Rethinking Cardiovascular Risk: Why the PREVENT Calculator Is Changing the Game

If you're a primary care clinician, chances are you order lipid panels more than any other lab. Atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease (ASCVD) remains the leading cause of death globally, and a staggering 80% of ASCVD-related events are preventable. Prevention is our domain, but how do we best estimate risk and guide shared decision-making?Enter the PREVENT calculator, the American Heart Association’s (AHA) updated tool for assessing...

By Matt Zeitler, MD on

January 07, 2026

Pain and Anxiety Management with IUD Placement: What’s In, What’s Out

IUD insertions have long been known to cause pain, with some patients describing the experience as extremely uncomfortable or even traumatic. Until recently, pain management for this procedure didn’t receive much attention, but that’s starting to change.

By Matt Zeitler, MD on

November 12, 2024

Top 10 Tips for the Best Skin Biopsy Ever

Shave and punch biopsies are essential procedures for those who manage skin conditions and skin diseases. They can provide helpful information about undiagnosed skin lesions such as neoplasms, bullous disorders, keratoses, or dysplastic nevi. A diagnostic biopsy can also be the definitive treatment for malignant, irritated, or precancerous lesions. There's a right and a wrong way to do things, though. Here are our top 10 tips to prevent...

By Matt Zeitler, MD on

January 09, 2024

New Hepatitis B Screening Recommendations for 2023

We know that chronic hepatitis B infection can lead to substantial morbidity and mortality. While there is no cure, antiviral treatment, monitoring, and liver cancer surveillance can improve outcomes for people living with hepatitis B. Additionally, effective preventative hepatitis B vaccines are available.

Until recently, guidelines recommended that only people at high risk of infection be screened for hepatitis B virus (HBV). Under that...

By Matt Zeitler, MD on

June 05, 2023

Navigating Cancer Screenings With Your Transgender Patients

Cancer screening is a critical part of primary care practice, and most of us can recite guidelines in our sleep. That said, cancer screening can feel a little tricky in our transgender population, especially when we are still learning to navigate this sensitive topic as a general part of our practice. 

By Matt Zeitler, MD on

April 10, 2023