Department of Medicine

April 19, 2018

VUMC drug repurposing initiative gaining momentum

Drug repurposing involves establishing an additional approved indication for a drug already at market.

By Paul Govern
April 12, 2018

Initiative stresses importance of advance directives

While many might prefer to not think about dying, healthcare professionals throughout the United States are encouraging patients and their families to do just that during a national awareness campaign April 16-22 that promotes the importance of completing an advance directive for healthcare.

By Jill Clendening
3d rendering white blood cells with red blood cells
April 10, 2018

Vanderbilt scientists test potential new way to treat anemia

Treatment of anemia caused by chronic kidney disease or other diseases often requires repeated — and costly — injections or infusions of an artificial form of the hormone erythropoietin (EPO), which stimulates production of red blood cells.

By Bill Snyder
April 5, 2018

Patient’s efforts help shine light on plasma cell disorder

Charlotte Haffner, Vanderbilt’s first patient to undergo a heart transplant followed by a stem cell transplant to treat a plasma cell disorder called primary AL amyloidosis, now she dedicates her time to raising awareness about the rare disease.

By Jessica Pasley
April 5, 2018

Report calls for greater awareness of rare cardiac disease

A national effort seeks to raise awareness about an uncommon cause of heart attacks in otherwise healthy, young and middle-aged women.

By Jessica Pasley
March 27, 2018

Alzheimer’s proteins in ICU survivors

The cognitive impairment that affects patients who survive a stay in the ICU does not appear to have a similar mechanism to Alzheimer’s disease, Vanderbilt researchers have discovered.

By Meredith Jackson
March 22, 2018

Grant bolsters study of potential new therapy for C. diff infection

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, in 2011 in the United States there were almost half a million Clostridium difficile infections, and one in 11 patients 65 or older with a healthcare-associated C. diff infection died within 30 days of diagnosis.
By Paul Govern
March 15, 2018

Study spots undiagnosed genetic diseases in EHR

Patients diagnosed with heart failure, stroke, infertility and kidney failure could actually be suffering from rare and undiagnosed genetic diseases.
By Craig Boerner
March 15, 2018

Research explores barriers to kidney disease screening

New research by Vanderbilt nephrologists highlights potential barriers that may prevent black Americans from being screened for kidney disease.
By VUMC News and Communications
March 12, 2018

Cancer immunotherapy drugs linked with more serious heart effects

Vanderbilt University Medical Center investigators have identified a growing number of serious and sometimes fatal cases of heart problems among cancer patients treated with some forms of immunotherapy.
By VUMC News and Communications
March 8, 2018

Lovly earns scholarship grant for lung cancer research

Christine Lovly, MD, PhD, assistant professor of Medicine at Vanderbilt, has received a $200,000 grant to support promising new research on lung cancer.
By VUMC News and Communications
March 6, 2018

Discovery by Vanderbilt-led group could lead to improved diabetes treatment

Vanderbilt investigators and colleagues around the country have made a major discovery that could lead to better ways to treat type 1 diabetes (T1D).
By Bill Snyder
February 27, 2018

Saline use on decline at Vanderbilt following landmark studies

Vanderbilt University Medical Center is encouraging its medical providers to stop using saline as intravenous fluid therapy for most patients, a change provoked by two companion landmark studies released Feb. 27 that are anticipated to improve survival and decrease kidney complications.
By Craig Boerner