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The Med & Mic™ 3.4.24 – 3.8.24
A medical news blog post
from the author of “Scoop, MD”
This Week In Medical News
New COVID Guidance
The CDC says people who test positive for COVID can return to work or regular activities if their symptoms are mild and they’ve had no fever for a day. COVID has dropped from the third leading cause of death during the pandemic to the tenth last year. Most people have some degree of immunity. (AP, M. Stobbe, 3.1.24)
OTC OCP En Route to Stores
The first over-the-counter birth control pill, Opill, will be available in brick and mortar and online stores by the end of March. A month supply will be $20, and a three-month supply will be $50. The product contains progestin only and has fewer side effects than the estrogen/progestin combos. (AP, M. Perrone, 3.4.24)
Chronic UTI Symptoms: Substance P
For women who have persistent urgency and pain after a urinary tract infection has passed, researchers have found an abnormal overgrowth of nerve cells in the bladder. These nerve cells produce a protein component called substance p that causes pain and inflammation. This was based on bladder biopsies of eight women. (New Scientist, C. Ly, 3.1.24)
The Risk of Microplastics
Tiny bits of plastic embedded in fatty deposits lining the arteries may be linked with a higher risk of heart attack, stroke, and death. The patients who had such particles in carotid artery plaques had nearly five times the risk of one of these events in the next three years. Patients with the microplastics in their tissue also had higher levels of inflammatory proteins in their blood. (Reuters, N. Lapid, 3.8.24)
Fetal Cell Organoids
Scientists have been able to create organoids – 3D, miniature lung, kidney, and intestines – from fetal cells circulating in amniotic fluid. They hope this can be a new tool in studying and diagnosing congenital diseases without sampling cells from the fetus itself. (STAT News, D. Balthazar, 3.4.24)
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Remember: this post is for informational purposes only and may not be the best fit for you and your personal situation. It shall not be construed as medical advice. The information and education provided here is not intended or implied to supplement or replace professional medical treatment, advice, and/or diagnosis, or the advice of your own physician. Always check with your own physician or medical professional before trying or implementing any information read here.