The Vaping Epidemic; Why Veterinarians Commit Suicide; the 'Inevitability of Death'

— Also, how to help patients at risk of suicide

by Fred Pelzman, MD September 14, 2019

Fred Pelzman is an associate professor of medicine at Weill Cornell, and has been a practicing internist for nearly 30 years. He is medical director of Weill Cornell Internal Medicine Associates.

The rise in vaping-related health issues and deaths represents "an epidemic that begs for an urgent response," writes David C. Christiani, MD, MPH, exploring the alarming consequences of using e-cigarettes ~ Vaping-Induced Lung Injury (New England Journal of Medicine)

Why are so many veterinarians committing suicide? Scott Simon explores this disturbing trend ~ Veterinarians Are Killing Themselves. An Online Group Is There To Listen And Help (NPR)

Jules B. Lipoff, MD, recalls the challenges of acting as his grandmother's medical advocate and reflects on his efforts to "to accept the inevitability of death" ~ Don't Fear the Reaper (JAMA)

"It often has seemed as if powerful external forces beyond our control have propelled vulnerable persons over the edge to their death," writes Eric D. Caine, MD, who examines efforts to help patients who may be contemplating suicide ~ Seeking to Prevent Suicide at the Edge of the Ledge (Annals of Internal Medicine)

As the number of vaping illnesses and deaths mount, experts are working to understand the causes and disseminate appropriate warnings about e-cigarettes, Hannah Knowles writes ~ What we know about the mysterious vaping-linked disease and deaths (The Washington Post)

The Editors of the New England Journal of Medicine and five societies reflect on why access to legal and safe pregnancy termination is a "public health right"~ The Dangerous Threat to Roe v. Wade (New England Journal of Medicine)

Esther García-Esquinas, MD, and colleagues explore the chronic conditions and other factors that contribute to the greater risk of pain in older women compared with men ~ Gender Differences in Pain Risk in Old Age (Mayo Clinic Proceedings)

Fred N. Pelzman, MD, of Weill Cornell Internal Medicine Associates and weekly blogger for MedPage Today, follows what's going on in the world of primary care medicine. Pelzman's Picks is a compilation of links to blogs, articles, tweets, journal studies, opinion pieces, and news briefs related to primary care that caught his eye.