DOXY PEP IS TAKING OFF AND PREVENTING STIs

By: Daniel Pearce, D.O., FCOI, AAHIVMS

DOXY PEP IS TAKING OFF AND PREVENTING STIs
Taking 200 mg of doxycycline in <72 hours after sex has greatly lowered the incidence of Sexually Transmitted Infections. Patients are happy to have this prescription on hand to take after sex. Some negative effects: • Some will have photosensitivity. So go out in the sun for just 20 min to see if you get burned more easily. If not, increase your exposure. Of course, sunscreen is recommended as usual. But this is a brief dose/exposure of doxycycline. • Nause, Vomiting, Diarrhea, Constipation are possible side effects. • An ulcer in the esophagus is a rare complication of doxycycline. • Young children can have discolored teeth if they take this family of medications. NICOTINE VAPE CARTRIDGES POISONING KIDS Some have died, Please store these in childproof areas. POSTPONE DEATH BY HELPING OTHERS Many conditions cause increased inflammation, e.g. HIV, gum disease, chronic infections, increased stress. This inflammation causes accelerated hardening of the arteries, clogging them to cause cardiovascular events. Helping others lowers the level of the stress markers in the blood and that postpones the heart attack or stroke by letting the arteries narrow at their normal rate as we get older. Supporting family and friends and volunteering to help others are linked with lower stress hormone markers. OXYCONTIN’S® MARKETING LEGACY OF DEATH AND DESTRUCTION In those states where Oxycontin® was marketed heavily in the past, there are more heart infections, hepatitis B and C, and HIV even to this day compared to states where the drug was not marketed heavily. NEW TYPE OF PAIN MEDICINE ON THE HORIZON This medication does not work in the same way as Tylenol®, Ibuprofen group of anti-inflammatories, or opioids. It works on blocking the pain messages to the brain. VX-548 is in the early experimental stages. So something hopeful! COW’S MILK OR PLANT- BASED MILK BETTER? Plant-based milks lack Vitamin D, protein, and calcium. We can make protein and get calcium from vegetable sources. Vitamin D can be made with sun on the skin. Cow’s milk also has lactose which has been associated with cardiovascular disease so I use the phrase of my mentors: “Cows milk is great for baby cows.” I consume a minimal amount of milk. I do eat cheese and eggs so that may cover it OK in my vegetarian diet. Cheese is fermented milk and fermentation uses lactose for fuel and converts it to lactic acid. SOYBEAN OIL ASSOCIATED WITH INFLAMATORY BOWEL DISEASE Soybean oil is a common oil used in foods; check the labels. This oil contains much linoleic acid which seems to be the culprit causing the problem. It seems to promote bacteria which damages the intestinal cells. TAKING ANTIBIOTICS EARLY IN LIFE, MULTIPLE TIMES, OR LONG TERM ASSOCIATED WITH COLON CANCER AND POLYPS A study showed this association. This underscores the need for providers not to prescribe antibiotics unless clearly needed and for patients to respect the data that says an antibiotic is not needed. Colds, sinusitis, bronchitis, sore throats, and ear infections don’t always need antibiotics since they may be due to allergies or viruses. Urgent Care offices and Emergency Departments seem to prescribe antibiotics frequently to my patients. Patients expect a prescription after travelling and waiting for the provider. Many don’t seem to want printed pages on how to take care of their problem without antibiotics. They seem to think they are an exception to the evidence and must have antibiotics. It takes more time to discuss a treatment course without an antibiotic than a course including it. ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE CAN GET MORE INFORMATION FROM SCANS There was a study of low dose Cat Scans of the lungs looking for tumor. The investigators had AI look at the body composition (how much fat and muscle) too and was able to predict how long the patient lived. The point is that there is a lot of data available and using AI to analyze that data can be very helpful. HIV INCREASES CARDIOVASCULAR RISK, MEDS HELP We do a calculation on what your risk is for a heart attack or stroke and then add 1% more risk if you have HIV. If the risk is now high enough, we offer a cholesterol medication which is now proven to be helpful in HIV patients since they have double the risk for these cardiovascular events compared to HIV negative people. HIV CAN BE ERADICATED BY 2030 The UN says that if countries have the will and implement programs for prevention and treatment this is achievable. Well, we’ve seen that climate change is not being addressed adequately and the worst predictions of the scientists are not bad enough as we have floods, fires, drought, and sea level rising. I don’t have much hope for our planet engaging in the teamwork needed to address important issues. But we should still try to push for policy changes and make it work in our lives and the lives of our descendants. VACCINES TO PREVENT HIV: STUDIES SHOW PROMISE The mRNA Covid vaccine breakthroughs are being applied to HIV and the studies are in progress now. More results should be available at the end of the year. Keep those questions coming and be safe! dpearce@western.edu Daniel Pearce, D.O., FACOI, AAHIVMS Associate Professor of Medicine, Loma Linda University School of Medicine HIV, Hepatitis B,C, Transgender, Suboxone Specialist, Neighborhood Health (Riverside, Hemet), Loma Linda SACH (San Bernardino) Member, Coachella Valley Clinical Research Initiative REFERENCES: Medscape®