My husband was diagnosed with CHF-congestive heart failure. Is that why he is so short of breath?
CHF, which stands for congestive heart failure occurs when fluid backs up into the lungs, and sometimes builds up in the legs, because the heart is not functioning well enough to move the blood forward. This happens frequently in people who have suffered large heart attacks, but there are other reasons why the heart muscle may fail.
Shortness of breath is the most common symptom from CHF.
To learn more about congestive heart failure, watch this video from
Chicken Pox after Vaccination?
by Tom Seman MD FAAP March 4th, 2011 | Pediatrician on Call
Is it possible for my child to develop chicken pox, even if she has been vaccinated?
Vaccines against viral infections are difficult to make to be 100% effective, even after a booster. The Chicken Pox vaccine is no exception. After one immunization, the vaccine confers immunity in approximately 85% of people. So approximately 15% of children and adults who are vaccinated can contract and manifest chicken pox if sufficiently exposed. However, the duration and intensity of the disease is significantly lessened.
Prior to the advent of the Chicken Pox vaccine, the disease was very common, with approximately 80% of children having
Read More
Vaccines against viral infections are difficult to make to be 100% effective, even after a booster. The Chicken Pox vaccine is no exception. After one immunization, the vaccine confers immunity in approximately 85% of people. So approximately 15% of children and adults who are vaccinated can contract and manifest chicken pox if sufficiently exposed. However, the duration and intensity of the disease is significantly lessened.
Prior to the advent of the Chicken Pox vaccine, the disease was very common, with approximately 80% of children having
Forgetfulness
by Dean Heller MD March 1st, 2011 | Ask the Doctor
My husband just turned 68, he still works and is a great husband, but I recently noticed that he started forgetting some things. Not all of the time, but on occasion, should I be worried?
Mild Cognitive Impairment is very common as we age. It is exactly as you are describing; although mild, it is clinically relevant. While this is more common in men, more advanced forms of impairment, such as Alzheimer's dementia, are more common in women. Men can spend many years with only mild impairment.
To learn more about cognitive impairment, watch this
Read More
Mild Cognitive Impairment is very common as we age. It is exactly as you are describing; although mild, it is clinically relevant. While this is more common in men, more advanced forms of impairment, such as Alzheimer's dementia, are more common in women. Men can spend many years with only mild impairment.
To learn more about cognitive impairment, watch this
Fun Facts About Colds
by Lori Sciame February 28th, 2011 | Illness
The common cold – we’ve all suffered because of one. The symptoms - stuffy nose, sneezing, coughing, and sore throat - can be summed up in one word: miserable. Since they are so common, there seems to be nothing to learn about colds. But maybe there is! Check out the following facts to see if you discover something new about this pesky illness.
1. It is not feasible to develop a vaccine for the common cold.
The fact that there are literally hundreds of cold viruses makes it impossible to develop a “cold shot†like the
Read More
1. It is not feasible to develop a vaccine for the common cold.
The fact that there are literally hundreds of cold viruses makes it impossible to develop a “cold shot†like the
Mental Health Testing
by Jane Wangersky February 21st, 2011 | Mental Health
You've likely heard of National Depression Screening Day, or read that magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) could soon be used to predict risk for Alzheimer's and other disorders. You may even have seen ads for services that promise to evaluate your risk for many disorders -- including schizophrenia -- based on a saliva sample you mail them. It's comforting to think of simple, reliable tests for mental illness; early detection and treatment would prevent much suffering. But how close are we to that point?
Is it really possible to spot mental illness in the DNA from your saliva?
Read More
Is it really possible to spot mental illness in the DNA from your saliva?