Joseph R. Anticaglia, MD Medical Advisory Board Britain’s medicines regulators in November 2023 approved the gene editing technology, CRISPR-Cas9, for the treatment of genetic diseases, such as sickle cell disease and thalassemia. This is the first licensed treatment aimed at curing the above two diseases. Much credit belongs to 2020 Nobel Prize laureates Jennifer Doudna. and Emmanuelle Charpentier for their innovating,
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Joseph R. Anticaglia, MD Medical Advisory board Our immune system’s job is to protect us against foreign invaders, including respiratory viruses such as COVID-19, Flu and RSV. On September 4th of this year, 72 year old First Lady, Dr. Jill Biden, for the second time tested positive for Covid-19. Mrs. Biden initially tested positive for this virus in August 2022. Might her immune
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Joseph R, Anticaglia, MD Medical Advisory Board A retired Army veteran came to my office years ago complaining of sinus pain and sinus pressure, thick greenish-yellowish discharge, stuffy nose and a slight fever. I prescribed an antibiotic, decongestant medications, one to be taken by mouth, the other a nasal spray as well as medication for pain. “Jack, can you get this prescription filled at the V. A. pharmacy?” “Sure, but
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Joseph R. Anticaglia, MD Medical Advisory Board The kidneys are two bean-shaped organs located at the back of the upper abdomen just below the rib cage. The ureters connect the kidneys to the bladder. The kidneys are remarkable, unsung powerhouses of the body that flush out waste products into urine and redirect vital substances back into the bloodstream. They
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Joseph R. Anticaglia, MD Medical Advisory Board We take many things for granted when things are moving along smoothly. However, when things aren’t flowing normally, we become concerned. Why do I have a burning sensation on urination? Why is the color of the urine pink? Why do I have pain above my right hip and back? What’s causing my high blood pressure? My doctor told me I
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Joseph R. Anticaglia, MD Medical Advisory Board Nosebleeds are a common problem that can occur at «any time, in any place and in any season.» The gamut of nosebleeds can vary from a minor annoyance to a life-threatening hemorrhage. The vast majority of nosebleeds, also called epistaxis, stop spontaneously and do not require a visit to your doctor’s office or the Emergency Department (ED) of a hospital. There are things
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Joseph R, Anticaglia, MD Medical Advisory Board Welcoming a child into the family is usually a joyous occasion. But for one in eight women, per CDC, during pregnancy or soon after giving birth, that time is anything but joyous. Peripartum and postpartum depression is a major subtype of depression. Today, better awareness, understanding and diagnosis of this condition has removed some of the guilt, confusion and
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Joseph R, Anticaglia, MD Medical Advisory Board The Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) estimates that influenza was associated with 10,000 hospitalizations, and 5,000 deaths in the United States during the 2021-2022 season. What’s noteworthy, is that these figures represent a remarkable decrease in hospitalizations and deaths due to influenza, when compared to the previous eight years in the U. S. Could the heightened
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Joseph R, Anticaglia, MD Medical Advisory Board From January to December 2022, COVID-19 was the primary or contributing cause of approximately 244,000 deaths in the United States, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. On September 12 of this year, the CDC recommended that “everyone 6 months and older get an updated COVID-19 vaccine. Vaccination remains the best protection against COVID-19 related hospitalization and
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Joseph R. Anticaglia, MD Medical Advisory Board Psoriatic arthritis (PsA) is a type of chronic inflammatory arthritis that causes joint swelling, pain and stiffness. It’s associated with psoriasis, a skin condition characterized by red, thick, itchy, scaly patches. Both inflammatory arthritis and psoriasis are an autoimmune disease, meaning the immune system mistakenly attacks its own healthy tissues leading to joint inflammation and
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