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What your patients are reading: Week of September 2, 2024

September 6, 2024

Patient’s emergency surgery sparks legal battle over warning labels for weight loss drugs

Juanita Gantt, 62, who was prescribed the weight loss drugs Wegovy and Ozempic, ended up needing emergency surgery and now lives with an ileostomy bag. She is suing Novo Nordisk, claiming the drug labels didn't adequately warn about severe side effects like gastroparesis and bowel obstruction. Novo Nordisk maintains that the risks are well-documented in FDA-approved labeling and plans to defend against the lawsuit. Despite the benefits of these drugs for weight loss and diabetes control, experts emphasize the importance of being aware of potential risks. (Werner & Moniuszko, 2024)

Is your desk job giving you "Dead Butt Syndrome"?

After a long day at your desk or hours in a car, feeling stiff might just be tight hip flexors and lower back, but it could also be "Dead Butt Syndrome” or gluteal amnesia. This condition occurs when gluteal muscles become so weak from inactivity that they forget how to function, leading to other muscles and joints, especially in the lower back and knees, compensating. Symptoms often go unnoticed until the individual goes for a jog or hike and can particularly affect runners and rotational athletes like golfers and tennis players. To prevent gluteal amnesia, it’s important to stay active and engage glutes regularly. Simple exercises like clamshells, hip thrusts, and squats can help. (Murphy, 2024)

Soft-shell helmet caps under scrutiny amid rising football-related fatalities

Repeated head impacts in football, even without concussions, can cause long-term brain damage, raising concerns about player safety. The recent deaths of three young football players, including 13-year-old Cohen Craddock, have intensified calls for additional protective gear like Guardian Caps. While some studies show these caps can reduce impact forces, others find no significant benefit, and the NFL’s claims of reduced concussions lack publicly available data. Experts and researchers remain divided on the effectiveness of Guardian Caps in preventing head injuries. (Goodman, 2024)

Sources:

Werner, A. and Moniuszko, S. (2024, September 4). CBS News. Weight loss drugs allegedly landed this woman in the hospital, prompting lawsuit about drug label warnings. https://www.cbsnews.com/news/weight-loss-drugs-labeled-risks-lawsuit/

Murphy, J. (2024, September 4). The New York Times. Sitting All Day Can Cause Dead Butt Syndrome. https://www.nytimes.com/2024/09/04/well/move/dead-butt-syndrome-gluteal-amnesia.html

Goodman, B. (2024, August 30). CNN. The NFL embraced soft-shell helmet covers to protect players from concussions. Here’s what the science says about them. https://www.cnn.com/2024/08/30/health/football-head-injury-guardian-cap-research/index.html