawrence Herman, PA-C, MPA
November 15, 2019
Along with the colder weather and the promise of holiday season, November brings us the opportunity to raise awareness about diabetes. Both type 1 and type 2... Continue Reading
Filed under: Cardiometabolic, NPs & PAs, Practice Management/Career, Preventive Medicine, Public Health
Trans Fatty Acids Now Also Linked to Higher Risk of Dementia
Posted By: Lawrence Herman, PA-C, MPA
November 12, 2019
Consumption of trans fats in high levels has been linked to coronary artery disease, diabetes and more. Now, a team of Japanese researchers have specifically... Continue Reading
Filed under: Cardiometabolic, Neurology, Preventive Medicine
'Tis the Flu Season! 2020 Influenza Updates
Posted By: 
Susanne J. Phillips, DNP, APRN, FNP-BC
September 27, 2019
On August 23, 2019, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention published Prevention and Control of Seasonal Influenza with Vaccines: Recommendations of t... Continue Reading
Filed under: Preventive Medicine, Public Health
Nutrition Recommendations for Prevention or Delaying Onset of Dementia and Cognitive Decline
Posted By: Susanne J. Phillips, DNP, APRN, FNP-BC
August 13, 2019
In 2015, researchers at Rush University Medical Center in Chicago and Harvard School of Public Health in Boston published results of their prospective study... Continue Reading
Filed under: Preventive Medicine
Do Meal Times Affect Weight Control?
Posted By: Susan M. Tiso, DNP, APRN, FNP-BC
August 09, 2019
In 2009, researchers at Northwestern University conducted a study on mice and timed feeding, later publishing their research in Obesity. For 6 weeks... Continue Reading
Filed under: Preventive Medicine, Public Health
Are Chemicals Making Us Fat?
Posted By: Susan M. Tiso, DNP, APRN, FNP-BC
August 07, 2019
Holistic health proponents are advocating to get rid of our so-common use of plastics for environmental as well as health reasons. For example, did you ever... Continue Reading
Filed under: Cardiometabolic, Preventive Medicine
A Glimpse of What Artificial Intelligence May Bring to Medicine
Posted By: 
Lawrence Herman, MPA, PA-C
July 30, 2019
I’ve always been fascinated by what the intersection of big data, technology, and medicine will bring. While I am a firm believer that IBM's Watson will no... Continue Reading
Filed under: Preventive Medicine, Public Health
Updated Beers Criteria for Potentially Inappropriate Medication Use in Older Adults
Posted By: Ben Taylor, PA-C, PhD, DFAAPA
July 22, 2019
The American Geriatrics Society (AGS) 2019 Updated Beers Criteria—updated from 2015—are designed to reduce older adults' drug-related problems including,... Continue Reading
Filed under: Health Policy and Trends, Preventive Medicine
CHAMPS HF - We All Can do Better!
Posted By: Daniel Thibodeau, MHP, PA-C
June 14, 2019
Many of us manage patients with heart failure with a reduced ejection fraction, or HFrEF. The management of this patient population is complex, and most pati... Continue Reading
Filed under: Cardiometabolic, Preventive Medicine
What Price to Save Your Child?
Posted By: Lawrence Herman, MPA, PA-C
June 07, 2019
Let’s say you have your first child and are elated to bring him or her home from the hospital. A month later, you notice something isn’t right and soon y... Continue Reading
Filed under: Preventive Medicine
Consider Deprescribing in Our Older Adults
Posted By: Daniel Thibodeau, MHP, PA-C
June 01, 2019
We all have patients in our practices who are older and on numerous medications. They are stabilizing their problems but are faced with the reality of nearin... Continue Reading
Filed under: Health Policy and Trends, Preventive Medicine, Public Health
National Stop the Bleed Month
Posted By: 
Debra A. Danforth, DNP, APRN
May 17, 2019
Did you know that May 2019 is the first-ever National Stop the Bleed Month? Also, May 23 is the second annual Stop the Bleed® Day. So what is “... Continue Reading
Filed under: Health Policy and Trends, Miscellaneous, Preventive Medicine, Public Health
Lower Cholesterol – The Natural Way
Posted By: Debra A. Danforth, DNP, APRN
May 14, 2019
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 95 million US adults aged 20 or older have total cholesterol levels higher than 200 mg/dL. Many... Continue Reading
Filed under: Preventive Medicine
Hypertension in the Pediatric Population
Posted By: Ben Taylor, PA-C, PhD, DFAAPA
May 07, 2019
The prevalence of systemic hypertension (HTN) in the pediatric population is now commonly observed to be increasing, especially in view of the growing popula... Continue Reading
Filed under: Cardiometabolic, Health Policy and Trends, Preventive Medicine
It’s a Digital World: Screen Time Recommendations for Children
Posted By: Susan M. Tiso, DNP, APRN, FNP-BC
May 03, 2019
We definitely live in a different day and age than when I was a child… As children, my siblings and I just opened the door and went outside to play all day... Continue Reading
Filed under: Miscellaneous, Preventive Medicine, Public Health
Using Policy to Impact HPV Vaccine Rates
Posted By: Susan M. Tiso, DNP, APRN, FNP-BC
May 02, 2019
For more than 10 years we have had a safe and effective vaccine that can prevent several types of cancer. I understand the reluctance to accept a vaccine whe... Continue Reading
Filed under: Health Policy and Trends, Infectious Diseases, Preventive Medicine, Women's Health
Measles Outbreak – A Public Health Concern
Posted By: Daniel Thibodeau, MHP, PA-C
April 26, 2019
The modern world was turned upside down in 1997 when researcher Andrew Wakefield suggested there was a direct correlation between the MMR (measles/mumps/rube... Continue Reading
Filed under: Infectious Diseases, Preventive Medicine, Public Health
Cardiovascular Health Promotion—A Must Read for PAs and NPs
Posted By: Daniel Thibodeau, MHP, PA-C
April 23, 2019
PAs and NPs are encouraged to read a recent issue of the Journal of the American College of Cardiology on cardiovascular health and promotion. This... Continue Reading
Filed under: Cardiometabolic, Preventive Medicine
Was the Apple Heart Study Virtually Useless?
Posted By: Lawrence Herman, MPA, PA-C
April 12, 2019
My wife absolutely loves her Apple Watch and would admit that it is like her crack cocaine: she feels compelled to close all of her rings daily, even when we... Continue Reading
Filed under: Cardiometabolic, Preventive Medicine
Aspirin Use for ASCVD Prevention
Posted By: Ben Taylor, PA-C, PhD, DFAAPA
April 02, 2019
For decades aspirin has been a staple of primary prevention of atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease (ASCVD) in at-risk populations, based on recommendation... Continue Reading
Filed under: Cardiometabolic, Preventive Medicine
Super Bowl and Food Recovery
Posted By: Susan M. Tiso, DNP, APRN, FNP-BC
February 03, 2019
Super Bowl Sunday is reportedly one of the biggest eating days of the year, behind Thanksgiving. There were lots of parties and celebrations this week, which... Continue Reading
Filed under: Preventive Medicine, Public Health
Here We Go Again: Measles in Seattle This Time
Posted By: Susan M. Tiso, DNP, APRN, FNP-BC
January 31, 2019
As of January 31, 2019, there were 42 confirmed cases of measles in the Pacific Northwest. This includes 41 cases in Clark County, the epicenter for the outb... Continue Reading
Filed under: Health Policy and Trends, Infectious Diseases, Preventive Medicine