Staying #Up2Date 🚨

1. Blood pressure (BP) in noisy vs. loud settings

In this RCT, BP was assessed in a private quiet office (private quiet), noisy public space (public loud), and a noisy public space with earplugs (public quiet).  Public-loud and public-quiet BPs had minimal, non–clinically important differences from private quiet BPs. These findings support the reliability of BP assessments even outside traditional quiet settings.

2. Severity and long-term mortality in COVID, RSV, and influenza

This cohort study of 140K US veterans compared the severity of COVID-19, influenza, and RSV during the 2022-2023 and 2023-2024 seasons. While COVID-19 was associated with higher 30-day hospitalization and long-term mortality compared to influenza and RSV, differences were less pronounced in the later season, with RSV remaining the mildest illness. Vaccination significantly reduced disease severity and eliminated mortality differences between COVID-19 and influenza. 

3. Trop testing trends

In this cross-sectional analysis of 731 million ED visits, 7% of visits had cardiac biomarker testing, with no significant trend changes over time. Testing was more frequent in older adults, men, and those with abnormal vital signs. Notably, two-thirds of patients undergoing testing had no chest pain, with ACS identified in fewer than 2% of these cases. Conversely, 75% of patients with chest pain did not undergo testing.

Healing Homes 🏠

Have you ever wanted to trade in your scrubs for the hustle of owning your own business? Our friends at beyond MD recently interviewed Dr. Neel Chadha, who started a business in the senior living industry in Canada.

How it began: Dr. Neel Chadha began his career in family medicine (of course, specializing in geriatrics). There he saw firsthand the gap in senior living, particularly the lack of high-quality, ethical care.

So, what’d he do? The problems he saw led him to create Lanark Lifestyles in Perth, Ontario, a senior care home that offers a wide range of services, including independent living, assisted living, and palliative care. He specifically calls out staying focused, doing your research, and the importance of good mentorship. 

Here’s 3 tips he lays out for entrepreneurs:

1. Focus on one project. While it may be tempting to leap to another project once you’ve hit your target goals, Dr. Chadha said that for him, honing in on one project he’s very passionate about has helped him feel more fulfilled and decreased the risk of burnout. 

2. Do your own homework. Dr. Chadha recommended a quick regional census search of the area you want to invest in to check out the demographics. This can help accomplish your long-term goals and prepare for any competition you might encounter down the road.

3. Mentorship! Dr. Chadha credited “intentional networking” as a tool he used to achieve his goals. He told listeners not to be afraid to reach out to people who’ve had success in the areas they’re trying to grow in.

But: Jumping into a new field can be daunting as it requires learning new skills, and securing funding can be hard. Dr. Chadha recommended starting with a clear business plan and building a team of supportive folks who share your passions and want to help you succeed. 

If you're feeling inspired, or want to learn more about Dr. Chadha’s journey into senior living, check out beyond MD here or wherever you get your podcasts.

Hot Off The Press

1: 🇺🇸 On his first day back in office, President Trump capped Medicare copayments, reversed Obamacare policies, and scrapped prescription drug pricing rules, calling them “deeply unpopular” and “radical.” Experts say these changes likely won’t change anything for most Americans, but these moves signal a clear break from his predecessor’s work. Could this policy shift ripple north of the border?

2: 👾 Chinese tech startup DeepSeek is disrupting the industry with a low-cost, open-source model rivalling top US players. Its AI assistant quickly became the most popular free app on Apple’s US App Store, sparking a sharp sell-off in chip stocks — Nvidia dropped 17%, dragging markets down. The shake-up raises questions about the future of tech investment and US market dominance.

3: 🏥 A landmark arbitration ruling against Unity Health Toronto could change the game for how hospitals use agency staff. The arbitrator said the network broke its collective agreement by outsourcing roles like RPNs and PSWs, basically treating agency workers like full-time staff. This could make other hospitals rethink their reliance on temp staff, which has been criticized for driving up costs and damaging labor relations.

4: 🤳🏼TikTok’s future in the US remains uncertain as Apple and Google keep the app off their stores, even though an executive order temporarily stopped its ban. TikTok’s back in action, but there’s still a lot of legal confusion about whether its Chinese parent company, ByteDance, has to sell off part of the business. Without updates or new downloads, the app could stop working, raising doubts about its future in the US.

5: 🔬Trump's sweeping moves to freeze health agency work and cut ties with the WHO have medical researchers worried. A lot of them are bracing for a return to anti-science policies — everything from pausing NIH trials to going after health equity programs. The stage has been set for a showdown over the politicization of science.

Notable Numbers 🔢

43%: the percentage of Canadians who are highly susceptible to believing misinformation, according to a recent Canadian Medical Association (CMA), showing an upward trend. Another 35% are merely “moderately susceptible.” The good news? One stable statistic, 80%: Canadians’ steadfast trust in physicians and other healthcare professionals.

$1 billion: Canada Post’s financial lifeline from the federal government to keep operations running amid mounting losses. With high labor costs, regulatory hurdles, and shifting parcel demands, Canada Post will use the loan to help meet immediate obligations. Public Services and Procurement Canada calls it a “bridge” as Canada Post works toward long-term solutions.

200,000: the number of people included in a recent study on GLP-1 drugs, which suggested benefits beyond diabetes and obesity, including lower risks of Alzheimer's and addiction. However, researchers warn of potential risks like pancreatitis and arthritis, cautioning against broader use until more clinical trials confirm these findings.

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