Hello everyone!  Here is a new case… good luck!

A 24 year old man complains of diarrhea for 2 days.  He is having 3-4 loose, brown stools a day.  He does not have a fever. The day before the diarrhea started, he ate breakfast at a local diner.   He is normally very healthy and has not taken antibiotics recently.

What is the most likely diagnosis?  How would you treat him? 

Are you a diabetic? Is someone you love a diabetic?

If the answer is yes, then a doctor visit every 3 months is required!

On your next visit, make sure you ask the following questions (and write down the answers so you can follow your progress):

1. What is my blood pressure? (goal < 120/80)
2. What is my HbA1c (average sugar over 3 months)? (goal < 7.0)
3. What are my triglycerides? (goal < 150)
4. What is my HDL? (goal > 40)
5. Should I take an aspirin daily?

These are five simple questions. Knowing the answer to these questions will empower you to change and improve. As you reach each goal, pat yourself on the back and know that your are decreasing your risk for heart disease, stroke, kidney failure, blindness and many other diseases that go hand-in-hand with diabetes.

Feel free to forward this to any of your diabetic friends or family. Knowledge is power!

Are you interested in a side-by-side analysis of the presidential candidates’ health care proposals?

Check out this site: http://www.health08.org/sidebyside.cfm

Senator Hillary Clinton (D-NY) and Senator Barack Obama (D- IL) have focused on providing affordable and high-quality universal coverage through a mix of private and public insurance. Senator John McCain (R- AZ) has focused on market and tax reform to create more health insurance choices at cheaper rates.

Our young man has appendicitis!

The “classic” presentation of appendicitis is abdominal pain

that starts out as diffuse (all over)

and then moves to the right lower quadrant.

People typically complain of pain and bloating.

They do not want to eat. With time, the pain becomes worse.

What should he do next?

Call his doctor or go to the emergency room.

Time for a new case:

A 27 year old man complains of abdominal pain that started several hours ago.  

He describes it as a pressure in the middle of his abdomen.  

He denies having a fever. He has lost his appetite.

 He does not have any diarrhea.  

 What should he do next? 

Here are some interesting health related news articles this week.

Click on #1 if you need some inspiration.

1. Randy Pausch Lecture: Really Achieving Your Childhood Dreams.
2. Bug responsible for bad breath found.
3. TV in the bedroom not a teen’s Best Friend.
4. Omega-3 free fatty acid not effective for the prevention of relapse of Crohn Disease.
5. Less sleep in infancy linked with excessive weight gain.
   • Getting your kid to sleep- Dr. Gupta video on CNN

The answer to “Where is Dr. Brenda MD?”

Vienna, Austria

I brought up “quality of life” for a reason.

We rush, rush, rush, work, work, work, cook, cook, cook, eat, eat, eat, clean, clean, clean, sleep, sleep, sleep etc etc etc.

Do we take enough time to exercise? relax? play? read? pray?

We all have choices. We only have so much time on this earth. Make the time to do things you enjoy.

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As for the answer of Disease of the Week #6……

OF COURSE THE WIFE DID THE RIGHT THING!

(wives usually do! haha)

This 47 year old man may be having a heart attack.

This was probably too easy for most of you.

My point, however, is - if in doubt - call 911.

• Where is Dr. Brenda MD? 
• Hint: The #1 Capital City for Quality of Life in the EU. (source: Mercer’s overall quality of life survey 2006)

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Disease of the Week:

A 47 year old man complained of some mild substernal chest pain.  It started around  2 pm.  He took a couple of baby aspirins and tried to relax.  He felt a bit sweaty and anxious.  He never experienced this type of pain before. The pain did not go away. 

He routinely visits his doctor for yearly physical exams.  He had put on some extra weight over the past few years.  During his last exam 6 months ago, he was told to lose weight and follow a low cholesterol diet. 

Around 4 pm he told his wife.  She called 911. 

My question: Did the wife do the right thing?  

This week in the news:

1. Infidelity is common knowledge in the USA.
2. Helmuts (aka helmets) protect skier, snowboarders from injury.
3. Angina more common in women.
4. Can involvement in extra-curricular activities help prevent juvenile delinquency?
5. Town loses weight with milk and exercise.

These are links to some interesting stories that made medical news this week.

Just click on the link to read the full story.

1. 1 in 4 teen girls has a sexually transmitted disease.
2. Inhalants are the drug of choice for adolescents aged 12-13.
3. Doctor’s told “Dont’ prescribe antibiotics to adults for sinus problems“.
4. Meditation can lower blood pressure.
5. If Pregnant women stop smoking, babies are happier.
6. Drinking prevention needs to start in grade school.