More from Neda Frayha, MD
Dengue fever has been on the rise all over the world, with more cases than usual in many countries, including the United States. 2024 was a “banner year” for dengue, with up to 400 million cases worldwide and up to a 2000% increase in cases in different regions compared to the year beforehand. While most cases are mild, severe cases of dengue fever can lead to death. It’s important for front-line clinicians who see sick patients in ambulatory settings to be familiar with how dengue fever presents, to manage it, and to predict if a patient may develop severe disease and, therefore, need a higher level of care.
Recently, one of my primary care patients sent me a routine question through the electronic medical record, asking when they should get a specific blood test to guide their medication dosing. When an hour went by and I hadn’t responded, my patient called the front desk of our clinic to ask the question over the phone and inquire why I hadn’t written back. They also wrote me another message, voicing their disappointment that I hadn’t responded to their question right away.
In primary care, we are seeing more and more patients using complementary or integrative medicine approaches. Understanding these treatment options and being able to counsel our patients about them is an important part of providing good care. But this can leave us wondering: What exactly is integrative medicine?
Long COVID continues to perplex clinicians and researchers alike. With its myriad symptoms and unpredictable course, it's no wonder it's been frustrating for both patients and healthcare providers. While the prevalence seems to be declining, it still presents significant challenges, often lingering for weeks, months, or even years after the initial COVID-19 infection.
Breast cancer screening can be complicated; sometimes it’s more than just a mammogram. For example, when a screening mammogram report says a person has dense breasts, what does that really mean? Why is it important, and what should we do about it?
Have you ever heard a doctor from one specialty bash or badmouth another specialty? We have, too. Specialty disrespect is a form of microaggression in the health care community, and it has a real impact on students, residents and our patients. But we have the power to change the culture, and it’s time to address this issue.
As primary care clinicians, we play a crucial role in helping our patients make healthier food choices. But with all the contradicting information out there, sifting through nutrition evidence can be daunting.
One diet that has evidence for helping prevent disease and promote better health is a whole-food, plant-based diet.
This diet focuses on eating whole grains, fruits and vegetables that have undergone minimal processing. Studies have shown that this approach is associated with health promotion and disease prevention, and that a plant-based diet is a cost-effective, low-risk intervention that may lower BMI, BP, HgbA1c and cholesterol levels.
As Michael Pollan says in his book In Defense of Food: “Eat food. Not too much. Mostly plants.”
When helping primary care patients navigate heart disease prevention, we all know the big interventions to cover: quitting smoking, exercising, and eating a healthy diet with more plant-based foods. But are you also covering these less prominent risk factors?
