Adam Hochron

The diagnosis of heart failure is a common problem cardiologists face on a daily basis both in the hospital and outpatient settings. Finding the best treatments to help their quality life remains an issue being addressed across cardiology.

Located in the heart of the country Northwestern Medicine has made a name for itself in a wide range of conditions. With such a large number of specialists covering many conditions it can help provide more comprehensive care for many people locally and beyond.

With projections that the number of patients with Parkinson's disease could double in the near future as the population continues to age work is still being done to find effective treatments and cures for the condition.

There are constantly new innovations being developed in vascular surgery, particularly when it comes to the treatment of aneurysms and Northwestern University is one place where that work is being spearheaded.

Vascular surgery can mean operating on many parts of the body and as a result can mean surgeons face unique challenges with each procedure even as technology rapidly improves the field.

It has been several years since Eliquis was approved as an oral anticoagulant but still more research is being done to show its benefits in helping patients with non-valvular atrial fibrillation.

It was just one year ago when doctors were excited about being able to offer PCSK9 inhibitors to patients in the hopes of helping them lower their cholesterol. Since that time one considerable challenge they have faced is overcoming the cost of this new class of medication.

At the annual meeting of the American College of Cardiology a debate was held looking at how coronary artery calcium should affect patient care.

Across the spectrum of medicine machines are being trained to play a larger role in the diagnosis and treatment process. A recent study looked at whether machines are better at predicting the future for a patient and their overall care.

To say that a patient has been diagnosed with myocardial infarction may not paint the full picture of the diagnosis. Recent research has shown there is a second type of the condition which not as much is known about across the spectrum.

As new treatments are developed for multiple sclerosis one of the questions has become how do you measure their success. A possible metric being developed is No Evidence of Disease Activity or NEDA.

There is still much more to be learned about the effects of depression and cognitive impairment in patients with multiple sclerosis but there are steps being taken to address these issues and help better inform patients of the impact both can play in their lives.

Patients diagnosed with multiple sclerosis may feel their cognitive abilities slip in their everyday lives but without the proper testing their level of impairment may not be properly diagnosed.

Patients diagnosed with multiple sclerosis may develop depression as a result of the diagnosis but there is also research being done to show that depression can be part of the disease rather than as a result of it.

While the work being done to find a treatment for neuromyelitis optica is encouraging those in the field know they have not yet found a cure for the condition and that the agents being investigated will not help reverse the damage already done, which can be discouraging at times.

There are rare diseases and then there are ultra rare diseases. Neuromyelitis optica falls into the latter category but with a considerable amount of research behind it and a defined target to look at there has been success seen in finding treatments with more work being done every day.

While there are no approved treatments currently for neuromyelitis optica there is a considerable amount of work being done to help patients with this rare condition in the future.

At first glance, having patients with multiple sclerosis do yoga may seem unsafe and dangerous to their health. However, under the watch of a properly trained teacher and with careful monitoring this form of exercise has proven beneficial in even some of the most severe cases.

Research in the medical field covers a wide range of conditions and ways to not only treat them but also prevent them. Research is being done on a new vaccine for hepatitis B which has shown to be effective in patients with diabetes.

When people think of social networks their immediate reaction may be to think of web based networks and programs. A new recent study looked at the impact of having people to turn to for patients in the early stages of diabetes treatment and beyond.

While it is not yet approved for the treatment of patients with type 1 diabetes recent studies on canagliflozin have shown it could be an option for this patient population.

There are many factors and comorbidities to consider when treating diabetes. Finding the balance of treatment through medications can determine the quality of life of patients as they navigate through the condition.

With more than 60 presentations at the American Diabetes Association's meeting AstraZeneca showed a wide range of studies all geared towards helping patients with this condition.

When patients enter the hospital monitoring their blood glucose can be even more important to limit the effects of hypoglycemia. If the condition does develop it can make the stays longer and more expensive for everyone involved.

Blood glucose monitoring is an important part of patient care no matter where it is done, but it can be particularly important in hospital settings.

The field of diabetes care is continually moving forward. Even as data was being presented at this year's meeting of the American Diabetes Association the future was at the forefront of many people's minds in an effort to help these patients even more.

Even as gastric bypass continues to be a proven surgical option in the fight against the obesity epidemic work still remains to find a therapeutic option for this patient population as well.

There is no question that hunger can affect a person's life, a recent study looked at the scientific aspect of this discussion and what doctors can do to help patients with this challenge.

Especially for children with diagnosed with type 1 diabetes their journey with the condition will last decades affecting not only themselves but those around them. This is also true for patients with type 2 diabetes and how they confront these challenges can affect their life outside of diabetes as well.

IBM Watson Health is working on several projects of their own as well as with partners in the field to move the treatment of diabetes forward in an effort to hep as many patients as possible.