The University of Kansas Health System is treating a total of 7 COVID patients today, 8 Monday. Other significant numbers:
- 3 with the active virus today, 2 Monday
- 2 in ICU, 1 Monday
- 1 on a ventilator, 1 Monday
Key points from today’s guests:
Morning Rounds – Updates on Recent Health News
Dr. Burns, neurologist, Memory Care Clinic, The University of Kansas Health System
- Dr. Burns has been treating Alzheimer’s patients for a little over 20 years, and nothing's changed over that 20 years in terms of how we treat our patients until now.
- A new drug, Leqembi, is fully approved and we're excited to add it to our list of tools that we can use to fight Alzheimer's disease.
- The new drug is not a cure for Alzheimer’s, but it does appear to slow things down for many patients.
- This drug is right for somebody in a really early stages of the disease.
- Medicare will cover the cost of this new drug if the patient is enrolled into a registry.
Focus Topic – Prescription Drugs and Weight Loss
Dr. Steve Stites, chief medical officer, The University of Kansas Health System
- More than two out of five American adults have obesity, according to the National Institute of Health.
- The “eat less, exercise more” recommendation is not enough.
- Weight management can be much more complicated than that.
- Bariatric surgery is sometimes an option. And now, doctors are adding drugs to their toolbox of treatment.
Dr. Johanna Finkle, weight loss specialist, OBGYN, The University of Kansas Health System
- Obesity is a chronic disease and needs to be treated as such.
- Medications are changed as the patients evolve through their weight management journey.
- Some drugs work because they tell the brain that a person is “full.”
- We also counsel on side effects because that can be impactful to some patients.
- We are confident in the drugs we prescribe for weight loss.
Janna Knight, weight management patient
- Janna tried diets and one medication for weight loss and it was “a roller coaster.”
- It is important to do some self-reflection and look at overall habits.
- She lost about 30 pounds and would like to lose another 15-20 pounds.
- Lower weight has helped with cholesterol levels and other areas of health.
- Medication should be a tool in the toolbox in addition to the other lifestyle changes that need to be made.
Dr. Renee Rogers, Ph. D., Center for Physical Activity & Weight Management, KU School of Medicine
- The patient’s mental health is an extremely important component of this.
- Many people are struggling with where they get their information from.
- Lifestyle, weight management interventions, thinking about your eating, thinking about your exercise – we need to look at it all comprehensively and think about our mental health with it as well.
- Paying attention to healthy lifestyle behaviors in partnership with your medication is the way to go.
Dr. John Jakicic, Ph. D., Center for Physical Activity & Weight Management, KU School of Medicine
- Challenges for weight management drugs include costs, but these medications are really important to the treatment.
- Lifestyle is still very essential to managing weight.
- BMI is not a diagnostic tool, it’s an initial screening tool.
- Fitness trackers don’t track “fitness”, they track “activity.”
- This is an exciting time for weight management and research into new drugs that can help.
COVID Updates
Dr. Dana Hawkinson, medical director, infection prevention & control, The University of Kansas Health System
- Patients with high co-morbidities remain at highest risk of hospitalizations from COVID.
- We know that Paxlovid does help patients with co-morbid conditions reduce risk of hospitalizations from COVID.
- COVID has been found in deer populations, but the risk of being transferred from animals to humans is extremely low.
- Data does support a 15-30 percent reduction of long COVID with the boosters.
Friday, July 14 at 8 a.m. is the next Morning Medical Update. Bladder and bowel problems can be embarrassing. But that shouldn't stop people from seeking care. We explore pelvic health, where most problems tie back to your muscles.
The exercises... breathing techniques... and diet tips that keep the groin healthy.
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