Diabetes medications vary in ability to reduce heart attacks and strokes
A new study led by Kaiser Permanente researchers compared how well 4 different types of glucose-lowering medications reduced the risk of heart attack and stroke for patients with type 2 diabetes, providing important new information for these patients and their physicians. The study, published in JAMA ...
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Insomnia increases depression risk for breast cancer survivors
Breast cancer survivors face a high risk of major depressive disorder, also known as clinical depression, particularly if they also have insomnia, according to findings from a new study of Kaiser Permanente ...
Some UTIs may be caused by contaminated meat
Nearly 1 in 5 urinary tract infections (UTIs) in Southern California could be due to E. coli strains transmitted through contaminated meat, according to a new study of Kaiser Permanente Southern California ...
Physicians develop program to better control patient blood sugars
After COVID-19 hit in 2020, some physicians within Kaiser Permanente grew concerned that their patients with diabetes weren’t achieving healthy blood sugar control. Even when they came into the office ...
Five questions for … Dr. Heidi Brown
September 24, 2024Heidi Brown, MD, MAS, is a urogynecologist and a dissemination and implementation scientist who joined the Department of Research & Evaluation in August 2023. Her research focuses on improving access to effective solutions for pelvic floor disorders such as bladder and bowel incontinence and pelvic organ prolapse. She uses community engagement, user-centered design, and iterative ...Read more...No increased risk associated with flu vaccines given in closely spaced pregnancies
September 19, 2024Monitoring of about 45,000 pregnant people receiving flu vaccines in each of 2 successive pregnancies showed no increased risk of side effects or health issues, according to a Kaiser Permanente study published September 19, 2024, in JAMA Network Open. “Our study’s findings support recommendations to give flu vaccinations to pregnant persons even if they received a ...Read more...Beta blockers not all the same for patients with heart failure and CKD
September 16, 2024A Kaiser Permanente Southern California study showed that 1 heart-failure medication worked best among the 3 most commonly used to prevent illness and disease among patients with chronic kidney disease and heart failure. “Beta blockers save lives in heart failure patients, but we wanted to see how this worked among patients who also had chronic kidney ...Read more...Gay men may be aging faster
September 13, 2024Gay men had shorter age-adjusted telomere length, which is a biomarker of aging, than straight men, according to a Kaiser Permanente study published in the American Journal of Epidemiology. “While everyone ages at the same rate chronologically, studies have shown that we do not age at the same rate biologically,” said the lead author on ...Read more...High-dose and adjuvanted flu vaccines provided better protection for seniors
August 21, 2024High-dose and adjuvanted influenza (flu) vaccines boosted protection against flu symptoms and hospitalization for people 65 years and older during the 2022-2023 flu season compared to the standard flu vaccine. The study was published on August 21, 2024, in Clinical Infectious Diseases. “Our research showed that there were advantages for older people to receive high-dose or ...Read more...Five questions for … Dr. Robert Sallis
August 13, 2024Robert Sallis MD, FAAFP, FACSM, is a family medicine and sports medicine physician practicing at the Kaiser Permanente Fontana Medical Center, where he serves as director of the sports medicine fellowship program. He is a clinical professor of Family Medicine at both the Kaiser Permanente Bernard J. Tyson School of Medicine and the University of ...Read more...Soda tax may impact children’s weight
July 31, 2024After 4 California cities began taxing sugar-sweetened beverages, young people in those cities had lower body mass index (BMI) compared to young people living in cities without the tax, a new study shows. “The findings of our study demonstrate that SSB (sugar-sweetened beverage) excise taxes may be associated with lower BMI percentile among youth,” said the ...Read more...Reduced death rates from colorectal cancer with FIT screening
July 26, 2024An analysis of Kaiser Permanente patients in California found a 33% reduced risk of dying from colorectal cancer among those completing at least one at-home fecal immunochemical test (FIT) screening. The study was published in JAMA Network Open. In 2007, Kaiser Permanente Southern California began an organized colorectal cancer screening program that includes automated outreach with ...Read more...Program helping patients lower cholesterol nets international award
July 19, 2024A 2019 Kaiser Permanente program has helped patients with high levels of “bad cholesterol” start taking medications to lower their cholesterol and decrease their risk of stroke and heart attacks. This month, this SureNet Statin Start program was recognized with a prestigious UNIVANTS of Healthcare Excellence Award, and even more importantly, has significantly improved the lives ...Read more...Five questions for … Dr. Michael Kanter
July 1, 2024Dr. Michael Kanter is an associate investigator with the Department of Research & Evaluation and the chair of Clinical Science and a professor for the Kaiser Permanente Bernard J. Tyson School of Medicine. He has been a quality care leader for Kaiser Permanente at both the regional and national levels for many years and was responsible for ...Read more...