Health/medical communications pro, @GVSU alum⚓️, M.A. Spanish, frequent traveler, bookworm. Tweets my own. she/her/hers
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Articles by Haley Otman
What you need to know about the curb-painting scam
Police are reminding people in communities all across the country not to fall for a common scam happening at the end of the driveway. The curb-painting scam involves people you didn’t hire showing up, painting your house number on the curb and then demanding payment. Sometimes, the painters say they were hired by the city, pressuring the homeowner to pay up. People have reported finding a bill in a mailbox, or being asked for payment in person, sometimes without being given a specific cost.
Why we should abolish Daylight Saving Time
Springing forward doesn’t just make for a sleepy Monday morning; it also affects your health and your safety. That’s why experts are calling for an end to the back-and-forth that confuses our bodies twice per year and instead establish permanent Standard Time. Anita Shelgikar, M.D., MHPE, co-authored a recent position statement from the American Academy of Sleep Medicine calling for an end to Daylight Saving Time.
When FMD hits a family, abdominal aortic aneurysms may too
Study finds shared genetics between two inherited diseases of the arteries. Jacob Dwyer, Justine Ross, Michigan Medicine One disease is more common in people assigned female at birth, while the other is more common in people assigned male at birth. But a new publication details a “shared complex genetic architecture” between the cardiovascular conditions that could explain why, when one member of a family develops fibromuscular dysplasia, another may develop an abdominal aortic aneurysm.
The Right Way To Carry An Infant Car Seat (video)
Most of our distress about doing things the right way with a car seat is due to mommy shamers and baby-safety concerns. But a chiropractor is sharing a useful tip that will help you solve a problem you might not have even realized was fixable — your own comfort while lugging around the car seat. If you’re like most parents, you probably hook the handle of the car seat over your forearm like it’s a big, heavy purse. But, it turns out, there’s a better (less painful) way to do it.
Finding the right memory strategy to slow cognitive decline
A new study compares two popular forms of cognitive training that people often use to improve learning and memory. Jacob Dwyer, Justine Ross, Michigan Medicine What’s the best way to improve your memory as you age? Turns out, it depends, a study suggests. But your fourth-grade math teacher may have been onto something with that phrase to help you remember how to work out a complicated problem: Please Excuse My Dear Aunt Sally.
New guidelines overhaul best practices for heart failure prevention, diagnosis and treatment
Updated heart failure management guidelines add recommendations for the use of SGLT inhibitors and for managing patients with cancer therapy-related cardiotoxicity. Michigan Medicine Clinicians now have an up-to-date, data-driven destination to help them provide the best care possible to their patients with heart failure, thanks to the publication of new clinical practice guidelines from the American College of Cardiology, the American Heart Association and the Heart Failure Society of America.
Treating heart attacks with a medium chain fatty acid
Heart attacks mean energy deprivation. Could a fatty acid found in energy drinks, then, help recovery? Michigan Medicine A medium-chain fatty acid found in energy drinks might one day help protect against heart attack injuries.
Heart-safe snow shoveling: What you need to know
Credit: CC0 Public Domain. The beginning of the winter season, and the need to keep your sidewalks and driveway clear, can let you know, all of a sudden, that you might be out of shape.
Heart-safe snow shoveling
Before you head outside with your shovel, brush up on these tips to keep your heart safe out in the snow. The beginning of the winter season, and the need to keep your sidewalks and driveway clear, can let you know, all of a sudden, that you might be out of shape.
Helping hearts across Michigan
January 03, 2022 1:34 PM A cardiologist reflects on 25 years of statewide collaboration through the Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan Cardiovascular Consortium. Getty Images What happens when hospitals that might seem like statewide competitors team up instead? Hitinder Gurm, M.D., said, after 25 years, it’s clear that statewide cardiovascular collaborative BMC2, formally known as the Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan Cardiovascular Consortium, has made all of the providers better.
Diabetes can cause painful neuropathy. A new study shows that not only are opioids not very effective in managing this type of pain, but other non-opioid interventions offer more relief to patients.
Neurology experts reviewed the latest evidence to offer new recommendations for management of painful neuropathy in diabetes patients. Jacob Dwyer, Michigan Medicine. The most common prescription taken for painful nerve damage in diabetes is likely dangerous, experts say.
Clearing cholesterol crystals with a new nanoparticle
Researchers developed an HDL-mimicking nanoparticle that modified heart disease-related plaques in preclinical research. An innovative nanoparticle could one day help address an untreatable risk factor for heart attacks and strokes: cholesterol crystals that trigger inflammation and evade medications.
Making the case for more diversity in genetic research
A new publication shows how more varied samples push science even further than homogeneous studies of the past. Justine Ross, Michigan Medicine When it comes to learning how to prevent heart disease, including diverse populations isn’t just the right thing to do, it also makes the science better. A new paper examined genes behind blood cholesterol levels for more than 1.5 million people in order to learn more about who might be likely to develop this important risk factor.
DNA testing at the doctor’s office
November 19, 2021 11:51 AM A human genetics experts discusses how these DNA tests might be useful in practice and what cautions remain. Getty Images Amazing advances in genetic research mean it’s easier than ever to take a DNA test and find out how susceptible you might be to a variety of diseases. The next question, though, is even more important: What should be done with that information?
Addressing two leaky heart valves at once
Adding tricuspid repair to the OR docket makes sense for some patients already undergoing surgery for degenerative mitral regurgitation, a new study shows. For some patients undergoing heart surgery to fix a leaky mitral valve, it might also be the right time to repair their moderately leaky tricuspid valve so it doesn’t become more severe and potentially require another operation. That’s according to a new publication in the New England Journal of Medicine.
Using miniature heart tissues to study how the heart beats
A new method allows researchers to measure the force of miniature heart tissues beating in a dish. Senior author Adam Helms, M.D., an assistant professor of internal medicine and a cardiologist at the University of Michigan Health Frankel Cardiovascular Center, said his laboratory team was able to generate thousands of miniature contracting heart tissues that organized and behaved more like regular heart muscle cells than what’s been possible previously.
Androgen hormones may exacerbate sex differences in COVID-19 outcomes
A pre-clinical study explores the role of hormones in the COVID-19 vascular damage that’s generally worse in men than in women. A drug commonly prescribed for high blood pressure and other cardiovascular diseases, called spironolactone, reduced vascular inflammation and hormone-related vascular damage in a pre-clinical study of COVID-19.
New genes identified for fibromuscular dysplasia
Genetic meta-analysis helps researchers detect genes related to this cardiovascular disease that affects mostly women and defines relationships to other more common cardiovascular conditions. Three new genetic variants that regulate gene expression in the arteries are connected to fibromuscular dysplasia, an arterial disease that can cause dangerous consequences for the heart and vessels, according to a new study.
Survey finds a need for pet care during hospitalizations
It’s hard to heal in your hospital bed if you’re concerned about your pets at home. Tiffany Braley, M.D., M.S., an associate professor of neurology at University of Michigan Health, was surprised when a patient she was caring for explained why they needed to go home from the hospital as soon as possible: their pets. After she heard several more patients voice concern for their cats, dogs and other animals at home as they sat in the hospital, she soon realized that this occurrence was not uncommon.
Addressing blood pressure in a new way
Pharmacists and physicians at University of Michigan Health knew they had a slam-dunk collaboration on their hands. Now, the CDC shares their best practices in helping patients control hypertension for other providers to emulate. Michigan Medicine pharmacists gather outside. Photo credit: Scott Soderberg, Michigan Photography Hae Mi Choe, PharmD, created a care model where many pharmacists thought they’d never go in their careers: direct patient care right in the clinic.
Ditching tobacco for your surgery
Providers across Michigan took action to get their patients to quit smoking before going under the knife. A new initiative brought providers across the state together on a common mission: address the high smoking rates they were seeing in their patients before wheeling them into the operating room. Smoking is linked to many serious health issues, yet a recent study found almost a quarter of people undergoing common surgeries report smoking cigarettes.
Marijuana use associated with higher stroke, bleeding risks after heart procedures
A new publication reports people who use marijuana were more likely to experience complications after a common minimally invasive procedure to restore blood flow through the arteries. Nearly 4,000 of the more than 100,000 people who underwent percutaneous coronary intervention in Michigan between 2013 and 2016 reported having used marijuana. Those patients had a significantly higher risk of bleeding and cerebrovascular accidents like a stroke.
Writing prescriptions and novels
As medical trainees get ready to hit the books this semester, a professor and surgeon says not to forget the importance of art and creativity. “When I was growing up everyone told me I was a science guy. Nobody ever said that I was a writer,” said Gene Rontal, M.D. “What no one really knew was that I had an imagination.” It was the 1960’s and Rontal, a Detroit native and an Ann Arbor student, was taking a full course load to prepare for medical school at the University of Michigan.
Unlocking genetic clues behind aortic aneurysm
A new study increases knowledge of the genetics behind aortic aneurysm, a disease that can spark life-threatening events like aortic dissections and ruptures. University of Michigan Health-led researchers compared blood samples from more than 1,300 people who had a thoracic aortic aneurysm with more than 18,000 control samples, in partnership with U-M’s Cardiovascular Health Improvement Project and its Michigan Genomics Initiative.
A prescription to ward off cognitive decline - without medication
A clinical neuropsychologist with expertise in dementia shares what the science tells about improving memory and thinking without drugs. There’s a pill for many ailments, but aging isn’t one of them. And while some mounting difficulty in thinking and processing is expected as you grow older, cognition experts say you can take steps to slow it down, no prescription required.
Care Teams Differ for Black, White Surgical Patients in the Same Hospitals
Could the makeup of medical teams help explain why Black patients are more likely than white patients to die after heart surgery in the same hospitals? Michigan Medicine A new study finds Black patients are more likely to die after their heart bypass surgery if they’re at a hospital where some care teams see mostly white patients and others see mostly Black patients.
Attacking aortic aneurysms before they grow
Credit: Unsplash/CC0 Public Domain A new study investigates a genetic culprit behind abdominal aortic aneurysm, a serious condition that puts people at risk of their aorta rupturing—a potentially deadly event. Finding a viable genetic target for AAA could change the game, says senior author Katherine Gallagher, M.D., a vascular surgeon and an associate professor of surgery and microbiology and immunology at Michigan Medicine, the academic medical center of the University of Michigan.
Two blood thinners at once: More risk with the same reward
Credit: CC0 Public Domain More blood thinners aren't automatically better, another study confirms. A new publication in JAMA Internal Medicine focuses on the minimal pros and the concerning cons of combining a daily aspirin with a drug from the newer class of anticoagulants that include apixaban, dabigatran, edoxaban and rivaroxaban.
Attacking Aortic Aneurysms Before They Grow
New basic science research shows what happens when you inhibit JMJD3 through both genetics and pharmacology. A new study investigates a genetic culprit behind abdominal aortic aneurysm, a serious condition that puts people at risk of their aorta rupturing – a potentially deadly event.
What You Should Know About the Johnson & Johnson/Janssen Vaccine Pause
April 13, 2021 10:21 AM A blood clotting expert explains the J&J vaccine pause. Getty Images The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the Food and Drug Administration on April 13 recommended that providers pause on giving out the Johnson & Johnson/Janssen COVID-19 vaccine.
Treating sleep apnea may reduce dementia risk
Illustration of obstruction of ventilation. Credit: Habib M’henni / public domain A new study finds older adults who received positive airway pressure therapy prescribed for obstructive sleep apnea may be less likely to develop Alzheimer's disease and other kinds of dementia. Researchers from Michigan Medicine's Sleep Disorders Centers analyzed Medicare claims of more than 50,000 Medicare beneficiaries ages 65 and older who had been diagnosed with OSA.
Treating Sleep Apnea May Reduce Dementia Risk
People with obstructive sleep apnea who treat their apnea with the commonly-prescribed positive airway pressure therapy were less likely to be diagnosed with dementia. Michigan Medicine A new study finds older adults who received positive airway pressure therapy prescribed for obstructive sleep apnea may be less likely to develop Alzheimer’s disease and other kinds of dementia.
Sleep Apnea Not Associated with Wake-Up Stroke
Stroke onset while asleep does not seem to be the direct link between sleep apnea and stroke. Although the connection between obstructive sleep apnea and stroke is well known, a recent study does not show an association between those who had sleep apnea and those whose strokes began while they were sleeping.
Why We Should Abolish Daylight Saving Time
March 12, 2021 9:00 AM A sleep neurologist explains the science. Springing forward doesn’t just make for a sleepy Monday morning; it also affects your health and your safety. That’s why experts are calling for an end to the back-and-forth that confuses our bodies twice per year and instead establish permanent Standard Time. Anita Shelgikar, M.D., MHPE, co-authored a recent position statement from the American Academy of Sleep Medicine calling for an end to Daylight Saving Time.
Flu Shot Associated With Fewer, Less Severe COVID Cases
March 12, 2021 5:00 AM A new study finds encouraging associations between flu shots and less severe COVID infections. People who received a flu shot last flu season were significantly less likely to test positive for a COVID-19 infection when the pandemic hit, according to a new study. And those who did test positive for COVID-19 had fewer complications if they received their flu shot.
Helping people with COVID-19 avoid blood clots
Credit: CC0 Public Domain It seems like every week new data comes out about blood clots in patients with COVID-19. Thrombosis puts someone hospitalized for COVID-19 more at risk for more problems like stroke or organ failure, while their body’s already dealing with inflammation from fighting the virus.
Women Experience Faster Cognitive Decline with Age
A new analysis finds higher baseline cognition scores for aging women, but a more rapid drop once cognitive decline begins. Women may start middle age with stronger brain function than men, but as they get older, women’s cognition declines faster. That’s according to a new analysis from more than 26,000 Black and white men and women who had participated in one of five long-term cohort studies.
How to avoid blood clots in COVID-19
Credit: CC0 Public Domain It seems like every week new data comes out about blood clots in patients with COVID-19. Thrombosis puts someone hospitalized for COVID-19 more at risk for more problems like stroke or organ failure, while their body’s already dealing with inflammation from fighting the virus.
Helping Patients with COVID-19 Avoid Blood Clots
Vascular experts are wading through a constant stream of data to continue refining the best approaches to avoid dangerous thrombosis events in people sick with the novel coronavirus. Stock Image It seems like every week new data comes out about blood clots in patients with COVID-19. Thrombosis puts someone hospitalized for COVID-19 more at risk for more problems like stroke or organ failure, while their body’s already dealing with inflammation from fighting the virus.
Drug Combination Prevents Clots Without Increasing Bleeding in Mouse Models
Researchers continue to hone in on how best to prevent blood clots, which cause strokes and heart attacks, without unintended side effects. A new approach to preventing blood clots, and thus more serious cardiovascular events like stroke, was successful in mouse models without causing major bleeding events.
More People with MS Turning to Cannabis for Help with Pain, Sleep
A new survey shows high usage rates of cannabinoids like CBD for multiple sclerosis, but most patients are figuring out these new products on their own. More than 40% of those with multiple sclerosis said they’ve used cannabis products in the past year, according to recently published results from a national survey on pain in people with MS.
Why sunshine could help treat depression
Credit: CC0 Public Domain Looking outside at another cloudy sky, on another dreary winter day in the Midwest? Experts say it makes sense that a lack of sunshine leaves us grumpy and tired. “The antidepressant properties of sunlight have been known since antiquity,” says Leslie Swanson, Ph.D., associate professor of psychiatry at Michigan Medicine and an expert in behavioral sleep medicine at the Michigan Medicine Sleep Disorders Centers.
Teaming Up to Reduce Atherectomy Rates Across Michigan
A popular treatment for peripheral arterial disease is less effective and more expensive than other options. Experts explore several methods to bring the state toward higher-value vascular care. The promise of reducing cost for vascular procedures by making some of them available in an outpatient setting hasn’t come to fruition.
Eight U-M scientists, engineers named 2020 AAAS Fellows
Eight U-M scientists, engineers named 2020 AAAS Fellows Eight University of Michigan faculty members have been elected 2020 fellows of the American Association for the Advancement of Science. The U-M researchers are among 489 newly elected fellows announced today by AAAS.
New drug changes structure of the heart
For the first time, a medication has impacted heart muscle thickness and function for patients with the most common inherited heart condition, rather than simply addressing their symptoms. “This is the first study to show a favorable impact of a medication on cardiac structure and function in any form of hypertrophic cardiomyopathy,” says Sara Saberi, M.D., an assistant professor of internal medicine and a cardiologist at the Michigan Medicine Frankel Cardiovascular Center.
New Cause of COVID-19 Blood Clots Identified
November 02, 2020 2:00 PM A new study reveals the virus triggers production of antibodies circulating through the blood, causing clots in people hospitalized with the disease. Stephanie King Blood clots continue to wreak havoc for patients with severe COVID-19 infection, and a new study explains what may spark them in up to half of patients. The culprit: an autoimmune antibody that’s circulating in the blood, attacking the cells and triggering clots in arteries, veins, and microscopic vessels.
Health Care Workers Struggled With Mood, Sleep in First Months of COVID-19 Pandemic
A new survey of more than 800 health care workers finds reason to increase support for front line employees as the pandemic continues. Following your body clock “People who never before were able to work from home were suddenly able to do this,” says senior author Cathy Goldstein, M.D., a sleep neurologist at the Michigan Medicine Sleep Disorders Centers and an associate professor of neurology.
Still Working From Home? Try These 5 Tips Improve Your Sleep
For those able to work remotely, experts say it’s a good time to address your sleep habits to improve your health. Schedules look different for many of us this fall compared to last fall. And more and more companies are announcing extensions on work-from-home policies for those employees who can get their job done away from the office.
Does the New Heart Transplant Allocation Policy Encourage Gaming by Providers?
A new national policy was created to make determining who receives a heart transplant more fair. But new data shows it changed some practice patterns, too. For the past two years, a different national allocation policy has been in effect in order to more fairly distribute hearts to those who require a life-saving transplant.
Five U-M faculty members elected to National Academy of Medicine
Five University of Michigan professors have been elected to the highest honorary society in the United States for researchers in medicine and health. They study everything from the brain to health care policy and cancer care, and all have demonstrated decades of expertise and achievement. Today, F.
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