Carrie MacMillan

New Haven

Senior Clinical Writer at Yale Medicine

Writer, Yale School of Medicine, New Haven, Conn.

Articles

Alpha-gal Syndrome: How to Spot Symptoms of This ‘Red Meat Allergy’

1 week ago | yalemedicine.org | Carrie MacMillan |Carrie Macmillan

Most people who are bitten by a tick know to look out for the telltale bull’s-eye rash that can indicate Lyme disease. But there is another tick-borne condition—alpha-gal syndrome (AGS)—that has no such visible clue and causes an allergy to red meat and other products derived from mammals. Alpha-gal, which is short for galactose-a-1,3-galactose, is a sugar molecule found in all mammals except for humans and primates.
‘Let’s Talk’: How to Help Families Have Difficult Conversations

2 weeks ago | yalemedicine.org | Carrie MacMillan |Carrie Macmillan

At a time when modern medicine is allowing people to enjoy longer, fuller lives, mortality is not always a chief concern. But when a serious illness occurs, the topic becomes unavoidable. This became especially clear during the early days of the COVID-19 pandemic when hospitals were overrun with patients, many with grim prognoses.
From Endometriosis to Asherman’s: Ob/Gyn Chair Tackles the Toughest Cases

2 weeks ago | yalemedicine.org | Carrie MacMillan |Carrie Macmillan

Like many obstetrician-gynecologists, Hugh Taylor, MD, was sold on his profession the moment he delivered his first baby. Until then, Dr. Taylor, now chair of obstetrics, gynecology and reproductive sciences and chief of obstetrics and gynecology at Yale New Haven Hospital, had planned to focus on cancer research after he finished his medical training. But the sheer drama of childbirth—and all that must go right to make it happen—captivated him.
FDA Approves First Blood Test for Alzheimer’s Disease

3 weeks ago | yalemedicine.org | Carrie MacMillan |Carrie Macmillan

Diagnosing Alzheimer’s disease has been a complicated process that involves a clinical evaluation from a neurologist and either brain imaging tests or a spinal tap. The imaging test most often used is a specific positron emission tomography (PET) scan, which shows the presence of amyloid plaques—a hallmark of Alzheimer’s—in the brain.
Navigating Inflammatory Bowel Disease Treatment

1 month ago | yalemedicine.org | Carrie MacMillan |Carrie Macmillan

Keeping symptoms at bay is important for anyone with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD)—an umbrella term for ulcerative colitis and Crohn’s disease, two conditions that cause chronic inflammation of the digestive system. That inflammation can lead to diarrhea and abdominal cramping and pain. In the past, doctors relied on symptoms or invasive testing to gauge how well a medication, a primary treatment for IBD, was working.
Navigating Inflammatory Bowel Disease Treatment

1 month ago | brnw.ch | Carrie MacMillan |Carrie Macmillan

Keeping symptoms at bay is important for anyone with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD)—an umbrella term for ulcerative colitis and Crohn’s disease, two conditions that cause chronic inflammation of the digestive system. That inflammation can lead to diarrhea and abdominal cramping and pain. In the past, doctors relied on symptoms or invasive testing to gauge how well a medication, a primary treatment for IBD, was working.
Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (OCD): How to Find the Right Treatment

1 month ago | yalemedicine.org | Carrie MacMillan |Carrie Macmillan

Having obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) is a lot more than the stereotypes people often associate it with, such as washing your hands raw or repeatedly checking to see if a door is locked. It’s a complex condition that involves uncontrollable, intrusive thoughts (obsessions) that make people feel compelled to take actions (compulsions) to relieve an underlying anxiety.
Stroke Prevention for Women: What You Need to Know

2 months ago | yalemedicine.org | Carrie MacMillan |Carrie Macmillan

Every year, stroke claims thousands of lives in the United States, ranking as the fifth leading cause of death and a major contributor to long-term disability. Many people may not realize that women face a higher risk of stroke than men, driven by unique biological factors and a longer average lifespan. An estimated 795,000 people have a stroke each year in the U.S.—a figure that includes about 55,000 more women than men, according to the American Heart Association.
Stroke Prevention for Women: What You Need to Know

2 months ago | brnw.ch | Carrie MacMillan |Carrie Macmillan

Every year, stroke claims thousands of lives in the United States, ranking as the fifth leading cause of death and a major contributor to long-term disability. Many people may not realize that women face a higher risk of stroke than men, driven by unique biological factors and a longer average lifespan. An estimated 795,000 people have a stroke each year in the U.S.—a figure that includes about 55,000 more women than men, according to the American Heart Association.
Understanding Cancer Language: Tumor Terms Patients Should Know

2 months ago | yalemedicine.org | Carrie MacMillan |Carrie Macmillan

As cancer care advances with more sophisticated treatment options, it’s helpful to understand what your doctor means when using such terms as tumor biomarker, tumor sequencing, and tumor board. But first, let’s start with a definition of tumor. A tumor is an abnormal growth of cells in the body that can be cancerous or noncancerous. Most tumors have undergone genetic changes (mutations).