Tag Archives: Family Medicine

Tattoos? Think before you ink.

As of 2012, 1 in 5 adults had a tattoo.  This is up from 14% in 2008.  Truthfully, tattoos are usually trouble-free.  But tattoos can pose health risks… Unsterilized tools. Contaminated ink. Scarring. Blood-borne diseases (HIV and hepatitis). Toxins in … Continue reading

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Patients don’t fill their prescriptions?!

What?  Actually, 1/3 of prescriptions go UNfilled.  The fancy word for this is “nonadherence.” A Canadian study followed nearly 16,000 patients.  The results: nonadherence most often this occurs due to prescribing expensive drugs and preventive therapies for chronic conditions. Also, … Continue reading

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Aspirin is not needed if you do not have a history of heart attack or stroke

Again,  aspirin is not needed if you do not have a history of heart attack or stroke. There ARE benefits to taking an aspirin per day if you have a history of cardiovascular disease, but there is increased risk of bleeding … Continue reading

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Beware of herbals and supplements as these may cause liver problems.

Hepatotoxicity from herbal and dietary supplements is on the rise in the US. Body-building supplements are implicated as the most common cause of liver injury. The symptoms that the patients presented to the doctor with were most often with jaundice … Continue reading

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Pregnant mothers are encouraged to eat peanut butter

Yes.  It was found that consumption of peanuts and tree nuts during pregnancy may prevent their children from developing nut allergies. The study supports the thought that early allergen exposure increases the tolerance and lowers the risk of childhood food … Continue reading

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Traveler’s diarrhea

Summer is traveling season. . . this brings up the age-old question of … What to do to avoid diarrhea?  What to take?  When to take it? What is traveler’s diarrhea?  It is defined as passing 3 or more loose … Continue reading

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Over the counter treatment for benign prostatic hypertrophy symptoms

Benign prostatic hypertrophy?  BPH symptoms in men are urinary frequency, difficulty starting and stopping stream of urine, weak urine stream, and needing to get up from bed at night to urinate. Who gets this?  Only men.  More than 80% of … Continue reading

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Half of cervical pre-cancers are caused by two subtypes of HPV!

HPV subtype 16 was the most commonly detected HPV type among all “high grade” (read this: ominous) cervical lesions. Half of the high-grade cervical lesions had HPV 16 or 18 involved. Then, another 25% of high grade cervical lesions are … Continue reading

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Drinking diet drinks is linked to cardiovascular events in women

I know this sounds vague. . . and scary. But, the analysis focused on nearly 60,000 women aged 50-79 and followed them for 9 years. TWO or more diet drinks a day was associated with a 29% increased risk of … Continue reading

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Late-life depression may be prodrome to dementia

There is a relationship between elderly patients with acute depression and progression to Alzheimer’s disease.   It is unclear whether depression in the elderly is a risk factor for dementia or if it’s a prodrome of the disorder. It’s important to … Continue reading

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