Internal Medicine

The FDA has approved UltraShape Power (Syneron Medical Ltd) for non-invasive reduction of abdominal circumference through fat cell destruction.

Diabetes may have its roots in endocrinology but in recent years it has proven to be an issue affecting specialities across medicine. Because of that it takes more than one specialist to provide the best possible care for patients with the condition.

At the recent American Diabetes Association annual meeting Lilly Diabetes had more than 60 disclosures discussing their latest work in the field. Of all that work the Mosaic study was arguably the biggest news to come out of New Orleans.

Researchers have found a treasure trove of information posted by people on Facebook, Twitter and other online forums. Is it ethical, legal, or scientifically valid to create research studies using such postings?

It's time to redirect the initial evaluation of low- to intermediate-risk patients presenting with symptoms suggestive of CAD back to the primary care and internal medicine setting.

People with red hair, pale skin, and freckles have long been advised to take extra precautions when out in the sun. New research has supported these concerns by proving the MC1R gene variant associated with red hair was directly linked to a higher number of genetic mutations in skin cancers.

The approval of medications like statins and PCSK9 inhibitors to help lower cholesterol levels have proven helpful but a recent study looked at whether patients were getting not only the treatments they needed but whether they were getting the right dosage levels to help improve their health.

There have been several guidelines published in recent years about the proper blood pressure levels for patients with hypertension and how best to avoid the condition altogether. Weighing these guidelines in practice can be a challenge for physicians and patients alike.

Patients afflicted with ulcerative colitis (UC) that practiced hatha yoga – a practice of physical yoga postures – for a 12-week period noticed a significant decline in their disease activity.

The regulator placed a clinical hold on human trials involving a new investigational hepatitis C drug that targets microRNA following a report of jaundice by someone enrolled in a study.

As new medications are introduced to the market there can be some hesitation by doctors to make the jump from more traditional treatment options. Moving beyond that has shown benefits for a patient's long term health.

Approximately 60% of physicians in the US will be sued for malpractice, research and statistics have found.

Health experts have persistently scrutinized the negative impact dietary fats have on cardiovascular disease and other medical conditions. Recently, however, researchers have shed a positive light on certain types of dietary fats – specifically the health benefits of consuming more unsaturated fat.

The USDA defines low food security as “reports of reduced quality, variety, or desirability of diet. Little or no indication of reduced food intake.”

Physicians and nurses have both an ethical and a legal obligation to ensure a patient will be discharged safely.

Although designed to make taking medications simple and easy to remember, pill organizers could spell trouble for older adults.

Pasta, the fan favorite comfort food and date night dish has often been associated with high calories, so much so health experts have limited pasta consumption in fad diets.

It has been several years since Eliquis was approved as an oral anticoagulant but still more research is being done to show its benefits in helping patients with non-valvular atrial fibrillation.

Medical sternotomy is a highly accessible route of entry into the chest cavity but apt to introduce infectious microbes.

Dermatologists have long advised against giving daily baths to kids suffering from eczema, but new research has debunked that practice – a daily wash is acceptable, followed by plenty of moisturizer.

To say that a patient has been diagnosed with myocardial infarction may not paint the full picture of the diagnosis. Recent research has shown there is a second type of the condition which not as much is known about across the spectrum.

As new treatments are developed for multiple sclerosis one of the questions has become how do you measure their success. A possible metric being developed is No Evidence of Disease Activity or NEDA.

While the work being done to find a treatment for neuromyelitis optica is encouraging those in the field know they have not yet found a cure for the condition and that the agents being investigated will not help reverse the damage already done, which can be discouraging at times.

There are rare diseases and then there are ultra rare diseases. Neuromyelitis optica falls into the latter category but with a considerable amount of research behind it and a defined target to look at there has been success seen in finding treatments with more work being done every day.

While there are no approved treatments currently for neuromyelitis optica there is a considerable amount of work being done to help patients with this rare condition in the future.