Clinical Conversations

Latest Episodes:

Podcast 21: An interview with Dr. Steven T. DeKosky about his JAMA paper showing that ginkgo extract does not prevent dementia Nov 21, 2008

Show notes

It’s the usual offering: the week’s news summarized, an interview, and a quick exit. This week we talk with Steven DeKosky about his JAMA paper on the (lack of) usefulness of ginkgo extract in preventing dementia. The links will point you to a good resource on these alternative therapies and what’s known about them. Don’t hesitate to leave us a comment at 617-440-4374. News links:

Statins and cardiovascular risks

Guidelines on second-generation antidepressants

Interview links:

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Podcast 20: While we take a week off, we offer the reprise of an interview with Dr. Steven Woloshin of Dartmouth Medical School. Nov 18, 2008

Show notes

We interviewed Steven Woloshin back in June about a method of showing patients the magnitude of the risks they face from habits like smoking. We reprise the interview while we take some time off to recharge our batteries. Interview link:

First Watch coverage of Woloshin’s study in JNCI

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Podcast 19: An interview with Dr. Susan Davis about using testosterone in postmenopausal women who have low libido. Plus, the week’s news. Nov 07, 2008

Show notes

This week’s podcast features an interview with the Australian researcher Susan Davis. She’s just had a study in NEJM about the effect of testosterone on low libido in postmenopausal women. We also have the usual news roundup. Enjoy! (If you don’t, let us know at 1-617-440-4374.) Journal Watch links:

Interview link:

New England Journal of Medicine abstract

Journal links:

Election links:

The 2008 election results

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Podcast 18: News plus an interview with Prof. Riccardo Utili about infective endocarditis in the elderly Oct 31, 2008

Show notes

This week we look at why infective endocarditis among the elderly has characteristics very different from its manifestations in younger patients. Prof. Riccardo Utili of the Second University of Naples is our guest. And of course we start with a brief news roundup. Journal Watch links:

Journal links:

Interview links:

Archives of Internal Medicine study on age and endocarditis

Voting links:

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Podcast 17: News plus an interview with Dr. Arto Strandberg regarding midlife smoking Oct 24, 2008

Show notes

This week Dr. Arto Strandberg, a general practitioner who does his research at the University of Helsinki, talks with us about the effects of midlife smoking on later-life living. Plus we have the usual news roundup. Journal Watch links:

Journal links:

Interview links:

Archives of Internal Medicine article

X-ray story links:

Nature video

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Podcast 16: This week’s news, plus an interview recorded earlier this year with Dr. John Douglas of the CDC’s Division of STD Prevention Oct 17, 2008

Show notes

We had trouble reaching our intended interviewee in Finland. so we rescheduled that for next week. Instead, we’re bringing you an interview with Dr. John Douglas of the CDC that we recorded in March. He talks with us about the implications of a finding that one in four young women in the U.S. has a sexually transmitted disease. But first, news.

Journal Watch Links:

Journal Links:

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Podcast 15: The week’s news, plus an interview with Dr. Alexi A. Wright about her article in JAMA on end-of-life conversations and their cascading ben... Oct 10, 2008

Show notes

The medical news gods were generous this week, providing a wealth of stories to choose from. Plus, the Nobel prizes were announced. We’re especially fortunate to have an interview with a researcher whose findings relate directly to your clinical work. Journal Watch links:

News story links:

Interview links:

JAMA abstract on end-of-life discussions

Nobel links:

Nature news article

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Podcast 14: News roundup and interview with Dr. Michael Hochman about his JAMA paper on how the news media cover drug research. Oct 06, 2008

Show notes

The week ending Oct. 3, 2008, was relatively slow for medical news, but crammed with news of every other sort. This week’s interview features Michael Hochman, a third-year resident in internal medicine who has just published a paper on how the media cover research on new drugs. It seems they don’t make a habit of reporting funding sources.

Journal Watch links:

Journal links:

Interview links:

JAMA abstract

Science link:

Scientific illustration

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Podcast 13: News and interview with Dr. Stephen Hetz, co-editor of “War Surgery in Afghanistan and Iraq” and director of medical education at Beaumont... Sep 27, 2008

Show notes

This week’s podcast includes an interview with Stephen Hetz, co-editor of the recently published book “War Surgery in Afghanistan and Iraq.”

Journal Watch links