Health Article Archive - 50plusprime.com

Here is a list of prior Health articles that have appeared on our site. Click any headline to view the complete article.

PLEASE TELL US ABOUT YOUR SUBSTANCE ABUSE
June 14, 2010 10:21 AM ET
Karen (a mythical patient) was admitted to the hospital for pneumonia. She uses heroin but didn’t think it was necessary to confess this problem to the medical staff – she was sure that she could handle withdrawal. Besides, she didn’t think she was that addicted anyway.

SHINGLES
May 13, 2010 3:40 PM ET
Here’s a question for you. What do Chicken Pox and Shingles have in common?

WHAT CONSTITUTES GOOD HEALTH?
April 15, 2010 3:27 PM ET
What constitutes good health? Every day we are bombarded with information about disease processes and symptoms, but very little is said about the signs of good health.

BOOMERS BATTLING FIBROMYALGIA
April 14, 2010 12:11 PM ET
What is Fibromyalgia?

Fibromyalgia, formerly called fibrositis, is a type of generalized muscular pain accompanied by fatigue. In fact, the term “fibromyalgia” means pain in the muscles and the fibrous connective tissue, specifically the ligaments and tendons.

COSMETIC MEDICINE® INFORMATION
March 31, 2010 12:31 PM ET
As a board certified gynecologist for 30 years, I have noticed the positive effects hormones have on skin aging.

BRAIN TUMOR
March 9, 2010 4:25 PM ET
A young nurse walked into meeting about medical management, sat down and suddenly started to convulse. The nurses who surrounded her were shocked and immediately called a Code Blue.

COUMADIN/WARFARIN THERAPY
February 10, 2010 2:53 PM ET
Coumadin, better know by its generic name, Warfarin, is one of the most common medications used for anticoagulation therapy.

AT AGE 50 TIME TO TALK COLONOSCOPY
January 15, 2010 6:49 PM ET
A nurse friend of mine decided, after much nagging by a neighbor, to have a colonoscopy.

HAPPY, HEALTHY HOLIDAYS
December 9, 2009 12:50 PM ET
Hurray. The Holidays are here – and there is so much to enjoy, experience and celebrate.

ASTHMA: 'TIS THE SEASON
November 5, 2009 1:34 PM ET
Every Christmas when we put up our Christmas tree my mother would begin to cough. Then she would become short of breath and finally she would lose her voice.

IS DHEA A LINK TO THE FOUNTAIN OF YOUTH?
November 3, 2009 10:50 AM ET
HORMONES!! Although many individuals have fears and concerns about hormone replacement, no one’s life would be the same without them.

WEIGHT REDUCTION - TREATING OBESITY
October 20, 2009 12:05 PM ET
Telling a patient to count calories just doesn't work for the majority of overweight individuals.

THE GHOST OF ST. ALEXIS
October 8, 2009 11:59 AM ET
Let me tell you a secret that hospital workers everywhere keep in their hearts. Hospitals have souls.

FALL IS HERE. HOW ARE YOU FEELING?
September 11, 2009 9:41 AM ET
Fall is almost here. So, how are you feeling?

MEDICAL BREAKTHROUGH: CALCIFEROL (VITAMIN D3) CURES INSOMNIA!
September 2, 2009 10:35 AM ET
BACKGROUND INFORMATION: Most people encounter sleep difficulties from time to time, often related to stress or pain.

BEAUTIFUL BOOMER SKIN
August 11, 2009 1:03 PM ET
Thanks to advanced medical technology, beautiful skin is attainable.

PRESCRIPTION DRUG ASSISTANCE
August 10, 2009 4:10 PM ET
As the United States House and Senate debate on a Health Care Reform bill that will meet the needs of those with inadequate or no health insurance coverage while not bankrupting the country, there are many people who continue to make a choice between refilling their prescriptions or eating.

UNDERSTANDING BIO-IDENTICAL HORMONES
July 20, 2009 11:57 AM ET
The term ‘hormone’ comes from the Greek and is interpreted as “to excite.’

MOLES AND MELANOMA
July 20, 2009 11:15 AM ET
Throughout the country hundreds of dermatologists have screened thousands of patients for signs of skin damage and skin cancer in effect to reduce the scourge of the drastic effects of sun damage.

PRESCRIPTION DRUG ABUSE
July 10, 2009 9:56 AM ET
Michael Jackson’s tragic death at the age of 50 brings to light, once again, the extreme danger of abusing prescriptions drugs.

TYPE 2 DIABETES AND HYPOGLYCEMIA
June 17, 2009 1:46 PM ET
A friend of mine with type 2 diabetes shared a horror story involving her near demise due to her oral diabetes medication. She was supposed to work on Christmas day.

JUNE IS NATIONAL ACNE AWARENESS MONTH
June 17, 2009 9:34 AM ET
The importance of patients and health care professionals in recognizing the psyche and psychological components of having and treating acne cannot be over emphasized.

SWINE FLU
May 16, 2009 5:46 PM ET
Swine flu. Why should anyone care if pigs get the flu? Well, if pigs kept the flu to themselves, probably no one would care. The reality is that when pigs get the flu, sometimes they pass it along to their human keepers. When humans get the flu from another species, they have no natural immunity to it and the consequences can be dire.

BOOMERS: RENEW AND REVITALIZE YOUR SKIN
May 8, 2009 10:08 AM ET
Radiant skin can be readily achieved in a variety of ways.

GOUT
April 3, 2009 4:31 PM ET
Ask anyone who has suffered from gout to describe their pain and they will tell you that it is both excruciating and unremitting. The most severe pain I have encountered as a nurse is not in cancer patients or accident victims, but in those patients who are suffering from gout. Even the light touch of a bed sheet can cause them to cry out in agony.

MIGRAINES
March 17, 2009 2:50 PM ET
Migraines. The very word makes me shiver. Those blinding headaches that cause unbelievable discomfort and make people take to their beds affects 17% of women and 6% of men.

LIVER DISEASE
February 6, 2009 4:26 PM ET
The patient was orange, his stomach swollen and his legs and feet were so edematous (swollen with water) that they were hardly recognizable.

CAN'T AFFORD DIABETIC TEST STRIPS?
January 13, 2009 1:42 PM ET
One of the most significant breakthroughs in arena of diabetic medicine has been the development of the glucometer. This tiny little monitor can, with a spot of blood on a test strip, determine the exact blood glucose level.

HOLIDAY STRESS
December 6, 2008 12:19 PM ET
Tis the season to be jolly,” exclaims the famous ‘Deck the Halls’ Christmas carol. The lyrics blare out in practically every store and shopping mall.

GALLBLADDER DISEASE
November 12, 2008 8:26 PM ET
You have just eaten a double cheeseburger with extra bacon and cheese, a large order of French fries and an extra large coke and you are not feeling so well.

FEVER
October 14, 2008 4:09 PM ET
Fever. Even the word can bring chills. It is a condition we wish to avoid at all costs and frequently make every attempt to do exactly that. We take Aspirin, Tylenol, Ibuprofen or any other remedy that comes to mind.

MEDICAL INSURANCE NIGHTMARE
September 9, 2008 12:33 PM ET
There are many medical insurance horror stories that I have heard over the past years, but the one that stopped me cold this past weekend is especially chilling.   Because of confidentiality issues, the gender and diagnosis of the patient has been changed.

SUMMER FOODS EQUAL WINTER HEALTH
August 21, 2008 8:48 AM ET
One of my favorite stories is the one about the grasshopper and the ant. The ant scurries around in the summer collecting food for the winter while the grasshopper frolics in the warm sun without a care about how he is gong to survive the cold months to come.

DEEP VEIN THROMBOSIS AND PULMONARY EMBOLI
July 10, 2008 4:14 PM ET
It is a tragedy that occurs all too frequently. A perfectly healthy person going about their daily routine suddenly drops dead. Sometimes the victim is a young mother who has recently given birth. The cause is a pulmonary embolism, the third leading cause of death in the United States and the second cause of sudden death in this nation.

POTASSIUM
June 7, 2008 5:25 PM ET
A cousin called me the other day to report that she was just not feeling well. She was tired all of the time, her muscles ached and she felt weak. “By the way,” she commented, “My doctor told me that my potassium is low. Could that have anything to do with the way I feel?” “Without a doubt,” I replied.

THE BENEFITS OF EXERCISE
May 15, 2008 9:41 AM ET
After listening to a sad tale about how one of our friends had sustained a back injury the day before his daughter’s wedding, Diane commented that she never has experienced back problems.

HOW DANGEROUS ARE HOSPITALS?
March 27, 2008 3:43 PM ET
The headlines proclaimed, “A study has shown that an average of 195,000 patients died annually in 2000, 2001 and 2002 because of potentially preventable, in-hospital medical errors.”

PNEUMONIA
February 26, 2008 10:52 AM ET
A friend of mine developed pneumonia when she was in her 30’s. At first she felt tired and then developed a fever. Within hours she was delirious and severely ill. She was transported to the hospital just in time for the doctors to be able save her life. After a stint in Intensive Care and a week long hospital stay, she returned home wiser for having survived her experience with a common (and often ignored) ailment.

THE HIGH PRICE OF BEING NON-COMPLIANT
January 31, 2008 2:30 PM ET
Joe Smith is 42 year old business man with a burning desire to ‘make it.’ Success has become an all consuming drive in his life, so when his doctor warned him that his cholesterol was too high and that his blood pressure was measuring in the ‘stroke’ range thereby requiring treatment, Joe only half listened. He stayed on his cholesterol and blood pressure medication long enough to keep his wife from nagging him, but when he became light headed one morning and his blood pressure reading was very low, he decided that he was cured and no longer needed further treatment.

GRIEF AND MOURNING
January 19, 2008 10:46 AM ET
On November 20, 2007 my beloved husband, who had struggled with Parkinson’s Disease for 28 years, died suddenly while sitting in his wheelchair at the breakfast table.

'TIS THE SEASON
December 11, 2007 6:01 PM ET
“'Tis the season to be jolly,” says the song. Everyone is supposed to be happy during the holidays as parties and festivities of every kind lead up to Hanukah, Christmas, and New Years. Yet, suicides during this season are traditionally at an all time high and violent crimes increase. So, what’s the deal?

THE COMMON COLD
October 31, 2007 4:45 PM ET
Here it comes again. A stuffy, drippy nose, sore throat and a slight cough signals the beginning of a cold – and you know that you are in store for at least a week of misery. One would think that if medical science is so good at treating an even curing far more serious afflictions, some scientist or another should be able to find a simple treatment for the common cold. The problem is the common cold isn’t necessarily common.

CARDIAC ARRHYTHMIAS
October 1, 2007 8:05 PM ET
A young mother was taking clothes out of her wash machine when she suddenly fell to the floor and died.   An autopsy revealed nothing. A basketball player, fit to perfection, glides across the basketball court with ease but then collapses to the floor and breathes his last. An autopsy, again, reveals nothing. How can young people die suddenly without a single trace of medical pathology? The question has been with us throughout history but finally modern science has an answer.

SWELLING OF THE LEGS
September 6, 2007 2:23 PM ET
Swelling of the legs (peripheral edema) is a condition that every medical professional has seen. Indeed, it is so common that it is always referenced when one nurse is reporting off to another. “The patient has 1 to 2 plus pitting edema,” may signal a dangerous condition or a benign one, depending on the cause.

TALKING TO CHILDREN ABOUT DEATH
August 10, 2007 4:34 PM ET
Vaclav Havel, our beloved Bouvier de Flandre, died last month at the age of 10. My four year old grandson, James Patrick, thought of Vaclav as his best friend – and Vaclav returned the sentiment by licking James face and following him everywhere.

MRSA
July 5, 2007 1:41 PM ET
With the advent of antibiotics in the 1940’s, the people of the world recognized that they would no longer have to fear deadly and common infectious diseases. Streptococcal infections that cost so many lives due to Scarlet Fever and Strep throat could finally be cured. Staphylococcus infections, the most common cause of post-operative infections, were no longer a death dealing threat. Penicillin cured many infectious diseases and extended life expectancy.

HEAT KILLS
June 9, 2007 6:44 PM ET
Summer is around the corner and many people are basking in the sun, enjoying warm breezes and reveling in the health restoring warmth of the season. We do tend to look at this season as an elixir that brings the glow of good health.

ALLERGIES
May 5, 2007 9:33 AM ET
Ahhhhh, May. That wonderful time when the birds are singing and flowers and trees are blooming everywhere. May is truly one of the most beautiful months of the year, a time to be savored and enjoyed – unless you happen to have allergies, that is.

IS IT ALZHEIMER'S OR IS IT JUST ME?
March 28, 2007 4:43 PM ET
You forgot where you put your keys. You could swear that you saw them a minute ago but they are gone now and you can’t find them anywhere. After searching the house you discover that your keys are still hanging on your house key hook. You are now convinced that you are developing Alzheimer’s Disease.

HIGH BLOOD PRESSURE
February 28, 2007 12:57 PM ET
She was only 22 years old and in kidney failure. After 3 years on dialysis, her body was fragile and her prognosis (eventual disease out-come) was very poor. So young, so sweet and so gravely ill, my heart ached when she told me the sad tale that had brought her to this point. When she was 18 she was enrolled in a local university, the only member of her family to ever go to college. She was studying hard while working at a full time job so that she could keep up with college expenses. Then one day, she fainted.

STOMACH VIRUSES
January 30, 2007 1:49 PM ET
Most people, at one time or another, have experienced nausea and vomiting due to what has become known as the ‘stomach flu.’ These viral infections that have plagued us are not actually the flu but an acute viral disease that is highly infectious.

NEW YEAR'S RESOLUTIONS
January 2, 2007 4:52 PM ET
With each New Year must come New Year’s resolutions. We know, before we even start to make our list, that we will not follow through with our resolve through the next twelve months but hope springs eternal so we persevere anyway.

HAPPY HOLIDAYS AND REDISCOVERING GRANDMA
December 2, 2006 8:57 AM ET
Thanksgiving is a joyful event at our house. My only sibling, my brother Joe, his wife and son and my kids and husband gather around a noisy kitchen and share in the preparation of the feast.

PACEMAKERS AND ICDS
October 31, 2006 5:11 PM ET
“Look!! Ventricular Tachycardia,” my nurse colleague exclaimed as she stared at the telemetry monitor.   ‘Ventricular tachycardia,’ an extremely fast rhythm that originates in the ventricles of the heart causing the heart to fail, strikes fear in any medical professional because it is potentially lethal.

FROM CAREGIVER TO CAREGIVER
October 6, 2006 10:38 AM ET
When someone is suffering, or in pain, or having a difficult time, they often find the best advice comes from someone who has experienced the same difficulties. As a follow-up to the article on being a caregiver, I have received further advice from those who are walking the walk. Their input was just too good to ignore and so this month I have decided to share their wisdom with you.

BECOMING A CARE GIVER
August 29, 2006 1:33 PM ET
Caregiving is not for wimps. It is a role that is generally not assumed by choice but by necessity and involves long hours, commitment beyond imagination, the patience of Job and the strength of Samson. Those of us who have assumed the role understand the toll that the stress of caregiving exacts. However, the joy and peace that comes from caring for someone who is loved and treasured is compensation enough for those who walk down that path.

CANCER
August 1, 2006 6:29 AM ET
Cancer. The word alone frightens us. Where does it come from and why do some people get it while others seem immune regardless of their lifestyle? Is it our fault if we get cancer? Is there a way to prevent getting the disease and can we survive it once we have it?

HOW TO TALK TO YOUR DOCTOR
June 28, 2006 3:02 PM ET
Doctors are scary people. They are very smart, very assertive and usually very focused, which makes talking with them a bit intimidating. I honestly don’t believe they want their patients to be intimidated.

BECOMING AN ADVOCATE FOR GOOD MEDICAL CARE
June 1, 2006 7:42 AM ET
Over the past month three of my friends have had altercations with the medical establishment. All three had to assume the role of advocate in order for their husband’s to receive proper medical treatment.

PAIN
May 1, 2006 1:34 PM ET
A dear friend of mine, Vivi Anne, began to experience abdominal pain when she was in the midst of a family crisis. She attributed the pain to stress so she took Tylenol to relieve her discomfort and continued to plod along, doing her job as a social worker and assuming her daily responsibilities as a wife, mother and grandmother.

ANEMIA
March 29, 2006 1:41 PM ET
You just don’t seem to have any energy.    You wake up tired in the morning, stay tired all day long and go to bed exhausted at night. A good night’s sleep doesn’t seem to alleviate your problem because you wake up tired once again. Your heart rate is a bit rapid and you find that the schedule of daily activities that you used to perform without difficulty require that you sit down and rest before moving on to the next chore.

UNDERSTANDING LAB TESTS
March 1, 2006 10:05 AM ET
You care about your health so you go to your doctor for a yearly examine. At that time, blood is drawn for lab tests, a urine specimen is obtained and an EKG taken.   Your doctor calls you the next day and tells you that all of your tests are normal, but in the back of your mind you may be wondering what those tests mean and how does he know that they are normal anyway.

A CAUTIONARY TALE
January 24, 2006 10:38 AM ET
My cousin, Danny, was the kind of guy who never complained. Forty years old and married with two beautiful daughters, ages 3 and 6, he adored his family and enjoyed his job and his friends. His father, my uncle Steve, had had a coronary at the age of 36 so Danny and his brothers were aware that cardiovascular disease was a risk factor in their lives.

WHY CHRISTMAS ISN'T JUST FOR CHILDREN
December 14, 2005 2:47 PM ET
The day after Thanksgiving, I start singing Christmas Carols. I do it automatically – I don’t even realize that I’m in the Christmas spirit until I hear myself singing. Inevitably, when I wish someone a Merry Christmas, I get the response, “Well, you know, Christmas is really for kids.”

DEALING WITH DEMENTIA
November 29, 2005 6:00 PM ET
Dementia is a chronic condition regardless of the cause and like all other chronic conditions, it progresses. Dealing with each stage of the condition proves to be a challenge for the caregiver and the loved ones of the person involved. This article contains some suggestions about how to deal with the most pronounced changes in persons with dementia.

WHEN DEMENTIA STRIKES
October 29, 2005 8:18 AM ET
Ellen’s husband, John, was a bright, fun kind of guy. He was young (51), everyone liked him and he was a devoted family man who treated Ellen like a queen. When he came home from work one day and accused her of having an affair, she felt angry and hurt.

FINDING HOME HEALTH CARE
September 29, 2005 9:29 AM ET
Caring for a sick person can be a daunting and physically exhausting task. Care givers often find themselves emotionally spent and physically drained. When the disability of the person being cared for increases, it often becomes necessary for the caregiver to find outside assistance. Many are befuddled by the process and have difficulty knowing how to go about hiring a competent and trustworthy assistant. Through the help of Parkinson’s Disease caregivers (Nancy and Maxine), the following criteria have been identified.

SHORTNESS OF BREATH
August 29, 2005 1:34 PM ET
He was very short of breath. His pulse oxygen was fine, his heart rate was a little rapid and his blood pressure was normal, but he was clearly anxious and couldn’t seem to get enough air. He had no history of asthma or chronic obstructive lung disease – yet he was in obvious distress.

SUMMER FOOD POISONING
July 30, 2005 8:46 AM ET
Summer is here with a bang. Winter's cold is long forgotten as families clamor to the beaches to escape the heat. And, what summer would be complete without a picnic - that joyous time when manners are thrown to the wind, potato salad, hamburgers and pork ribs rule the day and dessert consists of luscious cold watermelon and cantaloupe. Finger foods are a 'must' at any picnic - everyone knows that, especially the children who often feel confined at the table by knives and forks. No decent picnic demands proper etiquette - that would only spoil the fun. Returning to snatch a rib or two long after everyone has finished eating is almost a 'right'. There is a spoiler at the party, however - lurking behind the scenes is gastroenteritis or, food poisoning.

SLEEP
June 27, 2005 4:44 PM ET
Ahhhh, sleep - wonderful sleep. Who hasn't enjoyed snuggling under warm covers on a cold winter night waiting for a soft sleep to over-take a pleasantly tired body. For many of us, night-time is a time to wind down. A comfortable bed, soft lights and a good book are enough to bring about peaceful slumber. Others dread the night, knowing that no matter what they do, sleep will not come. They will be forced to fend for themselves alone in the dark while others in the household engage in the deep sleep that they long for.

WHAT NOT TO SAY TO THE SICK AND THE DYING
May 28, 2005 8:05 AM ET
One of the greatest challenges in our lives is conversing with people who are sick or dying, especially if those people are close to us. Inevitably, we feel awkward and struggle for words.

TO DIET OR NOT TO DIET.....THAT IS THE QUESTION
May 3, 2005 8:17 AM ET
Summer is coming and you have noticed that those pesky winter pounds that tend to accumulate from December to May are showing. Or perhaps you've been a bit over-weight and have decided that now is the time to act on getting back down to your 'fighting weight'. Should you diet? And which diet should you choose?

THE LIVING WILL
March 28, 2005 2:20 PM ET
The Terri Shiavo case has left many people wondering about their own end-of-life issues. Living Wills are being discussed on the news every day. Perhaps this is a good time to review the particulars of this document and discuss who is supposed to have access to it.

KIDNEY FAILURE
February 23, 2005 11:47 AM ET
She was only 23 years old, Afican American, petite and in severe kidney failure. Years of dialysis had taken its toll.

EIGHT GLASSES OF WATER A DAY??
January 27, 2005 7:08 AM ET
She was an old nurse and she ran her household and her life with a firm philosphy of good health. Her kids knew the rules. Lots of friuts and vegetables, exercise, and 8 glasses of water every day.

THE DANGER OF MIXING GRAPEFRUIT AND SOME MEDICATIONS
December 28, 2004 12:31 PM ET
Grapefruit. There's nothing like those large, yellow globes to satisfy the senses in the middle of winter. Tart and slightly sweet with an aroma that matches no other, they beckon to me every time I grocery shop.

THE FLU
November 29, 2004 6:59 AM ET
Tis the season. Families gather together, parties occur in every work place and galas are as common as corn in August. Yep. 'Tis the season.....for the flu, that is.

CHRONIC OBSTRUCTIVE LUNG DISEASE (COPD)
October 26, 2004 1:49 PM ET
She had a deep, productive cough that shook her body. Her face was heavily lined and her voice, when she spoke, was deep. "That's some cough you have," I commented.

CONGESTIVE HEART FAILURE
September 30, 2004 7:54 AM ET
Over the past year, you have noticed that you get short of breath easily, that it is more difficult for you to do everyday tasks and that you feel tired all of the time. Your feet have been swelling and you have developed an annoying cough.

HEART ATTACK
August 28, 2004 11:50 AM ET
What does it feel like to have a heart attack?

THE DANGER OF INFECTION
July 30, 2004 5:14 PM ET
My patient was a big, strapping young man who was CEO of his own firm. He ran 3 miles a day, ate properly and was confident about the state of his health.

THE HOSPICE ADVANTAGE
May 28, 2004 5:39 PM ET
The year was 1971. A young woman in her late twenties was lying in a hospital bed, convinced that she was dying. She had recently had surgery for Ovarian Cancer and even though her doctor and her family had assured her that she was 'fine,' she knew differently.

GOING TO THE HOSPITAL PART 3 DISCHARGE
April 27, 2004 7:21 AM ET
You've been in the hospital for two weeks after having a heart attack. Your doctor informed you this morning that you will be going home. What should you expect from this phase of hospitalization?

GOING TO THE HOSPITAL PART 2 - HOSPITALIZATION
March 22, 2004 6:59 AM ET
Despite all of your best efforts to remain healthy, you find yourself (or your loved one) in an ambulance on the way to an emergency room and hospital admission. What should you expect?

GOING TO THE HOSPITAL PART 1 - THE MEDICAL PROFILE
January 20, 2004 3:05 PM ET
I should have known better. My husband, a carefully medicated Parkinson's disease patient, had suddenly developed a severe infection and required immediate hospitalization. EMS had come to our door to take him to the hospital and, per procedure, asked for his medication list.

GUIDE TO DISCOUNT PHARMACEUTICALS
November 21, 2003 5:55 AM ET
These phone numbers are accurate to the best of our knowledge. They should be able to get you the information needed to see if you qualify for their programs and what drugs they cover from their companies.

WHAT IS STROKE?
July 18, 2003 11:43 AM ET
Stroke is when a blood vessel to the brain is blocked or bursts. The oxygen and nutrients carried in the blood stream can not get to the brain cells, so the cells start to die. When the brain cells die, the part of the body they controlled becomes affected. Stroke is the number three killer in the country and is a leading cause of severe, long-term disability.

HYPERTENSION: WHAT IT IT?
July 6, 2003 8:49 AM ET
Hypertension is high blood pressure and normal blood pressure is 120/80 mm Hg. The 120 mm Hg is the systolic pressure-the force against the arteries when the ventricles of the heart contract. The 80 mm HG is the diastolic pressure-the force exerted against the arteries when the ventricles of the heart are relaxed.

DIABETES: WHAT IS IT?
June 19, 2003 6:00 AM ET
Diabetes is hyperglycemia or high sugar. People with diabetes produce little or no insulin, or the body does not utilize insulin effectively. Insulin is a protein hormone that regulates carbohydrate, lipid, and amino acid metabolism. Little or no insulin results in difficulty breaking down sugars, fats, and proteins into simpler substances that release energy for vital processes in the body.

WHAT YOU SHOULD KNOW ABOUT MEDICARE INSURANCE COVERAGE
June 2, 2003 6:40 AM ET
American citizens are eligible for Medicare insurance when they retire at the age of 65. Some people qualify for Medicare coverage when they are under the age of 65 years, if they have some sort of disability. You may not need certain medical services now, but you need to know what is available to you when you do need it.

EVALUATING PHYSICIANS WHO OFFER HOUSE CALLS: A GUIDE FOR PATIENTS AND FAMILIES
June 2, 2003 6:40 AM ET
Medicare pays for house calls! This talk will teach you how to evaluate physicians who specialize in house calls, so that you will be able to select the best physician possible to come to your home.

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