Where I live, on February 21, 2013 the issue of gun control resulted in an emergency session by the Maine Legislature, and a bipartisan resolution to enact a new law that will make identifying information of concealed-weapons permit holders private. It was the direct result of a perfectly legal request by a local newspaper last week for information on these permits. The …
Sudden cardiac death after stenting
Submitted by Dr T on February 19, 2013 – 11:22am Question: Dear Dr. T,My father recently passed away one week before his 67th birthday in January 2013. He has always been a very healthy individual throughout his entire life with a strict diet, no junk food, regular exercise, and didn’t smoke, drink alcohol, or do drugs. Very healthy person. He …
How does starvation lead to coronary heart disease
Submitted by Dr T on February 16, 2013 – 12:35pm in Cardiac Risks Question: Dear Doctor T,Please could you tell me how starvation (for example, anorexia nervosa) leads to coronary heart disease? I am a biology student, and it says in my textbook that starvation can lead to coronary heart disease, but doesn’t explain how. I asked my teacher, but …
Poor heart function and surgery
Submitted by Dr T on February 16, 2013 – 12:13pm in Cardiac Risks Question: My father(Age 58 yrs) is suffering from Heart disease and his EF is 28%. Now a days he is suffering from pneumonia with more than 20 days. He has diabetics and BP problem also. Doctors here told us that his heart is too week to operate. …
Pain comes and goes on left side of the chest; with some numbness on the left arm.
Submitted by Dr T on February 14, 2013 – 4:48pm Question: My name is Sara and I am 54 years old. I smoke a pack of cigarettes a month. Lately on my left side of my arm,I have experienced numbness and pain in my chest.I thought that I was having a heart attack. So I went to my family doctor. …
Gov. Christie’s obesity risks
Governor Chris Christie has done the fight against the obesity epidemic in America no favors, when he lashed out against a former White House physician worrying he might die in office as a result of complications caused by his excess weight. This doctor certainly isn’t the only physician in the country capable of observing obesity (with its well known complications) …
Coronary blockages
Submitted by Dr T on February 6, 2013 – 11:42am in Cardiac Risks Question: Can a coronary blockage be reduced or removed without surgical intervention? I had a recent abnormal ECG. I had no pains or breathlessness, but I had the ECG taken because my recently had an infarct and I wanted to be careful. I had one taken 18 …
Tachycardia at a young age
Submitted by Dr T on January 30, 2013 – 2:24pm Question: In the past few months I have been tachycardic with a hearth rate always above 100bpm at rest, few days ago I also felt some palpitations and chest tightness, I took and two ECG’s which both had T wave inversions also in V3-V5. I took an Echo which resulted …
Dizziness, vomiting and unresponsiveness
Submitted by Dr T on January 30, 2013 – 2:05pm Question: Hi Dr. T! Four months ago I had an “episode” that warranted me following up with my PCP who ordered a ECG in his office. He said “it is abnormal, but normal for you” and left it at that. When I asked what that meant, he told me that …
Heart disease and snoring
Submitted by Dr T on January 29, 2013 – 5:00pm in Cardiac Risks Question: Hi Dr T, My husband snores. Should he have surgery to prevent heart disease later in life? Hi Amelia,Of course not. There are excellent reasons to recommend an operation for snoring but NOT to prevent a heart attack or stroke later in life as has been …