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Daily marijuana use found to raise the risk of coronary artery disease by a third compared to those who never partake in marijuana consumption. While the results for daily users is alarming, people who used marijuana only once a month or less had no significant risk of coronary artery disease according to the study.

The Food and Drug Administration recently authorized the first at-home test to detect both the flu and/or Covid-19 together. This single self-collected nasal swab test, created by Lucira Health, is nearly perfect at detecting negative results for both influenza A and Covid-19, but yields 90% accuracy for positive influenza A results, and 88% accuracy for positive Covid-19 results.

5.7% African American representation across all United States doctors indicates a real threat to the integrity of public health, especially in underserved communities of color. This article, highlighting the importance of equal representation, provides evidence of better outcomes when the diversity of providers reflects the area that they serve.

Pfizer’s vaccine for respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) linked to startling risk of developing a rare neurological condition, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration reports. After two individuals who received the RSV vaccine were later diagnosed with Guillain-Barre Syndrome, the U.S. FDA has requested a safety study from Pfizer if the shot is approved.

The World Health Organization has descended upon Cambodia to investigate two human bird flu cases. This decision comes after an 11- year old girl died and her father remains positive for the H5N1 strain, yet human-to-human transmission is uncertain at this time.

Ohio train derailment results in ailments associated with toxic chemical exposure

East Palestine, Ohio residents worry that their recently developing rashes, sore throats, nausea, and headaches are linked to the hazardous chemicals released following the tragic train derailment nearly two weeks ago. Upon giving the all-clear to return to their homes on February 8^th, reports of alarming symptoms and dangerous diagnoses began pouring in from the local population, highlighted by acute bronchitis due to chemical fumes.

• Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine announced that medical experts from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services will be arriving next week to establish a clinic for patients of East Palestine.
  
  
• Additionally, The Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry, a branch of the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, expect to arrive on site next week to conduct an Assessment of Chemical Exposure investigation. This investigation aims to survey the impact of the chemical release on the people and community of East Palestine. This major emergency has the potential of being a healthcare disaster in part due to the extended exposure of chemical mixtures including several petroleum-based volatile compounds. At this point, the full scope of health consequences cannot be known for sure and will be worth monitoring long-term.
  
  
• While the Environmental Protection Agency so far claims that the water, air, and to a much lesser extent, the soil that they have measured is “safe”, the East Palestine citizens have refuted those claims and expressed a complete lack of confidence in the safety of their home.

Howard Yang, GM of CeramFab, a local manufacturing company, states: “People ended up with rashes, nausea, vomiting, bloody nose, eye issues. A lot of coughing, wheezing,” he said. “We sent a lot of workers to the hospital to get checked out and, sure enough, in most cases, it was a diagnosis of ‘chemical bronchitis’. They were put on five different kinds of pills, including steroids. Some guys have to use inhalers. It’s pretty bad.”

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Earthquake rescue teams continue saving survivors from the wreck of rubble

Extraordinary efforts are still being made in Syria and Turkey to save earthquake victims from the rubble, including rescues recorded 228 hours – nearly ten days – following the horrific quake.

Key takeaways

• Survivors at this stage hypothesized to have been spared by the “triangle of life” which is identified as the viable space between ceilings landing on objects and/or furniture inside of the buildings.
  
  
• Baseline health status is a key to survival rates, as those with pre-existing conditions, dependent on inaccessible medications, and/or experiencing side effects from medication such as dehydration may have a lower likelihood of survival.
  
  
• While limb loss, tissue crushes, and brain trauma are the most prevalent casualties, crushing syndrome, which is characterized by compressed muscle tissues releasing toxins into the blood once finally freed and broken down, is another serious concern for these victims. In these cases, these toxins can lead to kidney failure and rapid deterioration following rescue.
  
  

By the digits

• 7.8 magnitude earthquake impacting Turkey and Syria.
  
  
• >55,000 deaths to date in Syria and Turkey combined as of February 24^th, 2023 .
  
  
• 48 golden hours emphasized by search and rescue teachings following a building collapse in which the chance of live rescues is the highest.
  
  
• Rule of fours which assumes that trapped individuals can survive four minutes without air, four days without water, and four weeks without food.
  
  
• 5,000 patients were treated at the Adana City Teaching and Research Hospital, the largest trauma hospital in the region, the week following the earthquake.
  
  

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A 30-year-old man comes to the emergency department because of an acute episode of renal colic. Medical history is remarkable for episodes of painful urination and passing of what he calls "gravel in my urine." Urinalysis demonstrates microscopic hematuria with some crystalluria and no casts. Supine x-ray of the abdomen shows no abnormalities. A 4- mm renal calculus is detected in the distal right ureter on ultrasonography. There is no evidence of dilation of the collecting system. The patient's pain is responsive to narcotic medication.
In addition to administering intravenous fluids, which of the following is the most appropriate next step?

Novel urine test found to detect pancreatic and prostate cancer with a 99% success rate. Designed with a purpose to screen cancer patients before they are admitted to the hospital, this urine test successfully screens by detecting certain cancer metabolites which are released by cancer cells to promote tumor growth.

Nasal Covid vaccine shows promise in early clinical trials by targeting the entry point where the virus enters the body. This unique line of defense, developed by Blue Lake Biotechnology Inc., reduced the risk of symptomatic Covid infections by 86% when utilized as a booster dose.

New sleep research finds that insomniacs are 69% more likely to have a heart attack compared to those without the sleep disorder. Categorization of insomnia was defined as experiencing at least one of the three following symptoms: difficulty falling asleep, difficulty staying asleep, and waking too early in the morning.

Significantly increased risk of developing dementia linked to regular laxative use. The results of the study are as follows: regular laxative use had a 51% increased risk of dementia, regular osmotic laxatives had a 64% increased risk of dementia, and regular use of multiple types of laxatives had a staggering 90% increased risk of dementia.

Thank you for reading! More next week,

My best wishes for a productive and idea-filled week ahead. Thanks for your ongoing efforts to improve the lives of the patients we all serve. Please send any news, comments, suggestions and ideas to hello@morningmed.email.

Quiz answer: The correct answer is D) "Straining of the urine"

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