What We’re Reading: 08/21/20

A few highlights from around the web that made it into our feeds this week.

Our Bodies Process Medicines Best at Certain Times of Day

Many studies have been published on the ways hospitals struggle to be healing environments: frequent noise, physician rounding times, room space and unit layout. All elements that hamper quality sleep (which is critical for healing). But there is another major factor at play too, medication itself. Certain drugs work best in the body at certain times of day, and those times don’t necessarily line up with buzzing clinician schedules.

Calibrating medication delivery to when they work best in the body is not an easy task to tackle in the hospital, but this article does a fantastic job of laying out the science and the roadblocks. (From theatlantic.com)

1.5 Million Antibody Tests Show What Parts of N.Y.C. Were Hit Hardest

The largest release of antibody testing data in NYC shows precisely which communities were hit the hardest and where. Lower-income neighborhoods—like several zip codes in Queens, Brooklyn, and the Bronx—faced soaring rates, one area surpassing 50 percent. Yet, no zip code south of 96th street had rates higher than 20 percent.

Neighborhoods with large households were hit hard. Of the children tested, over 30 percent had antibodies. Could some of the hardest-hit communities be close to achieving herd immunity? Researchers break down what we know and don’t know. Give this article a read, and consider the many questions that still remain. (From nytimes.com)

AHA News: What Do Heart Patients Need to Know About COVID-19 Now?

We have learned a lot about the virus since COVID-19 first hit our communities; and new data continues to paint a somewhat clearer picture for many with preexisting conditions. Those with heart conditions are not more likely to get the virus, but they could have a potentially worse case of it. So please take care, follow mask and social distancing protocols, wash your hands, and most importantly do not skip doctor’s appointments or emergency care for fear of getting coronavirus. The hospital is safe. This article does a great job discussing both prevention and intervention, follow the advice of the experts! (From usnews.com)

Diversity, Not Test Scores, Equals Quality in Medicine: An Interview With Quinn Capers IV, MD

Closing out our reads this week with a superb interview about the makeup of our physician workforce, the price we all pay for a lack of diversity, and how to turn the tide now.

“This is a really important time in our country's history, and really in world history, in terms of racism and bias. There's a global call to end racism now, today,” says Quinn Capers IV, MD. “Medicine needs to heed that call. There's a lot of racism and bias in medicine so medicine needs to get its house in order to become a force for good in the fight against racism.” Don’t miss this one. (From medscape.com)

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