"This blog was developed to provide medical updates that are important and have my perspective as additional insight."
Theranos is the new lab in town that is advertising on TV. With lower prices, they are having an impact on the lab business, but they were supposed to revolutionize the industry beyond making prices lower: by using the internet to share information, and by using a fingerstick to get a small sample of blood, …
Dr. D; I just read that statins reduce the effectiveness of the flu shot. Should I stop my Lipitor during flu season? MSL….in Scottsdale Dear M: Statins are one of the mainstays of cholesterol treatment and they have a 30 year track record of safety and effectiveness. They are an important therapy for heart …
Read More “A PATIENT ASKS IF THEY SHOULD STOP THEIR STATIN DURING FLU SEASON…AND I RESPOND”
Here are a few interviews and commentaries that will make you laugh and smile….and that is something worthwhile. John Cleese interview with Conan O’Brien….ABOVE Gene Wilder’s inspiring interview, set to animation…very touching >>>>HERE<<<< Kurt Vonnegut…in his prime…waxing laconically philosophic >>>>HERE<<<<
In an Oscar-like setting, the Breakthrough Awards were recently shown on TV. Recognizing great scientists with high-value money awards and widespread recognition may miss the point on why these scientists do what they do, but one cannot but get excited to hear about their accomplishments. And why shouldn’t we recognize the great contributors to …
Art is good for the soul…and your health. This quiz in the NY Times is for anyone who likes art or who just thinks they have ‘good taste’. Enjoy the beauty of these modern masterpieces and have a bit of fun at the same time. Check it out <<<HERE>>>
The opaque nature of medication costs is among the great vexations of physicians and patients. Despite the internets ability to find out the most arcane information, the simple price of a medication at your local pharmacy is impossible to determine using internet search. You literally have to call the pharmacy directly and ask about …
Read More “MAKING SENSE OF PHARMACEUTICAL COMPANIES….DEVIL OR ANGEL?”
A novel cholesterol medication taken by injection, Praluent uses a new method to remove cholesterol when traditional statins are not able to achieve the desired level of cholesterol or when statins are not tolerated. The exact patients who will benefit most from this medication are not clearcut at this time, but certainly patients who have …
A brand new study from the NIH is making headlines touting the benefits of lower blood pressure goals….back again to the 120/80 goals of yesteryear. Over the past two decades there has been controversy over the appropriate blood pressure goals to be set as the standard, with data suggesting a diminishing benefit of achieving lower …
Bob Mankoff is the cartoon editor of the New Yorker Magazine, which is famous for its amazing humor and wit. He has to cull 1000 cartoons each week to find the 16 or 17 that will fill the New Yorker’s pages. Watch this extremely entertaining video TED TALK by Bob. You are sure to forget your …
Wound dressings are important for getting the skin to heal properly, and there are a bunch of tricks to making this happen. Among the most important tricks is getting the proper materials. Below is a list of various materials that will make you a virtual wound professional, and a resource for family and friends. Products …
Is there a point to taking calcium supplements or trying to get extra calcium in your diet to prevent bone loss. The latest study from the BMJ (British Medical Journal) was an extensive review and statistical analysis of large studies on calcium use; it is called a meta-analysis. In this study, there was little …
Scotland may not be the first place you think of as a great medical resource, but the Scottish contribution to medical science if historic, dating back to the great surgeon John Hunter (b 1728) Now, you can avail yourself of some great resources for psychological help from the South Glasgow Medical Service. This list of …
Here you can see Elvis is TCB ‘mode’ with President Nixon. For those of you who are not familiar, TCB in Elvis-speak stands for Taking Care of Business. In Doctor Doug-speak, TCB stands for Taking Care of your Bottom…and there are many products that are helpful in taking care of irritation and moisture in the …
The MOHS surgery technique, also called MMS (Mohs Micrographic Surgery) was discovered by accident Dr. Mohs while still a student at the University of Wisconsin Medical School. He found that microscopic examination of live tissue from rats demonstrated all of the architectural features of tissues fixed in formaldehyde, and it allowed pathology evaluation of fresh …
A recent obituary in the New York Times spoke of someone who as famous in the 60’s, and probably many of you will remember her: Frances Kelsey. She was the scientist at the FDA (Food and Drug Administration) who prevented Thalidomide, and then commonly-used medication in Germany for nausea during pregnancy, from coming to the …
Read More “THANK YOU FRANCES KELSEY…I COULD HAVE BEEN A THALIDOMIDE BABY”