In the Media
Medical experts, health advocates and community leaders
Researchers examine effect of job history on health into old age
"It’s important to know if efforts to save money on one end are costing us more in health care on the other end.” Department of Medicine Research Associate, Dr. Judith Godin, wishes to shed some long-lacking light on the question – how does our lifetime of work affect our health status and trajectory as we get older? Dr. Melissa Andrew, a geriatrician at NSHA and leader of the Canadian Consortium on Neurodegeneration in Aging’s “Multimorbidity in Relation to Dementia” team, is an advisor to the project. So is Dr. Olga Theou, an NSHA-affiliated scientist in the Department of Medicine. The project received an NSHA Research Fund grant to explore the SHARE data. NSHA News, September 25, 2018.
Residency numbers bolstered by $1.5 million annual investment
Department of Medicine Head, Dr. Christine Short, participates in the Government of Nova Scotia announcement that will see a $1.5 million annual investment in new residency spots; some of which are Department of Medicine specialities. Global News, September 12, 2018.
Harm reduction in hospital: Care for IV drug users
When a person who is addicted to intravenous drugs lands in hospital with a serious health issue, staff have a double-barrelled crisis on their hands. Now, there's a patient who is medically unstable due to illness and is also at risk of life-threatening opioid withdrawal. Dr. Tommy Brothers, a second-year resident in internal medicine, is leading a new NSHA Research Fund supported study to examine how such cases have been handled in the past. This knowledge is crucial toward developing a plan to provide the best patient-centred, evidence-based care. NSHA News, August 27, 2018.
$1.4-million study aims to eliminate hep C in Nova Scotia
Infectious diseases specialist Dr. Lisa Barrett: “Our research will help focus local efforts and bring us closer to the World Health Organization’s target of eliminating viral hepatitis as a major public threat by 2030.” Read the full story in The Chronicle Herald, July 27, 2018
Preventing post-operative complications
Aspirin is now proven to be just as effective as the prescription anticoagulant drug, rivaroxaban, in preventing blood clots after hip and knee replacement surgery. These are the results of a four-year, Halifax-led, cross- Canada clinical trial involving more than 3,400 patients recovering from hip or knee replacement surgery. The patients were randomly sorted into two groups—half were given Aspirin (ASA), half rivaroxaban. Surgeons following the patients’ recoveries found little difference in the occurrence of clots in the legs or lungs or bleeding complications at the incision site, between the two groups. The New England Journal of Medicine published the results of the study—funded with $3 million from the Canadian Institutes of Health Research—in March 2018. Dr. David Anderson, Department of Medicine hematologist and Dean of Medicine at Dalhousie, co-led the study with five local orthopedic surgeons: Dr. Michael Dunbar, Dr. Ross Leighton, Dr. David Amirault, Dr. Glen Richardson and Dr. Gerry Reardon. NSHA News Release, July 6, 2018.
HeartLand bike tour criss-crosses NS
The HeartLand Tour is a public awareness campaign that uses the bicycle as a vehicle to educate and draw attention to the importance of reducing cardiac and health risk factors in the health of Nova Scotians. Global News features Dr. Nick Giacomantonio, Division of Cardiology, and the HeartLand Tour, July 4, 2018
Halifax research of trail of chemicals released in bacterial fights
A decrease in effectiveness of certain antimicrobial drugs has led to a spike in deaths related to bacterial infections. Dr. Paul Bonnar, physician co-lead of the Nova Scotia Health Authority’s Antimicrobial Stewardship Program, talks about the program that was established last year to monitor the number of antibiotic prescriptions in the province, with an eye to reducing the antibiotic overuse that allows bacteria to become drug-resistant. Chronicle Herald, June 24, 2018
The program was also featured in the QEII Times – Summer 2018 Issue.
How a test new to the Maritimes calculates risk in epileptic surgery
Dr. Kristin Ikeda, Division of Neurology, is part of the team offering the Etomidate Speech and Memory test. The test, known commonly as eSAM, is new to the QEII. It helps some epilepsy patients determine if they are a candidate for surgery. QEII Times, June 2018
Dalhousie researchers on the hunt to fund new Alzheimer’s tool
The tissue-processor that has been used in Dr. Darvesh’s lab for the past several decades is outdated and will be replaced by the new machine. The Leica HistoCore PEARL gives scientists the ability to quickly and precisely analyze brain tissue, though it can also be used in cardiology and cancer research. A funding project is underway to raise the $50,000 needed to purchase the new tissue-processing machine. Dr. Sultan Darvesh and his team are advancing research into Alzheimer’s disease that aims to be able to fully diagnose people while they’re still living. View story on Global News - May 3, 2018
Doctors must get better at diagnosing patients with darker skin
"Resident physicians are now encouraged to do elective rotations in neighbourhoods with diverse populations", said Dr. Kerri Purdy, director of Dalhousie University's dermatology training program. View full story on CTV News - Apr. 24, 2018
Internist co‑authors for The Lancet on Canada’s health leadership
Dalhousie Medical School’s young and accomplished internist, Dr. Ashley Miller, is one of a select group of authors of a series for UK-based The Lancet analyzing Canada’s health system, its global leadership, and its imperative to evolve. View full story on Dal News - Apr. 13, 2018
Women’s heart health on CBC Maritime Noon
The Department of Medicine’s, Dr. Sharon Mulvagh, Co-Director of the QEII Women’s Heart Health Clinic, participated in a CBC Maritime Noon’s call-in show to promote women’s heart health and answer public questions. Dr. Mulvagh is a cardiologist with the Division of Cardiology. Listen to full story (start 11 min 30 sec) from CBC Maritime Noon - Mar. 9, 2018
Lack of hep C treatment for NS inmates is missed opportunity
The Department of Medicine’s, Dr. Lisa Barrett, with the Division of Infectious Diseases, sees inmates with HIV and hepatitis C at the Central Nova Scotia Correctional Facility in Dartmouth, N.S. She talks to CBC News about how lack of treatment options for provincial inmates with hepatitis C is creating inequities in health care and missing an opportunity to control the spread of the disease. View full story on CBC News - Mar. 9, 2018
Women's kidney health the focus of this year's World Kidney Day
The Department of Medicine’s, Dr. Amanda Vinson, transplant nephrologist, speaks to CTV news about new research that shows kidney disease is more prevalent in women. Read full story on CTV News - Mar. 8, 2018
Aspirin is as effective as prescription drug in post-op clot prevention
The drugs are “equally safe,” says Dr. Anderson, but rivaroxaban costs dollars a day and Aspirin, pennies. “This really does help the patients and the overall health care system as a more affordable and equally safe and effective means of preventing blood clots.” Read full story on Dal News - Mar. 6, 2018
Assessing and addressing frailty
Frailty is a compromised state of health that leaves a person vulnerable to sudden and serious declines. In Canada, one quarter of the people over 65 and half those over the age of 85 are frail. Department of Medicine researchers are measuring and tracking frailty to provide more sensitive, effective care. They’ve developed tools for quantifying frailty that are now used in Canada, the United Kingdom, the United States, China and other parts of the world. “The frailty index captures the complete picture of a person’s health,” notes Dr. Kenneth Rockwood, NSHA-Dalhousie geriatrician and professor who, with mathematician Dr. Arnold Mitniski, pioneered the frailty index. “It shows how multiple health problems add up to various degrees of frailty. From there, people can make informed decisions about their health care.” Read full story on NSHA news - Feb. 28, 2018
Solving medical mysteries at QEII’s General Internal Medicine Clinic
Drs. Stephen Workman and Ashley Miller, with the Division of General Internal Medicine (GIM), are featured in the QEII Times. The story highlights the General Internal Medicine Clinic and its specialists who diagnose and manage diseases of any organ system. They are specially trained to manage patients with advanced illness or conditions involving more than one system or organ, such as hypertension, heart failure, vascular and allergy/immunology. The specialists connect patients coming from a family doctor to the wider expertise at the QEII. View full story in QEII Times - Feb. 2018
Research links bipolar disorder and, insulin resistance
After finding a connection between bipolar disorder and insulin resistance, Dr. Cindy Calkin, psychiatrist, established the Mood and Metabolism Program at the QEII in 2013. The Department of Medicine’s endocrinologist, Dr. Tom Ransom, joined the team to share his knowledge of metabolic conditions in this collaborative approach to treating patients. Their story is featured in the QEII Times. View full story in QEII Times - Feb. 2018
Tip-proof geriatric chair promotes early mobilization
The Department of Medicine’s Dr. Kenneth Rockwood (Division of Geriatric Medicine) is featured in the QEII Times, showcasing the tip-proof geriatric chair that he helped design. The tip-proof chairs promote early mobilization and are very functional for the aging population and help facilitate better health. View full story in QEII Times - Feb. 2018
QEII-designed program helps Canadians cope with COPD
The INSPIRED program helps manage the COPD illness from home. INSPIRED represents: Implementing a Novel and Supportive Outreach Program of Individualized Care for patients and families living with Respiratory Disease. The program, led by Dr. Graeme Rocker (Division of Respirology), continues to grow. Over the next 18 months, an additional 39 sites across Canada will welcome 2,300 new patients to the program. View full story in QEII Times - Feb. 2018
Nova Scotia sets up program to help pay for take-home cancer drugs
Nova Scotia has launched a program to help pay for high deductibles and co-payments for cancer patients who take medication for their illness outside of hospital settings. Dr. Daniel Rayson, head of medical oncology at the QEII Health Sciences Centre in Halifax, says the program will take a great deal of strain off patients. Read full story on CBC News - Feb. 27, 2018
Heart disease clinic for women is a dream come true for cardiologist
The Department of Medicine’s, Dr. Sharon Mulvagh, a cardiologist with the Division of Cardiology, is featured by CBC news for her role in opening a women’s heart health clinic. The Maritime Heart Centre's Women's Heart Health Clinic started accepting patients at the QEII Health Sciences Centre in Halifax in October. View full story on CBC News - Feb. 9, 2018
Major discovery for Alzheimer's disease with help of brain bank
Dr. Sultan Darvesh has made a major discovery using specimens at the Maritime Brain Tissue Bank. "There is another target found in Alzheimer's pathology and that particular target is a protein. We have been able to make compounds that target that particular protein which is found much more in people with Alzheimer's disease, almost 10 times more," he said. "It was a major event in my lab when we discovered that.". Read the CBC News story - Jan. 30, 2018
Study to determine if prostate cancer linked to metal exposure
Dr. Anil Adisesh, Associate Professor and JD Irving Limited Research Chair in Occupational Medicine, is studying toenail clippings to determine if toxic metal exposure, like cadmium, is linked to the high rates of prostate cancer in the region. Read the CBC News story - Jan. 30, 2018
Lupus Brain Map
The Department of Medicine’s rheumatologist, Dr. John Hanly, talks to CTV News about his Lupus Brain Map study. The research is focused on the role lupus has in causing cognitive impairment, sometimes called lupus fog. Patient participants go through a series of cognitive tests and two forms of brain imaging. Watch the CTV News Housecall - Jan. 24, 2018
Innovative health-care programs exist – and work
Columnist Andre Picard features a Department of Medicine program INSPIRED as an innovative health-care solution that is working. The program was designed to keep late-stage COPD (chronic obstructive pulmonary disease) patients out of hospital by providing support to them and their families in the community. The program was created by Dr. Graeme Rocker, Division of Respirology, and his team. View the story in The Globe and Mail - Jan. 23, 2018
Sultan Darvesh: Revolutionary Researcher
When Dr. Sultan Darvesh (MD’88) was completing his residency in Neurology with Dalhousie University’s Faculty of Medicine in the early 1990s, he often asked his mentors for advice on what to research in his medical career. “The consensus,” he recalls, “was that I should pick the most complicated, most difficult subject matter I could explore and focus on that, so I chose Alzheimer’s disease.” See full story on Dal News - Jan. 10, 2018
Creating the world’s first definitive diagnostic test for Alzheimer’s
Halifax researchers are on the verge of launching the first-ever technology with the ability to definitively diagnose Alzheimer’s disease in a living person’s brain. “Until now, the only way to confirm this diagnosis was to have the brain examined by a neuropathologist after death,” says Dr. Sultan Darvesh, the NSHA-Dalhousie neurologist who is the brains behind the breakthrough technology. Dr. Darvesh is with the Department of Medicine’s Division of Neurology. Read the story on NSHA News - Jan. 9, 2018
Shingles vaccine discussion airs on Maritime Noon
Infectious Diseases specialist, Dr. Shelly McNeil, joins CBC Maritime noon to discuss the new shingles vaccine. The segment invites patients to share their experiences and asks the question: “Should government cover the cost of the new shingles vaccine”. Dr. McNeil is also the Department of Medicine’s Division of Infectious Diseases, Division Head. Listen to the podcast (start 9 min 37 sec) - Jan. 9, 2018