Key points from today’s guests:
Morning Rounds – Update on Current News
Dr. Dipika Aggarwal, stroke survivor, neurologist, The University of Kansas Health System
- Today is National Wear Red Day for awareness of heart health.
- Heart disease remains the number one cause of death in the United States.
- This year, Dr. Aggarwal is one of the doctors chosen by the American Heart Association to be honored as a “real woman survivor” in New York after surviving a stroke.
- Heart health and strokes are very closely related.
- High blood pressure causes more than half of strokes.
- More than one third of stroke survivors are prone to mental health disorders like depression or anxiety.
Focus Topic
Courtney Walker, kidney transplant recipient, living with IgA nephropathy
- Courtney was in need of a new kidney and searched for her own donor online. The right person at the right time read her social media post and decide to be her donor.
- It was a friend she met at a national conference for IgA nephropathy, a disease that causes a buildup of proteins in the kidney.
- Her symptoms included nausea and fatigue and affected her everyday activities.
- She was too tired to attend social events and had to cancel.
- With her new kidney, she is able to lead a normal life.
- She thanks the whole team who contributed to her new life.
- For others in need, she recommends people be their own advocate to find a donor.
Gina Krysl, kidney donor
- Having the support of her daughter, who is living with IgA nephropathy, meant everything to her and encouraged her to be a kidney donor.
- There was no second-guessing, she just knew she was meant to do this.
- For anyone else who feels like they should do this, she encourages them to take this step.
Dr. Sean Kumer, vice president, Perioperative Services, The University of Kansas Health System
- With this disease, antibodies get lodged in the kidney, and sets off a cascade in the kidney which causes some weakness and inflammation of the kidney and damages it.
- One of the signs or symptoms is protein in the urine.
- People with kidney disease slowly go downhill. But for donors, they immediately feel the effects of donating a kidney after surgery before slowly recovering.
- This is a tremendous gift that donors provide. Donors are the heroes.
- Please consider signing up to be an organ donor.
Dr. Tim Schmitt, director of transplantation, The University of Kansas Health System
- Kidney dialysis is difficult from a physical and mental aspect.
- Last year, we did almost 200 kidney transplants and about 50 of them were living donors.
- Live kidney donations are highly orchestrated with two parallel surgeries.
- Kidney donation is a fantastic gift and there are 100,000 people on a kidney transplant list.
- If you can donate, please consider it.
COVID Updates
Dr. Dana Hawkinson, medical director of Infection Prevention and Control, The University of Kansas Health System
- This week, the COVID count is at 23 active inpatients, up from 16 active inpatients last week.
- The CDC released new numbers that found that the 2023 COVID vaccine is 53 percent effective in preventing symptomatic infection.
- This is a beneficial effect from the vaccine not just against severe disease, but symptomatic infection as well.
Monday, February 5 at 8 a.m. is the next Morning Medical Update. Head and neck cancers are on the rise. Doctors often know it's there even if they can't see a tumor. Find out how oncologists decide between starting treatment or searching for the cancer source.
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