Military medicine
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Preventing suicide remains a top clinical priority of the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA). In 2019, U. S. military veterans experienced a suicide rate of 52.3% higher than non-Veteran U. ⋯ Given the public health threat of suicide among veterans, it is essential to elucidate promising areas of intervention for those at high risk of suicide. Cigarette smoking is a modifiable target, associated with suicide risk, for which there are evidence-based interventions. Therefore, tobacco use disorder identification and treatment should be considered for inclusion in VA suicide risk protocols.
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Spontaneous pneumomediastinum (SPM) is a rare but described complication of exercise-induced bronchoconstriction (EIB), more commonly observed in children with asthma. We present a 23-year-old active duty military male and avid distance runner who developed progressive radiating retrosternal chest pain preceded by wheezing and coughing paroxysm. A chest computed tomography revealed extensive pneumomediastinum. ⋯ After thorough evaluation, undiagnosed asthma was determined to be the inciting etiology. The patient is now well controlled and symptom free on a daily low-dose inhaled corticosteroid without SPM reoccurrence. In young adult patients presenting with SPM, EIB and asthma should be considered on the differential diagnosis as appropriate medical therapy will improve symptoms and reduce risk of reoccurrence.