Heart Attacks
A heart attack or myocardial infarction happens when your heart muscle does not get enough blood/oxygen. This causes the heart muscle damage that can lead to death.
Read More
A heart attack or myocardial infarction happens when your heart muscle does not get enough blood/oxygen. This causes the heart muscle damage that can lead to death.
Read More
February is American Heart Month so healthcare providers can raise awareness about heart health. As a primary care doctor, I want to focus this blog on high blood pressure aka hypertension which is also known as the silent killer. Uncontrolled hypertension can lead to heart disease, kidney failure, and strokes. About 47% of Americans currently have high blood pressure.
Read More
In the United States, colorectal cancer is the third most common cause of cancer. According to the American Cancer Society, about 50,000 people will die in 2021 from colorectal cancer; therefore, it is important to screen for colorectal cancer. When cancer is detected at an early stage, treatment is more effective, and the survival rate is higher. The United States Preventive Services TaskForce (USPSTF) recently updated the screening guidelines for colorectal cancer. Prior to May 2021, the recommendation was to start screening for colorectal cancer at the age of 50 and continue screening until age 75 if you had no preexisting conditions or family history of colorectal cancer. The USPSTF has now expanded the recommendation to start screening at age 45 and continue screening until age 75. The reason to include people in this age group is that the incidence of colorectal cancer in people aged 40-50 has increased by 15% in the past 20years. If you have no history of gastrointestinal disease or family history of colorectal cancer, your primary care doctor should discuss colorectal cancer screening when you turn 45; otherwise, if you have a first-degree relative with colorectal cancer diagnosed before 60 years of age or two first-degree relatives diagnosed at any age you should have a screening colonoscopy at 40 years of age or 10 years younger than the earliest diagnosis in your relative(s), whichever comes first. What are your options for colorectal cancer screening? There are several ways to screen for colorectal cancer that can be done at home or in the doctor’s office. The gold standard for colorectal cancer screening is a colonoscopy. Here are the alternative screening tests for colorectal cancer if you are not ready to proceed with a colonoscopy: High-sensitivity guaiac fecal occult blood test or fecal immunochemical test (FIT) every year Stool DNA-FIT every 1 to 3 years Computed tomography colonography every 5 years Flexible sigmoidoscopy every 5 years Flexible sigmoidoscopy every 10 years + annual FITIf you decide to proceed with colonoscopy, the advantage is that you will only have to get this done every 10 years if the colonoscopy is normal. A major disadvantage of the alternative screening tests is that, if they are abnormal, you would still need to get a colonoscopy to further evaluate. Please discuss these options with your primary doctor once you turn 45 or earlier if you have a history of gastrointestinal disease or family history of colorectal cancer so you can choose the screening test that best works for you. Remember that finding cancer early leads to a better prognosis and higher survival rate. Don’t delay your cancer screening, it could save your life.
Read More
Over the past year, we have learned a lot about vaccines because of COVID-19. The influenza season of 2020-2021 was a very mild one because of social distancing, hand washing and consistent mask wearing; however, influenza numbers are not expected to remain low for the 2021-2022 season. Children have returned to school and adults have gone back to work. In addition to getting vaccinated for COVID-19, it is important to receive a flu shot this year.During the 2019-2020 flu season, about 60,000 people died from the flu. The CDC recommends flu shots for anyone 6 months and above.The flu shot is made every season based on data of the most prevalent flu strains. The flu shot will not prevent you from getting the flu, but it may help prevent severe illness from the flu that could lead to hospitalization or even death. The flu shot works by exposing your immune system to parts of the flu virus and then your immune system responds by making antibodies that attach to the virus and prevent it from infecting more cells. Two weeks after you receive the flu shot, your body has made antibodies and is ready to fight off the flu if you contract it. COVID 19 cases are expected to rise during the winter of 2021. Hospitals are likely to continue to run at maximum capacity. It is important to prevent influenza cases that could lead to hospitalizations and put more strain on our hospital systems. If you have questions or concerns about the flu shot, please reach out to your primary care doctor to discuss further.
Read More
Most adults aged 18-65 need about seven to nine hours of sleep to feel rested. Chronic sleep deprivation is associated with obesity, diabetes, heart disease and even a shorter life span. It is important to have good sleep hygiene to lead a long and healthy life. Here are some tips to help you get better sleep. 1. Set a schedule with a consistent bedtime2. Create a good atmosphere for sleep. The bedroom should be dark and quiet. Consider using a sound machine and having blackout curtains to block out light. 3. Avoid screen time at least one hour before bedtime4. Avoid caffeine and alcohol before bedtime 5. Avoid exercise at least two hours before bedtime6. Meditate before bedtime If despite these interventions you still have poor sleep, reach out to your doctor. You may have a medical condition, such as sleep apnea, that could be preventing you from getting restful sleep. We have several diagnostic and treatment options for poor sleep. If you don’t want to try medication, cognitive behavior therapy is an effective option assuming the cause of inadequate sleep is not a medical condition.
Read More
