CU Anschutz In The News

Emmy Betz worked with her colleagues to come up with a letter that families can use ahead of time. It would serve as a written agreement between loved ones and someone diagnosed with dementia, acknowledging there could be a time when it's no longer safe for them to access a firearm and designate someone to step in at that time. "This paper can sort of be a conversation starter," said Betz, an associate professor of emergency medicine at the University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus. She believes that if the conversation is had sooner rather than later, someone living with dementia may be able to make decisions for themselves and let this agreement serve as a reminder later.

The University of Colorado is dedicated to helping keep Colorado veterans smiling. The CU School of Dental Medicine runs the “CU Heroes Clinic” on the Anschutz Campus. It is a program of free and discounted dental care for men and women who have served in the armed forces. The Department of Veterans Affairs only offers dental care for veterans who are 100% disabled or have a service-connected injury to their mouth.

The American Heart Association (AHA) has awarded its Clinical Research Prize for 2018 to William R. Hiatt, M.D., of the University of Colorado School of Medicine, for clinical studies that have “greatly expanded” the understanding of the causes and treatment of peripheral artery disease.

"About 30 percent of our patients are using some form of marijuana, and they should be careful when using," said study author Dr. Halis Akturk. "They should be aware of the DKA risk, and recognize the symptoms -- nausea, vomiting, abdominal pain and confusion." Akturk is an assistant professor of medicine and pediatrics at the University of Colorado School of Medicine and Barbara Davis Center for Diabetes in Aurora, Colo.
Colorado is one of nine U.S. states that legally allow recreational use of marijuana.

"It works by increasing receptors on the liver that attract particles of LDL cholesterol from the blood and break them down. The result is that blood levels of LDL or 'bad' cholesterol decrease by approximately 50 percent, even when patients are already taking a statin," explained Gregory Schwartz MD, PhD, co-author of the study and professor of medicine at the University of Colorado School of Medicine.

Teaching kids how the brain works is central to the school’s philosophy. Neuroscientists from Anschutz Medical Campus created experiments to sprinkle throughout the curriculum. Sukumar Vijayaraghavan, director of the Neuroscience Graduate Program at the University Colorado’s School of Medicine, pitched throwing a ball into a basket. Then he said to put on prism goggles. Suddenly, you start throwing the ball at an angle. “But what you also learn is that while you keep doing that, the brain will adapt and actually get you to the right place after a few trials,” he says. “So the idea that the brain is plastic and the brain can be trained to do stuff.”

Dawn Comstock, a professor of epidemiology with the Colorado School of Public Health, credits the move by the UIL but said it tracks concussions after they occur and doesn't prevent them in the first place. She draws a distinction between primary prevention — keep a concussion from happening — and secondary prevention — helping an athlete recover once an initial concussion occurs.