Editor's Note Demand for skin removal surgeries has risen sharply in the US, fueled by the popularity of GLP-1 weight loss drugs like Ozempic and Wegovy, CNN reported December 9. The trend reflects a growing need for procedures that address loose, sagging skin following significant weight loss, particularly as the…

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Editor's Note Two recent reports highlight a widening gap in life expectancy between the US and other high-income nations. According to a December 6 article in Healio, the data point to modifiable risk factors and rising obesity rates as key contributors to what experts call a public health crisis. The…

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Editor's Note Glucagon-like peptide-1 receptor agonists (GLP-1s) could reduce total knee arthroplasty (TKA) complications for non-diabetic patients with obesity, according to a November 13 Helio report on research presented at the American Association of Hip and Knee Surgeons Annual Meeting. In addition to reduced odds of 90-day medical complications, the…

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Editor's Note The US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has updated the labels of all treatments containing GLP-1 receptor agonists with a warning about warning about pulmonary aspiration during general anesthesia or deep sedation. Drugs and brand names listed in a November 8 report on the development from MedPage Today…

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Editor's Note Joint guidance from key US medical associations advises that most patients on GLP-1 weight-loss medications, such as semaglutide (Ozempic, Wegovy) and tirzepatide (Mounjaro), may safely continue these drugs before surgery, HealthDay News reported October 31. Concerns had emerged about potential risks associated with these medications due to their…

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Editor's Note Combining newer weight loss drugs with bariatric surgery is the most cost-effective long-term strategy for treating obesity, according to research presented at the American College of Surgeons Clinical Congress 2024. Medical Xpress reported on the findings October 18. According to the article, researchers from Northwestern Medicine evaluated the…

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Editor's Note The first clinical guidance for prescribing opioids to children recommend combining the drugs with nonopioid medications like acetaminophen or ibuprofen rather than as monotherapy, according to a September 30 report in Healio. Released by The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP), the guidance also specifies that naloxone should also…

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Editor's Note Patients using GLP-1 receptor agonists (GLP-1 RAs) have a higher risk of food retention during esophagogastroduodenoscopy (EGD) when performed alone, but not when combined with a colonoscopy, according to a retrospective study from Cedars-Sinai Medical Center. MedPage Today reported the news October 1. The study included 70 patients…

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Editor's Note Bariatric surgery significantly reduces the progression of chronic kidney disease (CKD) in patients with type 2 diabetes and obesity compared to those on GLP-1 diabetes medications, according to a study from Cleveland Clinic. Published in Annals of Surgery and detailed in a September 20 announcement from Cleveland Clinic,…

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Editor's Note Research shows atrial fibrillation (Afib), a heart rhythm disorder, affects 10.5 million US adults—three times more than previously believed, HealthDay News reported September 12. The article focuses on a study from the University of California, San Francisco (UCSF), published in the Journal of the American College of Cardiology.…

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