Duke Health

Emily DePetris was diagnosed with liver disease over a decade ago. In 2024, she underwent a liver transplant at Duke Health and is amazed at how good she feels now. These days, DePetris helps families make decisions about organ donation when their loved ones are at the end of life. “There isn’t a day that I don’t push myself to do better, be better, because I was given this amazing second chance at life,” she said.

Duke Health was the first center in North Carolina to offer the next generation of deep brain stimulation (DBS) for people with Parkinson’s disease. Called “adaptive DBS,” this new neurostimulation technology constantly monitors brain activity and automatically adjusts DBS device settings to improve symptom control. “Adaptive DBS allows us to detect abnormal brain signals when a patient is experiencing slowed movements or muscle stiffness and increase brain stimulation to reduce those symptoms,” said Duke neurologist and movement disorder specialist Kyle Mitchell, MD. “The process is completely automated and self-adjusting, like a thermostat.”

Imagine pouring bacon grease down your kitchen sink every day. Eventually, the pipe clogs, and water no longer drains. Now imagine that the pipe is a vital artery, and the bacon grease is cholesterol-- a fatty buildup that clings to blood vessel walls. When cholesterol completely blocks blood flow, a heart attack or stroke can strike.

According to Duke cardiologist Nishant Shah, MD, regularly checking and managing your cholesterol levels is one of the easiest ways to prevent cardiovascular disease in the future. Here Dr. Shah explains why it’s important to test your cholesterol levels and when to consider medication.