Author Archives
Mike Mitka is a senior staff writer for JAMA's Medical News & Perspectives section.
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Author Insights: Treating Mental Stress May Benefit Patients With Coronary Heart Disease
Mental stress can potentially trigger an episode of myocardial ischemia, a decrease in the flow of oxygen-enriched blood to the heart muscle caused by the narrowing of coronary arteries, resulting in chest pain and more serious events such as heart… Read More ›
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Age, General Health of Men Diagnosed With Localized Prostate Cancer May Determine Treatment Strategies
For men newly diagnosed with localized prostate cancer, estimated life expectancy is a key factor in choosing from treatment options that range from surgery and radiation to watchful waiting. For men with low- or intermediate-risk prostate cancer (based on tumor… Read More ›
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Author Insights: Study Finds Single-Chamber Implantable Defibrillators Safer and as Effective as Newer Dual-Chamber Devices
Sometimes, more is not better, as researchers report in a new study of implantable defibrillators, devices that use electrical shocks to prevent sudden cardiac arrest in people with potentially life-threatening heart arrhythmias. In research published today in JAMA, investigators found… Read More ›
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Task Force Recommends All Adults Should Be Screened for Alcohol Misuse
Clinicians should screen all adults aged 18 years and older for alcohol misuse, including pregnant women, and provide persons engaged in risky or hazardous drinking with brief behavioral counseling interventions to reduce misuse, says the US Preventive Services Task Force… Read More ›
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Alzheimer Disease Therapy Fails to Show Efficacy in Study
Patients with mild to moderate Alzheimer disease experienced no reduction in cognitive decline or preservation of functional abilities, according to findings of a phase 3 trial of intravenous immunoglobulin (IVIG, Gammagard). The announcement, by trial sponsor Baxter International, follows similar… Read More ›
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Maltreatment and Adversity in Childhood Is Associated With Poorer Teen Health
Mistreatment and other adversity experienced by children are associated with poorer health by early adolescence. The findings appear in JAMA Pediatrics and were published online today to coincide with the opening of the Pediatric Academic Societies’ annual meeting. Although previous… Read More ›
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Author Insights: Two Doses of HPV Vaccine May Be as Effective as the Recommended 3 Doses in Protecting Women From Cervical Cancer
Human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccines administered in 3 doses over a period of 6 months can help prevent cervical cancer but cost (almost $400 for the 3-dose regimen in the United States) may limit its use in countries with fewer resources…. Read More ›
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Primary Care–Based Screening May Identify Some Adults at Increased Risk for Suicide
Screening tools in the primary care setting may help identify some adults at increased risk for suicide, but the tools have limited ability to detect suicide risk in adolescents, say the authors of an evidence review prepared for the US… Read More ›
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Little Progress Seen in Developing New Antibiotics to Combat Drug-Resistant Bacteria
The development of new antibiotics remains alarmingly neglected, report authors of an Infectious Diseases Society of America (IDSA) public policy article. The article, appearing today in Clinical Infectious Diseases, is a progress report on the IDSA’s 10 × ’20 Initiative,… Read More ›
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Author Insights: Reimbursement Systems May Hinder a Hospital’s Ability to Reduce Postsurgical Complications
A complication after surgery is something patients and physicians want to avoid, but certain types of payments to hospitals appear to reward suboptimal care and penalize quality care, according to study findings appearing today in JAMA. The study found that… Read More ›
