Health care
St. David’s debuts new stroke treatment A treatment for chronic stroke survivors, the first of its kind in Central Texas, has begun at St. David’s Medical Center. Physi- cians began implementing a Food and Drug Administration-approved neurostimulation device in March, that stimulates the vagus nerve during rehabilitation therapy and daily activities. Zooming in A small medical device is implanted under the skin in the upper left chest area. The rehabilitation therapy that follows can help chronic stroke survivors regain movement in their upper extremities, according to the news release. During physical therapy sessions, a therapist will use a wireless transmitter that communicates with software and signals the device to deliver a pulse to the vagus nerve while stroke survivors perform specific tasks. The task-specific therapy increases neural connections to improve upper limb function, according to the news release.
Overdoses remain No. 1 cause of accidental death Weeks after a mass overdose across Austin, the Travis County Medical Examiner’s report was released May 23 and found a 17% increase in accidental overdose deaths for 2023. Overdose deaths involving opioids decreased by 3.82% nationally year over year in 2023, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
The gist In the county, overdoses are the No. 1 cause of accidental deaths with guns as the No. 1 cause of nonaccidental deaths, according to the report. Officials emphasized that, despite the increased rate of accidental fentanyl-related deaths, it is not increasing at the magnitude of prior years. Drug overdose deaths continue to dispropor- tionately impact Black and Brown communities, County Judge Andy Brown said. Aside from drug toxicity—or overdoses—falls and car-related injuries were the runners-up in most accidental deaths for the year.
Assessing overdoses
Total accidental overdoses
Accidental fentanyl-related overdoses
500
35% increase
400
16% increase
300
200
13% increase
100
107% increase
0
2018
2019
2020
2021
2022
2023
SOURCE: TRAVIS COUNTY MEDICAL EXAMINER
Colon cancer rates up for young adults
AI used to create Alzheimer’s drug
Symptoms of colorectal cancer include:
Abdominal pain Bloating Weight loss
Changes in bowel movements Blood in stool
Researchers from the University of Texas have found a way to utilize AI to create an expensive Alzheimer’s medication for less. How it works The study, published in March, utilized an AI tool developed by UT post-doctoral researcher Danny Diaz to create the active ingredient in galantamine as a byproduct of its normal metabolic function. What’s next So far, Diaz said the team is about one- fourth of the way to completing the bacteria’s proper mutation, and he expects the study could wrap up within the next five years.
Due to changes in lifestyle and a greater empha- sis on screenings, the overall rate of people in the U.S. being diagnosed with colon or rectal cancer has dropped each year since the 1980s, according to the American Cancer Society. Despite the overall decrease, colorectal cancer is now the leading cause of cancer deaths in men under age 50 and the second-leading cause of cancer deaths in women under age 50, according to a 2024 report by ACS. What you need to know As colorectal cancer is often preventable or treatable through early detection, screenings are recommended. Colorectal cancer is often detected in younger patients in the later stages once more aggressive tumors have formed, said Dr. Thiru Laikshman, a surgeon at Texas Colon & Rectal Specialists.
Factors that may prevent colorectal cancer from developing include:
Not smoking Avoiding or limiting alcohol consumption Avoiding red meats
Eating a high-fiber diet with fruits and
vegetables Exercising
Maintaining a normal weight
SOURCES: CENTERS FOR DISEASE CONTROL AND PREVENTION, NATIONAL CANCER INSTITUTE, TEXAS ONCOLOGY/COMMUNITY IMPACT
While doctors are unsure of why younger people are developing this type of cancer, it could be due to environmental factors such as diet, he said. Other inequities in the healthcare system, socioeconomic factors and a lack of health care insurance are often barriers for screenings.
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