October 23rd, 2011 by John Mandrola, M.D. in Opinion
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I follow a lot of intriguing people on Twitter. Each of them sends me noogets (a favorite slang word of mine) of information that either inspires, uplifts, informs or even amuses me.
But there’s one twitter-er that stands out. He really helps me–along with 2.6 million others.
The Dalai Lama tweets most mornings about the time I hit the deck. “What did he say this morning,” I ask myself frequently. Sometimes I pause for just a moment, but other times his words come back to me later in the day.
Now folks, I’m not going soft on you. I can’t even touch my toes, never mind do yoga. I realize that as a serious medical blogger, it’s not really accepted to let religion or politics seep into my posts.
But this very well-known quote seems to hint at the essence of our modern-day heart problems–atrial fibrillation in particular. Read more »
*This blog post was originally published at Dr John M*
October 19th, 2011 by John Mandrola, M.D. in Opinion
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One of the best things about writing a blog is when life provides Eureka moments. I read an essay this weekend that literally jolted the blogger in me.
If you are an athlete seeking a pinnacle; (That about covers all of us.)
Or a doctor striving to be the best that you can be–for humanity;
Or a parent wanting to provide the best for your children;
Or a learner wishing you could some day be smart enough to work in a think tank; (Ever wonder what a think tank looks like?)
Or perchance, Read more »
*This blog post was originally published at Dr John M*
September 16th, 2011 by John Mandrola, M.D. in Health Tips, Opinion
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Before I even start, let me say this to my triathlete friends…
I really like you all. And…I am sorry for how I feel about your sport’s pinnacle, the Ironman triathlon. But I was poked into writing this post. When asked the question of whether the Ironman is safe for the middle-aged heart, what was I to do? Lie?
Each August, my hometown, Louisville, KY, gets overrun, over-swum and over-ridden with “Iron people.” No, these humans aren’t rust colored, or all that hardened, but they are indeed a determined lot. Triathletes, or iron people if you will, wake up before sunrise to swim, bike or run. Then they eat; some go to work (barely), and then they do the training thing again in the evening. Calling these athletes focused would surely be an understatement.
So it is each summer that I endure the same question: “Dr. Mandrola, did you do the Ironman?”
“No…I just ride bikes.”
But this year was different. Before I could launch into my usual dissertation on how training for Ironman-length triathlons causes excess inflammation, coronary calcium, atrial fibrillation, divorce, etc., etc., another question quickly popped up.
“What did you think of that guy who died during this year’s race?” Read more »
*This blog post was originally published at Dr John M*
September 10th, 2011 by John Mandrola, M.D. in Research
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How could it have happened?
He was strong; do you remember how he could get uphill? He was fit; can you ever recall seeing him out of shape? His blood pressure was perfect, low even. He bragged about his exemplary cholesterol levels.
He was lean and mean.
Wait a minute…what was that about being mean?
When an endurance athlete in middle age is felled by a sudden heart attack, these questions always arise. It’s mysterious, as the idea holds that exercise and fitness should inoculate one from heart disease. But it does not.
There is more to the story of heart attacks than just the big five: genetics, smoking, high blood pressure, diabetes and cholesterol. Read more »
*This blog post was originally published at Dr John M*
September 4th, 2011 by John Mandrola, M.D. in Opinion
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The tweet said that experts were debating the merits of a polypill? I had to click that link.
Yes. I was right; there were actually “eminent” cardiologists suggesting that a pill containing 4 different medicines (a statin, aspirin, beta-blocker and an ACE-inhibitor) “might change the face of cardiovascular medicine.”
The direct quote from Dr. Salim Yusef, one of the most eminent heart doctors, went like this:
“We have to think of the polypill not as a pill, but as part of a strategy to completely change our approach to prevention,” said Yusuf. “Instead of saying lifestyle first and drugs next, why don’t we say that drugs are the basis, then get the patients contemplating prevention, and then get them to modify their lifestyle. Maybe that will work, because the reverse strategy hasn’t.”
Maybe it was jet lag? Read more »
*This blog post was originally published at Dr John M*
I follow a lot of intriguing people on Twitter. Each of them sends me noogets (a favorite slang word of mine) of information that either inspires, uplifts, informs or even amuses me.
