To Your Health, by Dean F. Giannone, M.D.

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Friday, March 25, 2005

When It Comes To Kidney Stones, Size Does Matter

Kidney stones are not common but frequently painful findings. By unknown mechanisms, usually related to inherited metabolic disorders, they form from crystals that accumulate and eventually consolidate and solidify into one or more larger stones. Most commonly, these stones are comprised of calcium... Sign in to see full entry.

Thursday, March 24, 2005

The Metabolic Syndrome - All Risk Factors Linked

There's a reason why some people, even younger people, have a clustering of risk factors for heart disease. It's called the metabolic syndrome, or the insulin resistance syndrome. We've actually known about this syndrome for several years, supported by the work of Dr. Gerald Reaven from decades ago;... Sign in to see full entry.

Wednesday, March 23, 2005

Dangers of Anabolic Steroids - Not Just Legal

In the news recently, anabolic steroid use has been glamorized by its presence in professional baseball. The biggest, most-muscular baseball players, with hitting and home run records to their credits, are coming forth to answer (or skirt) the question of illegal steroid use. In this context,... Sign in to see full entry.

Tuesday, March 22, 2005

Diabetics - Get Your HbA1C Down!!

The importance of optimal control of diabetes cannot be overemphasized. The reduction of fasting fingersticks to between 90 and 135, and of your HbA1C to below 7%, minimizes your chance of developing long-term complications of diabetes. The magnitude of this risk for cardiovascular disease has been... Sign in to see full entry.

Monday, March 21, 2005

Facts About Tracheostomy and PEG

As family members, we're sometimes called upon to make difficult medical management decisions for our loved ones who are critically ill in the hospital. Some of the more agonizing choices involve the placement of a tracheostomy for breathing and/or a PEG (percutaneous endoscopic gastrostomy) tube... Sign in to see full entry.

Friday, March 18, 2005

Losing Weight - Carbohydrate-Restriction or Calorie-Restriction?

Low-carbohydrate products are everywhere. You can purchase low-carbohydrate products ranging from salad dressings to breakfast cereals to ice creams to breads. But is the emphasis on carbohydrate-restriction, and protein- and fat-liberalization, really necessary to support real and lasting weight... Sign in to see full entry.

Thursday, March 17, 2005

Cardiac Effects of Cocaine

Hopefully this blog won't apply to too many of you. However, if you or one of your loved ones is currently using cocaine, or has in the past, read on. Cocaine has several adverse effects on the heart. Most commonly known is that cocaine can cause heart attacks during use. Cocaine constricts the... Sign in to see full entry.

Wednesday, March 16, 2005

If It's Not My Heart, Why Am I In Pain?

Lots of people present to physician offices and emergency departments with episodes of chest pain. The greatest concern is that this pain is heart-related. Thankfully, in most cases, the heart ends up being just fine. However, the pain was still real, and it may occur again. So, what else can cause... Sign in to see full entry.

Tuesday, March 15, 2005

Is It Psychosomatic? Maybe Not.

There are lots of people who come to me with various physical symptoms that have persisted for months to years, and which previous physicians have designated as "psychosomatic". The term refers to physical symptoms that are generated from purely emotional distress; there are no physical ailments to... Sign in to see full entry.

Monday, March 14, 2005

What Are Triglycerides, Anyway?

I'm finding that a surprising number of people do not know what triglycerides are. This concerns me because of the likely resultant ignorance as to the health dangers of elevated triglyceride levels. So, let's discuss triglycerides. Triglycerides are found in the foods we eat and in our blood... Sign in to see full entry.

About this Blog

Check here for the latest medical information and how it may affect you. From disease conditions to preventive health maintenance to health and fitness, consider this your personal medical knowledge base. Read about me at www.drgiannone.com.