To Your Good Health

Most people who exercise do have a slower heart rate, and it’s a good sign of a healthy heart. However, some older people can develop heart block when the electrical impulse from the natural pacemaker of the heart fails to pass to the ventricles.

AGS is an allergy to galactose-alpha-1,3-galactose, a carbohydrate allergen found in all mammalian meats, such as beef, pork and lamb.

A stroke is caused by the death of brain cells, most commonly due to poor blood flow in the brain, and it’s critical to avoid any medication that will increase the risk of stroke.

There is not a definitive answer on whether PPIs, like omeprazole, increase the risk of AFib.

For most people with dry eyes, starting with artificial tears is usual and effective, but I certainly have had patients use artificial tears many times daily and still have unpleasant symptoms.

Both the National Cancer Institute and the American Cancer Society agree that there is no evidence, nor a scientific reason, suggesting that COVID-19 vaccinations increase the risk of cancer growth.

“Neuropathy” is not a diagnosis; it’s a name for a diverse group of diseases that cause damage to the nerves, specifically signifying the nerves in the brain and spinal cord or those outside of them.

Atrial flutter is an abnormally fast heart rhythm that starts in one of the top chambers of the heart, usually the right atrium. The heart rate in the atria is very fast, typically 240 to 300 bpm, which is faster than any adult heart can beat.

Mono is classically caused by the Epstein-Barr virus, but very similar symptoms can be caused by other agents, viruses and even a parasite, as well. The virus is transmitted through saliva.

Hashimoto’s thyroiditis is not at all a rare disease. It occurs in up to 10% of the population and much more frequently in women than men.

There are several types of weight-loss, or bariatric, surgery, and the best evidence that I found among those who had a Roux-en-Y gastric bypass shows up to a 70% increase in the relative risk of developing peptic ulcers after surgery.

Hot flashes are common — about 75% of women in North America will experience them around the time of menopause.

Hereditary hemochromatosis, which is caused by a defect of iron absorption, is easy to treat once the diagnosis is made. However, making the diagnosis requires thinking about the possibility.

The terminology can be confusing. Most people with RLS have periodic limb movements of sleep. PLMD is a separate sleep issue that doesn’t include other RLS features.

PBC is an autoimmune disease where the body attacks the bile ducts. Without treatment, it can cause loss of the bile ducts, eventually leading to cirrhosis and liver failure.