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NEWS:
Hypertension Elevates Risk for More Severe COVID-19 Illness
Hypertension more than doubles the risk of hospitalization related to Omicron infection, even in people who are fully vaccinated and boosted, according to a new study led by investigators in the Smidt Heart Institute at Cedars-Sinai. The findings are published in the journal Hypertension.
The risk is especially widespread given that nearly 1 out of every 2 adults in the U.S. have hypertension, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
"The take-home message is that avoiding infection is extremely important-even when the circulating viral variant is presumed to cause mild disease in most people," said Joseph E. Ebinger, MD, a clinical cardiologist and director of clinical analytics at the Smidt Heart Institute and first author of the study.
By reviewing electronic medical records, Cedars-Sinai investigators identified 912 people who were fully vaccinated with
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Why Do Men Face A Higher Risk Of Most Types Of Cancer Than Women?
Rates of most types of cancer are higher in men than in women for reasons that are unclear. Results from a recent study published by Wiley online in CANCER, a peer-reviewed journal of the American Cancer Society, suggest that the cause may be underlying biological sex differences rather than behavioral differences related to smoking, alcohol use, diet, and other factors.
Understanding the reasons for sex differences in cancer risk could provide important information to improve prevention and treatment. To investigate, Sarah S. Jackson, PhD, of the National Cancer Institute, part of the National Institutes of Health, and her colleagues, assessed differences in cancer risk for each of 21 cancer sites among 171,274 male and 122,826 female adults aged 50–71 years who were participating in the NIH-AARP Diet and Health study from 1995–2011.
During that time, 17,951 new cancers arose in men
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The Human Side of AI: Predicting Spine Surgery Outcomes
Ever since Corey Walker, MD, became a spine surgeon, the traditional measure of success focused on how well a patient was able to walk, bend or move after spine surgery. Now, with the help of artificial intelligence, Walker is measuring success differently.
"The unique thing we’re doing with this project is really focusing in on the pain medication part of it, because opioid addiction continues to be a challenge, and we are looking for ways to improve pain management after surgery," Walker said.
Walker’s team, in collaboration with the Cedars-Sinai Department of Computational Biomedicine, is using artificial intelligence and machine learning to predict which patients are most likely to successfully manage their pain post-surgery, and which patients might need additional assistance.
"This project uses artificial intelligence algorithms to analyze millions of data points and predict
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Enabling Addiction - 7 Behaviors That Suggest You’re An Enabler
When your loved one struggles with drug addiction, it’s important to provide support. However, there’s a difference between supporting someone and enabling them.
Enabling means preventing an addicted person from facing the consequences of their actions. When they don’t face consequences, they are much less likely to seek professional help. Here are seven of the most common enabling behaviors.
1. Making Excuses
Addiction can quickly consume a person’s life. Your loved one may struggle to focus on anything besides drugs and engage in self-destructive behaviors, such as missing work or constantly canceling plans with friends.
In these instances, you might be tempted to lie on your loved one’s behalf. For example, you may tell their boss they missed work because they were sick when they were actually hungover.
At first, this behavior might seem helpful because it prevents your loved
