Latest / Morning Medical with Dr. Chow / Smartwatch Updates, Diabetes Screening, Shingles Vaccines, and AAFP Guidelines

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Smartwatch Updates, Diabetes Screening, Shingles Vaccines, and AAFP Guidelines · Morning Medical with Dr. Chow

• 0:00
  Hello and welcome to another episode of Morning Medical with Dr.
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  Chow.
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  I'm Dr.
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  Chi-Ming Chow, your host, bringing you the latest in medical and health news from around
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  the world.
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  Today, we're diving into some exciting updates from the tech world that intersect with health
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  and wellness.
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  Apple has just announced some new health-tracking features that are coming to
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  older models of their smartwatches.
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  This is great news for those who own an older device, as you may not need to upgrade to the
• 0:32
  very latest model to access these new capabilities.
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  With the upcoming release of watchOS 26, Apple is introducing several features that are sure
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  to enhance the health monitoring capabilities of their devices.
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  One of the most notable features is the new hypertension notifications.
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  This feature will be available on the Watch Series 9 and newer models, including the
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  last-generation Watch Ultra 2.
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  These notifications use data from the watch's existing optical heart sensor to analyze how a
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  user's blood vessels respond to the beats of the heart.
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  Over a period of 30 days, an algorithm reviews this data to alert users if there are any signs
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  of high blood pressure.
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  Apple is expecting clearance from the Food and Drug Administration and other regulators soon,
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  with plans to roll out this feature in more than 150 countries and regions.
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  Additionally, Apple is expanding its Sleep Score feature to a broader selection of
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  watches.
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  Previously, this feature was limited to the latest models, but starting next week, it will
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  be available on the Watch Series 6 and later, as well as all Watch Ultra models and the
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  second-generation Watch SE and later.
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  The Sleep Score feature uses heart rate, wrist temperature, blood oxygen, and respiratory data
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  to rate the quality of your sleep when used in conjunction with an iPhone 11 or later.
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  These updates will become available with the release of watchOS 26 on September 15th, so if
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  you're an Apple Watch user, you have some exciting features to look forward to.
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  It's always fascinating to see how technology continues to evolve and integrate with our
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  health and wellness routines, making it easier to keep track of vital health metrics and
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  potentially catch issues before they become more serious.
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  A recent study published in The Lancet has uncovered a startling fact: forty-four percent
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  of individuals globally who live with diabetes are unaware of their condition.
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  This revelation has researchers expressing serious concern, highlighting the critical need
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  for regular diabetes screenings.
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  Lauryn Stafford, the lead author of the study from the Institute for Health Metrics and
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  Evaluation at the University of Washington, described the findings as "very alarming."
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  The comprehensive study analyzed data from more than two hundred and four countries and
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  territories over a span from the year two thousand to two thousand twenty-three.
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  It revealed that only fifty-six percent of people aged fifteen and older with diabetes are
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  diagnosed worldwide.
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  However, this rate varies significantly across different countries.
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  For instance, in Canada, the diagnosis rate is around eighty-five percent, but numerous
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  factors influence these numbers.
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  One of the main challenges is access to healthcare.
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  In some regions, especially in low- and middle-income countries, there are barriers
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  such as a lack of primary care services and insufficient diagnostic tests.
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  People living in rural areas might not have the same access to regular glucose testing as those
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  in urban centers.
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  Socioeconomic constraints further exacerbate these disparities.
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  The study also shed light on the younger population, who are less likely to be
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  diagnosed.
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  Only about twenty percent of young individuals are aware of their diabetes status.
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  Dr.
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  Hertzel Gerstein, a diabetes specialist and endocrinologist, pointed out that although
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  diabetes is more prevalent among older adults, there's an increasing diagnosis rate in those
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  under fifty.
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  This is a concerning trend, as traditionally, diabetes prevalence rises with age.
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  In Canada, approximately one in ten adults over the age of twenty have diabetes, and the number
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  rises to one in five for those over sixty-five.
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  An article in the Canadian Medical Association Journal published in August two thousand
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  twenty-four reported that the annual incidence rate of Type Two diabetes in Canada is between
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  fifty to one hundred and fifty per one hundred thousand people aged twenty to twenty-nine, and
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  this is rapidly increasing.
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  While countries like Canada have higher diagnosis rates, routine screenings remain
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  crucial.
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  Organizations such as Diabetes Canada recommend that individuals aged forty and older undergo
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  testing at least every three years.
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  Factors like family history and other risk indicators should prompt more frequent
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  screenings.
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  Dr.
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  Gerstein emphasized the importance of healthcare providers using clinical judgment to
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  identify "yellow flags" such as strong family history, excess abdominal weight, and certain
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  ethnic backgrounds, which may indicate a higher risk of diabetes.
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  Going undiagnosed can be detrimental to one's health.
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  Dr.
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  Tom Elliott, medical director at BC Diabetes, explained that the first five years of diabetes
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  are often symptomless, yet during this silent phase, the body suffers damage to nerves,
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  kidneys, eyes, and blood vessels.
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  If untreated or poorly managed, diabetes can lead to severe complications like kidney
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  disease, heart disease, stroke, mental health issues, and nerve damage that could result in
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  infections or limb amputations.
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  Despite its "silent" nature, there are symptoms to watch for, such as unusual thirst, frequent
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  urination, blurred vision, or weight changes.
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  According to Laura O'Driscoll, senior director of policy at Diabetes Canada, these symptoms
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  can overlap with other health conditions, which is why blood tests are essential for an
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  accurate diagnosis.
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  She advises individuals to advocate for their health by requesting their HbA1c levels to be
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  checked during routine blood work, as this can indicate whether someone is at risk for
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  pre-diabetes or Type Two diabetes.
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  New Brunswick is currently the only Atlantic province without publicly funded shingles
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  vaccine coverage, a situation that has drawn attention from CanAge, Canada’s national
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  seniors’ advocacy organization.
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  CanAge is urging the New Brunswick government to fund the shingles vaccine for individuals
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  aged fifty and older, aligning with policies in other Atlantic provinces.
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  Laura Tamblyn Watts, the president and chief executive officer of CanAge, emphasized the
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  importance of making all vaccines recommended by the National Advisory Committee on
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  Immunization, or NACI, publicly available, describing it as both common sense and an
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  obvious necessity.
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  The National Advisory Committee on Immunization is a group of healthcare experts that provides
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  vaccine use recommendations to the federal government.
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  While Health Canada notes that provinces and territories are responsible for their own
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  immunization programs, it encourages them to consider NACI’s guidance.
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  The shingles vaccine, Shingrix, is the only one approved for preventing shingles in Canada.
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  It boasts over ninety percent effectiveness, but the cost for the two required doses can be
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  around four hundred dollars, posing a financial barrier for many.
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  Shingles is caused by the same virus responsible for chickenpox, and it manifests as
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  a painful rash, often accompanied by nerve pain, fever, and headache.
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  In severe cases, especially if the rash appears on the face, it can cause blindness.
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  The Canadian Immunization Guide indicates that one in three Canadians will develop shingles in
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  their lifetime, with the risk and severity increasing significantly after the age of
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  fifty.
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  Laura Tamblyn Watts pointed out that the cost of the vaccine is a significant barrier for
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  many, especially those on fixed incomes who are already struggling with the rising costs of
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  living.
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  She illustrated this by asking listeners to imagine a couple living on a fixed income who
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  are already burdened by high costs of food, fuel, and heating.
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  In such scenarios, the additional cost of the vaccine can be prohibitive.
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  A spokesperson from the New Brunswick Department of Health mentioned that the
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  province reviews its immunization program annually to assess current vaccines and
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  consider new ones.
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  While the government acknowledges the benefits of the shingles vaccine, it currently advises
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  individuals over fifty to get vaccinated and to check with their private insurance providers
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  for coverage options.
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  The province has stated it will continue to monitor the situation and assess future steps
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  in protecting its population against shingles.
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  Laura Tamblyn Watts remains hopeful that New Brunswick will eventually offer the shingles
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  vaccine as part of its public health program.
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  She noted that many people are surprised to learn about the lack of coverage in New
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  Brunswick, and she stressed that the financial excuse often cited by governments is not
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  justifiable when considering the broader health and economic benefits of vaccination.
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  Statistics Canada reported in January 2024 that just over twenty-five percent of New
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  Brunswickers aged fifty or older are vaccinated against shingles, the lowest rate in Canada.
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  This is particularly concerning given that people aged fifty and older make up over forty
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  percent of New Brunswick’s population.
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  Other Atlantic provinces have made significant strides in expanding access to the vaccine.
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  For example, Newfoundland and Labrador announced funding for those aged fifty and
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  older, while Nova Scotia initiated a twenty-six-million-dollar program for those
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  aged sixty-five and older.
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  Prince Edward Island also lowered its age eligibility from sixty to fifty last September.
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  Despite the challenges, there is optimism that New Brunswick will align with the rest of
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  Atlantic Canada in offering the shingles vaccine.
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  Laura Tamblyn Watts expressed confidence that the province recognizes the importance of this
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  issue and is considering its options for future implementation.
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  In another significant development in the ongoing battle against COVID-19, the American
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  Academy of Family Physicians has made a bold recommendation: all adults in the United States
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  should receive an updated COVID-19 vaccine as we approach the upcoming respiratory virus
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  season.
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  This recommendation marks a divergence from federal health officials' current guidelines,
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  emphasizing the importance of vaccination, particularly for those aged sixty-five and
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  older, individuals at higher risk for severe outcomes, and those who have never received a
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  COVID-19 shot.
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  The American Academy of Family Physicians' decision aligns with recent guidance from the
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  American Academy of Pediatrics and the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists,
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  both of which have also deviated from federal recommendations concerning COVID-19
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  vaccinations for children and pregnant women.
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  Dr.
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  Margot Savoy, the chief medical officer of the American Academy of Family Physicians,
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  emphasized that vaccines have historically been pivotal in eradicating disabling and deadly
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  diseases, and maintaining this momentum is crucial.
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  These new recommendations underscore the need for continuity in vaccination efforts across
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  different medical societies, aiming to ensure that both patients and physicians are on the
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  same page.
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  For children aged six to twenty-three months, the American Academy of Family Physicians
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  recommends COVID-19 vaccination.
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  For those between two and eighteen years, a risk-based, single-dose approach is advised.
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  Furthermore, the organization supports immunization access for any family seeking
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  COVID-19 vaccination.
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  Pregnant and lactating women are also encouraged to receive a COVID-19 shot,
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  following the recent recommendations from the American College of Obstetricians and
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  Gynecologists.
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  This move comes after the U.S.
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  Department of Health and Human Services, led by Secretary Robert F.
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  Kennedy Jr., announced in May that the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention had removed
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  its recommendation for routine COVID-19 shots for healthy children and pregnant women.
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  Additionally, the American Academy of Family Physicians' fall vaccine recommendations extend
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  to other respiratory illnesses.
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  They suggest a one-time respiratory syncytial virus vaccine for adults aged seventy-five
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  years or older, and for those aged fifty to seventy-four who are at increased risk of
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  respiratory syncytial virus.
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  Pregnant patients are advised to receive the respiratory syncytial virus vaccine between
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  thirty-two to thirty-six weeks of pregnancy.
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  For infants younger than eight months whose mothers weren't vaccinated, either nirsevimab
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  or clesrovimab is recommended.
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  Moreover, the American Academy of Family Physicians recommends annual influenza
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  immunization for everyone aged six months or older, provided they don't have medical
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  contraindications.
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  These comprehensive recommendations aim to protect the population from multiple
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  respiratory infections as we enter the fall and winter seasons.
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  As we wrap up today's episode, it's clear that the landscape of health recommendations is
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  constantly evolving.
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  Staying informed and following expert guidance can make a significant difference in
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  safeguarding our health.
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  Thank you for joining me on Morning Medical with Dr.
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  Chow.
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  I'm Dr.
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  Chi-Ming Chow, and I look forward to bringing you more health news tomorrow.
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  Stay safe and healthy!