"This blog was developed to provide medical updates that are important and have my perspective as additional insight."
Robert Alico is a patient of ours who is making a difference through his commitment to fund research into an little known condition called SCAD …Spontaneous Coronary Artery Dissection. Through his effort, Robert has been begun this much needed discussion, brought about awareness, and provided funds to promote research. Below….is his open letter to the …
This photo from China, taken by a friend of mine who lives there, is a universal precaution we can all follow during the flu season and beyond. Notice that even in China, the CDC (Centers for Disease Control in the U.S.) has great credibility…..NOW GO TO IT!
Bowel movements are a personal experience, no doubt. We all have our own personal observations, and mothers observe their own movements and those of their children as they are growing, but as we mature, we tend to keep such topics to ourselves with a rare chance to discuss them outside the realm of humor or …
The flu vaccine this year is a rather poor match for the current strain circulating in the U.S. this year, making the flu shot less effective. The H3 strain of flu this year is different than the one in the vaccine provided for the 2014-2015 flu season. If you have had the flu shot, then …
Patients love to joke that doctor’s ‘practice’ medicine….which suggests that they are still in the process of learning, and in so doing, making mistakes while they perfect their craft. There is some truth to this, although I think this is more about confusing the multiple meanings of the word ‘practice’. Still, it is true that …
I wanted to share this article that was sent to me by my brother Martin. It’s from the Atlantic Monthly and focuses on how doctor’s dress and what it tells patients about their approach to healing. Although we are casual in our office, I’ve found that my white coat goes a long way toward providing …
Having trained at Johns Hopkins, I know what it is like to be at an institution that draws people from around the world. Sometimes, they would get exactly what they expected….a world class diagnosis and treatment that could be obtained nowhere else. Other times, they were told to return home and begin the treatment suggested …
In an effort to deliver ‘good bacteria’ to the bowels of people who have lost their normal bacterial flora, there are many different approaches underway. Delivering the fecal material via colonoscopy has generally been the method of choice, but given the challenges involved in rectal administration, many researchers are looking at oral routes using …
As we age, we are more prone to falling, and preventing such falls is a key to maintaining good health. A recent series of articles in the NY TIMES Health Section, discussed the various contributors to falling as we get older, with the most important being weaker legs and poorer balance (medications….that lower blood pressure …
Ebola is a major topic in the news and clearly it is on our minds a good bit. In fact, we may soon hear about a case of two in the Phoenix area…that would not be a surprise. The risks of being exposed to this type of virus is very very low in most …
Recommendation: Check blood pressure when sitting….but on occasion, when standing after 1-2 minutes to look for a BP drop. When you check your blood pressure, it is generally recommended that you do this in the sitting position. That is the most accurate and consistent way to check your pressure, but doctors know that sometimes …
I am 66 and am otherwise healthy. Should I get the pneumovax (pneumonia vaccine)? Deb MY RESPONSE: Pneumonia is the 5th leading cause of adults in the US, and 50% of these infections are due to Streptococcus pneumonia, the germ that the PNEUMOVAX enhances your immune response to. The PNEUMOVAX contains the 23 strains, …
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Sleep is a hot topic these days, as researchers and finding out how important it is for our general health, particularly in a world that is going 24-hours and driven by computer/social networking that is never-ending. Despite this 24 hour cycle, we are meant to sleep a large portion of our day, even if we …
Twenty three and me is a company that provides a personal genetic profile for $99, using a small sample of your saliva. How does it work? The take your sample and analyze the cast-off cells from the lining of your mouth that you send in via a swab of the cheek. Then, using the most …
Dr. Howard Baum is a close friend of mine and an outstanding endocrinologist who is on the faculty of Vanderbilt University Medical Center. During a recent visit I was able to ‘pick his brain’ on three topics of importance and interest to many patients who see me. Check out his podcasts on: Hypothyroidism Diabetes Osteoporosis …
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