Categories
Doctoring Health Care Health Care Reform Reflection

Weekend Posts…

I’ve written two new posts at the end of this week. The first is on the state of heart rhythm medicine, or as we call it, electrophysiology. The editor of the TheHeart.org asked me to look at a recent series of state-of-the-art review papers published in the British journal, the Lancet. The last time the […]

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Doctoring Healthy Living inflammation

In the Prime Post up: The dangers of pain medicines — Part 1

I’m tiptoeing out on a limb. In my state of Kentucky, few potatoes are hotter. I started this In the Prime post fully intending to discuss the under-appreciated dangers of NSAIDs (Non-Steroidal-Anti-Inflammatory Drugs), like ibuprofen, naprosyn, and celecoxib (Celebrex). Three things got me thinking about the thorny issue of treating pain. First: More than one […]

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Cycling Stuff Cycling Wed Healthy Living

Cycling Wed: It’s really dangerous out there…Be careful

You make promises to yourself, right? I made a big one when starting this blog. It was a promise not to post Pollyanna-ish health advice. People can read about the importance of wearing sunscreen and getting basic vaccines anywhere–and everywhere. But tonight is different. I’m taking the risk. (Give me a chance; I’ll do my […]

Categories
Atrial fibrillation Dabigatran/Rivaroxaban/Apixaban

Pradaxa-related pill esophagitis–A new adverse effect?

It’s well known that the new blood thinner, dabigatran (Pradaxa) can cause stomach pain and reflux symptoms. It occurs in slightly more than one in ten patients who start the drug. Yesterday, I learned of another potential gastrointestinal adverse effect of the new drug. A GI colleague called me about a patient taking dabigatran (Pradaxa) […]

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Cycling Wed General Medicine Healthy Living inflammation

CW: Really good news about the safety of statin drugs

There was important news this month on statin drugs. As one of the world’s most effective and commonly used medications, statins provide great writing topics. Lots of people have high cholesterol–including cyclists. Lots of people are interested in avoiding our mostly deadly disease. I’d like to tell you about a recently-published (Lancet) landmark study that […]

Categories
Doctoring Exercise General Medicine Uncategorized

Are pills better than exercise?

I recently wrote about the incredible sensations that come with vigorous exercise. Perhaps it was the post ride cannabinoid flurry, but it’s possible that I went too far in suggesting that ‘we’ (doctors, patients, the whole of Western Society) default first to pills before healthy living. Two commentors called me out on this snark. They […]

Categories
Atrial fibrillation Doctoring Reflection

Can experience make it tougher for doctors?

You have probably read that experience makes for better doctors. And of course this would be true–in the obvious ways, like with the hand-eye coordination required to do complex procedures, or more importantly, with the judgment of when to do them. There’s no news here: everyone knows you want a doctor that’s been out of […]

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Cycling Wed Exercise Healthy Living

CW: Regular Exercise: An amazingly effective elixir

It’s Wednesday, so I would like to tell you about some cool things I learned this past week about the science of how exercise can be used as a treatment for three common ailments. First, some background about exercise: The great thing about exercising every day that you eat is that this magic potion is […]

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Doctoring Healthy Living Reflection

Wellness requires more ownership

Not every Friday brings doctoring bliss. Sorry. Some Fridays, the wrongness of our healthcare approach squeezes you like a vice-grip. The medical news of the week can hit you hard. –This highly tweeted report on how Overweight is the new normal speaks to the futility of asking people to help themselves. That our strong, vibrant, […]

Categories
General Medicine Healthy Living Reflection

The Seven Golden Rules

In the better-late-than-never category comes my shout out for World Kidney Day, which was yesterday. I love their slogan: “Protect your Kidneys, Save your Heart.” As an organ, the kidneys are a lot like offensive lineman in football; they do all the hard work but remain mostly anonymous. They sit motionless in the back of […]

Categories
Cycling Wed General Medicine Healthy Living

CW: Put your arm in the machine

Hey Cyclists, I know. You ride a lot. You eat well. You stay thin. So you rightfully call yourself athletic. Congratulations. Now, take the time in the off-season to go get your blood pressure checked. Doing so is free in most grocery stores and pharmacies.  Plus, you get to grin at that funny voice that […]