Reading Room
The reading room includes articles and videos of potential interest to consumers and medical professionals. The opinions expressed do not necessarily reflect the views of the NC Medical Board, its members, and staff. Note: Some links may require registration or subscription.
High-intensity sprints can trigger molecular changes in the bloodstream
NPR
August 24, 2026
We all know a sprint feels different than a longer, take-it-slow kind of workout. Your heart is pounding. You gasp for air. Maybe your muscles burn. Now, new research reveals this kind of high-intensity training provokes a remarkably robust response throughout the bloodstream. The training substantially mobilizes more proteins and other molecules in the hours after exercising. The findings were published by a team of scientists in the U.S., Australia and Sweden. The results do not mean that sprint workouts and other forms of high-intensity interval training, or HIIT, are better than moderate exercise where your heart rate remains at a steady level.
Physical activity protects brain health but only if you enjoy it, study says
Medical News Today
August 19, 2026
It is well known that being physically active benefits both your body and brain. However, the type of activity that is most beneficial for brain health is not yet entirely clear. A new study has found that when and why you move, rather than just how much you move could influence your risk of developing dementia. The study suggests that leisure activities, such as walking, cycling, running, swimming or playing sports, may decrease your risk of dementia, but physically demanding jobs could actually increase the risk.
Climbing stairs linked to 39% lower risk of heart disease death
Medical News Today
August 14, 2026
Climbing stairs regularly was associated with reduced incidence of cardiovascular disease, including heart attacks and stroke, a new review has found. Those who frequently took the stairs were less likely to die from cardiovascular disease and all causes than those who climbed stairs less often. As physical inactivity can increase the risk of cardiovascular disease, stair-climbing, for as little as 6 flights of stairs, could be a simple and accessible way for people to add more exercise to their routines.
Is your cholesterol too high per the new ACC/AHA guideline? 5 things to know
Medical News Today
July 28, 2026
The 2026 ACC/AHA Dyslipidemia Guideline introduced significant changes in how cardiovascular risk will be assessed and lipid (cholesterol) levels will be managed. Among the key updates are a new risk calculator, the introduction of lipoprotein (A) testing, lower cholesterol targets, and calcium testing. A recent study found that 1 in 3 Americans without heart disease have higher LDL cholesterol levels than the 2026 guideline now recommends. Medical News Today spoke to three experts to discuss what this means for cholesterol management and how people should approach taking medications such as statins.
A difficult-to-trace parasite, messaging missteps contribute to summer of overwhelming Cyclospora outbreaks
Center for Infectious Disease Research & Policy
July 28, 2026
Ten days ago, the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) announced that a sample of iceberg lettuce from Taylor Farms de Mexico tested positive for Cyclospora, the microscopic parasite responsible for a nine-state outbreak of foodborne illness. The next day, the agency noted it was a false-positive test result. Some people thought this meant that iceberg lettuce did not contribute to the thousands of cases of cyclosporiasis, the illness caused by Cyclospora. A day later, the FDA held a media briefing to explain that the false-positive was from lettuce that underwent regular screening at the border—not of the lettuce connected to the outbreak. Taylors Farms lettuce was still suspected, however.
140,000 physicians short by 2036: 10 things to know about the specialty care gap
Becker’s ASC Review
July 27th, 2026
Specialty care access is growing more strained across the U.S. — and nowhere is that more visible than in rural America, where a shrinking physician workforce, hospital closures and transportation barriers are colliding at once. Here are 10 things to know, according to a July 23 AAMCNews feature examining the crisis through the lens of one West Virginia clinic.
1. The shortage is already large — and getting worse. Workforce data, including from the AAMC, project a shortage of up to 140,000 physicians in the next decade. The Health Resources and Services Administration, or HRSA, projects a shortfall of almost 70,000 primary care physicians by 2036, and an equal shortage of specialists.
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