"This blog was developed to provide medical updates that are important and have my perspective as additional insight."
Hemorrhoids can be very bothersome if they become painful or if they start to bleed a lot. If you are reading this, it’s likely that you’ve finally had a ‘run in’ with this problem and can now better understand what all the fuss is about when people mention hemorrhoids or complain about them. Before that, …
Your Bottom & TCB (Taking Care of your Bottom): YOUR BOTTOM IS NOT CLEAN. No…I’m not trying to make you feel bad. Seriously…nobody’s is. I can say that because all of us have bacterial germs living on our bodies and in the rectal area, we have a whole slew of germs in the vicinity of …
Arizona Flu Season is in full swing. Numbers of cases are increasing steadily. Washing hands and avoiding unecessary ‘pecks on the cheek’ is appropriate until the flu is waning. Keep posted on my Twitter Feed (at www.doctordoug.com)
Flu is on the upswing, slowly, in Arizona. That said, I have not documented a single case yet in our office. All suspected cases have tested negative. This is looking to be among the mildest of flu seasons over the past several years, but do be cautious in public and attending to washing/cleansing hands and …
Statin medications (LIPITOR, MEVACOR, PRAVACHOL, ZOCOR, CRESTOR) have been around for 25 years and have a proven track record of effectiveness and safety. No drug is perfect and these drugs are no exception, but the recent concerns that are raised for use of these medications are important, but should not disuade patients of using them …
Read More “STATIN SAFETY AND EFFECTIVENESS ARE CLEARCUT…SO DON’T STOP YOUR PILLS!”
Metformin (Glucophage) is a medication used in treating diabetes for the past 50 years. It has a great track record of safety and is very inexpensive. It has always been recognized as a ‘first line’ therapy, as it reduces the body’s insulin levels and helps in losing weight. If that weren’t enough, recent studies have …
A just-released study in the NEJM (New England Journal Of Medicine) has clearly shown the benefits of colonoscopy. In patients with polyps (called adenomatous polyps…a specific type of polyp under the microscopic), removal of these polyps reduces the future risk of colon cancer by 50%…..a statistically large margin. It is important to have proof that …
A study from England called the Hypertension in the Very Elderly Trial (code name HYVET) showed that treating patients over 80 years old, for their blood pressure, resulted in reduced heart disease and improved longevity. It has been argued that at that age, treating blood pressure is of arguable benefit and there are concerns about …
A recent study in the Lancet British Medical Journal demonstrated clearcut safety of chemotherapy in pregnant woman. The predicament of women with cancer when pregnant, has been a delicate situation without clearcut data to support immediate treatment vs. delay, and decisions were often made based on the doctor’s personal experiences and their patients ‘gut instincts’. …
The salt shaker is not a big factor in our salt consumption these days. Approximately 50% of salt in your diet comes from the following items….so do attend and make an effort to reduce if you can. The top 10 sources, which account for 44% of sodium consumption are— white bread and rolls; lunch meats, …
A recent study showed that Tai Chi exercise improved balance & strength, and may have improved safety from falls in patients with Parkinson’s Disease. Now, the focus in Parkinson’s is on efforts to maintain functionality through exercise. This study looked at 185 patients with Parkinson’s over a 6 month period. So……the obvious is proven once …
Read More “EXERCISE WINS….AGAIN! THIS TIME FOR PARKINSON’S DISEASE”
Recently, there have been concerns that PPI (proton pump inhibitor) medications can lead to osteoporosis due to impairment of calcium absorption. It is thought that these potent acid-suppressing medications, used for heartburn (GERD) and ulcer, need to be monitored more closely. Although I am a fan of these medications, given the general safety record for …
Read More “PRILOSEC (PPI’S) INCREASED HIP FRACTURE RISK FOR WOMEN WHO SMOKE”
Blood clot formation is a concern in heart failure patients, particularly those who have a reduce ejection fraction (pump capacity.) Typically, and EF (Ejection Fraction) below 35% is considered a risk for stagnant pooling of blood in the heart chambers and then subsequent strokes from the ejection of those clots from the impaired heart chambers. …
Read More “ASPIRIN AND COUMADIN OFFER EQUAL PROTECTION IN HEART FAILURE”
Exenatide is an injectible medications used for Type 2 Diabetes that has been available for a few years in the form called Byetta. Injectible, but not insulin, it is a medication that improves blood sugar by increasing the body’s own insulin production and blocking the secretion of the counter-hormone glucagon. Effective and proven in twice …
Read More “ONCE WEEKLY INJECTION FOR DIABETES HOLDS INTEREST”
A new study from the British Medical Journal Lancets claims that checking the blood pressure in both arms is important as a difference between the two is an important indicator of vascular disease. Although interesting, I don’t think this is a worthwhile endeavor and it sounds more like an academic exercise in ‘publishing’ than anything …