CDC Issues Travel Warning due to Zika Virus

Here’s a fun question to float at your next cocktail party: Which animal bite has killed the greatest number of people? It’s the mosquito. By far. Because mosquitoes transmit malaria, which has killed more people than any other germ. And now, as security guards are coming to remove you from the cocktail party, let me remind you that mosquitoes also spread West Nile Virus, Yellow Fever, Dengue Fever and lots of other dangerous infectious diseases. Our eternal foe, the mosquito, was in t...
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Why You Might Want More Blood Pressure Medicine

A patient's blood pressure being taken
We’ve known for over a generation that using medications to lower high blood pressure can decrease the risk of strokes, heart attacks, and kidney failure. National guidelines have recommended using medications to get the systolic blood pressure (the higher blood pressure number) below 140. So for my whole career a systolic in the 130s would lead to me pat the patient on the back and declare victory, while a systolic in the 140s would lead me to increase a dose of a medication or stress to th...
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