N-Nitrosodimethylamine

The chemical N-Nitrosodimethylamine, or NDMA, is a yellow liquid that dissolves in water. It doesn’t have an odor or much of a taste. It’s known to cause cancer in animals and is classified as a probable carcinogen in humans—it’s most toxic to the liver - Anna Edney, Susan Berfield, and Evelyn Yu

N95 or KN95 Masks

High-quality respirators such as N95s and KN95s are now widely available and provide the best protection against COVID, according to experts - Tanya Lewis

Na+

To be sure, sodium is an essential nutrient, as is chloride that makes up the rest of the salt molecule. We evolved from ocean-dwellers, and human tissues still swim in a salty sea - Jane E. Brody

Naegleria fowleri

Naegleria, on the other hand, are not parasites of humans; they prefer bacteria and don’t seek out people. They only infect us when we swim into their habitat and happen to bump into them nose-first - Scientific American

NAFLD

Marked by the accumulation of an unhealthy amount of fat and scar tissue in the liver, NASH is quietly reaching epidemic proportions across the globe - Lisa M Jarvis

NaHCO3

Soooo who gets bicarb? Bicarb ampules in sodium channel blockade (like TCAs) are... the cornerstone of therapy. Bicarb ampules may be appropriate to alkalinize urine in certain toxicities. Seizing hyponatremic patients - Duncan Grossman

Nail Biting

The current hypothesis: nail biting helps even out our emotions. When we're bored, it provides stimulation; when we're stressed out or frustrated, it provides a temporary calm - Joseph Stromberg

Nailbed Injuries

These injuries range in severity, but include subungual hematomas, nailbed lacerations or avulsions, phalanx fractures or dislocations, and complete or partial fingertip amputations. With a foundational understanding of the relevant anatomy and potential red flag findings, many of these injuries can be managed definitively in the emergency department without emergent specialist consultation - Erik Sherman MD

Naloxone

It’s used all over the world. It’s one of the best, if not the best, antidotes - Charles P. O'Brien MD

Naltrexone (Vivitrol) & Opioids

Vivitrol is all the rage amid a brutal opioid epidemic. But it may also make it almost impossible to feel pleasure—and raise the risk of fatal overdose after relapse - Maia Szalavitz

Naltrexone and Alcohol Use Disorder

Prescribing naltrexone for alcohol misuse continues to be one of the most underutilized interventions in medicine - Jonathan Avery MD

Nanomedicine Business

Nanotechnology in medicine is going to have a major impact on the survival of the human race - Bernard Marcus

Naps Siestas

No day is so bad it can't be fixed with a nap - Carrie Snow

Narcan

It’s used all over the world. It’s one of the best, if not the best, antidotes - Charles P. O'Brien MD

Narcan Nasal Spray (IN Narcan)

Naloxone should simply be where you are, already. It should be a standard in all first-aid and rescue kits sold on Amazon; you should be able to throw it in your shopping basket while restocking Band-Aids and cold medicine - Lala Tanmoy Das MD

Narcissistic Personality Disorder

It’s the Me, Myself and I syndrome, where the world must revolve around a single person, and everyone else is just an extra in the movie of their life - Mark Manson

Narcolepsy

In a world where sleep and dreams are so undervalued, misunderstood, disordered and mismanaged, there is much we can learn from narcolepsy - Rubin Naiman, PhD

Narcotics

Just when you thought opiates couldn't get much better than the ones you've tried, there is always one in the wings waiting to surprise you - Drugstore Cowboy

Narcotics Anonymous

NA confines addicts to a recovery ideology that makes any interpersonal and social struggles their own and fosters an environment where consideration of the societal factors that contribute to addiction is difficult if not impossible - Paul Christensen

Nasal Foreign Bodies

Nasal foreign bodies make up 0.1% of pediatric emergency department visits. The most common age of presentation is 2 to 4-years-old. Most patients are asymptomatic - Hoi See Tsao MD

Nasal Inhalers (Sprays)

Why do nasal sprays work? First and foremost, they provide moisture to your nasal passages, and second, they open them up so that air flows freely - CT Sinus Center

Nasal Polyps

Nasal polyps are a ubiquitous diagnosis that can manifest in a variety of diseases, the most common being chronic rhinosinusitis and chronic nasal obstruction. Although benign, nasal polyps and their underlying disease may have a huge impact on a patient's quality of life - Edgar del Toro

Nasal Rinses & Neti Pots (Nasal Irrigation)

Rinsing warm saltwater through your nose — in one nostril and out the other — as an antidote for a variety of woes like sinus inflammation, congestion and allergies may seem strange and possibly scary; especially if you’ve heard about its links to rare but deadly brain-eating amoeba infections - Alice Callahan

Nasolacrimal Duct Obstruction

Nasotracheal Intubation

With or without fiberoptic assistance, nasal intubation remains a valuable technique in some emergency airway situations, despite its overall decline in use. It is best in patients who are not critically hypoxic and in whom there is obvious oral pathology making intubation and ventilation through the mouth problematic - Richard Levitan MD

National Health Service

It does provide universal coverage, though not particularly quick, modern, effective, or efficient coverage, and it is better at treating some not very common diseases than many other systems. And it enjoys broad public support - Ted Bromund

National Institute for Health and Care Excellence

The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) has gained notoriety for its evidence-based appraisal guidance on health technologies which include medicines, medical devices, diagnostic techniques, surgical procedures, and health promotion activities - Xcenda

National Institutes of Health

NIH’s mission is to seek fundamental knowledge about the nature and behavior of living systems and the application of that knowledge to enhance health, lengthen life, and reduce illness and disability - NIH

Native American Healthcare

Tribal citizens who receive their health care through a tribal program are much happier - Lynn Malerba, chief of the Mohegan Tribe

Native American Healthcare

Tribal citizens who receive their health care through a tribal program are much happier - Lynn Malerba, chief of the Mohegan Tribe

Native Americans & Covid-19

Native communities’ vulnerability to epidemics is not a historical accident, but a direct result of oppressive policies and ongoing colonialism - Jeffrey Ostler

Natto

Japan is one of the countries with the highest life expectancy and many credit natto for this fact - Nupur Jena

Natural (Plant Based) Repellents

Some of the most widely available “botanical” repellents contain one or a blend of citronella, tea-tree, eucalyptus, lavender or catmint oils. Essential oils from Australian native plants are also popular. But rarely do these repellents provide the same duration of protection as DEET or picaridin-based repellents - Cameron Webb

Natural Childbirth

Childbirth is more admirable than conquest, more amazing than self-defense, and as courageous as either one - Gloria Steinem

Natural Disasters

Climate change is increasingly seen as the cause of natural catastrophes, from floods to famines. But a growing number of scientists are cautioning that blaming disasters solely on climate overlooks the poor policy and planning decisions that make these events much worse - Fred Pearce

Natural Gas

Some studies have shown that natural gas could, in fact, be worse for the climate than coal - Jeff Goodell

Natural Immunity

Natural immunity occurs when a person is infected by a pathogen. Take, for instance, someone who has chickenpox. After the initial infection, the body develops immune memory for the virus, conferring immunity against the disease so if they encounter it again, they are able to fight it off swiftly and don’t go on to develop clinical disease again - Nicole Gleichmann and Karen Steward PhD

Natural Immunity & Covid-19

Natural immunity from infection is simply far too unreliable in the face of such a devastating virus. Current COVID-19 vaccines offer incredibly strong, consistent protection to the great majority of people - Jennifer T. Grier

Natural Sleep Aids

Can't catch those Zzzzs? A quality, natural sleep supplement could be the difference between a restful night and one spent counting sheep - Aaron Toumazou

Natural Sugars

The good thing about natural sugars is that you consume them intact, along with useful nutrients like vitamins, minerals, protein, and fiber. Sources of natural sugars also tend to have a high water content and are generally low in calories and sodium - Carrie Forrest MBA MPH

Natural Sweeteners

Natural sweeteners like honey, maple syrup, or coconut sugar have gained popularity as healthy sugar alternatives. They still provide energy like sugar, but they may also provide some potential health benefits instead of just being "empty calories". However, these natural sweeteners should still be enjoyed in moderation - BistroMD

Natural The Unnaturalness of “Natural Flavors”

The word “natural” has become perhaps the most misleading term in the food industry. Nothing makes that clearer than “natural flavoring,” a marketing trick used to enhance or even mask that actual natural flavor of what you’re eating.

Nature Therapy

It might sound like a weird, new-age buzzword, but it's actually a pretty interesting. Ecotherapy is, in basic terms, using nature or natural spaces as a form of or tool for psychotherapy - James Gaines

Naturopathic Medicine

The reasons underlying the rise of naturopathy and other pseudoscientific alternatives can be traced directly to the failures of modern medicine - Zubin Damania MD

Naturopaths

People are beginning to realize that it is cheaper and more advantageous to prevent disease rather than to cure it - Henry Lindlahr (1862 - 1924)

Nausea

Most individuals report that nausea is more common, more disabling, feels worse and lasts longer than vomiting - Prashant Singh

Nausea and Vomiting in Pregnancy

If you've experienced morning sickness you know the triggers aren't bound by logic - Supriva Kelkar

NDE

Death when unmasked shows us a friendly face and is a terror only at a distance - Oliver Goldsmith

NDMA

The chemical N-Nitrosodimethylamine, or NDMA, is a yellow liquid that dissolves in water. It doesn’t have an odor or much of a taste. It’s known to cause cancer in animals and is classified as a probable carcinogen in humans—it’s most toxic to the liver - Anna Edney, Susan Berfield, and Evelyn Yu

Near Death Experience

Death when unmasked shows us a friendly face and is a terror only at a distance - Oliver Goldsmith

Near Syncope

Dizziness is a more common complaint among older adults—probably because it’s a side effect of nearly every prescription drug (and many over-the-counter medications), and because age-related changes in your body can cause dizziness - Donnica Moore MD

Nearsightedness

Researchers expect eyesight to worsen across the globe thanks to more screens and less time outdoors - Julie Beck

NEC

Let us not forget the most common GI emergency that occurs in the neonatal period – Necrotizing Enterocolitis - Sean M Fox

Neck Injuries

The neck is constantly under stress supporting our heads. Collisions, bad posture and even an uncomfortable night’s sleep can cause serious ongoing discomfort - Physio Mechanics

Neck Lift

Having neck lift surgery without facelift surgery is like putting your winter boots on with a pair of shorts during a snowstorm - Dr. Robert Wilke

Neck Pain

Neck pain is a common condition — so common, in fact, that the expression "a pain in the neck" is an oft-used figure of speech in English - Acupuncture Today

Neck Trauma

The struggle with neck trauma lies in the different zones of the neck. Zones I and III are difficult to access and to manage in the operating room, with Zone I injuries at the highest risk. Zone II is the most exposed zone, and is consequently the most likely to be injured. However, Zone II injuries also have the best prognosis because there’s a larger areas of exposure, allowing for easier proximal and distal control - Amaan Siddiqi MD

Necrotizing Enterocolitis

Let us not forget the most common GI emergency that occurs in the neonatal period – Necrotizing Enterocolitis - Sean M Fox

Necrotizing Fasciitis

Unfortunately the common thread with flesh eating bacteria appears to be a delay in diagnosis because its symptoms often resemble other conditions like synovitis or cellutitis and as a result this delay ultimately can lead to amputation or even death

Needle Cricothyrotomy

Preferred over surgical cricothyroidotomy in children <10-12 years of age - Jonas Pologe

Needle Thoracostomy

Use the lateral approach if you are going to do needle thoracostomy - Scott Weingart MD FCCM

Needlestix Exposure

HIV transmission after a single percutaneous exposure to HIV-positive blood is low and this risk is considerably lower than that arising from hepatitis B and C viruses respectively 100 times and 10 times less - University of Wisconsin

Neglected Tropical Diseases

When you think of neglected tropical diseases Africa, Asia, and Latin America come to mind, but can you believe it's now occurring in the United States - Peter J. Hotez

Neisseria meningitidis STI

Strangely, the N. meningitidis bugs that cause urethritis have undergone a mutation that makes them look and act more like N. gonorrhoeae - Anna C

NEMT

Neonatal Cardiac Emergencies

Supraventricular tachycardia (SVT) is the most challenging arrhythmia in newborn, requiring urgent medical attention. The incidence of SVT is estimated to be 1 in 200 to 250 for neonates - Nargis Ara Begum

Neonatal Emergencies

The evaluation of a sick neonate is complex and fraught with incorrect diagnoses. Yet, a correct diagnosis and timely initiation of treatment can obviate catastrophic outcomes. Often, it is better to over diagnosis rather than under diagnose - AMFS

Neonatal Fever

The febrile neonate is a child 28 days and younger who presents with a fever. These children are at very high risk of serious bacterial infections, including urinary tract infection, pneumonia, meningitis, and bacteremia. Risk factors for serious bacterial infection in a neonate include prematurity, low birth weight, premature or prolonged rupture of membranes, meconium aspiration, or maternal group B streptococcus infection. - FOAMcast

Neonatal Health

Nothing's scarier than having a sick child, and one so newly born, and so vulnerable. It's the worst thing for a parent - Kenneth Oppel, The Nest

Neonatal Hypoglycemia

There remains a need to develop effective screening procedures to identify neonates who may have persistent hypoglycemic disorders, preferably before they are discharged home early, at 48 hours of age, as is the current trend - Rebecca Simmons MD

Neonatal Issues

Nothing's scarier than having a sick child, and one so newly born, and so vulnerable. It's the worst thing for a parent - Kenneth Oppel, The Nest

Neonatal Jaundice

Approximately 60% of term and 80% of preterm babies develop jaundice in the first week of life, and about 10% of breastfed babies are still jaundiced at 1 month of age. In most babies early jaundice is harmless - NICE

Neonatal Resuscitation

Neonatal resus should be both easy and scary, every time. If you’re not even a little, tiny bit scared, you’re quite possibly “doing it wrong”, and almost always, sticking to the algorithm ensures that you do the right thing for the patient - Henry Goldstein

Neonatal Sepsis

The febrile neonate is a child 28 days and younger who presents with a fever. These children are at very high risk of serious bacterial infections, including urinary tract infection, pneumonia, meningitis, and bacteremia. Risk factors for serious bacterial infection in a neonate include prematurity, low birth weight, premature or prolonged rupture of membranes, meconium aspiration, or maternal group B streptococcus infection. - FOAMcast

Neonate/Infant Intubation

You never know when you will encounter difficult ventilation or intubation, even in a newborn. You must always be prepared with a plan and the equipment and people you need to carry out that plan - Christine Whitten

Neonatologist & Perinatologist Orgs

If you had to identify, in one word, the reason why the human race has not achieved, and never will achieve, its full potential, that word would be 'meetings - Dave Barry

Neonatologist & Perinatologist Journals

You educate a man; you educate a man. You educate a woman; you educate a generation - Brigham Young

Neonatologists

How you approach birth is intimately connected with how you approach life - William Sears

Neonatology

How you approach birth is intimately connected with how you approach life - William Sears

Neonicotinoids

A group of pesticides believed to contribute to mass deaths of honeybees is probably more damaging to ecosystems than previously thought - David Jolly

Neovascular Glaucoma

Neovascular glaucoma has a relatively low prevalence, but it contributes significantly to vision loss and visual morbidity. Unfortunately, patients often don’t present with symptoms in the disease’s early stages, which makes detecting and preventing neovascular glaucoma challenging... Retinal ischemia is the main driving force behind the disease - Misha F. Syed MD

Nephrologists

Amidst the rise in the prevalence of CKD, there is a global shortage of nephrology workforce having a significant adverse impact on meeting the growing healthcare needs of this vulnerable population. This shortage is equally seen both in the developed world and the developing nations - Siddhesh Prabhavalkar

Nephrology

Nephrology is a discipline that shares features with another prominent discipline, namely neurology. Both are characterized by a high fund of knowledge amongst the specialists but a difficulty to translate knowledge into clinical actions due to the lack of new medications or other technology of precision medicine - Howard Trachtman

Nephrology Emergencies

Although patients with acute kidney injury (AKI) have a relatively rapid loss of renal function and tend to develop clinical manifestations requiring prompt attention, patients with chronic renal disease have usually experienced a slow decrease in renal function over a period of months to years. They commonly present to the emergency department (ED) with subacute or chronic symptoms, often of a progressive nature - Allan B. Wolfson

Nephropathy (Renal Disease)

Together with the bladder... kidneys are the ultimate personal waste disposal system, requiring little maintenance. In fact, you could say the greatest inconvenience they pose is the need to occasionally quickly locate “conveniences” - Christine Carson

Nephrotic Syndrome

Firstly, it’s a condition, not a disease...Nephrotic Syndrome mostly affects children but it can go on to develop in teens and adults too - Nephrotic Syndrome Trust

Nerve Agents

Nerve agents are deadly and usually colorless, and they share a long history with insecticides - Sarah Zhang

Nervous System Conditions

In a person who is open to experience each stimulus is freely relayed through the nervous system, without being distorted by any process of defensiveness - Carl Rogers

Neti Pot

Rinsing warm saltwater through your nose — in one nostril and out the other — as an antidote for a variety of woes like sinus inflammation, congestion and allergies may seem strange and possibly scary; especially if you’ve heard about its links to rare but deadly brain-eating amoeba infections - Alice Callahan

NETs

Many NETs have no symptoms until they are quite advanced.- Carolyn Vachani

Neupogen (Filgrastim)

Neulasta and Neupogen are virtually identical drugs, and do the same thing. Both are 'colony activity stimulators,' and both stimulate the production of WBC inside the bone marrow. Presumably they differ slightly in chemical composition - Cancer Survivors Network

Neural Implants

Brain implants today are where laser eye surgery was several decades ago. They are not risk-free and make sense only for a narrowly defined set of patients—but they are a sign of things to come - Gary Marcus and Christof Koch

Neuraminidase inhibitors

It is clear we have likely been misled about the benefits and harms of these drugs because so much of the evidence is tainted by a pro-industry or pro-drug bias - Ray Moynihan

Neuro Endocrine Tumors

Many are given incorrect diagnoses of irritable bowel disease, dyspepsia, or dietary intolerances. Imagine how this affects your mental health – you know something isn’t right, but doctor after doctor dismisses your concerns - Carolyn Vachani

Neuro Health

In a person who is open to experience each stimulus is freely relayed through the nervous system, without being distorted by any process of defensiveness - Carl Rogers

Neuroblastoma

Neuroblastoma has one of the lowest survival rates of all pediatric cancers and accounts for 15% of all pediatric cancer deaths - Isabella Santos Foundation

Neurodegenerative Disease

Despite remarkable advances, research into neurodegeneration and Alzheimer Disease (AD) has nonetheless been dominated by inconsistent and conflicting theory. Basic questions regarding how and why the brain changes over time remain unanswered - Jacob Kosyakovsky

Neuroendocrine Tumors

Many NETs have no symptoms until they are quite advanced.- Carolyn Vachani

Neurogenic Bladder

Neurogenic bladder describes a number of urinary conditions caused by the malfunction of or trauma to the brain and the central nervous system. It occurs when the bladder is unable to relax or contract - Lesley Phelan Dally MSSW CCM

Neurogenic Shock

In the clinical arena, neurogenic shock can present with variable vital sign abnormalities on a widely variable timeline, making the diagnosis challenging - Nicolas Jensen

Neurologic Emergencies

The diagnosis and management of such conditions can be more complex at the extremes of age than in the average adult. In the pediatric population, neurologic emergencies are somewhat rare and some may require emergent consultation... On the opposite end of the age spectrum, older adults disproportionately requireemergency care, and the combination of geriatric physiologic changes with increased comorbidities leads to atypical presentations and worsened outcomes - Danya Khoujah

Neurologists

I had always wanted to become a neurologist, which is one of the most demanding vocations in medicine. Where do you stop, after all, with the brain? How does it function? What are its limits? The work seems unending - Roger Bannister

Neurology

Among all medicine sub-specialties, neurology is by far the largest and most versatile. Neurology not only deals with the the most valuable part of our body The Brain, it also deals with the largest system in our body. From the brain to the spinal cord and from the the nerve roots to muscles - Neurology Residents

Neuromuscular Disorders

Life with a rare neuromuscular disease creates many awkward situations...Rare disease does not change your destination, it only changes how you get there - Kyle Bryant

Neuromuscular Emergencies

There is a long list of rare neuromuscular diseases. Nonetheless, there are a few that you are likely to see in the ED, that are relevant to Emergency Medicine because they require timely diagnosis and treatment - Saswata Deb & Priyank Bhatnagar

Neurontin (Gabapentin)

Gabapentin and pregabalin have now become the new drugs for abuse, with around one of five opioid abusers also using gabapentin - Mark Mosley MD

Neuropathy

Chronic pain is a feature of our age but the chronic pain of neuropathy is possibly one of the meanest of them all and not to be underestimated - David R

Neuroplasticity

The brain is often compared to a general purpose computing device that processes our reality and stores our memories. But unlike any machine made of silicon, the three pounds of wetware found inside our heads has the ability to rewire itself. This unique property—known as neuroplasticity—offers a host of opportunities for those willing to test the limits of their perception - Will Storr

Neuroprosthetics

Brain implants today are where laser eye surgery was several decades ago. They are not risk-free and make sense only for a narrowly defined set of patients—but they are a sign of things to come - Gary Marcus and Christof Koch

Neuroprotective CPR

The conventional method for chest compressions doesn’t have a great success rate. Doctors are pumping it up with a high-tech plunger - Joanne Silberner

Neurosurgeon Journals

The study of the human brain and its disease remains one of the greatest scientific and philosophical challenges ever undertaken - Floyd E. Bloom

Neurosurgeon Orgs

The human brain is the most complex mass of protoplasm on earth-perhaps even in our galaxy - Marian C. Diamond and Arnold B. Scheibel (in The Human Brain Coloring Book, 1985)

Neurosurgeons

There is no scientific study more vital to man than the study of his own brain. Our entire view of the universe depends on it - Francis H.C. Crick (from Scientific American, September, 1979)

Neurosurgery

Neurosurgery today is much different. Surgical procedures are migrating toward minimally invasive approaches or catheter-based treatment options - John M. Abrahams

Neurosurgery Stroke

Since it is estimated that eighty-five per cent of strokes are caused by blockages or clots as opposed to a bleed, neurosurgical intervention for stroke is uncommon - Cerebrovascular Surgery and the Comprehensive Stroke Center, University of Virginia

Neurotransmitters

The major neurotransmitters in your brain include glutamate and GABA, the main excitatory and inhibitory neurotransmitters respectively, as well as neuromodulators including chemicals such as dopamine, serotonin, norepinephrine and acetylcholine - Dr. Robert Pastore

Neutropenic Fever

Patients do not have to be febrile in the ED to be diagnosed with this. Their report of fever is enough - Rob Rogers MD

Neutrophils

Neutrophils are no ninnies. They have evolved to be problem solvers—sweeping up pathogens and scarfing them down, repairing wounds and paving paths for new tissues to grow - Katherine J. Wu

New Information Shouldn't Alter Good Health Practices

Scientists form new ideas about health all the time. But changing our habits every time a headline suggests a change in conventional medical wisdom may be a direct path to a less healthy life

New Orleans Head CT Criteria

The New Orleans head CT criteria allow clinicians to identify all patients who will have intracranial injuries whether they are clinically significant or not but is unlikely to produce anything more than very small reductions in CT utilization - Anand Swaminathan MD and Emily J Junck MD

New Year Resolutions: Are You In or Out?

Perhaps we shouldn’t think about them as resolutions, but rather self-improvements. And self-improvement doesn’t necessarily mean you have to give something up. Instead, think of it as taking on a healthy habit.

New Year's Day

From ancient times, people have welcomed the new year with rituals to attract good fortune - BeliefNet

New Year's Resolutions

New Year's Resolutions come and go. Some we keep, some we don't. In order to make lasting changes in our lives, we must first change our minds. We sometimes forget, and we often feel stuck, but we all have the power to do so - Elizabeth Thornton

New Year’s Resolutions for Planet Earth

The fact is that no species has ever had such wholesale control over everything on Earth, living or dead, as we now have. That lays upon us, whether we like it or not, an awesome responsibility. In our hands now lies not only our own future, but that of all other living creatures with whom we share the Earth - Sir David Attenborough

Newborn Health

While most neonatal mortality is related to three main causes (preterm birth, complications during birth, and infections), a host of other factors contribute to maternal and newborn health outcomes - HNN

Newborn Screening

Newborn screening became known as one of the most important, successful interventions of public health, credited with sparing tens of thousands of children worldwide from developmental disabilities or early death - Robert Guthrie Legacy Project

News, is it true?

In today's world it's easy to share information. But that's no excuse for making no effort to ensure the info we pass along isn't bogus.

Newsletters

Whatever is happening in the world of health and medicine is probably already in your inbox - HWN

Nexplanon Implanon

Intrauterine devices and birth-control implants are somewhat miraculous: Once inserted, they protect against pregnancy (but not STDs) for years. No pills, no shots, no problem - Olga Khazan

NEXUS (National Emergency X-Radiography Utilization Study)

The NEXUS criteria for C-spine imaging clear patients from cervical spine fracture clinically, without imaging. Unlike the Canadian C-spine rule (CCR), the NEXUS criteria do not have age cutoffs and are theoretically applicable to all patients aged > 1 year - Daniel Runde MD

NFL

Football, of course, exists at the apex of American sport. It is our great elixir, the weekly fall-to-winter festival that brings more of us together than any other sport. In a nation divided, the game remains a unifying force, a magnet drawing every race, orientation and class... There is certainly good in that. And yet, we can no longer love the game while feigning ignorance about its costs - Kurt Streeter

NFL & Concussions

Over the years, more has been learned about what causes concussions. That knowledge has helped the NFL adapt the protocol, treatment, the designs of equipment and the rules of the game. But the identification of concussions on the fly remains difficult - Tashan Reed

NHS

It does provide universal coverage, though not particularly quick, modern, effective, or efficient coverage, and it is better at treating some not very common diseases than many other systems. And it enjoys broad public support - Ted Bromund

Niacin

Since niacin isn’t something that drug companies can patent it’s of little interest to them. But whatever you do don’t overlook niacin’s potential just because it’s been around so long or because it sounds like too simple of a solution - Dr David Williams

NICE

The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) has gained notoriety for its evidence-based appraisal guidance on health technologies which include medicines, medical devices, diagnostic techniques, surgical procedures, and health promotion activities - Xcenda

Nickel

The extraction of nickel, mainly mined in Australia, Canada, Indonesia, Russia and the Philippines, comes with environmental and health costs - Max Opray

Nicole Kidman and the Flu and the SAG Awards

Sometimes getting the flu is unavoidable. So if you do get it, remember, that it’s okay to stay home. If you don’t want to do it for yourself, do it for the rest of us who don’t want to get sick. - Stacy Matson

Nicotine

Nicotine exists outside of tobacco, and while it can still be addictive (although to a lesser degree) in patch or gum form, the potential benefits deserve serious attention - Nick English

Nicotine Replacement Therapy (NRT)

NRTs increase the rate of quitting by 50% to 60%, regardless of setting, and further research is very unlikely to change our confidence in the estimate of the effect - Jamie Hartmann‐Boyce

Nicotine Withdrawal Syndrome

Withdrawal symptoms are real – and challenging. Beating addiction is more complicated than just “trying harder”. Nicotine withdrawal can feel like your whole body is fighting against you. As well as having cigarette cravings, you might feel restless and irritable, have difficulty sleeping, experience heightened stress and anxiety and find it hard to concentrate - Nicorette

NICU

Hospitals are rethinking the way they care for premature babies. Instead of nurses and other hospital personnel taking charge of the babies, the hospital staff becomes coaches who teach parents how to care for their infants themselves - Barbara Sadick

Niemann-Pick Disease

Most doctors have never heard of Niemann-Pick Type C due to its extreme rarity; NPC's broad range of often-subtle, unfamiliar symptoms can lead to misdiagnosis or no diagnosis at all. The first symptom of NPC is an enlarged spleen and/or liver - Fight NPC

Night Terrors

You wake up the next morning exhausted from the trials of the night before. Your child, however, has no memory of it whatsoever - Alexis Barad-Cutler

Nightmares

So if you’re one of the up to 8 percent of adults who sometimes experience nightmares, don’t worry too much about it! It’s just your brain’s way of putting your fears behind you - Carolyn Gregoire

NIH

NIH’s mission is to seek fundamental knowledge about the nature and behavior of living systems and the application of that knowledge to enhance health, lengthen life, and reduce illness and disability - NIH

NIH Stroke Scale

Patients with a total score of 4 or less generally have favorable clinical outcomes and have a high likelihood of functional independence regardless of treatment - NIH

Nipah Virus

Nipah is on the World Health Organization’s priority list of emerging diseases that could cause a global pandemic, alongside Zika and Ebola - Maanvi Singh

Nipples

Women’s nipples have long been a source of fascination and controversy, from celebrity gossip stories of wardrobe malfunctions and “nip slips to feminist movements for gender equality. Nipples even became a fashion accessory. Men’s nipples are a different story - Michelle Moscova

Nitrates

So it’s not really a cut and dry issue: avoid all nitrates. The issue is more accurately that we need to have an awareness of how many nitrates we are consuming and, on a different note, look at the meat sourcing - Megan Stevens

Nitrates & Processed Meat

We should speak not of “processed meat” but “nitro-meat” - Guillaume Coudray

Nitric Oxide

Nitric oxide (NO) has long been known as endothelium-derived relaxing factor. It is a vasodilator, modulating vascular tone, blood pressure and hemodynamics, a role exploited by nitrate donor therapy for angina, heart failure, pulmonary hypertension and erectile dysfunction - A B Levine

Nitrites

Their use in food preservation is nothing new. The Romans were the first to note the benefits of nitrites as early as 850 B.C. While it remains a key component of many products to this day, its use is misunderstood - Jacob Farr

Nitrodialators

There are two basic types of nitrodilators: those that release NO spontaneously (e.g., sodium nitroprusside) and organic nitrates that require an enzymatic process to form NO - Richard E. Klabunde PhD

Nitrofurantoin (Macrodantin}

Nitrofurantoin is effective at treating uncomplicated urinary tract infections. It remains a first-line agent. Other first-line drugs include trimethoprim and amoxicillin - Pharmafatz

Nitrogen

Nitrogen, the most abundant element in our atmosphere, is crucial to life. Nitrogen is found in soils and plants, in the water we drink, and in the air we breathe. It is also essential to life: a key building block of DNA, which determines our genetics, is essential to plant growth, and therefore necessary for the food we grow - Miriam R. Aczel

Nitrogen (Ammonia)

While not as visually wrenching as a burning forest or displaced animals, our dependence on nitrogen-based fertilizers fuels the demise of vital planetary ecosystems and our own health - Yoram Kapulnik

Nitrogen Narcosis

While some divers may not take nitrogen narcosis seriously, often referring to only the euphoria (or the “martini” effect), it is important to always be prepared to respond to a worst-case scenario during each dive - Noreen

Nitrogen Pollution

The nitrogen in chemical fertilizer does two things incredibly well. It supercharges crop growth, and it produces nitrates, chemicals that are ultra-soluble in water and easily pass through soil to accumulate in groundwater. Once there, nitrates can persist for decades and increase in concentration as more fertilizer is added - Barry Estabrook

Nitroglycerin

Nitroglycerin is truly a wonder drug. It dilates coronary arteries and decreases the workload of the heart, two factors responsible for the discomfort. Yet many anginal patients use the drug only sparingly, if at all - Dr. Bernard Lown

Nitroprusside

Given the advent of newer, safer therapies, nitroprusside should be reserved as a last-linetreatment for hypertensive emergency when alternatives agents cannot be employed - Ashley and Brooke Barlow PharmDs

Nitrosamines

Nitrosamines are a group of chemical substances, some of which can pose a risk to patients and public health due to their mutagenic properties. When they are metabolized, nitrosamines are converted to alkylating agents. Some of these are known to damage DNA and have been linked to cancer. - Edmond Biba PhD

Nitrous Oxide

The bigger problem with nitrous oxide abuse is one of image: That nitrous oxide is considered “soft” can in many ways gloss over the real problems associated with inhalant abuse - Linda Rodriguez

Nitrous Oxide Anesthesia

The first general anesthetic used clinically was nitrous oxide, a gas synthesized in a research lab in 1772. It’s still known as laughing gas, and in later years, because it could not silence the brain sufficiently, it was useful only for minor surgery - Frank LaBella

Nitrous Oxide Emissions

Although there’s far less nitrous oxide in the atmosphere than carbon dioxide, it’s an important greenhouse gas for two principal reasons: it’s very efficient at absorbing energy, and it stays in the atmosphere for a long time - CarbonBrief

Nix, Elimite

Permethrin is a pesticide most frequently used to treat bug-resistant clothing, mosquito netting and outdoor gear, though it’s also often used in bug sprays and very commonly used worldwide as a pesticide for crops. In addition to these uses, permethrin is used in over-the-counter lice treatments, as well as in flea shampoos and treatments for pets - MADE SAFE

NMS

Although uncommon, NMS remains a critical consideration in the differential diagnosis of patients presenting with fever and mental status changes because it requires prompt recognition to prevent significant morbidity and death - Brian D Berman MD MS

NNT (Number Needed to Treat)

So how do we determine clinical significance? One way is to evaluate how many individuals need to be treated in order to obtain one more favorable outcome. This is the concept behind Number Needed to Treat (NNT).- A. Ramirez

No Government Oversight of Dietary Supplements? Enter Lab Door

With the government abdicating its responsibility to ensure that dietary supplements are all they're cracked up to be, the door is wide open for LabDoor, a service that promises to bring the facts.

No see ums (Biting Midges)

Every creature is a wonder with a purpose. But once bitten, it’s hard not to think of these itty-bitty, teeny-weeny insects as anything but pure evil - Melissa Gouty

No Straws: Why Seemingly Trivial Efforts Matter in Addressing Our Most Serious Problem

Eliminating single-use plastic products has become a cause célèbre over the past few years, but some in the environmental community complain it's a distraction from the bigger issues. Here's why they're wrong

Nobel Laureates

Science’s reach has relentlessly expanded to include ever more facets of our world, and it has become increasingly important to our lives. But the world’s most important scientific honor society has largely ignored that evolution - Gabriel Popkin

Nobody Asked Me But: Probing The Ageless Male Syndrome

In case you haven’t figured it out yet, the phenomenon he is experiencing here comes as a result of andropause, the male equivalent of menopause. Often referred to as “middle-age crisis,” this is the male’s futile last-ditch effort to grasp onto his youthful virility before inevitably slipping away into the fraternity of geezerhood - Shilo Zylbergold

Nocturnal Enuresis

Accidents and bedwetting are often dismissed with excuses like, “kids get busy and forget to go” or “he’s a deep sleeper.” But these notions are wrong - Steve J Hodges MD

Noise Pollution

I have long held the opinion that the amount of noise that anyone can bear undisturbed stands in inverse proportion to his mental capacity and therefore be regarded as a pretty fair measure of it - Arthur Schopenhauer

Noise-Related Hearing Loss Is Both Permanent and Avoidable

Everywhere you go these days people are plugged in to their smartphones. Increasingly, those people are damaging their hearing. But a little awareness can help you not be one of them.

Non Emergency Medical Transportation

You may not be familiar with NEMT, but for many people, it’s a lifeline to the healthcare system, ensuring that patients who can’t drive or use public transportation receive critical medical care and life-saving therapies - Josh Komenda

Non Gonococcal Urethritis

Nongonococcal urethritis—or NGU—is an infection of the urethra caused by pathogens (germs) other than gonorrhea. There are nonsexual causes for NGU as well, such as a urinary tract infection or catheterization. NGU is more commonly diagnosed in men than in women - ASHA

Non Hormonal Birth Control

Some non-hormonal birth control options require your attention every time you have sex, while others last for years or are even permanent - Kaye Smith PhD

Non Invasive Skin Rejuvenation

More women are skipping facelifts, instead opting for non- or minimally invasive treatments that refresh their visages without (totally) zapping fine lines - Marisa Meltzer

Non Invasive Ventilation (NIV)

It's clear from both evidence and experience that NIV (aka NIPPV, CPAP, BiPAP) is very helpful for most acutely sick, dyspneic patients on a range of outcomes - MDaware.org

Non-12-Step Programs

Unlike AA’s philosophy, non-12 step rehab doesn’t treat addiction as a brain disease - Gulf Breeze Recovery

Non-alcoholic Drinks

The wellness movement—a cultural phenomenon characterized by the dogged desire to be physically, mentally, and spiritually healthy, even at great expense and often with the supposed help of pseudo-scientific cures—is another driving force in the uptick of alcohol-free alcohol - Eleanor Cummins

Non-Hodgkin's Lymphoma

Non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma (NHL), one of the most common hematologic cancers in the U.S.,is a heterogeneous group of diseases with more than 60 identified subtypes. Each subtype is characterized by distinct clinical presentation, morphology, and underlying genetics - Genentech

Non-ionizing Radiation

Man-made environmental radiation is the new asbestos ― Steven Magee

Non-Melanoma

New research shows a sharp rise in non-melanoma skin cancers, so dermatologists and cancer groups are pushing patients who have a history of even one occurrence to be more vigilant about regular checkups - Laura Landro

Non-Opioids

As opioid prescriptions decline, non-opioid analgesics are increasingly emphasized in a variety of clinical settings as a preferred, safe, and effective first-line therapy for mild to moderate acute and chronic pain - NEJM Knowledge

Non-Traumatic Vision Loss

There are many causes of sudden vision loss, making diagnosis somewhat difficult - Denise Goodwin

Nonallergic Rhinitis

Nonallergic rhinitis (NAR) is not a single disease with 1 underlying mechanism but is instead a collection of multiple distinct conditions that cause similar nasal symptoms. Nonallergic rhinitis is at times almost indistinguishable from allergic rhinitis (AR), although typically nasal and palatal itch, sneezing, and conjunctival irritation are less prominent - Mark D Scarupa

Nonarteritic Anterior Ischemic Optic Neuropathy (NA-AION)

Nonarteritic, anterior ischemic optic neuropathy is the most common form of ischemic optic neuropathy - Louise Lee EdD MHA PA-C

Noninvasive Body Contouring (Lipolysis)

Today, the audience for superficial fat-zapping is largely composed of people hoping to transform themselves without the medical risks and recovery time entailed by invasive surgeries like tummy tucks and liposuction - Natasha Singer

Noninvasive Diabetes Screening

The current Diabetes screening method is invasive, provided that scarcity of resources and high cost of test kit makes it nonpractical to frequently checkup. We must proactively engage in its prevention by making screening cheap and easily accessible - Tesfaye Haile MD

Noninvasive positive pressure ventilation (NPPV)

Noninvasive positive pressure ventilation (NIPPV) refers to the delivery of positive pressure ventilator support without the insertion of an endotracheal tube [1]. This intervention works to improve lung volumes and decrease the work of breathing, making it a practical tool in the management of acute respiratory failure - Matt McCauley MD

Noninvasive Prenatal Screening (Cell-free DNA Screening)

It should be noted that NO PRENATAL TEST — whether screening or diagnostic in nature —confers 100 percent accuracy, and that ALL have their advantages, as well as their limitations - Kecia Gaither MD

Nonselective NSAIDs (Ibuprofen, Naprosyn, Indomethacin)

NSAIDs revolutionized the treatment of pain. But as is the case for all drugs, they have some drawbacks - Harvard Health Publications

Nonsteroidal Anti-Inflammatory Drugs

Cyclo-oxygenase (COX) inhibitors are among the most commonly used drugs in the western world for their anti-inflammatory and analgesic effects. However, they are also well-known to increase the risk of coronary events - Shanzana Khan

Nonstick Pans (Teflon)

.Although such cookware is beloved by cooks for making cleaning easier, Teflon and other so-called "forever chemicals" in non-stick pans have been turning up in human bodies - Matthew Rozsa

Nonstick Pans - Are You Cooking Healthy Food in a Toxic Pan?

Do nonstick pans make our food toxic? With the new anodized products coming out it would seem that there is probably some truth to this claim. The good news is there are alternatives

Noom

Like any other diet plan, Noom still has its pros and cons. Here's what you should know before you download it - Jaclyn London, MS, RD, CDN

Noradrenaline (Norepinephrine) Neurotransmitter

Norepinephrine is a neurotransmitter that is important for attentiveness, emotions, sleeping, dreaming, and learning. Norepinephrine is also released as a hormone into the blood, where it causes blood vessels to contract and heart rate to increase - McGill University

Norovirus

Norovirus can live for days or even weeks on hard surfaces and may be resistant to some disinfectants - CDC

Nose & Nasal Issues

The nose is a complex organ—it warms and modifies air as it comes into your body, and acts as a gatekeeper against the external environment - Stella Lee

Nosebleeds

Everyone has had a nosebleed at one time or another. Nowadays if you end up in ER the procedure of choice is nasal packing as opposed to cauterization - Rob Lamberts MD

Novateurs (Transformers in Healthcare)

With passion, purpose and your incredible will, you too can achieve the impossible - Julie Weiss

Novateurs in Emergency Medicine

Showcasing our colleagues both past and present that have and continue to empower all of us and the planet's health on issues that matter - HWN

Novavax vaccine

The Novavax vaccine stands out from other Covid-19 vaccines because it uses a technology that has not been deployed to date. It can also be stored at ordinary refrigerator temperatures, unlike some other vaccines that have strict freezer requirements that complicate distribution - Umair Irfan

Novichok

Novichok, or “newcomer” in Russian, refers not to a single chemical but rather a group of related molecules designed for only one purpose: to kill - William Atchison

NOx

Although there’s far less nitrous oxide in the atmosphere than carbon dioxide, it’s an important greenhouse gas for two principal reasons: it’s very efficient at absorbing energy, and it stays in the atmosphere for a long time - CarbonBrief

NPS

What roughly binds them together is our ignorance of them: We typically know very little about what’s classified as NPS - Stefanie Jones

NPs

Bar none, this is a special place for the second most respected profession...nursing practitioners, sorry nurses are first

NSAIDs (COX Inhibitors)

Cyclo-oxygenase (COX) inhibitors are among the most commonly used drugs in the western world for their anti-inflammatory and analgesic effects. However, they are also well-known to increase the risk of coronary events - Shanzana Khan

NSTEMI

There are clear mortality benefits to emergent PCI for patients with STEMI. However, optimal treatment for patients presenting with unstable angina or NSTEMI remains controversial.- Anatoly Kazakin

NTDs

Take action and be a part of helping to stamp out poverty and ultimately, neglected tropical diseases

Nuchal Cord

A “nuchal cord” occurs when the umbilical cord is wrapped 360° around the infant’s neck and may be a single loop or multiple loops. Nuchal cords are quite common, occurring in 10-30% of fetuses, and can sometimes be diagnosed on prenatal ultrasound - Jillian Kiely MD

Nuclear Accidents

Time will tell how the long term effects of Fukushima will ‘fall out’. The stark reality is what occurred in Japan could happen anywhere! So, be ready for the next one

Nuclear Energy

. Nuclear is losing its stigma, in other words. It’s been invited to the cool kids’ table. The reindeer games are over. Now it has to deliver - Robinson Meyer

Nuclear Events

Although more than 119 million U.S. residents live within 50 miles of a nuclear power plant, most emergency physicians are unfamiliar with management of radiation-related injuries, including mass casualty from nuclear accidents - Leslie Crosby MD

Nuclear Fallout

Radioactive fallout poses the greatest threat to people during the first two weeks, by which time it has declined to about 1 percent of its initial radiation level - Patrick Allan

Nuclear Medicine

Say the word nuclear & it conjures up mistaken ideas about radiation, an invisible, odorless & intangible force...Say the words nuclear medicine, & its powerful reality is that it is highly beneficial to life - Jonathan M Links MD

Nuclear Radiation Exposure

Ionizing radiation—the kind that minerals, atom bombs and nuclear reactors emit—does one main thing to the human body: it weakens and breaks up DNA, either damaging cells enough to kill them or causing them to mutate in ways that may eventually lead to cancer - Molika Ashford

Nuclear Scenario

The catastrophic, persistent effects of nuclear weapons on our health, societies and the environment must be at the centre of all public and diplomatic discussions about nuclear disarmament and non-proliferation - ICAN

Nuclear Stress Tests

Unlike MRI and CT scans that give only structural information, nuclear imaging tests provide information about the functional status and viability of different organs and tissues - Cleveland Clinic

Nurse Anesthetists

The best part of my job is when my patient wakes up and asks when he or she’s going to surgery/when a parturient stops screaming in pain after the epidural is placed, or when the patient tells me that’s the best sleep he’s had in years - Behind the Drapes

Nurse Apps

When you’re in your scrubs and ready to tackle the shift, using mobile apps to get information on drugs to anatomy to conditions is a no-brainer way to better treat your patients - Lynda Lampert

Nurse Careers

Save a life, you're a hero, save 100 lives, you are a nurse- Anonymous

Nurse Jobs

Look beyond the hospital. Nurses are fanning out into a host of jobs, ranging from rehab and long-term care facilities to nurse-run community clinics, schools, or corporations - U.S. News & World Report

Nurse Managers

Nurses make up the largest segment of the healthcare workforce—and while most nurses approach their careers with patient care in mind, many will unexpectedly transition into leadership roles. Unfortunately, it’s all too common for this “promotion” to arrive without adequate training, development opportunities, or sufficient support/mentorship - Bill Abeln RN

Nurse Practitioner Apps

The right app can make your work faster and more accurate. Information at your fingertips is literally a lifesaver for nurse practitioners, no matter what your specialty - GraduateNursingEDU.org

Nurse Practitioner Careers

One of the pivotal decisions you must make on your path to becoming a NP is selecting your nurse practitioner specialty - Erin Tolbert FNP

Nurse Practitioner CE

“The aim of education should be to teach us rather how to think, than what to think — Bill Beattie

Nurse Practitioner Jobs

We are becoming the driving force of medicine in this country - Justin Allan

Nurse Practitioner Journals

Time and time again, research has shown that nurse practitioners working in collaborative settings can provide high-quality care - John N Mafi and Bruce E Landon

Nurse Practitioner Organizations

We are becoming the driving force of medicine in this country - Justin Allan

Nurse Practitioner Students

I always liked being a floor nurse and sometimes worked as a charge nurse but there is nothing better than making my own decisions regarding the patients that I care for - Because Your Nurse Practitioner Says So

Nurse Practitioners

Bar none, this is a special place for the second most respected profession...nursing practitioners, sorry nurses are first - HWN

Nursemaid's Elbow (Elbow Subluxation)

Don’t fret over which technique is most superior… they both work well, so if one doesn’t work… try the other one. Usually, I’ll start with the hyperpronation, merely because the position of the arm initially makes easier to attempt - Sean M. Fox MD

Nurses

The best way to appreciate nurses during Nurses Week is to support legislation that would help them better care for their patients - Theresa Brown

Nurses & Burnout

Nursing burnout is not new. It is a term coined in the 1970s and 80s describing the mental, emotional, and physical stress found in helping professions. But the onset of COVID-19 was a perfect storm, which brought more burnout - Priscilla Nodine PhD and Laura Rosenthal DNP

Nurses & Covid-19 Pandemic

Being a nurse was already hard. But in the pandemic, it’s become almost impossible - Theresa Brown

Nursing

The best way to appreciate nurses during Nurses Week is to support legislation that would help them better care for their patients - Theresa Brown

Nursing Homes

Choose a place of residence that will also respect someone's individual choices, preferences, and freedoms - Eric Brodwin

Nursing Students

The same skills that make nurses rank highly on trust and integrity will help everyone in their careers - Marvin Krislov

Nut Butters

With the current rise of "plant-based" branding, butter alternatives might just find new relevance - Bettina Makalintal

Nutrient (Fertilizer) Pollution

Both nitrogen and phosphorus are critical for plant and animal growth and nourishment, but too much of a good thing can be bad - Lisa Beach

Nutrisystem

A short-term tool that will help you to get back on track. Yet, for a long-term approach, it does not work - Stefan Aschan

Nutrition

As flavor diminishes, so does nutrition - Mark Schatzker

Nutrition Food Portion Control

It's simple: you've got to eat. What's not so simple for some of us is knowing when to say when. But because "when" is not the same for all of us, how should we approach the question of portion control...

Nutrition Labels

Seducing claims such as 'natural' and 'low fat' lead many of us to overestimate how healthy a food is. It can also discourage us from reading the nutritional details on the back label - BBC Food

Nutritionists

Tell me what you eat, and I will tell you what you are - G K Chesterton

Nuts

The new contention that we should avoid all of the most nutritious plant foods, including many vegetables, nearly all fruits, all beans, and all legumes because they contain lectins- takes nutritional nonsense to a whole new level - David L Katz MD

Nystagmus

Nystagmus has an incidence rate of 1 in 1,000 people in the general public and is the most common form of visual impairment among children - Nystagmus Network

Nystatin

Nystatin’s discovery in 1950 launched the era of antifungal therapy, closely followed by the pivotal breakthrough with amphotericin B. The development of antifungal agents is considered one of the most noteworthy milestones in the world’s fight against medical mycosis - Filipa Sousa

N₂O

Although there’s far less nitrous oxide in the atmosphere than carbon dioxide, it’s an important greenhouse gas for two principal reasons: it’s very efficient at absorbing energy, and it stays in the atmosphere for a long time - CarbonBrief