Dr. Howard Smith Oncall

Vidcast:  https://www.instagram.com/p/C1IfLzNrB8V/ The CPSC and Vornado now recall Steadfast Home & Away Travel Steam Irons as the power cord tends to deteriorate near its bushing leading to overheating and copper wire exposure leading to fire, burn, and shock hazards.   About 1.75 million of these travel irons in the US and about 9,000 in Canada were sold at Walmart, Bed Bath & Beyond and other stores nationwide and online at Amazon.com, Vornado.com, Steamfast.com and at other websites. Stop using these travel irons and visit either the Steadfast.com or the vornado.com websites to register for a refund or a free replacement iron. https://www.cpsc.gov/Recalls/2024/Vornado-Expands-Recall-to-Include-Additional-1-75-Million-Steamfast-Travel-Steam-Irons-Due-to-Fire-Burn-and-Shock-Hazards #vornado #steamfast #traveliron #powercord #overheating #shock #recall

Vidcast:  https://www.instagram.com/p/C1IdtFZr3Fy/ The CPSC and Polaris Industries now recall Model Year 2021-2024 Polaris RZR 200 Youth Recreational Off-Road Vehicles due to steering rack assemblies that may lock up leading to loss of control and injuries to riders and bystanders. About 19,000 of these ROVs were sold in the US and about 950 were sold in Canada. Do not permit your children to ride these recalled vehicles until an authorized Polaris dealer has repaired the steering. For more information, call Polaris at 1-800-765-2747. https://www.cpsc.gov/Recalls/2024/Polaris-Industries-Recalls-RZR-200-Youth-Recreational-Off-Road-Vehicles-ROVs-Due-to-Crash-Hazard-and-Risk-of-Serious-Injury #polaris #rzr200 #offroadvehicles #steering #lossofcontrol #crashes #injuries #recall

Vidcast:  https://www.instagram.com/p/C1Ico1BLGEj/ The CPSC and the Kubota Factor Corporation have recalled Kubota Sidekick Utility Vehicles, model RTV-XG850, due to improperly assembled steering components leading to loss of control crashes, and injuries. About 3170 of these vehicles were sold. Stop riding these recalled vehicles until can authorized Kubota dealer has inspected and repaired the steering assembly.  Contract Kubota at 1-888-458-2682 for more information. https://www.cpsc.gov/Recalls/2024/Kubota-Tractor-Recalls-Utility-Vehicles-Due-to-Crash-and-Collision-Hazards-Recall-Alert #kucbota #sidekick #utilityvehicles #steering #lossofcontrol #injuries #recall

Vidcast:  https://www.instagram.com/p/C1Ib9forK17/ The CPSC and  Power Brands now recall Empower PowerXL™ DUAF-10 and DUAF-005 Vortex Dual-Basket Air Fryers.  The plastic U-connector holding the dual food baskets together fragments leading to burns. About 319,000 air fryers were sold at at Target, Walmart, Kohls and other stores nationwide and online at www.target.com, www.walmart.com, www.kohls.com and on  other websites.   Stop using these air fryers and call Empower Brands at 1-866-704-9370 for a full refund. https://www.cpsc.gov/Recalls/2024/Empower-Brands-Recalls-Power-XL-Dual-Basket-Air-Fryers-Due-to-Burn-Hazard #empower #airfryer #baskets #burns #recall

Vidcast:  https://www.instagram.com/p/C1IbFgFrOO7/ The CPSC and Room and Board are recalling Room & Board Griffin Duo Bunk Beds.  A number of these beds were improperly assembled and lack set screws that should be installed inn the side rail brackets.  Such beds may collapse leading to falls and injuries. About 500 of these bunk beds were sold nationwide. Immediately stop allowing anyone to climb on or sleep on these bunkbeds.  Check the 8 brackets for set screws.  If your bed is missing these, contact Room and Board at Room & Board at 1-800-301-9720 or via the email shop@roomandboard.com for a free seat screw repair kit as well as clarification regarding inspection performance.  The company will also send a qualified repair person if you cannot repair the bed.  For more info, contact the company and/or view this repair video: https://www.cpsc.gov/Recalls/2024/Room-Board-Recalls-Griffin-Duo-Bunk-Beds-Due-to-Risk-of-Collapse-Fall-and-Injury-Hazards-Sold-Exclusively-at-Room-Board #roomandboard #bu

Vidcast:  https://www.instagram.com/p/C1ISqj3rGnT/ The CPSC and Traeger are recalling Traeger Flatrock Flat Top Propane Grills as the burner control knobs on these grills are mislabeled leading to users failing to turn them off with fires and burns. About 37,000 grills were sold at Ace Hardware, The Home Depot and Scheel’s stores nationwide and online at www.acehardware.com, www.homedepot.com andwww.traeger.com. Stop using these grills and contact Traeger at 1-833-654-2407 for instructions regarding grill inspection and receipt of a free repair kit if needed. https://www.cpsc.gov/Recalls/2024/Traeger-Pellet-Grills-Recalls-Flat-Top-Propane-Grills-Due-to-Fire-Hazard #traeger #gasgrill #controls #fires #burns #recall

Vidcast:  https://www.instagram.com/p/C1IR5lGLzZm/ The CPSC and Weatherbeeta USA now recall Weatherbeeta USA Collegiate Horse-Riding Saddles.  These saddle’s rivet or stirrup bar may break leading to rider falls and injuries. About 2300 of these saddles were sold at Dover Saddlery, Equss Now, Strafford Saddlery Shop, The Carousel Horse Tack and other stores nationwide and online at www.doversaddlery.com, www.smartpakequine.com, www.statelinetack.com and www.weatherbeeta.com. Stop riding on these saddles and contact Weatherbeeta at -800-526-6310 or via the email collegiaterecallusa@weatherbeeta.com to receive a free replacement saddle. https://www.cpsc.gov/Recalls/2024/Weatherbeeta-USA-Recalls-Collegiate-Horse-Riding-Saddles-Due-to-Injury-Hazard-Recall-Alert #weatherbeeta #collegiate #saddle #stirrups #falls #injuries

Vidcast:   https://www.instagram.com/p/C1IQRMOr8bT/ The CPSC and BRP are recalling Can-Am® Commander series, Defender series, and Maverick Trail series equipped with an HD7 or 700 engines side-by-side vehicles (Model Year 2022 and 2023).  The recommended maintenance intervals cited in their instruction manuals are incorrect leading to clutch failures with fragment ejection and serious injuries. About 14,555 vehicles were sold in the US and about 2285 were sold in Canada. Immediately discontinue riding these vehicles until you have reviewed and complied with the updated maintenance recommendations.  For more information and those updated guidelines, contact BRP at 1-888-272-9222. https://www.cpsc.gov/Recalls/2024/BRP-US-Recalls-Side-By-Side-Vehicles-Due-to-Injury-Hazard-Recall-Alert #BRP #offroadvehicles #clutch #maintenance #injuries #recall

Vidcast:  https://www.instagram.com/p/C1A10uFLZds/  After women were permitted to self-schedule their own mammogram breast cancer screening studies via their electronic health record or EHR portals, the percentage of screenings actually completed surged from 24% before to 60% after.  That’s a 2-½ times higher completion rate.  This the result of a University of Pennsylvania study of more than 35,000 patients.  When self-scheduling via the portal was instituted, the Epic EHR also began reminding women that they could schedule their own studies, and this modification contributed to the higher completion rate.   Healthcare works best when patients take an active role in their care.  This is yet another example of the positive results that occur when the sometimes stodgy medical establishment breaks the mold and transfers more power as well as responsibility from the bureaucracy to the patient. https://www.ajpmonline.org/article/S0749-3797(23)00444-0/fulltext #mammograms #selfscheduling #EHR #cancer #screeni

Vidcast:  https://www.instagram.com/p/C1A1LSfrM_T/ One of America’s oldest weight reduction services is launching a behavioral support program for those taking the diet drugs sweeping the nation.  According to the company’s press release, “WeightWatchers GLP-1 Program,” have been scientifically formulated to provide nutrition advice, psychological support, and lifestyle recommendations for those on the GLP-1 agonist drugs such as semaglutide or .  Weight Watchers members can also obtain these prescription medications through clinicians affiliated with the program. The program aims to help users of these drugs safely reach their target weights and retain the gains following drug discontinuation by providing daily nutritional and activity targets as well as trackers for these as well as for food intake.  Trained coaches help each member with specialized advice tailored to their specific needs. https://tinyurl.com/3k53d373 #weightwatchers #obesity #semaglutide #glp1agonists #nutrition #counseling #monitorin

Vidcast:  https://www.instagram.com/p/C1A0Gw-r5fJ/ That’s the promise of a new long-acting form of GLP-1 agonist diet drugs developed by bioengineering material science researchers at Stanford University.  Placing a larger dose of the drug in a hydrogel depot permits its slow release over an extended period as long as 4 months.  This long-acting drug formulation not only benefits those fighting obesity but type 2 diabetics as well. One shot delivers medication over the time that normally requires 42 separate shots.  At this time, this system has only been tested in rats, but human trials are expected to begin with several years.  Once those are completed, this more convenient dosing alternative could reach you…..someday soon. https://www.cell.com/cell-reports-medicine/fulltext/S2666-3791(23)00486-X #semaglutide #depot #extendedrelease #obesity #diabetes

Vidcast:  https://www.instagram.com/p/C1Ay4nwrYlq/ Cancer cells have a unique array of complex sugars attached to their proteins.  Molecular biologists at Sweden’s University of Gothenburg have developed a method using using mass spectroscopy and AI analysis to identify patterns of these polysaccharides or glycans that are diagnostic for the presence of cancer.  The researchers studied 220 patients diagnosed with 11 different cancers and have identified unique patterns of sugar structure for each cancer type.  The technique is precise and sensitive and will no doubt enhance the usefulness of liquid biopsies that look for cancer markers in blood.  It will come to the clinic to help our medical teams diagnose cancer more accurately and earlier…..someday soon. https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2667237523003235?via=ihub #cancer #sugars #glycans #massspectroscopy #ai #liquidbiopsy

Vidcast:  https://www.instagram.com/p/C1Ax58er3Ou/ Two seizure drugs can trigger a sudden and devastating immune-type reaction that can destroy your internal organs and lead to death.  The drugs are:levetiracetam, branded as Keppra, Keppra XR, Elepsia, XR, and Spritam, and clobazam, branded as Onfi and Sympazan.  Each of these medications can induce a process known as DRESS syndrome or drug reaction with eosinophilia and systemic inflammatory destruction.  Occurring within 2 to 8 weeks after starting these anti-seizure medications, DRESS starts as a rash and rapidly leads to internal organ destruction and death.  Even though this reaction isn’t common, its lethality has lead the FDA to post warnings and institute black box labeling. If you or a family member is taking these seizure medication be certain that they and their medical teams are on the lookout for DRESS Syndrome. https://www.fda.gov/media/174157/download?attachment#:~:text=This reaction is called Drug,for hospitalization, and even death. #se

Vidcast:  https://www.instagram.com/p/C1AxBsELNIe/ Six months of yoga led to a 7 fold higher chance of complete seizure elimination or a 4 fold higher odds of cutting seizure numbers by half.  These results were just published in the journal Neurology by researchers at New Delhi’s All India Institute of Medical Sciences. The randomized, blinded study of 160 patients 18-60 years of age assigned half the group to a yoga plus psychoeducation intervention and the other half to sham yoga plus the same psyched.  Assessments occurred at 3 and 6 months following initiation of therapy. Besides enjoying a reduction or total elimination of seizures, the true yoga group enjoyed significantly less anxiety, better cognitive skills, improved mindfulness, and an overall improved quality of life. If you suffer from seizures, you might want to talk with your medical team about getting out that mat and adding yoga to your daily regimen. https://www.neurology.org/doi/10.1212/WNL.0000000000207944 #epilepsy #seizures #yoga #

Vidcast:  https://www.instagram.com/p/C1AwS2PLlqX/ It turns out that influenza viruses as well as coronavirus 19, CoVid, can have lingering, negative effects on your health, but Long CoVid is 10 times more serious than Long Flu.  Epidemiologists at the Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis reviewed the records of nearly 11,000 military veterans hospitalized with the flu and compared them with over 81,000 vets hospitalized with CoVid. Hospitalized CoVid patients were 50% more likely to die than influenza patients.  The excess deaths due to CoVid were nearly 9 fold higher than due to the flu. Looking at some 94 adverse health effects of these viral infections, those with CoVid faced a 68% higher risk of suffering them compared with a 6% higher risk for flu patients.  CoVid patients were twice as likely to require hospital readmission.  Both of these viruses have damaging effects on our vital body organs with CoVid’s effects only 15% more prevalent than those of the flu. These nasty consequen

Vidcast:  https://www.instagram.com/p/C1At3zmrTEq/ It’s been 2 years since the FDA approved the drug semaglutide, branded as Wegovy, Ozempic, and Rybelsus,  for weight management, and about 6 weeks since it approved tirzepatide, branded as Zepbound and Mounjaro.  As more of us take these drugs, and we all know many who do, a raft of medical complications have begun to surface.  You should be aware of them and the need to self-monitor with greater awareness of your body’s signals. First and most important:  If you’re anticipating a general anesthetic for any procedure, consult your anesthesiologist at least a month in advance.  You’ll likely need to pause these weight drugs in advance as they delay stomach emptying and trigger vomiting which can be devastating if not lethal during anesthesia induction. What about other complications? Nausea and vomiting can occur without anesthesia again due to slow stomach emptying.  Constipation and diarrhea also occur.  Then there are also more serious gastrointestinal

Vidcast:  https://www.instagram.com/p/C1Auu-GrE5_/ Congenital syphilis, that is babies born with this dread disease, has surged 7-½ fold over the past decade.  The CDC announces this frightening statistic as it reminds all of us, pregnant women and the medical teams that care for them, that fetal and newborn syphilis is completely preventable.   This disease occurs in pregnant women and the babies they carry due to multiple missed medical opportunities in 88% of cases.  Thirty-seven percent of women were never tested at the outset of pregnancy and 40% of the already infected received inadequate treatment.  For those developing syphilis while pregnant, two-thirds received inadequate therapy. In-utero syphilis triggers miscarriages and stillbirths.  Babies born with it suffer skin lesions, dental deformities, failure to thrive, meningitis, seizures, intellectual disabilities, blindness, and deafness. If you’re pregnant or thinking about it, don’t do this to your baby.  Make certain you’re tested before get

Vidcast:  https://www.instagram.com/p/C1At3zmrTEq/ Parents who have already or will be vaccinating their infants and children this winter are in the majority for the flu and RSV, and an increasing percentage will also vaccinate against CoVid. The latest Texas A&M national online survey of more than 5,000 parents come the findings that 71% will vax against RSV, 63% will vax against influenza, and at least 40% will vax against CoVid. This heartening data comes as the CDC reports frightening low vaccination rates for these 3 diseases.  Only 16% of older adults, the largest target group for the RSV vaccine, have received it.  A similar or lower figure applies to pregnant women whom the CDC say should receive the vaccine during their 3rd trimester so they can pass antibodies to their babies via the placenta.   For influenza, only 36% of adults and children have already been vaccinated this season.  For CoVid, the vaccination percentages are an abysmal 17% for adults and 8% for children. It is a fundamental

Vidcast:  https://www.instagram.com/p/C0yLKLOr0eT/ The FDA and Lara’s Bakery 3, LLC are recalling Pan de Racho, Panque, and Pan Surtido as these pastries contain undeclared sesame seed, coconut, soy, wheat, milk, and egg. These pastries were sold in Iowa and Wisconsin. If you have any of these pastries at home, you can obtain a refund by calling  Lara’s Bakery at 1-641-752-0152 or by visiting the bakery’s Marshalltown IA location. https://www.fda.gov/safety/recalls-market-withdrawals-safety-alerts/laras-bakery-3-llc-issues-allergy-alert-undeclared-sesame-seed-coconut-soy-wheat-milk-and-eggs-pan #larasbakery #pastries #sesame #coconut #soy, wheat #milk #egg #allergy #recall

Vidcast:  https://www.instagram.com/p/C0yKhIMLHX3/ The FDA and New India Bazar have recalled Maggi 2 Minute Noodles since this product contains undeclared peanut allergen.  Affected at lots with codes 31159939CA and 4354M56 These noodles have been sold by New India Bazar stores in California.  If you bought these noodles, return them to the place of purchase for a full refund.  For more information, call 1-408-942-1770. https://www.fda.gov/safety/recalls-market-withdrawals-safety-alerts/allergy-alert-undeclared-peanut-maggi-2-minute-noodles #maggi #noodles #peanuts #allergy #recall