Expert Interviews

William Grady, MD, highlights ongoing efforts to improve test sensitivity and developments of new blood-based tests for early detection of CRC.

A geriatric psychiatrist talks about the importance of asking caregivers about behavior in order to understand and treat agitation in Alzheimer dementia.

William Grady, MD, coauthor of the ECLIPSE study, discusses the use of non-invasive cfDNA blood-based tests for CRC screening in older adults.

With the recent surge in demand and supply shortages, Michael Crotty, MD, discusses the future of GLP-1RA use in the treatment of obesity.

Michael Crotty, MD, provides practical guidance for on integrating GLP-1 receptor agonists into a comprehensive obesity treatment plan.

Obesity medicine specialist Michael Crotty, MD, discusses the benefits of GLP-1 receptor agonist use in weight management and its impact on obesity-related comorbidities.

Geriatric psychiatrist and neurocognitive researcher George Grossberg, MD, highlights the mechanism of action for the new dextromethorphan/bupropion combination.

Panelists discuss strategies for simplifying complex information for primary care physicians (PCPs), provide tips on how PCPs can effectively communicate evidence-based treatment options to patients, and outline actionable points and key takeaways to enhance patient care in managing menopause symptoms.

Panelists discuss alternative therapies for women who are not candidates for or choose not to use hormonal therapy, review nonhormonal treatment options recommended by the North American Menopause Society, and explore the growing importance of Level I evidence and consensus opinions in creating a more holistic view of available therapies, both hormonal and nonhormonal.

Panelists discuss key considerations for women taking hormonal therapy, emphasizing the importance of individualized treatment plans and shared decision-making to evaluate the risk-benefit profile of therapy.

Panelists discuss clinical trial data suggesting a small but higher incidence of endometrial hyperplasia or malignancy with fezolinetant, while no cases of endometrial hyperplasia or malignancy were observed with elinzanetant in a long-term safety study.

Panelists discuss why elinzanetant is likely to be associated with a lower risk of liver injury due to its distinct molecular structure compared to fezolinetant, and compare the adverse event profiles of the 2 drugs, highlighting that elinzanetant is more commonly associated with headache and fatigue while fezolinetant is linked to abdominal pain, diarrhea, insomnia, and back pain.

Panelists discuss why a warning about serious liver injury was added to the prescribing information for fezolinetant following a postmarketing case of drug-induced liver injury, and review updated guidelines for baseline liver testing, recommended monitoring, symptoms indicating the need to discontinue the medication, and key points for addressing patient concerns about liver health.

Panelists discuss how to simplify the physiology of KNDy neurons and neurokinin (NK) receptors for primary care physicians, explaining how NK3 antagonism reduces hot flashes, while NK1 antagonism helps alleviate sleep disturbances and night sweats, with fezolinetant and elinzanetant serving as key nonhormonal treatment options.

Panelists discuss how neurokinin 3 (NK3) receptors contribute to vasomotor symptoms (VMS) and how antagonism of NK3 receptors with drugs like fezolinetant can effectively reduce VMS, while also exploring the dual receptor action of elinzanetant, which blocks both NK1 and NK3 receptors to improve VMS and associated sleep disturbances.

Panelists discuss how KNDy neurons, which coexpress kisspeptin, neurokinin B (NKB), and dynorphin genes, play a crucial role in hormonal reproduction and the development of vasomotor symptoms (VMS) in menopause.

William Grady, MD, coauthor of the ECLIPSE trial, discusses how the Shield cfDNA blood-based test compares to traditional CRC screening methods.

COPD expert MeiLan K Han, MD, MS, says that in the absence of a definitive single tool to assess for COPD, probing patients for risk factors and symptoms is essential.

William Grady, MD, highlights the convenience and compliance of blood-based tests compared to colonoscopy and stool-based tests for colorectal cancer screening.

Cardiovascular comorbidities in adults with COPD are linked to poor outcomes including reduced QoL, increased hospitalizations, and greater risk of mortality, Han explains.

Michael Crotty, MD, an expert in obesity medicine, discusses GLP-1RAs in the context of weight loss, including the novel dual agonist survodutide.

Professor MeiLan Han, MD, MS, details inclusion of the 2 new medications and how the additions reflect a focus on disease heterogeneity and precision medicine in in COPD.

"It's a very rich pipeline because [agitation] is a very common and very debilitating symptom in Alzheimer's disease," Grossberg observed.

William Grady, MD, coauthor of the ECLIPSE clinical trial, discusses the study's rationale, methods, and key findings.

Antipsychotic medications are still used to treat potentially harmful acute agitation, George Grossberg, MD, explains, even though the adverse effects are well known.

Nondrug approaches to calming an adult with Alzheimer disease who is agitated should be prioritized over pharmacotherapy, geriatric psychiatrist George Grossberg, MD, counsels.

When a patient with Alzheimer dementia becomes agitated, check the physical environment for a trigger before pulling the trigger on a medication, dementia expert George Grossberg, MD, recommends.

The geriatric psychiatrist refers in this interview to agitation in Alzheimer disease, a significant neuropsychiatric symptom that should not be dismissed.

Agitation in Alzheimer disease is not limited to the later stages, geriatric psychiatrist George Grossberg, MD, explains; look for it across the spectrum.

Agitation is the most common disabling neuropsychiatric symptom experienced by individuals with Alzheimer dementia; Grossberg explains how common in this short interview.