General Medicine
- Medicine in Entertainment
- Charitable Health Causes
- The Importance of Confidentiality
- Medication Adherence
- Combination Antihypertensives
- New Guidelines for CPR
- Online Medical Information
- Medical Miracles
- Two Types of Retinopathy
- Pancreatic Cancer Is Devastating
Posted by
Anthony Lee
Anthony Lee
Medicine portrayed in TV shows and movies may not fully capture the realism of the job and may possibly paint a distorted picture.
For decades, the physician has had a fascination among the public, which is why fictional television shows about medicine, like Marcus Welby, St. Elsewhere, ER, Grey's Anatomy, and House, have been successful. There's nothing wrong with emotional stories surrounding doctors, patients, and health care. People have a right to be creative with any subject matter.
However, medicine may involve some shaky ground. I myself don't watch medical shows, because I know from experience that medicine's portrayal in entertainment is either not completely realistic or presents inaccuracies that people may think are true. For example, patients on House present with rare diseases, all concentrated in a single hospital, but in real life, the rare is spread out amidst the common and uncommon. Also, real-life doctors, being the busy professionals they are, do not have sex lives as liberal as those on Grey's Anatomy.
Medical fiction can be entertaining, but don't expect it to be a source of medical education or a 100% portrayal of the profession. Nothing can substitute for consulting trustworthy medical references or speaking with your physician about certain medical facts, no matter how convincing it looks on TV.
However, medicine may involve some shaky ground. I myself don't watch medical shows, because I know from experience that medicine's portrayal in entertainment is either not completely realistic or presents inaccuracies that people may think are true. For example, patients on House present with rare diseases, all concentrated in a single hospital, but in real life, the rare is spread out amidst the common and uncommon. Also, real-life doctors, being the busy professionals they are, do not have sex lives as liberal as those on Grey's Anatomy.
Medical fiction can be entertaining, but don't expect it to be a source of medical education or a 100% portrayal of the profession. Nothing can substitute for consulting trustworthy medical references or speaking with your physician about certain medical facts, no matter how convincing it looks on TV.
Posted by
Anthony Lee
Anthony Lee
A mountain climb to raise money for breast cancer reminds us of the reward in charity and medicine.
With so much research going on in medicine, there are endless causes to raise money for, like AIDS and heart disease. There are many ways to do it, too, such as marathons and bicycle races. There is reward in doing something you enjoy while helping other people. Best of all, anyone can do it.
A great example of this is Climb Against the Odds, an upcoming mountain climb for the Breast Cancer Fund. From June 15 to 21, 2008, about forty people, including actress Sarah Carter (whose credits include the CBS television series "Shark" and the movie "Final Destination II"), will climb Mt. Shasta in Northern California, a tall mountain with glaciers. This is another expedition that follows past mountain climbing events for the Breast Cancer Fund.
So if you can, find an activity you can be proud of doing and a cause to be proud of contributing to. Those in need will certainly thank you for it.
A great example of this is Climb Against the Odds, an upcoming mountain climb for the Breast Cancer Fund. From June 15 to 21, 2008, about forty people, including actress Sarah Carter (whose credits include the CBS television series "Shark" and the movie "Final Destination II"), will climb Mt. Shasta in Northern California, a tall mountain with glaciers. This is another expedition that follows past mountain climbing events for the Breast Cancer Fund.
So if you can, find an activity you can be proud of doing and a cause to be proud of contributing to. Those in need will certainly thank you for it.
The Importance of Confidentiality
Posted by
Anthony Lee
Anthony Lee
Recent breaches in medical confidentiality involving celebrities serve as a reminder of this important rule in health care.
People have a right to privacy for medical information for the same reason as privacy for other personal information. Such information could be used in a way that ultimately affects the person negatively. It does not have to be intentional. One may view someone's personal information just out of his or her own curiosity, but the information could unknowingly fall into the hands of others.
In past weeks, the public have been paying attention to pop singer Britney Spears and her psychiatric issues as well as actress Farrah Fawcett and her battle with cancer. For both of these celebrities, at least one employee at the hospital snooped into their records without a justifiable need to know. Such actions destroy the trust that patients have in their health care providers. It is no surprise that these employees were fired.
Given the seriousness of medical confidentiality, the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) was written to minimize breaches in privacy. It can be summed up with a rule of thumb: you may review a patient's medical record only if you absolutely need to know the information to do your job successfully. If you work in health care, this is something that should not be forgotten.
In past weeks, the public have been paying attention to pop singer Britney Spears and her psychiatric issues as well as actress Farrah Fawcett and her battle with cancer. For both of these celebrities, at least one employee at the hospital snooped into their records without a justifiable need to know. Such actions destroy the trust that patients have in their health care providers. It is no surprise that these employees were fired.
Given the seriousness of medical confidentiality, the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) was written to minimize breaches in privacy. It can be summed up with a rule of thumb: you may review a patient's medical record only if you absolutely need to know the information to do your job successfully. If you work in health care, this is something that should not be forgotten.
Posted by
Anthony Lee
Anthony Lee
Patients may not be taking medications as prescribed for various reasons.
Although medications are available to treat many conditions, one obstacle can still stand in the way: lack of medication adherence. There's no point in any medication if the patient is not even taking it.
People can refuse to take medications for a variety of reasons. They may feel better already, dislike the side effects, or don't see the point. While these reasons are understandable, it's important to know that certain chronic conditions require ongoing medications, like high blood pressure (hypertension). Not everything is a temporary condition requiring only a one-time treatment.
Some people my have a hard time keeping track of medications, another hindrance to medication adherence. This is especially true for the elderly and those with cognitive dysfunction. One solution is to arrange the medications in pill boxes labeled by time of the day and day of the week. Physicians can also help by prescribing only what is necessary instead of piling medications in the patient's list.
Whatever the reason may be, not taking medications as prescribed presents challenges for everyone. Most importantly, it jeopardizes your health. If you have concerns about your medications, your doctor can address them.
People can refuse to take medications for a variety of reasons. They may feel better already, dislike the side effects, or don't see the point. While these reasons are understandable, it's important to know that certain chronic conditions require ongoing medications, like high blood pressure (hypertension). Not everything is a temporary condition requiring only a one-time treatment.
Some people my have a hard time keeping track of medications, another hindrance to medication adherence. This is especially true for the elderly and those with cognitive dysfunction. One solution is to arrange the medications in pill boxes labeled by time of the day and day of the week. Physicians can also help by prescribing only what is necessary instead of piling medications in the patient's list.
Whatever the reason may be, not taking medications as prescribed presents challenges for everyone. Most importantly, it jeopardizes your health. If you have concerns about your medications, your doctor can address them.
Posted by
Anthony Lee
Anthony Lee
A new study suggests that combinations of medications for high blood pressure should be started right away.
High blood pressure has always been treated in a stepwise fashion. Patients newly diagnosed with hypertension are given one medication to see if the blood pressure can be lowered adequately. If that is not enough, additional medications are added. There are many classes of antihypertensives for a doctor to choose from, including diuretics, ACE inhibitors, beta-blockers, and several others.
However, a new study called ACCOMPLISH (Avoiding Cardiovascular Events through Combination Therapy in Patients Living with Systolic Hypertension) reports that antihypertensives in combination reduce blood pressure dramatically, suggesting that they are beneficial from the start. In other words, doctors may soon prescribe at last two antihypertensives or a combination antihypertensive pill for a patient newly diagnosed with hypertension. They may not need to wait to see if additional medications should be added. However, the drug company Novartis sponsored this study. so whether this study has any merit may be debated.
One thing may still hold true: the sooner you take care of your blood pressure, the better off you'll be.
However, a new study called ACCOMPLISH (Avoiding Cardiovascular Events through Combination Therapy in Patients Living with Systolic Hypertension) reports that antihypertensives in combination reduce blood pressure dramatically, suggesting that they are beneficial from the start. In other words, doctors may soon prescribe at last two antihypertensives or a combination antihypertensive pill for a patient newly diagnosed with hypertension. They may not need to wait to see if additional medications should be added. However, the drug company Novartis sponsored this study. so whether this study has any merit may be debated.
One thing may still hold true: the sooner you take care of your blood pressure, the better off you'll be.
Posted by
Anthony Lee
Anthony Lee
For those who find the mouth-to-mouth breathing portion of life-saving CPR to be a challenge, there is some good news.
Cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) traditionally involved two components: mouth-to-mouth breathing to exchange any oxygen possible and chest compressions to get blood moving when the heart is not beating. It's not a substitute for urgent hospital care, but it provides a couple of extra seconds or minutes of life. It can sometimes mean the difference between life and death.
When I first learned CPR, I was taught to provide 2 breaths for every 15 chest compressions. Later, the guidelines were change to 2 breaths per 30 compressions. And now, you don't need to give breaths, because chest compressions alone have been shown to be just as effective.
It's probably because giving breaths takes a few seconds. You could be spending that same amount of time doing chest compressions. Perhaps it's not the air you're giving that's potentially life-saving. It's the blood flow. You can try to oxygenate the blood, which may provide minimal benefit, but it's no good if that blood is not moving without your compressions. After all, the organs need perfusion, especially the brain since it's most sensitive to oxygen deprivation.
So if someone needs CPR and you're comfortable with chest compressions only, take comfort in that you can still be a hero doing this.
When I first learned CPR, I was taught to provide 2 breaths for every 15 chest compressions. Later, the guidelines were change to 2 breaths per 30 compressions. And now, you don't need to give breaths, because chest compressions alone have been shown to be just as effective.
It's probably because giving breaths takes a few seconds. You could be spending that same amount of time doing chest compressions. Perhaps it's not the air you're giving that's potentially life-saving. It's the blood flow. You can try to oxygenate the blood, which may provide minimal benefit, but it's no good if that blood is not moving without your compressions. After all, the organs need perfusion, especially the brain since it's most sensitive to oxygen deprivation.
So if someone needs CPR and you're comfortable with chest compressions only, take comfort in that you can still be a hero doing this.
Posted by
Anthony Lee
Anthony Lee
In the current age of the Internet, patients may be looking up information about their own conditions. Is this a good or bad thing?
In the old days, people would completely trust doctors with all of their medical care. This may still be true today, but more and more, patients are looking up stuff on the Internet for information related to the conditions they have or might have. In my opinion, it may help you understand your condition better, if you do it carefully. Otherwise, it's a double-edged sword with pitfalls:
- You might focus on one diagnosis without looking at the other possibilities, which a doctor can do.
- You might see another condition whose clinical presentation seems to better match yours but miss an important fact about it that makes it unlikely to be your condition.
- You might focus on another treatment for your condition without understanding why your current treatment is just fine.
- You might get overly anxious about drug side effects, particularly uncommon and rare ones.
- You might read about stuff that is wrong or biased.
- You might refuse a doctor's recommendations because of something you read.
Posted by
Anthony Lee
Anthony Lee
A patient was declared brain dead, yet he woke up to go home with his family.
Zach Dunlap had been in a terrible vehicle accident. While in the hospital, doctors had pronounced him brain dead. Even a brain scan indicated no activity. Yet, to everyone's surprise, Zach woke up and later went home to his family. He has talked about it on NBC's Today show.
I will say that there is nothing wrong with medical miracles. They can be uplifting. Medicine is a science, basing clinical decisions on facts backed by evidence, but it's also an imperfect science. Now and then, a patient can surprise people. He or she may be an outlier whose symptoms, signs, and prognosis do not fit the textbook expectations.
Of course, doctors should still rely on their knowledge to guide their decisions, just as long as they don't forget the importance of time. A physician should not give up treatment prematurely, even if it seems like much time has passed. For any condition that requires a gradual recovery, the best thing for doctors, patients, and families to do is to allow plenty of time, hope for the best, and prepare for the worst.
I don't know the details of Zach's case to see if this miracle can be explained. In any event, Zach and his family have much to be grateful for.
I will say that there is nothing wrong with medical miracles. They can be uplifting. Medicine is a science, basing clinical decisions on facts backed by evidence, but it's also an imperfect science. Now and then, a patient can surprise people. He or she may be an outlier whose symptoms, signs, and prognosis do not fit the textbook expectations.
Of course, doctors should still rely on their knowledge to guide their decisions, just as long as they don't forget the importance of time. A physician should not give up treatment prematurely, even if it seems like much time has passed. For any condition that requires a gradual recovery, the best thing for doctors, patients, and families to do is to allow plenty of time, hope for the best, and prepare for the worst.
I don't know the details of Zach's case to see if this miracle can be explained. In any event, Zach and his family have much to be grateful for.
Posted by
Anthony Lee
Anthony Lee
Blindness can result from diabetes mellitus and high blood pressure, both common but preventable.
Diabetes mellitus type 2 and high blood pressure, or hypertension, are risk factors for other conditions later, and yet they are preventable with healthy lifestyle habits. These two conditions are so common that I often repeat myself when spreading the word about taking care of yourself.
Today is no exception. Both diabetes and hypertension can ultimately lead to blindness. Over time, uncontrolled elevations in blood glucose and blood pressure cause changes in the retina, the layer of tissue in the back of the eye that enables vision. Sometimes, patients notice abnormalities in vision, like floaters. Others may not be aware of any retinopathy until they are screened by an opthalmologist.
People may know about worsening vision by reading too closely on a regular basis, but diabetes and hypertension should also be concerns if you value your eyesight. Blindness is one disability resulting from diabetes and hypertension, aside from stroke, kidney failure, and several others. But even blindness alone is life-changing.
Your eyes, and the rest of your body, are precious. Take good care of them now and be healthier later.
Today is no exception. Both diabetes and hypertension can ultimately lead to blindness. Over time, uncontrolled elevations in blood glucose and blood pressure cause changes in the retina, the layer of tissue in the back of the eye that enables vision. Sometimes, patients notice abnormalities in vision, like floaters. Others may not be aware of any retinopathy until they are screened by an opthalmologist.
People may know about worsening vision by reading too closely on a regular basis, but diabetes and hypertension should also be concerns if you value your eyesight. Blindness is one disability resulting from diabetes and hypertension, aside from stroke, kidney failure, and several others. But even blindness alone is life-changing.
Your eyes, and the rest of your body, are precious. Take good care of them now and be healthier later.
Pancreatic Cancer Is Devastating
Posted by
Anthony Lee
Anthony Lee
Cancer is heartbreaking to anyone who is diagnosed with it, but cancer of the pancreas is one of the most challenging types.
Patrick Swayze now has it. Luciano Pavarotti and Michael Landon died from it. About 30,000 people in the United States are diagnosed with it, and sadly, most of them are expected to die from it.
Pancreatic cancer is a disease that is hard to detect early and treat fully. It's not entirely a silent condition. There are symptoms early on, but they are nonspecific and are often attributed erroneously to other causes. In situations of unexplained symptoms, a doctor must be vigilant to even consider pancreatic cancer as a diagnosis. Even with that, pancreatic cancer may have already spread by the time it's diagnosed, making treatment difficult. The five-year survival rate for this disease is about 5%.
The reality is that there are still some conditions where no definitive screening and/or treatment exists. In medicine, there is always uncharted territory. Not everything has an answer, but every answer has a chance to be found. It is still important to hope for the best, but don't forget to understand the facts grounded in reality.
Still, smoking and chronic pancreatitis, particularly from long-term alcohol consumption, are risk factors for pancreatic cancer. There is at least some reassurance in prevention.
Source: eMedicine - Pancreatic Cancer
Pancreatic cancer is a disease that is hard to detect early and treat fully. It's not entirely a silent condition. There are symptoms early on, but they are nonspecific and are often attributed erroneously to other causes. In situations of unexplained symptoms, a doctor must be vigilant to even consider pancreatic cancer as a diagnosis. Even with that, pancreatic cancer may have already spread by the time it's diagnosed, making treatment difficult. The five-year survival rate for this disease is about 5%.
The reality is that there are still some conditions where no definitive screening and/or treatment exists. In medicine, there is always uncharted territory. Not everything has an answer, but every answer has a chance to be found. It is still important to hope for the best, but don't forget to understand the facts grounded in reality.
Still, smoking and chronic pancreatitis, particularly from long-term alcohol consumption, are risk factors for pancreatic cancer. There is at least some reassurance in prevention.
Source: eMedicine - Pancreatic Cancer
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