What is Non-Alcoholic Fatty Liver Disease (NAFLD)?

For Fibronostics

The liver performs a multitude of functions including digesting food, processing nutrients, and eliminating toxic byproducts in the blood.

Nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) is one of more than two dozen diseases of the liver. NAFLD is a condition in which too much fat is stored in the liver not accumulated as a result of alcohol consumption. The related disease of alcoholic liver disease is caused by a buildup of fat due to heavy alcohol use. (published site)

FDA lists proposed guidance publications for 2019

For Kapstone Medical

The FDA issued its list of proposed guidance publications for 2019 on Oct. 5 as part of its agreement to speed approvals of medical devices in exchange for additional funding from industry.

The Agency actually posted three lists: the “A list” includes guidance documents it intends to publish in the next 12 months; the “B list” includes documents the agency intends to publish as resources permit; a third list includes past documents that are due for retrospective review. (published site)

Emerging AI Applications in Medical Devices

For Kapstone Medical

In April, the U.S. FDA issued its first marketing permit for a medical device using artificial intelligence to detect greater than mild diabetic retinopathy. While it was the first such AI approval, it promises to be just the beginning of AI medical devices. (published site)

Shared responsibility for cybersecurity of medical devices widely recognized

For Kapstone Medical

The FDA issued a warning about vulnerabilities of medical devices to cybersecurity threats in a press release on Oct. 1, 2018 and is taking steps to help organizations improve cybersecurity of their medical devices.

While the agency said it has received no reports of incidents of unauthorized exploitation of medical device vulnerabilities, it is taking action to increase awareness among health IT executives and has launched a cybersecurity “playbook” in collaboration with MITRE for organizations focusing on cybersecurity readiness. (published site)

Playbook sets framework for dealing with medical device cybersecurity attacks

For Kapstone Medical

Citing the increasing number of cyber attacks in healthcare and concern about the potential for targeting medical devices, the FDA announced in an October 1, 2018 press release the publication of its Medical Device Cybersecurity Regional Incident Preparedness and Response Playbook.

The playbook was prepared in collaboration with MITRE, a non-profit, government-funded research and development organization that explores new uses of technologies to assist government agencies in solving problems. (published site)

$10 chip changes standard ultrasound into 3D

For Kapstone Medical 

In a novel adaptation of the chip in your smartphone that tracks how your phone is oriented can turn a $50,000 2D ultrasound machine into an ultrasound with 3D capabilities rivaling that of $250,000 counterparts. And here is the wow factor, the chip costs $10.

Researchers and engineers at Duke University and Stanford demonstrated their device last year at the American College of Emergency Physicians Research Forum in Washington, D.C. (published site)

On the Rise: Liver Disease-Related Deaths in Millennials

For Fibronostics

A growing number of Americans are dying from liver disease and the age range is lower than you may think. The surprising correlation between the increased mortality rate and decrease in age range has sparked concern and interest for researchers. 

The age at which people are developing liver disease is declining with the greatest increase in people dying of alcoholic cirrhosis and liver cancer since 2009 is among young people aged 25-34. That’s the findings of a new study published in the July 2018 British Medical Journal.  (published site)

The 5 Best and 4 Worst Hot Drinks for your Liver

For Fibronostics

As Autumn marches in and the days get cooler, we tend to switch from ice teas and coolers to hot drinks like coffee, cocoa and mulled beverages warming on the back of the stove. 

If you are among the growing millions with concerns about liver health, however, there is a lot of conflicting advice about coffee, caffeine, cocoa, lemon, and hot toddies. Here are the 5 best and 4 worst hot drinks for your liver health: (published site)

Physician Tips: How to make patients care about liver health

For Fibronostics

Despite the numbers showing liver disease as a significant and growing health problem, a large proportion of your patients likely know little about what the liver does or what if anything they should do to care for it.

The problem for hepatologists, gastroenterologists, and primary care physicians really is not that different than getting patients to make lifestyle changes to improve their heart, or lung health. Getting patients to lose weight, stop smoking or cut their consumption of sugar, salt, and alcohol often feels like a fools errand.

October is Liver Cancer Awareness Month

For Fibronostics

It’s time to think about your liver!

For the fifth year in a row the American Liver Foundation  has partnered with Bayer Healthcare to raise public awareness about the risk of liver cancer and to encourage those at risk to follow up with their doctors and get proper ongoing screening for one of the deadliest forms of cancer.