Author's posts
Some health issues should not be evaluated in the office
I received a phone call from an elderly gentleman who was closer to ninety years of age than 80, was taking an aspirin, and had just suffered a fall and hit his head. He did not know why or how he fell. He asked for an appointment the same day to “chec…
Conversations are the best ways to overcome concerns
When I organized my medical practice, I tried to find individuals with great customer service skills and medical knowledge to work in internal medicine practice. We all do our best to meet the needs of our patients, but sometimes, even with the best of…
Why this primary care physician still rounds at the hospital
I have been fortunate in that I have not had to hospitalize any patients in the past four weeks. This means I have an extra 60 minutes or more to prepare for the workday in my office. The streak ended this weekend when my associate, taking his rotatio…
The erroneous belief that the elderly have the healing power of younger individuals
A wise professor of medicine always told me as a young physician, “Eighty-year olds are to be revered and not messed with.” This is especially true for those 90 or older. Here in South Florida, there is always some senior citizen telling us today’s …
Do evolving blood pressure guidelines apply to the geriatric population?
One of the advantages of practicing clinical medicine, and seeing patients daily for many years, is you develop your own long-term study regarding certain medical health issues. In the area of hypertension, I have been taught by the best since my inter…
It’s time for presidential candidates to debate the safety of pharmaceutical products
I watched all three presidential debates this summer with health care being a time-consuming topic for all. Universal health care and Medicare for all, with or without an option for private insurance, were debated and discussed at length. At the same t…
A primary care physician’s decisions are questioned and second-guessed daily
A 67-year-old woman with a high-stress job had a vigorous disagreement with her neighbors last week. She developed severe substernal chest pain and called 911 fearing a heart attack. She is thin, has never smoked, has normal blood pressure and normal c…
Can the cardiac risk of red meat be measured? And is it useful?
Prevention of heart disease has centered on smoking cessation, controlling blood pressure, achieving an appropriate weight, regular exercise, control of blood sugar, and control of your cholesterol. Despite addressing and controlling these items, indi…
The truth behind the care at a skilled nursing facility
Reuters recently published an article on skilled nursing facilities and post-hospital stays. They discussed the often-lengthy time between hospital discharge and the patient being seen by a physician or “an advanced care practitioner.” Older, more inf…
The tension between guidelines and individualized treatment
I recently read an article in a peer-reviewed journal citing the benefits of a few eggs per week as part of a low carbohydrate dietary intervention for Type 2 diabetes. The information was so meaningful about a controversial food source of protein tha…
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