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AF ablation Atrial fibrillation Cycling Stuff Exercise Health Care Reform Healthy Living Social Media/Writing/Blogging

An update on cycling and writing and video (gulp)

Hi all, Things have changed for me. I have taken on a larger role at theheart.org | Medscape Cardiology. This means I have less time for hefty original posts here. (This site is not closing–just changing.) I write and read a lot more, though. Almost every day. Writing has morphed into what cycling was: a […]

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AF ablation Atrial fibrillation Doctoring General Ablation General Cardiology General Medicine Health Care Health Care Reform Healthy Living Knowledge Social Media/Writing/Blogging

Writing update: Lown Institute Conference and ACC2015

Hi all, I have been busy in the last few weeks. Here is an update of my happenings and posts. From March 8-11, I attended and presented at the third annual Lown Institute Conference in San Diego. I have never felt more at home in a conference than I did at the Lown conference. Take […]

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AF ablation Atrial fibrillation Doctoring General Medicine Healthy Living

The right care for patients with atrial fibrillation

I am in San Diego to participate in the Lown Institute Road to Right Care: Engage, Organize, Transform conference. It is an honor to be included in a conference that has “right care” in its title. Tomorrow, Dr. David Martin (Lahey Clinic) and I will co-present a case-based session on the overuse and misuse of […]

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AF ablation Athletic heart Atrial fibrillation Doctoring General Medicine Health Care Healthy Living Social Media/Writing/Blogging

Athletes, AF, Anticoagulants, Statins, Peanuts, and Dishwashers

Here is an update on my recent writing. Athletes and AF: I was honored to be invited back to the Western AF symposium in Park City, Utah. Last year, I presented on social media. This year, Dr. Nassir Marrouche (University of Utah) asked me to tackle the topic of atrial fibrillation in athletes. This is […]

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AF ablation Athletic heart Atrial fibrillation Healthy Living inflammation

A new way to think about curing atrial fibrillation

The problem with AF treatment is that we do not (really) understand the underlying causes of the disease. Why does the heart fibrillate? What gets those pesky premature beats started? Why do intermittent episodes persist? Why does AF come back after shocks or ablation? AF has been thought of as its own disease. You have […]

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Doctoring Healthy Living

Antibiotics and the heart — Think hard

My colleague and friend Dr. Melissa Walton-Shirley wrote a nice review article on antibiotics and cardiac issues over at theHeart.org. It is worth a look. MWS is a heck of writer. Although she is writing to doctors, the issues she raises about antibiotics are relevant to everyone. I recently reviewed a case in which a serious […]

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Doctoring Health Care Healthy Living

Is healthcare careful? Is it kind?

Research now indicates 50% of middle–aged people live with one chronic disease. Translation: half of middle-aged people are not healthy. (You don’t need a reference there. Just walk out into the world and look around.) This new normal creates a challenge for caregivers. How will we care for the onslaught of chronic disease? Surely not […]

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AF ablation Doctoring General Medicine Health Care Healthy Living Nutrition Social Media/Writing/Blogging

Medicine, lifestyle disease and the pool-safety post

What follows is an introduction to my most recent post on theHeart.org | Medscape Cardiology. It was published yesterday. Many of the comments are excellent. The link is at the end of this post. You might wonder what pool-safety has to do with lifestyle disease. Here is how they relate: I am currently reading an […]

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Atrial fibrillation Cycling Stuff Exercise Healthy Living

Does exercise have to look a certain way? Can Yoga deliver heart health?

One of my good friends, a guru of sorts, once told me during a ride that things change. He was 50 years-old at the time and the change he was referring to was cycling abilities and priorities. At the time, I was at the peak of my cycling prowess; we were part of strong masters […]

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Cycling Stuff Cycling Wed Cyclocross Exercise General Medicine Health Care Healthy Living

Will wearables and other gadgets make us healthier?

Is good health really all that digital? I am not so sure. I am a skeptic. I realize this is a risky thing to say these days. It’s hard to bet against Apple. And It was only seconds after Tweeting such doubt that John Nosta, an expert in digital health technology, tweeted back: @drjohnm Health […]

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AF ablation Atrial fibrillation Doctoring Exercise General Cardiology General Medicine Health Care Healthy Living

The year in Cardiology 2014 — a top-10 list

When the editors at Medscape asked me to put together an essay on the Top 10 stories in cardiology in 2014, I thought it would be an easy project. I was wrong. It turns out there was a lot to say about the happenings in cardiology this year.  In the end, the final essay had 37 references–a […]