OSA 101: Understanding and Diagnosing Obstructive Sleep Apnea in Primary Care
Neda Frayha, MD
Neda Frayha, MD, is Audio Editor-in-Chief at Hippo Education and host of the Primary Care Reviews and Perspectives and Hippo Education Presents: The Monthly Rounds podcasts. She is a primary care internist who completed her residency and chief residency at the University of Maryland.
Helping Patients Sleep: Practical, Non-Pharmacologic Insomnia Strategies
Insomnia and I are very well acquainted with one another. Like 10% of the population, I experienced chronic insomnia for years. And like nearly one-third of adults, I still experience insomnia from time to time. Through my own history, as well as years of research into the literature and undergoing cognitive behavioral therapy for insomnia (CBT-I), the gold standard for treatment of chronic insomnia, I have developed a helpful, informal...
The Plague: What You Need to Know
Whena person in northern Arizona died of the plague in July 2025, we wondered if we had time-traveled back to the medieval era. The last time most of us thought about the plague was likely in school, studying for our boards.
Tech in Medicine: So Your Workplace Has Been Hacked: EHR Downtime in Clinic
Last year, my healthcare system was struck by a cyberattack. Overnight, our electronic systems were down and we lost access to all of our usual digital tools—no electronic health record (EHR) access, no online prescribing, no ability to order lab tests or diagnostic imaging studies electronically. Meanwhile, our waiting room was full and our schedules were packed with back-to-back appointments. The ransomware downtime lasted five weeks and...
Alpha-Gal Allergy Is on the Rise: A Practical Guide for Clinicians
It sounds like something out of a science fiction movie: a person gets bitten by a tick and then, months later, develops a mysterious allergy to red meat. Short of Peter Parker’s fateful spider bite and the superpowers it conferred on him, how can an insect bite — which may go completely unnoticed at the time — cause such a change in a person’s health? And how can clinicians diagnose and manage this unusual condition in everyday practice?
Introducing: Hippo Education Presents: The Monthly Rounds
The truth is, we’d been wanting to do this for a while.
Thyroid Testing & Treatment: What Clinicians Must Know
Thyroid management is filled with nuances that make clinical decision-making feel like a moving target. From determining when to test to selecting the right treatment option, especially in tricky cases like subclinical hypothyroidism, the questions can pile up fast.
Dang It, Dengue!
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...
Clinicians Are Only Human
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...
Integrative Medicine 101 for the Primary Care Provider
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?
SSRIs as a Potential Treatment for Long COVID
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. Whilethe 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 in Patients with Dense Breasts
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?