Join us October 10 at 9:00PM EST for a live, interactive tweetchat with Linda Girgis, MD, on what healthcare professionals and their patients need to know about the dangers of vaping. Topics to be discussed are subject to change but will likely include:

What to make of Peter V. Dicpinigaitis, MD, and colleagues’ finding–covered in a PW feature article–that just one exposure to e-cigarette vapor led to measurable cough sensitivity suppression.

What patients need to know about studies, such as “Flavorings in Tobacco Products Induce Endothelial Cell Dysfunction,” that suggest e-cigarette flavorings may damage blood vessels and the heart.

What to make of the #VapingSavesLives hashtag that seems quite popular on Twitter with tweets touting the supposed benefits of vaping over conventional cigarette smoking.

What healthcare professionals and their patients should know in regard to whether or not vaping actually helps with cigarette smoking cessation, as their appears to be evidence supporting both sides of the argument.

Whether the same attention is given in schools to the dangers of vaping as is given to those of smoking, what programs can/should be initiated in schools, and how healthcare professionals can help.

Whether restrictions should be placed on the flavorings used in e-cigarettes, as these seem to be an attractant for teens.

What to you make of the FDA declaring that teenage use of electronic cigarettes has reached “an epidemic proportion” and giving e-cigarette makers 60 days to prove they can keep devices away from minors.

Claims that e-cigarette regulations would result in more people continuing to smoke cigarettes.

What to make of the culture on social media (and beyond) promoting vaping as being cool or even classy.

More…

For those who missed it, Part I of the chat covered, among many other related topics:

Whether participants have you seen an increase in vaping among teens (their patients or otherwise), and if so, why they think this is occurring.

How to respond to patients who say/believe vaping is safer for them than conventional cigarette smoking and recommendations for other healthcare professionals who have these interactions with patients.

What to make of the first result of a Google search on August 31 for “dangers of vaping” being a U.S. News & World Report report concluding there’s no evidence vaping is associated with heart disease, lung disease, or cancer.

How to Join the Chat

Log into your Twitter account. Don’t have an account? Where have you been?! Just kidding, we don’t judge, but you should get one! It’s easy to create, and free. You’ll be glad you did. A couple minutes before the chat, Search Twitter (top right of every Twitter page) for #PWChat. On the search results page, click Latest at the top left. This will show you all the latest tweets using the #PWChat hashtag. The page will automatically update every couple minutes, letting you know how many new tweets there are using the #PWChat hashtag. Answer questions, reply to other’s comments, or make a comment of your own as much and as often as you like. Just make sure to leave room in include #PWChat to make sure what you tweet is included in the chat. Otherwise, it won’t be seen. While you’re at it, be sure to follow @physicianswkly and and @DrLindaMD!



About Dr. Girgis



Dr. Linda Girgis MD, FAAFP is a family physician who treats patients in South River, New Jersey and its surrounding communities. She holds board certification from the American Board of Family Medicine and is affiliated with both St. Peter’s University Hospital and Raritan Bay Hospital. Dr. Girgis also collaborates closely with several universities and medical schools where she teaches medical students and residents.

Originally from Pennsylvania, Dr. Girgis attended the St. George’s University School of Medicine and successfully her medical degree. She went on to complete her internship and residency at Sacred Heart Hospital, a program affiliated with Temple University. During this time, she was recognized as intern of the year by the faculty. Over the course of her practice, Dr. Girgis has continued to earn awards and recognition from her peers and a variety of industry bodies, including:

• Top Innovator in Healthcare award by Quality Insights, 2006

• Patients’ Choice Award, 2011-2012

• Compassionate Doctor Recognition, 2011-2012

• Bridges to Excellence Recognition 2012-2015

• NCQA Physician Practice Connections – Patient Centered Medical Home, 2012-2015

She is an Advisory Board member for Sermo. Additionally, she is a blogger for Physician’s Weekly and MedicalPractice Insider as well as a guest columnist for Medcity News and Health IT Outcomes. She published articles in several other media outlets. Recently, she has authored the books, “Inside Our Broken Healthcare System” and “The War on Doctors”. She has been interviewed in US News, on NBC Nightly News, and many other media outlets. Dr. Girgis’ primary goal as a physician remains ensuring that each of her patients receives the highest available standard of medical care.