February 4th, 2010 by Medgadget in Better Health Network, News
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First Aid Corps, an organization working on helping the public respond to sudden cardiac arrests, has unveiled an iPhone app that can pinpoint the location of the closest automatic external defibrillator (AED) within seconds.
Currently the database is just beginning to fill up but First Aid Corps has partnered with The Extraordinaries, a volunteer organization, to have people locate and photograph AED’s in their community.
The app is free and you can download it and get started mapping AED’s and maybe help save someone’s life.
Here’s a promo video for the project:
Demo of the AED Nearby app:
AED Nearby iTunes link…
Flashbacks: AED Location Database Points to Nearest Life Saving Device; Do You Know Where Your AED Is At?
*This blog post was originally published at Medgadget*
February 3rd, 2010 by Dr. Val Jones in Audio, Expert Interviews, Health Tips
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February is National Heart Disease Awareness Month, and so I invited Dr. Bill Kussmaul to make me aware of some of the hottest controversies in cardiology. His tips and insights are invaluable to busy primary care physicians looking for the bottom line on thorny issues. Dr. Kussmaul is the Associate Director of the Cardiac Catheterization Laboratory at Hahneman Hospital in Philadelphia and an Associate Editor of the Annals of Internal Medicine. You can listen to our conversation or read my transcript below:
[Audio:https://getbetterhealth.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/02/billkussmaul.mp3]
Controversy #1: Cholesterol and Statin Therapy
Dr. Val: Who should receive high-dose statin therapy? Read more »
February 1st, 2010 by DrWes in Better Health Network, Health Policy, Opinion
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Now that the health care bill has been soundly defeated by the election of a single individual to the Senate, the Democratic party is fleeing the House and Senate health care overhaul bills like rats from a burning ship. Sadly Republicans, too, are staying silent with (so far) few rushing forth with their alternative solution to counteract the impasse:
Senator Dianne Feinstein, Democrat of California, said Democrats were assessing their options on health care. “It’s a timeout,” she said. “The leadership is re-evaluating. They asked us to keep our powder dry.”
Mrs. Feinstein said Congressional leaders should simplify the gigantic health care bill and try to pass parts of it that would be understandable to the public. But she also acknowledged that the odds were long for a far-reaching measure. “I think big, comprehensive bills are very difficult to do in this environment,” she said. Read more »
*This blog post was originally published at Dr. Wes*
January 22nd, 2010 by Happy Hospitalist in Better Health Network, Health Tips, Research
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If you’ve spent anytime on The Happy Hospitalist in the last two years, you know I am a strong believer in lifestyle as the only solution to an economic disaster we find ourselves in. One recently reported television health statistic confirms, once again, the strong correlation between lifestyle and early death.
I blogged previously about studies showing an 80% reduction in heart disease, strokes, cancer and diabetes by adhering to lifestyle choices proven to save lives. America is a nation of couch potatoes. Everyday I see families, doctors and nurses taking the elevator up on story to the next floor above. What ever happened to using the stairs for a little self sacrifice?
The television health statistics in this country are alarming. How many hours a week do Americans spend watching television? 1 How does 31 hours a week sound. That’s amazing. I have one or two shows a week that I watch, if I’m lucky. Read more »
*This blog post was originally published at The Happy Hospitalist Blog*
January 16th, 2010 by DrWes in Better Health Network, True Stories
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Recently, I’ve been recovering from some form of upper respiratory illness – of what form, I have no clue – but it was probably the dreaded H1N1 influenza virus or its equivalent (yes, I took the shots, but to no avail). Last Friday, with surprising reluctance, I conceded defeat and called in sick – something I almost never do. Somehow the thought of spreading contagion while wearing a mask while croaking, sniffling, coughing my way though conversations just didn’t seem like the best thing for me or my patients. Gratefully, I’m on the upswing and only now have a slightly hoarse voice and an occasional cough that’s improving, but it is interesting to reflect on why, despite knowing better, I felt so inclined to keep seeing patients despite my illness. Read more »
*This blog post was originally published at Dr. Wes*