According to a study in the Journal of the American Heart Association published February 25, 2021, almost two thirds (63.5%) of Covid-19 hospitalizations were attributable to one of four cardiometabolic conditions and those hospitalizations would have been preventable had those conditions not been present.
Authors estimate that among the 906,849 total Covid-19 hospitalizations among US adults as of November 2020, 30% were attributable to obesity; 26% to hypertension; 21% to diabetes; and 12% to heart failure. Researchers estimate that a 10% reduction in these four cardiometabolic conditions would potentially have prevented 11.1% of Covid-19 hospitalizations.
Authors suggest these findings show, in the absence of these cardiometabolic conditions, individuals could still become infected, but would experience significantly less severity of illness requiring hospitalization. The authors add that more should be done to promote healthy lifestyle measures, including healthier eating and increased exercise, as a way to minimize the risk of severe Covid-19. The research further highlights the societal burdens of cardiometabolic diseases.
To read the details, see: https://www.ahajournals.org/doi/full/10.1161/JAHA.120.019259
Creation of the Global Academy of Holistic Nursing
A press release dated March 2, 2021 announced the inauguration of the Global Academy of Holistic Nursing. The Academy, in support of the American Holistic Nurses Association's mission, and in concert with the American Holistic Nurses Credentialing Corporation, will focus on advancing the specialty of Holistic Nursing around the world.
The purpose of the Academy is to cultivate a network of Holistic Nursing Scholars committed to expanding integrative caring-healing processes that effect global health care transformation and to create global communities who embrace holistic health, wellness and social justice.
Holistic Nurses identify humans as holistic unitary beings and recognize that all things are interconnected and that the behaviors and attitudes of one person affect those of others. Holistic nurses provide whole person-centered health care by creating trusting relationships that promote and enhance their clients’ potential for healing and promote wellbeing.
To read the announcement, see: https://www.ahncc.org/announcing-global-academy-of-holistic-nursing-gahn/.
Association between aging and heart disease mortality
An analysis suggests that recent declines in the number of deaths from Heart Disease (HD) in the United States have reversed since about 2011. The reverse, in large part, is a result of the 65-and-older age group, those primarily susceptible, which is expanding nearly five times faster than the general population.
The older population accounts for most of the HD mortality and their disproportionately rapid growth has led to a “steady, substantial increase” in the overall number of HD deaths, conclude researchers in a quality improvement study published online October 30, 2019 in JAMA Cardiology.
Deaths from heart failure also predominantly impact the elderly and have been climbing sharply in recent years, despite a slowly declining heart disease mortality rate in the total population.
"We are now in the midst of a 'silver tsunami' of heart disease and heart failure," says senior author Jamal S. Rana, MD, PhD, chief of cardiology at Kaiser Permanente Oakland Medical Center. "This will require innovation in clinical care for our patients and urgent policy initiatives at the healthcare systems level for surveillance and prevention to be better prepared for its impact."
To read the report, see: https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jamacardiology/article-abstract/2753969
Colorado legislature considers bill to expand complementary services to disabled residents
A bill to expand Colorado's complementary and alternative medicine program for disabled individuals is moving through the state legislature. The bill would expand the state's “phenomenal” program both demographically and geographically.
The bill would build off Colorado's existing program that provides complementary medical services to individuals in the Denver metro area with spinal cord injuries who are unable to transport themselves to the hospital. The program, which provides these individuals with at-home services, including massage therapy, acupuncture, and chiropractic services has been very successful.
The new bill would expand eligible individuals to include those with multiple sclerosis, spina bifida, muscular dystrophy, or cerebral palsy, resulting in a loss of the ability to independently ambulate. The program would also widen the existing program to include any eligible Coloradan, not only those in the Denver metropolitan area.
An independent evaluator from the Department of Health Care Policy and Financing revealed that the existing program resulted in cost savings, increased quality of life and improved health outcomes. The evaluator also reported immense satisfaction among the program's participants.
Senator Jim Smallwood, one of the bill's prime sponsors said: “if you allow people to use these alternative services – chiropractic care, acupuncture care, massage therapy – the hypothesis is that you will see a reduced spend, particularly in in-patient costs and pharmaceutical costs.”
Dr. Mimi Guarneri announced as Vivos therapeutics’ medical director of Clinical Education
On April 14, 2021, Vivos Therapeutics, Inc., a medical technology company focused on developing innovative diagnostic and treatment modalities for patients suffering from sleep-disordered breathing, announced the appointment of Mimi Guarneri, MD, FACC as an independent consultant serving in the role of Medical Director of Clinical Education.
Dr. Mimi Guarneri is Board-certified in Cardiovascular Disease, Internal Medicine and Integrative Holistic Medicine and is widely acclaimed as a leading Integrative Cardiologist in America. Dr. Guarneri is an award-winning physician and researcher and serves on the founding Board of the American Board Physician Specialties in Integrative Medicine and is a Clinical Associate Professor at the University of California, San Diego.
Kirk Huntsman, Vivos’ Chairman and Chief Executive Officer is excited to welcome Dr. Guarneri and said “As a global medical leader in comprehensive and holistic approaches to cardiovascular disease and sleep disorders, she will be a valuable addition to our growing organization. Her wealth of experience and credibility as an award-winning physician and researcher will help inform other physicians about our breakthrough diagnostic and treatment technologies.”
UC Irvine launches innovative School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences
In August 2020, the University of California, Irvine (UCI) announced the establishment of the School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences, the first public pharmacy school in the Los Angeles-Orange County region. The new school is a pillar of UCI's expanding Susan and Henry Samueli College of Health Sciences, a first-of-its-kind alliance of health disciplines that is redefining research, education and patient care.
Chancellor Howard Gillman said, “we're thrilled to launch the School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences as the next step in UCI's bold reimagining of healthcare, one that shifts the focus on patient care from treating ailments to preventing them.” Gillman says the school will concentrate on the whole patient and will span the continuum from drug discovery to clinical practice.
Dr. Steve Goldstein, Vice Chancellor for health affairs said that “patients are best cared for by interprofessional teams of physicians, nurses, pharmacists and investigators, each contributing at the top of their field. To work together, those in the disciplines must learn together. The college is establishing a new standard for how we train the diverse healthcare workforce of tomorrow.”
A new Doctor of Pharmacy program will begin enrolling students in the fall of 2021 with the goal of producing practice-ready pharmacists to be medication experts on healthcare teams and to be problem-solvers to lead progressive change in the healthcare system.
Worldwide optimism about gender equality
Support for gender equality is strong around the globe. Across 34 countries surveyed by the Pew Research Center, a median of 94% think it is important for women in their country to have the same rights as men, with 74% saying this is very important.
In many countries, women place more importance on gender equality than do men. Women are less optimistic than men that women in their countries will achieve equality in the future, and they are more likely to say men have better lives than women.
Despite widespread support for gender equality around the world, a notable share (a median of 40% across the countries surveyed) think men should have more right to a job than women when jobs are scarce; 56% disagree with this notion.
When asked who has a better life in their country, a 46% median across the 34 countries surveyed say men do, while 15% say women and 31% say that neither men nor women have a better life.
Despite seeing some advantages for men, most people express optimism about the future of gender equality in their country. A median of 75% across the countries surveyed think it is likely that women in their country will eventually have the same rights as men.
To read the survey results, see: https://www.pewresearch.org/global/2020/04/30/
$18 million gift expands whole-person care for those facing cancer
An $18 million commitment from the Simms/Mann Family Foundation, led by Dr. Victoria Mann Simms and Ronald Simms, will support UCLA's expansion of integrative psychosocial care for people with cancer and their families into communities throughout Southern California.
The gift to UCLA Health will fund an endowment to sustain and expand the Simms/Mann-UCLS Center for Integrative Oncology which provides psychosocial care to patients and families dealing with the psychological, emotional and physical burdens of cancer and its treatment – usually free of charge.
Psychosocial treatment at the center involves not only psychiatric care, but also educational programs in nutrition, spiritual care, qi gong and meditation as well as workshops directed at healing through art and preparing for surgery. The center's mission is to empower patients and families with support that enhances their overall well-being as they navigate through the many challenges of a cancer diagnosis.
Since its inception, the center has provided care for more than 50,000 patients; held more than 310 lectures with more than 30,000 attendees and online viewers from around the world; and has trained more than 100 fellows for oncology-based psychosocial care around the U.S.
To read the announcement, see: https://newsroom.ucla.edu/releases/simms-mann-gift-integrative-oncology
Acupuncture reduces radiation-induced dry mouth among cancer patients
Patients with head and neck cancer who had acupuncture during radiation reported less dry mouth symptoms up to 12 months after treatment according to a study published in JAMA Network Open on December 6, 2019. Results of the study from researchers at the University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center show that after receiving acupuncture treatment three days a week during the course of radiation treatment, head and neck cancer patients experienced less dry mouth.
“Dry mouth is a serious concern for head and neck cancer patients undergoing radiation therapy. The condition can affect up to 80% of patients by the end of radiation treatment,” said the study's principal investigator, Lorenzo Cohen, Ph.D., professor of Palliative, Rehabilitation, and Integrative Medicine and director of the Integrative Medicine Program. “The symptoms severely impact quality of life and oral health, and current treatments have limited benefits.”
The study included 339 head and neck cancer patients undergoing radiation treatment who were divided into three groups. One group received true acupuncture, another group received sham acupuncture and the third group received radiation and oral health education but no acupuncture. The true acupuncture group had significantly lower dry mouth scores than the other two groups.
Data was collected at various points during and after treatment and the true acupuncture group had significantly fewer and less severe dry mouth symptoms even one year after treatment. The results support a 2011 study that found symptom improvement up to six months after radiation treatment with concurrent acupuncture sessions.
Acupuncture treatment has very few side effects and, compared to standard treatments, is relatively low cost. “The evidence is to a point where patients should incorporate acupuncture alongside radiation treatment as a way to prevent the severity of dry mouth symptoms,” said Cohen.
To read the study, see: https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jamanetworkopen/fullarticle/2757250
Author bio
Matters of Note is written and compiled by Susie Demarinis, MS Editorial Director for EXPLORE: The Journal of Science and Healing.