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What your patients are reading: Week of June 17, 2024

June 21, 2024

Which common medications can make heat waves more dangerous?

As the U.S. experiences record heat waves this summer, your patients may be hearing how certain factors can make it harder for the body to stay cool in hot weather such as old age, obesity, fever, dehydration, heart disease, poor circulation, and drug and alcohol use. Some medications such as certain antidepressants, blood pressure pills, and other drugs can also make individuals more susceptible to heat-related illness. Health experts caution that diuretics, antihypertensives (ACE inhibitors, beta-blockers, calcium channel blockers), antipsychotics (haloperidol, olanzapine, and risperidone), antidepressants, thyroid hormones, OTC antihistamines, and stimulants such as amphetamines and other drugs used to treat ADHD can all make it more challenging to stay safe during soaring temperatures. (Mogg, 2024)

Physician becomes fully paralyzed after COVID infection

In the fall of 2022, Dr. William Dugal, a surgery resident then 32, contracted COVID-19. After a few days of unusual symptoms such as numbness in his feet and difficulty walking, Dugal went to his local hospital in Winston-Salem, North Carolina. An LP confirmed that he had Guillain-Barre syndrome, a rare post-viral complication that can result in muscle weakness or more severely, paralysis. Over the next few months, Dugal's illness progressed to the point where he did become completely paralyzed. Unable to speak, swallow, or breathe unassisted, the physician was placed on a ventilator, developed pneumonia, and was placed on ECMO, which after 9 days, allowed his lungs to heal. After a year of rehabilitation, he's back to working as a surgeon. (Holohan, 2024)

Could the Paris Olympics become a super-spreader event for dengue fever?

In September 2023, Paris experienced an unusual outbreak of dengue fever, marking the disease’s most northerly occurrence ever recorded. Now, with the upcoming Paris Olympics, and an estimated 10 million people descending on the city, there’s concern that the event could become a super-spreader for dengue. Factors such as the spread of the Aedes mosquito and the increase in global dengue cases contribute to this risk, but there would need to be enough mosquitos and enough susceptible and already-infected people in order for a super-spreader event to occur. Vigilant monitoring and preventive measures are crucial to mitigate the potential impact during the games. (Booth, 2024).

Dodgers star breaks hand, unclear when the MVP candidate will return

Los Angeles Dodgers shortstop Mookie Betts suffered a broken left hand during a game against the Kansas City Royals on Sunday, June 16. The injury occurred when he was hit by a 97.9 mph fastball from pitcher Dan Altavilla, causing him to writhe in extreme pain. The pitch hit the former MVP and seven-time All-Star on the top of the hand, prompting trainers and the team manager to race from the dugout to help. Although the exact duration of his absence is uncertain, surgery isn't required according to reports. (AP, 2024).

New York turns to robotic pets for seniors to combat loneliness

More than 31,000 robotic pets have been given by the New York State Office for Aging (NYSOFA) to seniors in New York, with more on the way in an ongoing effort to combat loneliness. Greg Olsen, acting director of NYSOFA, said that the robotic pets are one way to alleviate loneliness, a condition that has grave health consequences and “can literally kill you.” According to an ABC News story, the robotic pets are just one tool that NYSOFA is using to address loneliness in senior citizens. Critics say the robotic pets are “botsourcing” or outsourcing human connection to robots, but Olsen said the pets can provide a way of connecting with other humans by being a common topic of conversation.

Sources:

Mogg, K. (2024, June 15). The New York Times. These Common Medications Can Make Heat Waves More Dangerous. https://www.nytimes.com/2024/06/15/well/live/heat-weather-medication-safety.html

Holohan, M. (2024, June 13). Today. EXCLUSIVE: Man, 32, became fully paralyzed days after getting COVID. This was his 1st symptom. https://www.today.com/health/disease/man-becomes-paralyzed-guillain-barre-syndrome-covid-rcna156520

Booth, M. (2024, June 14). CNN. How the Paris Olympics could become a super-spreader event for dengue. https://www.cnn.com/2024/06/14/health/dengue-paris-olympics/index.html

The Associated Press. (2024, June 17). NBC News. Dodgers star Mookie Betts breaks left hand, and it's not clear when the MVP candidate will return. https://www.nbcnews.com/news/sports/mookie-betts-breaks-left-hand-rcna157465

Parekh, S. (2024, June 15). ABC News. More than 4,000 additional robotic pets to be given to seniors in New York to combat loneliness. https://abcnews.go.com/Health/4000-additional-robotic-pets-seniors-new-york-combat/story?id=111067224