An interesting question came from another sub-specialist–via the comments section of my recent post on the practical difficulties of screening young athletes with routine ECGs. “I’m asked week-in and week-out about screening exams and tests for adult athletes. What do YOU recommend for the seemingly healthy 25-45 year old male non-elite athlete who asks about […]
There are scant few occasions when one can use definitive, non-hedging words like always, never and zero-chance. In assessing Ms Gina Kolata’s recent NY Times piece on how champion-athletes are champions because they are able to push past pain more than most, I can confidently invoke such certainty. Certainty that this notion is utter nonsense. […]
There can only be one cardiology story to report today. Earlier today, the FDA approved Dabigatran (Pradaxa), an oral anticoagulant for the prevention of stroke in atrial fibrillation. Previously, the only drug approved to prevent stroke in patients’ with AF was warfarin. Despite the well known sound scientific data in support of warfarin for the […]
I have an easy solution to a vexing problem in today’s healthcare crisis. A problem so widespread it is worth hundreds of words in the WSJ: long wait times at the doctor’s office. But first, before I give my simple, pragmatic, master-of-the-obvious solution let me say something truthful. I try. I try really hard—to run […]
Sunday nights in Autumn means one thing for this doctor-cyclocross racer: aches and pains. Tonight, just as the thought popped into my head: “a few Alleve(s) probably wouldn’t fire up that reflux very much,” I hear from the computer room… “Hey John, how much alleve were you taking when you had your AF,” asked my […]
Sometimes it is easy. The problem is in front of you and the solution is clear and defined. Sometimes though, the solution requires a journey–an odyssey, with a faithful companion. The experienced clinician knows this but the new patient does not. Recently, I found myself in a stressful situation; stressful for many reasons, not the […]
Dear Cyclists, This Wednesday, I am breaking with tradition, and promoting someone other than myself. In the place of my words, I would like to present an up-and-coming professional bike racer, and blogger, Ms Ashley James. All who have ridden with Ashley know that it is not a surprise that she won the 2009 US […]
He was here for routine follow-up. He has atrial fibrillation. He is, and has been well controlled on generic, well-tolerated anti-arrhythmic medicine for years. “I feel great, Doc” He is happy, as am I. But he was confused. Why hadn’t he been switched to the “new” AF medicine. Hmm. Uh-oh. Here we go again. He […]
Feeling sorry for the big bad insurance companies? Is this even possible? Let me explain. We stayed at a national hotel chain this weekend. I am fairly sure that the free food and sugary drinks they routinely supply, are on-the-whole a profitable venture, but on a microeconomic scale such was not likely the case this […]
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A weekend of life…
There were no books read, no MacBooks tapped, and not even one medical link looked at this weekend. Out-of-town bike racing was on the docket. And this was no ordinary local showdown; it was a humdinger—Cincinnati’s UCI CX festival. There were professional racers, their entourages and trailers, multiple emcees, serious-faced officials and of course, the […]
It has been a very busy few weeks. Â Â Medicine is like that; seldom is ‘business’ steady. Â Like rainy weeks in the southeast when you think it will never be sunny again, there are weeks when you think everyone’s atria are fibrillating. So, there were shocks, and burns, and wires installed. The heart rhythm was rocking, […]