A commentary by Mayo Clinic Nephrologist Rajiv Kumar, M.D., in the current issue of the journal Kidney International suggests that Vitamin D may improve the treatment of renal disease. Dr. Kumar says that while larger clinical trials are needed, he believes doctors should start treating patients with diabetes who have low serum levels of 25-hydroxyvitamin (the active form of vitamin D) with vitamin D3 to help slow down the progression of kidney damage. Dr. Kumar cautions that more research is needed and that patients should always consult their doctors before consuming vitamin D supplements on their own. Video Rating: / 5
Dr. Sundeep Khosla, an endocrinologist at Mayo Clinic, explains the importance of vitamin D. This interview originally aired July 15, 2017. Video Rating: / 5
Mayo Clinic research shows a correlation between inadequate vitamin D levels and the amount of narcotic medication taken by patients who have chronic pain. This correlation is an important finding as researchers discover new ways to treat chronic pain. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, chronic pain is the leading cause of disability in the United States. These patients often end up taking narcotic-type pain medication such as morphine, fentanyl or oxycodone.
This study found that patients who required narcotic pain medication, and who also had inadequate levels of vitamin D, were taking much higher doses of pain medication — nearly twice as much — as those who had adequate levels. Similarly, these patients self-reported worse physical functioning and worse overall health perception. In addition, a correlation was noted between increasing body mass index (a measure of obesity) and decreasing levels of vitamin D. Study results were published in a recent edition of Pain Medicine.
This is an important finding as we continue to investigate the causes of chronic pain, says Michael Turner, M.D., a physical medicine and rehabilitation physician at Mayo Clinic and lead author of the study. Vitamin D is known to promote both bone and muscle strength. Conversely, deficiency is an under-recognized source of diffuse pain and impaired neuromuscular functioning. By recognizing it, physicians can significantly improve their patients pain, function and quality of life. Video Rating: / 5
In this video, David Dodick, M.D., a neurologist at Mayo Clinic in Arizona, explains the symptoms, triggers and treatment for complex migraines. A nationally recognized expert on headaches, Dr. Dodick is the president of the American Headache Society, Editor-in-Chief of Cephalalgia, Director and Founder of the Headache Program and Headache Fellowship Program at Mayo Clinic in Arizona. He is also the Medical Director of the Mayo Clinic Comprehensive Concussion Program. To learn more about complex migraine, visit http://mayocl.in/2hmsCmC. Video Rating: / 5
Stroke is the fifth-leading cause of death in the U.S. and a leading cause of disability, according to the American Stroke Association.
To recognize symptoms, leading stroke experts recommend memorizing an easy-to-remember acronym:
FAST!
Face (drooping of the face)
Arm (arm weakness)
Speech (slurred speech)
Time (time counts — call 911 immediately)
Cedars-Sinai has been designated a Comprehensive Stroke Center by The Joint Commission, an independent, not-for-profit organization that accredits and certifies nearly 21,000 health care organizations and programs in the United States.
This advanced certification for comprehensive stroke centers recognizes the significant resources in staff and training that these centers must have to treat complex stroke cases. Cedars-Sinai was proud to be among the first five hospitals in the nation, and the first in Southern California, to receive this designation. Video Rating: / 5
