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What your patients are reading: Week of January 29, 2024

February 2, 2024

Diabetes patients lament Novo Nordisk's decision to discontinue Levemir insulin

Last March, Novo Nordisk reduced the list price of Levemir insulin by 65% in the U.S. But this week, USA Today reports that the drugmaker will stop selling the injectable FlexPen version of Levemir in April and will halt sales of Levemir vials by the end of December. Novo Nordisk said patients can switch to other brands of long-acting insulins, including glargine, which is sold under the brand names Basaglar and Lantus, as well as degludec, sold under the brand Tresiba. The company hasn't announced plans to discontinue the drug in other countries. (Alltucker, 2024)

Religious trauma still affects millions of LGBTQ Americans

Religious trauma, as defined by the Religious Trauma Institute, occurs when an individual’s religious upbringing has lasting adverse effects on their physical, mental or emotional well-being. Some mental health experts propose that religious trauma be considered an official disorder in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders. Symptoms can include guilt, shame, loss of trust, and loss of meaning in life. A 2022 study found that LGBTQ people disproportionately experience religious trauma and those who do are at increased risk for suicidality, substance abuse, homelessness, anxiety, and depression. Many LGBTQ Americans also say that the current political climate—with an unprecedented 510 anti-LGBTQ bills introduced in state legislatures in 2023—is exacerbating their experience with religious trauma. (Macnaughton, 2024)

Cold-water swimming reduces menopause and menstrual symptoms

Swimming in cold water can significantly ease menopause symptoms such as mood swings and hot flushes, according to new research. The study, led by academics at University College London, assessed responses from 1,114 women (ages 16-80) who regularly swim in cold water, 785 of whom were going through menopause at the time. Half of that group reported cold-water swimming significantly reduced their anxiety, while a significant number of participants said it also helped tackle mood swings (35%), low mood (31%), and hot flashes (30%). Among the women with menstrual symptoms, 38% cited better control of their mood swings. (Campbell, 2024)

Lili Reinhart opens up about her alopecia diagnosis

'Riverdale' star, Lili Reinhart, told her fans that she was recently diagnosed with alopecia while in the midst of a major depressive episode. The 27-year-old actress posted a TikTok video while undergoing red light therapy, a treatment said to improve hair growth in people with androgenic alopecia. Alopecia's cause is unknown but it affects as many as 6.7 million individuals in the U.S. alone, according to the National Alopecia Areata Foundation.(Etienne, 2024)

Newborns in Minnesota will now be screened for Duchenne muscular dystrophy

Last Friday, the Minnesota Department of Health (MDH) announced that it will add Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD) to the list of conditions for which Minnesota newborns are typically screened. DMD is the most common form of muscular dystrophy and isn't usually diagnosed until age 5, at which point skeletal muscles are already damaged and there are few options for treatment. MDH estimates that nine newborns will be diagnosed with DMD each year. (WCCO Staff, 2024)

Sources:

Alltucker, K. (2024, January 28). USA Today. Diabetes patients lament drugmaker's decision to discontinue Levemir insulin. https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/health/2024/01/28/levemir-insulin-will-be-discontinued/72261823007/

Macnaughton, S. (2024, January 28). NBC News. Religious trama still haunts millions of LGBTQ Americans. https://www.nbcnews.com/nbc-out/out-health-and-wellness/millions-lgbtq-americans-religious-trauma-psychiatrists-want-help-rcna135728

Campbell, D. (2024, January 24). The Guardian. Cold-water swimming eases menopause and menstrual symptoms, study finds. https://www.theguardian.com/society/2024/jan/25/cold-water-swimming-eases-menopause-and-menstrual-symptoms-study-finds

Etienne, V. (2024, January 30). People. Lili Reinhart Reveals She Was Diagnosed with Alopecia. https://people.com/lili-reinhart-diagnosed-with-alopecia-8553101

WCCO Staff. (2024, January 26). CBS News. Minnesota newborns will now be screened for Duchenne muscular dystrophy. https://www.cbsnews.com/minnesota/news/minnesota-newborns-will-now-be-screened-for-duchenne-muscular-dystrophy/