Heart scan can help some determine risk for heart disease
Mayo Clinic Q&A DEAR MAYO CLINIC: I’m a 57-year-old man, and my doctor recently recommended I have a CT scan of my heart to look for calcium in my arteries. I’ve never had heart problems. Is this test really necessary? ANSWER: A heart scan is used to check for calcium in the lining of the […]
Heart Monitors
Area hospitals move to noninvasive tests for cardiac disease Amit Patel, MD, seen through a CT scanner. Photo courtesy of University of Chicago Medicine. Move over stress test. The treadmill test for heart disease, though common, can be costly and time-consuming; sometimes with inaccurate results. Now, new noninvasive options for heart disease testing are […]
Cardiac assessment may show if heart issues need to be addressed
Mayo Clinic Q&A DEAR MAYO CLINIC: I am a 49-year-old man with a strong family history of coronary artery disease. Although I used to compete in triathlons, I just don’t have that kind of stamina anymore, and I become short of breath pretty easily. Should this be cause for concern? I also don’t have much […]
New depression screening guidelines outline very helpful, achievable goals
Harvard Health Blog Every once in a while, a simple idea comes along that has the potential to bring enormous health benefits. Screening for depression is one of them. It is a low-cost, high-impact intervention that should be a regular part of primary care medicine. This idea is not new, but it has gotten another […]
Research shows clear benefits to colon cancer screening no later than age 50
Mayo Clinic Q&A DEAR MAYO CLINIC: Is a colonoscopy still recommended for everyone when they turn 50? Are there other options? I am 54 and have no health issues and no family history of colon cancer, so have not yet been screened. ANSWER: The U.S. Preventive Services Task Force recommends that everyone between the ages […]
Deciding when to get that first mammogram
whatdoctorsknow.com The American Cancer Society’s breast cancer screening guidelines could cause many women to wonder when they should have their first mammogram. The society recommends that all women begin having yearly mammograms at age 45, and switch to having mammograms every other year starting at age 55. The guidelines were published last October in the […]
Early bone density test may be useful for some women
Mayo Clinic Q&A DEAR MAYO CLINIC: I am 49 and in good health but am concerned about osteoporosis since I went through menopause at an early age (44). Are weight-bearing exercises sufficient to prevent osteoporosis, or should I also take calcium supplements? Should I have a bone density test earlier than the typical recommended age […]
HIV still growing, even when undetectable in the blood
Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine A team of international researchers led by Northwestern University found that HIV is still replicating in lymphoid tissue, even when it is undetectable in the blood of patients on antiretroviral drugs. The findings provide a critical new perspective on how HIV persists in the body despite potent antiretroviral therapy. […]
