DOs need to speak up; new genetic variants; presidential heart health – Morning Medical Update

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Not a real doctor? Think again

Mainstream media often treat doctors of osteopathic medicine (DOs) as second-class citizens of American health care. DOs are a relatively small percentage of physicians across the United States, but they hold some key leadership positions in medicine. Alyssa Cole Mixon, DO, explains why DOs need to let the public know their role in keeping Americans healthy.

How many variants?

The National Institute of Health’s “All of Us” Research Program is examining genetic variants in hopes of understanding genetic influence on health and disease. Diversifying genetic research leads to expanding knowledge about health through discovery of more than 275 million previously unreported genetic variants from almost 250,000 people.

I like Ike for heart care

In 1955, President Dwight Eisenhower’s heart attack shocked the nation, perhaps the world. The president was candid about his health condition, starting a new era of public knowledge and medical research about heart disease. He wasn’t the only president with heart problems. In American Heart Month, the American Heart Association offers this recap about Ike’s “heart attack that changed America.”