NIH MedlinePlus Magazine FALL 2017 Trusted Health Information from the National Institutes of Health IN THIS ISSUE Celiac Disease: Going Gluten-Free Updates on Hearing Loss Step Inside The Latest on NIH’s Clinical Managing COPD Center with ‘First in Human’ Predicting Autism in Documentary High-Risk Infants COVER STORY ‘Dancing with the Stars’ Champion and NFL Player Rashad Jennings Tackles ASTHMA FRIENDS OF THE NATIONAL LIBRARY OF MEDICINE National Library of Medicine at the National Institutes Of Health 8600 Rockville Pike, Bethesda, MD 20894 www.nlm.nih.gov www.medlineplus.gov DIRECTOR, NLM Patricia Flatley Brennan, RN, PhD DIRECTOR, OFFICE OF COMMUNICATIONS AND PUBLIC LIAISON (OCPL), NLM Kathleen Cravedi MEDLINEPLUS AND MEDLINEPLUS EN ESPAÑOL TEAMS, NLM Fedora Braverman WRITER-EDITOR, NLM Kathryn McKay OUTREACH CONSULTANT, NLM Elliot Siegel, PhD MEDICAL ILLUSTRATOR, NLM, AND INFORMATICS FELLOW Jeff Day, MD Friends of the NLM Officers CHAIRMAN Glen P. Campbell PRESIDENT Barbara Redman, PhD, RN EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE CHAIRMAN H. Kenneth Walker, MD SECRETARY Naomi C. Broering, MLS, MA TREASURER NIH MedlinePlus Magazine Cover Star Dennis Cryer, MD Nick Jonas Recognized for Diabetes Advocacy NIH MedlinePlus magazine is published by Friends of the NLM in conjunction with erformer Nick Jonas received the “2017 Hero Award” at this year’s Radio Disney Music Awards show for his work STstrategicRAT communicationsCOMM fighting for type 1 diabetes research advances and patient 24 Superior Drive, Suite 103 Natick, MA 01760 | (508) 907-7000 care. Jonas was featured on the cover of this spring’s PRESIDENT AND CEO PNIH MedlinePlus magazine, in which he discussed his experiences Robert George with the disease. DIRECTOR OF OPERATIONS Jonas was diagnosed at age 13 and has translated his battle fighting Carolyn Medeiros type 1 diabetes into advocacy. He has spoken out in favor of NIH research DIRECTOR, BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT Michele Tezduyar as an advocate for the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation (JDRF) MANAGING EDITOR and in 2015 founded Beyond Type 1, an organization focused on raising Emily Poe awareness and support for diabetes. SENIOR EDITOR During his acceptance speech, the Selby Bateman entertainer asked children with type STRATEGIC ADVISOR Peter Reinecke 1 diabetes to come onto the stage to DESIGN & TECH LEAD help him receive the award. Jonas told Mary Ellen Slater the audience, “Every day can be an PROJECT MANAGER opportunity to be a hero if you’re kind Alison Lutes to someone who needs it or you find a STRATEGIC PLANNING AND LOGISTICS Dave Sears cause you’re passionate about.” Articles in this publication are written by professional Glen P. Campbell, Chairman journalists. All scientific and medical information is reviewed for accuracy by representatives of the National Friends of the National Library of Institutes of Health. However, personal decisions regard- Medicine ing health, finance, exercise, and other matters should be made only after consultation with the reader’s physician www.fnlm.org or professional advisor. Opinions expressed herein are not necessarily those of the National Library of Medicine. FALL 2017 Volume 12 inside Number 3 GET INVOLVED NIH MedlinePlus magazine is published quarterly, in print and online. For a free subscription, visit medlineplus.gov/ magazine/subscribe.html GET INVOLVED Donations and Sponsorships If you are interested in 22 providing a sponsorship or other charitable donation to support and extend the reach of this publication, please FEATURES DEPARTMENTS contact: Friends of the NLM 08 Going Gluten-Free 04 To Your Health (202) 679-9930 4720 Montgomery Lane Life with celiac disease News, notes, & tips Suite 500 from NIH Bethesda, MD 20814 13 Hearing Loss New studies work to 28 From the Lab improve hearing care Latest research CONNECT WITH US updates from NIH Follow us on Facebook 18 Breathtaking: www.facebook.com/mplus.gov On the Web www.facebook.com/ Managing a COPD 30 medlineplusenespanol Diagnosis Find it all in one place! Follow us on Twitter @medlineplus NIH national action plan works to combat lung 31 Contact Us Follow us on Google Plus MedlineplusGovNLM disease NIH Is here to help Outrunning Asthma 22 NIH’s “First Rashad Jennings talks in Human” health, determination, and documentary the importance of research 6 IMAGE: ABC, DISCOVERY DISCOVERY ABC, IMAGE: to your NEWS, NOTES, & TIPS health FROM NIH The ABCs of GERD HEALTH TIPS Gastroesophageal reflux (GER) causes LOWER ESOPHAGEAL SPHINCTER your stomach contents to come back up into OPEN ALLOWING ACID REFLUX your esophagus, causing heartburn or acid reflux. Gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) is a long-lasting and more serious form of GER. GERD Awareness Week 2017 takes place from Nov. 19 through 25. This fall, as you sit down to eat turkey or open your Halloween candy, watch out for potential GERD symptoms and contact a provider if you are concerned. For more information, visit the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases (NIDDK) website and read the overview below. Symptoms ɠ Smoking, or inhaling secondhand smoke The most common symptom of GERD is regular heartburn, ɠ Certain medicines: a painful, burning feeling in the middle of your chest, ɠ Those that doctors use to treat asthma specifically behind your breastbone and in the middle of ɠ your abdomen. Not all adults with GERD have heartburn. Medicines that treat high blood pressure Other common GERD symptoms include: ɠ Antihistamines: medicines that treat allergy symptoms ɠ Bad breath ɠ Painkillers ɠ Nausea ɠ Sedatives: medicines that help put you to sleep ɠ Pain in your chest or the upper part of your abdomen ɠ Antidepressants: medicines that treat depression ɠ Problems swallowing or painful swallowing Treatment ɠ Respiratory problems Anyone, including infants and children, can have GERD. If not ɠ Vomiting treated, it can lead to more serious health problems. In some ɠ The wearing away of your teeth cases, you might need medicine or surgery. However, many people can improve their symptoms by: Causes ɠ Avoiding alcohol and spicy, fatty, or acidic foods that GERD happens when your lower esophageal sphincter trigger heartburn becomes weak or relaxes when it shouldn’t. This in turn ɠ Eating smaller meals causes stomach contents to rise up into the esophagus. The ɠ lower esophageal sphincter can become weak or relax from Not eating close to bedtime things such as: ɠ Losing weight if needed ɠ Increased pressure on your abdomen from being ɠ Wearing loose-fitting clothes overweight, obese, or pregnant ɠ Quitting smoking IMAGES: ADOBE STOCK IMAGES: 4 Fall 2017 NIH MedlinePlus The Opioid Crisis BY THE NUMBERS Opioid misuse and addiction is a major public health crisis. Opioids, sometimes called narcotics, are a type of drug. They include strong prescription pain relievers and the illegal drug heroin. Millions of Americans suffer from opioid use disorder. Millions more suffer from chronic pain. Earlier this year, NIH Director Francis S. Collins, M.D., Ph.D., met with research and development leaders from the world’s leading biopharmaceutical companies to discuss the opioid crisis. The meeting highlighted new ways for government and private industry to work together to address the opioid crisis and find better ways to manage pain. Stay tuned for updates on this important initiative from NIH. When to see a provider See a provider if your gastroesophageal An estimated 2.1 reflux symptoms do not get better with million Americans over-the-counter medicines or changing used prescription drugs your diet. nonmedically for the first If your symptoms don’t improve with time within the past year. lifestyle changes and medicine, you may need testing and may be referred to a specialist. Among those who reported past-year nonmedical use Tests to diagnose GERD of a prescription drug, ɠ Upper gastrointestinal (GI) nearly 12% met criteria endoscopy and biopsy: A provider uses for prescription drug use an endoscope to see inside your upper disorder. GI tract. This procedure takes place at a hospital or an outpatient center. More than 1.2 million ɠ Upper GI series: An upper GI series looks at the shape of your upper GI tract emergency department using x-rays. visits in 2011 were the ɠ result of nonmedical use of Esophageal pH impedance prescription drugs. monitoring: Measures the amount of acid in your esophagus while you do normal things, such as eating and sleeping. There was a 72% increase ɠ Esophageal manometry: Measures in hospitalizations related muscle contractions in your esophagus. +72% to opioid use from 2002 A gastroenterologist may order this 2002 2012 to 2012. procedure if you’re thinking about anti- reflux surgery. T SOURCE: National Institute of Diabetes and SOURCE: National Institute on Drug Abuse Digestive and Kidney Diseases (NIDDK) www.niddk.nih.gov IMAGES: ISTOCK IMAGES: Fall 2017 medlineplus.gov/magazine 5 What Happens at the ‘House of Hope’? “FIRST IN HUMAN,” a new documentary series from the Americans to take part in clinical trials,” said NIH Director Discovery Channel, follows four patients at NIH’s Clinical Francis Collins. Center, also known as the “House of Hope.” Two of the “Not only do clinical trials offer sick people who have no patients have cancer and two have rare, inherited diseases. other options a chance to receive experimental treatments The three-part documentary is named for the “first in that may extend or save their lives, such work is essential human” trials, or trials in which new, innovative medical for advancing scientific knowledge in ways that will benefit therapies are tested on patients for the first time. Viewers the health of future generations,” he added. can step behind hospital doors and learn about these FOR MORE INFORMATION ABOUT CLINICAL TRIALS, visit https:// courageous patients, their caregivers, and the dedicated www.nih.gov/health-information/nih-clinical-research-trials-you. NIH staff treating them. Many NIH Clinical Center patients have rare diseases or diseases that don’t respond to other available treatments.