Your heart and kidneys – closer than you think

Your body’s organ systems don’t function in silos, and Dr. Anand Prasad doesn’t think your healthcare should, either. Imagine you are looking inside the human body. It’s easy to identify the big, separate organs: there’s the heart, up in the chest, pumping away at its job of distributing blood throughout the system; look a little lower down toward the back and you’ll find the kidneys, the bean-shaped objects busily filtering the blood as it moves. One moves it, one cleans it. They need each other. It’s a relationship. And it’s complicated. “Kidney disease itself is a risk factor for heart ...Read More >

Measles, Mumps, Rubella – Oh My!

Why should we vaccinate? From a growing  2019 measles outbreak in Seattle, the Centers for Disease Control now reports outbreaks in Washington and New York states, with more reported cases in Texas so far this month. While measles are caused by a virus – as is the mumps and rubella, whooping cough is caused by bacteria. What is the first sign of measles, mumps, rubella or whooping cough? Measles starts with fever, runny nose, cough, red eyes, and sore throat. It’s followed by a rash that spreads over the body. Measles is highly contagious and spreads through coughing and sneezing. ...Read More >

Could skipping meds lead to a second heart attack?

Many heart patients aren’t taking their medicine. Are they at greater risk for another heart attack? Imagine: the shortness of breath and the occasional chest pain you’ve been feeling intensifies. You’re rushed to the emergency room where doctors decide you need bypass surgery to survive. Then, following surgery, your cardiologist prescribes five medications you’ve never taken before. You feel brain-fogged, exhausted, achy and depressed. Is it part of the recovery process or the new drugs? Do you have to take all those pills? Results of a study published by the American College of Cardiology show that proper medication can reduce ...Read More >