"This blog was developed to provide medical updates that are important and have my perspective as additional insight."
Patients wonder what websites I like to use for information on medical topics. Here are a few ways to search the web for information that is solid and helpful. www.azmd.gov This is a great website for looking up physicians and finding their phone number and address. In addition, you find out about their background …
A large study from Germany suggests that a readily available medication, Actos (Pioglitazone) may prevent Alzheimer’s disease from developing in diabetic patients, reducing their risk by 50%. This study, looked at the records over 150,000 patients and the connection between taking Actos long term, and reduced Alzheimer’s risk, was substantial…about 50%. This medication had been …
Read More “DIABETES MEDICATION LINKED TO REDUCED RISK OF ALZHEIMER’S”
The newer diabetes medication Januvia was recently found to cause severe joint pains in a few patients (28 cases) and it made the news as a result. The FDA came out with a warning about this association and concern that this may be seen more commonly as it is an unexpected side-effect not seen during …
Yes…..you do. It’s me! (and you thought I was referring to my former professor…..Dr. Ben Carson) Not bragging…that’s not the point. But a Hopkins trained physician-scientist is something special, and rare….especially in these parts. Like Aristotle said long ago: We are what we do every day. Excellence, therefore, is not a goal, but rather….a habit. …
Read More “DO YOU PERSONALLY KNOW A HOPKINS TRAINED PHYSICIAN-SCIENTIST?”
SSE (Satisfying Sexual Experience) is the latest acronym to arise from the research on the new medication, ADDYI, from Sprout Pharmaceuticals. This ‘female version of Viagra’ was just approved by the FDA and provides improved sexual interest and responsiveness for premenopausal woman who need help with sexual desire and response. Although this medication has potential, …
In this well-written OP-ED piece from the New York Times, Danielle Ofri discusses the difficulty in assessing and properly treating patient’s pain. Pain, is a completely subjective sensation, and only by believing the report of the patient, can their doctor identify if they are in pain. Does the patient with nail sticking out of his …
Flu Season is about to begin….so it’s time for a quick refresher on how to deal with THE FLU. THE FLU (INFLUENZA) This is a particular type of respiratory infection (severe), at a particular season in the year (late Fall, Winter…into early Spring). It is caused by a specific set of viruses Influenza …
Well….we think we’ve got it! Just like Brophy in HIGH ANXIETY, the Mel Brooks Classic. We think we’ve got the right flu shot mix this year. Last year, due to poor selection of the viruses in the flu shot, we saw only a 20% effectiveness rating for last year preventive, compared to a 60-80% effectiveness …
A recent study in the journal Lancet, demonstrated the salutory effect of music in reducing pain from surgery. It was particularly effective prior to surgery, but also seemed to be beneficial during surgery and general anesthesia as well. That music can be a calming influence is not a surprise, but that we’ve failed to …
A patient just introduced me to a John Blilie, MS. He is a exercise trainer who works with older and physically challenged clientele here in The Valley, to enhance their strength and independence through an individualized program of exercise. Exercise…as medicine….what a great idea. Beyond John’s working with patients directly, he has a very …
A recent study from China shows that people who eat spicy foods appear to be healthier and live longer. In a survey involving 500,000 Chinese men and women, there was a inverse correlation between spicy foods and all cause mortality, heart disease, cancer and respiratory infections. So…besides being tasty to those ‘chili lovers’ out there, …
You might think that if you were the President you’d get the best healthcare in the world….but I suspect you would be wrong. The VIP treatment tends to provide inferior care to what you get right here in Scottsdale, at our best hospitals and with our best doctors. Read the story of President Garfield …
A pediatric research group in England has developed a balloon that you blow up with your nose…to help reduce ear infections in children. By having children blow up the ballow with their nose, the child clears & opens the Eustachian tube, thus reducing pressure in the middle ear and allowing improved clearance of infection. When …
The Jitterbug is a great dance from the 50’s and everyone I know always wanted to be able to do it, but it was from a previous era so we didn’t learn. But now, the Jitterbug is a new phone service that is meant for seniors and goes beyond the ‘big button’ phone of yesteryear …
I just heard about the death of one of my Hopkins classmates it made me reflect on life and its vagaries. Despite being in the healing arts, we physicians are prone to all the maladies our patients experience, and it is in that shared humanity, that we bring to bare our scientific knowledge to help heal …