The Internal Cardiac Defibrillator (ICD) can be a life-saving device. Many scientifically robust studies have demonstrated that when these machines are implanted in carefully selected patients, mortality is reduced. That is the upside–a big one for sure. The downsides of these devices are many. Our ability to predict which patient will eventually need a shock […]
For fans of sport in America, the coming week is all about fast-twitch muscles, aggression and unapologetic showmanship. The Super Bowl has grown de facto into an American holiday. I get this. I watch football; the athleticism and intensity are compelling. But in our fair city, the next week witnesses a celebration of sport of […]
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Can you ride like this?
It’s Saturday morning. I saw this 2010 video on one of my friends FB pages. Consider this truly shocking set of images a 4-minute break from the serious issues of arrhythmia, health policy and fitness. Since it’s been viewed 6 million times, you may have already seen it. That matters not. Watch it again. I’ve […]
The first order of business today is to point you to an updated version of yesterday’s guest post. Dr Schloss, the thinker that he is, emailed me an eighth tip for survival in the new healthcare climate. Don’t be surprised if this list grows. It’s worth quoting: 8. Take Refuge with your Patients: Even on […]
It is with great pleasure that I offer the following guest post from Edward J. Schloss, MD, (Twitter ID @EJSMD) the medical director of cardiac electrophysiology at Christ Hospital in Cincinnati, OH. One of the many rewards of writing a blog is making friends. Jay Schloss started as a ‘social media’ friend but now that […]
Before I start, let’s do a disclaimer: I, myself, John Mandrola, having practiced for nearly 16 years, and having saved and lived frugally, am going to be okay. In the game of medical practice, I am in the sixth or seventh inning. I’m almost done. I write such healthcare essays then, not so much because […]
Blood pressure and cholesterol problems affect millions. These are the bread, butter and sugary drinks of Internal Medicine and general Cardiology practice. It stands to reason then, that the treatment of these basic maladies would be well agreed upon. Guidelines and expert consensus statements would be clear and up-to-date. But this is far from reality. […]
Healthcare looks much different than it did just a few years ago. When you let your mind wander about where we were, it’s shocking really. There’s cultural changes, including an explosion of complexity of care, an infusion of young doctors with different ideas about life, an evolving set of incentives, employment models and a heck […]
Hi all, It’s a dreary winter day here. It seems a good time to ponder warmer sunny images and hopeful notions. I found a great article on a town in southern Spain. They did something remarkable there. Their transformation, if you will let me use such a word, inspired me to write a short note […]
Being mid-week, I had planned to tell you about the recent news concerning the role of fitness as a predictor of real outcomes. Important as this is, it will have to wait. I’ve got something much better. Though it isn’t about exercise; it is about health and happiness and soothing inflammation. Writing this year’s best […]
When I first started writing this blog in 2009, I asked a dean of the an English department about taking a writing class. He was patient, answering tersely that the best way to improve at writing was to read. Reading can get away from you if you are not careful. Almost as much as Ironman […]