The list of medical causes for ankle swelling (and swelling of the lower leg and foot) is long. Bilateral swelling vs. swelling of only one ankle can be an important first clue. And, despite experience and simple testing such…
Several months ago I posted a blog that reviewed what physicians knew about the relationship between Covid 19 illness and the strange development of blood clots in both the arteries and veins of some people who contract the virus. While…
Many of our patients have asked me if they need to worry about blood clots should they or a family member contract Covid 19. The short answer is: not really. While the Covid 19 infection does increase the chance of…
Less than four months ago, my colleagues in New York City began seeing something unusual and unexpected in their patients that required hospitalization for Covid 19 illness. It became apparent, that despite ordering standard low dose daily blood thinner medications…
The short answer is probably not. In 2017 and 2018 I wrote blogs discussing what the role for taking aspirin was as a preventative measure against stroke, heart attack, vein blood clots and even colon cancer. Back then and even…
I have never thought much about over the counter supplements. I take none and the medical science around them has been fairly poor. Patients waste a lot of money buying these items and I occasionally convince them to reconsider their…
The usefulness of taking over the counter fish oil supplements and now prescription fish oil medications to prevent cardiovascular disease and events like heart attack and stroke has had poor support from medical experts because previous studies have showed minimal…
One of the more dramatic incidents that can happen to our patients is an episode of spontaneous high pressure bleeding from a leg vein. Elevated pressure in leg veins is secondary to a vein blockage or more commonly due to…
Kind of an unpleasant thought…but unfortunately, it seems to be. Americans for 100 years have enjoyed an unprecedented run at living longer and healthier lives. Cleaner air and water, public sanitation, refrigeration, safer food, advances in trauma care, understanding many…
Crazy idea? Perhaps not. Nearly 80% of the cost of US health care is based on the treatment of eight chronic disease conditions: Obesity, diabetes, cancer, lung disease secondary to tobacco use, mental health, high blood pressure, heart disease, alcohol/drug…
