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Atrial fibrillation Dabigatran/Rivaroxaban/Apixaban Doctoring

How important are short AF episodes?

A study presented at the recent Heart Rhythm Society meeting in Chicago has added more uncertainty about the significance of short-duration AF episodes. Before I tell you about the study, I need to clarify what I mean by short-duration AF episodes, sometimes called subclinical AF (SCAF). SCAF is AF on a monitor that is often […]

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Doctoring Health Care Health Care Reform

Dr. Bernard Lown and the first rule of doctoring

I knock, then enter the exam room. “Hi. My name is John Mandrola.” (Maybe it is my age but I am moving away from calling myself Doctor Mandrola.) “I am a heart rhythm specialist. I have looked at your chart so I know a little about your medical history.” “Can you tell me how you […]

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Cycling Stuff Cycling Wed Cyclocross Exercise General Medicine Health Care Healthy Living

Will wearables and other gadgets make us healthier?

Is good health really all that digital? I am not so sure. I am a skeptic. I realize this is a risky thing to say these days. It’s hard to bet against Apple. And It was only seconds after Tweeting such doubt that John Nosta, an expert in digital health technology, tweeted back: @drjohnm Health […]

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Doctoring General Cardiology General Medicine

Did the radioactive firefighter need that stress test?

Who knew that a having a nuclear stress test might put you at risk for suspicion of terrorism? No, I am not making this up. A famous medical blogger, known as the Skeptical Scalpel, cited this bizarre news report of a CT firefighter who was stopped by the state police. The unsuspecting public servant was […]

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Doctoring ICD/Pacemaker

Heading to the Heart Rhythm Society Meeting–Boston

Hi All, Tomorrow morning, I will be heading to Boston for the annual Heart Rhythm Society scientific sessions. As I did this January during the Boston AF symposium, I plan to keep you informed. In fact, in my new capacity as a member of theHeart.org team, I will be live tweeting and blogging the meeting. […]

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Athletic heart Doctoring General Medicine

Two more issues on the treatment of Sudden Death in the young person…

There was a flurry of words written today about preventing the rare but tragic occurrence of sudden cardiac death in a young person. At the heart of the debate lies the issue of how best to protect the young from dying. I think it’s worth making two more points on this issue. Treating Sudden Death: […]

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Athletic heart Doctoring General Cardiology General Medicine Health Care Reform

A five-minute cardiac screen for athletes?

It’s heart-wrenching when young athletes die of sudden cardiac death (SCD). This week, the death of Wes Leonard, a Michigan high school star athlete, was especially poignant since he collapsed right after hitting the game-winning shot.  This sort of tragedy occurs about one hundred times each year in America. That’s a lot of sadness. The […]

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Doctoring General Medicine Health Care Health Care Reform

An adult electrophysiologist’s sports physical…

Will he get to play, or not? Dear Coach, (or administrator, or secretary, or school legal department.) I have seen and examined, Mr. “Joe Teen.” (name changed for HIPPA) He came to me for a school physical because he is deathly embarrassed over the check for inguinal hernias. He is a healthy teen. This I […]

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Doctoring Health Care Health Care Reform

Saving lives with a 25 dollar painless test…

In the era of expensive and technologically advanced tests like MRI, CT and PET scans, how could a 25 dollar ECG save many lives?  A recent study on the merits of adding a screening ECG to the routine screening of young athletes has created a stir, with many words written in the lay press. For […]