Media Coverage
The work done by Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine faculty members (and even some students) is regularly highlighted in newspapers, online media outlets and more. Below you’ll find links to articles and videos of Feinberg in the news.
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New York Times
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How to Beat the Afternoon Slump
Sleepiness is widely believed to be influenced by both circadian rhythms and sleep pressure, said Ian Katznelson, MD, a neurologist at Northwestern Medicine Lake Forest Hospital. Circadian rhythms dictate how bodily functions ebb and flow over a roughly daylong cycle, experts said, and these rhythms are largely set by a biological “clock” in the brain. Sleep pressure, meanwhile, is the idea that our need to sleep gradually builds the longer we’re awake. In the afternoon it is common to feel a slump of energy and a nap may be temping. The best ways to manage this feeling is to take a power nap, prioritize easy tasks and get some movement. Try going outside for a walk when you feel drowsy, Dr. Katznelson said: Research has long linked physical activity to improved alertness and concentration, he added. To stave off the midday slump, consider replacing breakfast foods like doughnuts and “sugar-spiked” coffee with more healthful alternatives like eggs or whole-grain oatmeal as well.
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US News & World Report
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Stroke: Types, Causes, Symptoms and Treatments
“Because strokes can strike at any age, it’s important to be aware of how your brain works and the signs and symptoms of stroke,” says Fan Caprio, MD, medical director of the Comprehensive Stroke Center at Northwestern Memorial Hospital. “You should see your primary care physician regularly to reduce any risk factors you may have for a stroke and work at keeping yourself physically and neurologically healthy.” A stroke can be a life-threatening condition that occurs when blood flow to a part of the brain is interrupted because of a blockage or tear in a blood vessel. To function properly, a constant supply of blood carrying oxygen and nutrients to the brain is needed. When blood flow to the brain is blocked, brain cells begin to die within minutes. Symptoms are often ignored because they don’t cause pain, but you should know how to recognize signs of a stroke. The National Stroke Association acronym BE FAST can help you determine if someone is having a stroke. F-Face, ask the person to smile and see if one side of the face is drooping. A-Arms, ask the person to raise both arms to determine whether one drifts down. S-Speech, ask the person to repeat a simple phrase to determine whether speech is missing, slurred or garbled. T-time, time is very important in getting care for someone who is having a stroke. You should call 911 immediately. Do not drive to the hospital. Wait for an ambulance that will begin life-saving treatment on the way to the hospital. They will also call ahead to the emergency room where staff will be waiting for you. When a stroke patient is brought in by ambulance, diagnosis and treatment may begin more quickly than for someone who is not brought to the hospital by ambulance. Emergency workers also collect vital information on the way to the hospital, saving time.
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US News & World Report
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What to Know About Journavx, the Non-Opioid Pain Medication Just Approved by the FDA
The drug, suzetrigine, will be sold under the brand name Journavx and is the first new class of pain medicine approved in more than 20 years. Journavx showed a “statistically significant superior reduction in pain” when compared to a placebo in two randomized trials of acute surgical pain, according to the FDA. However, it did not outperform a common opioid-acetaminophen combination pill. But the drug’s advantage “is not its efficacy, but rather its side effect profile, including the absence of addiction potential,” Steven Cohen, MD, a professor of anesthesiology and pain medicine at Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine and a Northwestern Medicine physician, said in a statement. Journavx has a list price of $15.50 per pill, which is significantly more expensive than comparable opioids. However, it’s unclear to what extent insurers could cover the medicine, and patient support programs for Journavx are available.
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WGN Chicago
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Flu map: These states are now at CDC’s highest activity level
The map of flu activity across the United States continues to darken, both figuratively and literally, as case numbers spike upward in most states, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). The flu positivity rate from lab tests across the country has jumped week-to-week from 18% to 25%, with documented flu activity especially high in some states. With the winter cold driving many of us indoors where virus transmission is easier, the increase in respiratory illnesses isn’t a surprise. However, Mattew Kippenhan, MD from Northwestern Medicine says there may be another reason that so many people seem to be falling ill. “Unfortunately, I think a lot of people have become complacent after COVID and didn’t get their vaccines, so there’s just a higher risk of those people actually becoming ill,” Kippenhan explained. In a Dec. 20 update, the CDC said that vaccination coverage “is lower across most groups of people compared with before the COVID-19 pandemic.” The CDC advises that antiviral drugs work best against the flu when the patients take them within one to two days after they start feeling symptoms. The CDC advises that antiviral drugs work best against the flu when the patients take them within one to two days after they start feeling symptoms.
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Yahoo! News
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Flu activity is on the rise, norovirus cases are spiking and ER visits for COVID are down: What to know about these winter illnesses
‘Tis the season for gathering inside and being surrounded by loved ones — which, unfortunately, makes it much easier to spread and catch the flu, norovirus, COVID-19 and RSV. And it’s not just cuddling by an open fire that puts you at risk: The hallmarks of the winter season, including lower temperatures, low humidity and indoor heating systems, also create the perfect conditions for viruses to thrive, while leaving our dried-out mucous membranes more vulnerable. The most recent CDC data shows emergency department visits related to COVID-19 nationwide as “low” or “minimal,” and Robert Murphy, MD, professor of infectious diseases at Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, tells Yahoo Life that deaths from COVID-19 have been “hovering between 50 to 60 per day for the past several weeks” — down from around 200 per day in 2023. There aren’t any antivirals for RSV, so the CDC recommends that you manage symptoms at home with over-the-counter fever reducers and pain relievers along with lots of fluids, and to contact a health care provider if you have difficulty breathing or if symptoms worsen.
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Fox News
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Experts On Aging Reveal The 5 Major Habits That Will Improve Your Longevity
Remaining healthy and sharp are goals for most people as they age. But one group of people — known as “SuperAgers” — is said to have this all down as they go through life, even into their later years. Experts stress that SuperAgers are not the same as people with good longevity, with the main difference between them being one’s brain. Studies show that SuperAgers’ brains resemble those of much younger people. Specifically, less brain volume loss is seen in SuperAgers in comparison to a person who just has good longevity, according to Northwestern Medicine, an affiliate with Northwestern University’s Feinberg School of Medicine. For example, someone who is, say, 87 years old with good longevity, may have a brain that also matches their age. Tamar Gefen, an assistant professor at the Mesulam Center for Cognitive Neurology and Alzheimer’s Disease at the Feinberg School of Medicine, noted that “there is no special trick to becoming a SuperAger — at least not yet.” How people go about accomplishing these qualities can be vastly different. “For some, it is drinking a beer [or a few] at night. For others, it’s abstaining from vices. Some are still running successful businesses, while others have been retired for years,” Gefen said. ”I suppose the common denominator is that most appear to be socially active or engage in continuous, meaningful activity. But there are exceptions.” The main 5 things that are key practices include moving your body regularly, engaging in social activities, doing what you can to reduce controllable stress, challenging your brain, and making time for the things you enjoy.
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Fox News
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Feeling extra tired? This virus could be the culprit, study suggests
People who have had COVID-19 are more likely to develop chronic fatigue syndrome, officially known as myalgic encephalomyelitis/chronic fatigue syndrome (ME/CFS). That’s according to a study published in the Journal of General Internal Medicine earlier this month, which found that 4.5% of people infected with SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID, developed chronic fatigue. ME/CFS is a “complex, serious and chronic condition that often occurs following an infection,” the NIH wrote. The condition is marked by “new-onset fatigue” that lasts for at least six months and impairs the person’s ability to engage in ordinary activities. Another symptom is “post-exertional malaise,” in which the person feels extreme fatigue after physical or mental activity, the study stated. Many of these symptoms are also associated with long COVID, the researchers wrote. The researchers called for early recognition and proper management of ME/CFS, which she said can be “life-changing” for patients.
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NBC 5 Chicago
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Flu is rising nationwide, CDC reports, with spikes in ER visits
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention released some new flu data to the public on Friday, despite the Trump administration’s halt of nearly all scientific communication coming from federal health agencies. As of the week ending on Jan. 18, the percentage of tests that came back positive for the flu was 25%, up from 19% the week before. Emergency departments are also seeing an increasing number of people sick with flu, especially babies, older children and teens. Of overall visits to the ER, 5.2% were for the flu and were close to reaching the surge hospitals saw before the winter holidays. The FluView report also usually includes information on the spread of H5N1, or bird flu. In the absence of the report, the CDC opted to updated its page on the ongoing bird flu outbreak. No new human cases were reported, despite a rising number of wild birds sickened by the virus. Robert Murphy, executive director of the Robert J. Havey Institute for Global Health at Northwestern University, said it’s crucial for the CDC and other federal health agencies to be free to report on the fast-moving bird flu outbreak. “It’s changing literally by the hour,” he said. “Are we supposed to just forget about that?” The fact that the CDC didn’t release its usual flu report on Friday should not be a cause for major alarm, experts said. And it’s not unprecedented for the FluView to be delayed. It was previously released after its scheduled time because of the national day of mourning for former President Jimmy Carter.
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New York Times
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6 Things We Get Wrong About Sleep
There’s no question that sleep is important for your health. Without enough of it, your risk of developing diseases such as dementia, high blood pressure and Type 2 diabetes can increase, and you’re more likely to feel irritable and anxious. If you’ve experienced long-term sleep deprivation, you might have felt as if your body eventually adjusted. You can find ways to cope with less sleep, like drinking caffeine or skipping late-night activities, said Ian Katznelson, MD, a neurologist at Northwestern Medicine Lake Forest Hospital and clinical assistant professor of neurology at Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine. But that doesn’t mean you’ll actually sidestep the negative effects of little rest, which can include worsened memory, mood swings and diminished creativity. Poor-quality, short sleep isn’t good for you, but oversleeping can be linked to health problems, too, experts said. Adults should generally aim to get seven to nine hours of sleep per night, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
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US News & World Report
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A Patient’s Guide to Colorectal Cancer
Colorectal cancer, mostly diagnosed in older people, is the second leading cause of cancer death and the third most common cancer in the United States. In recent years, it’s become the leading cause of cancer death in men under 50 and the second leading cause of cancer death in women under 50. A colonoscopy is the most common tool used for screening. This medical procedure examines the inner lining of the colon and rectum to screen for polyps or other abnormalities using a colonoscope, a long catheter with a camera attached to one end. Once the stage of cancer is determined, a strategy for treatment can be planned and implemented. All patients should get a second opinion and, if possible, be treated at a cancer center where there’s greater access to cutting-edge therapies, technology, research and clinical trials, advises Ashley Hardy, MD, a surgical oncologist at Northwestern Medicine Regional Medical Group in Illinois. clinical assistant professor of surgery (surgical oncology) at Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine.
