AARP Magazine Feb/Mar 2012

[Guest guest]

Dr. Grim, are you old enough that they allow you to read this magazine?

They have an article, "Your Lab Results Decoded" where they detailed components of the Comprehensive Metabolic Panel and Complete Blood Count tests. Part of the table explains what high or low numbers may mean. I see things like hyperthyroidism, cushing, addison, etc. but not once do I see Hyperaldosteronism! Can't you get a hint from any of those panels? Haven't they been paying attention since 1956 or do they just have their head in the sand, or someplace else! This would be an excellent place to get the word out to the ~10% of the "Sr. Citizens" who are affected and who knows, once you educate the parents and grandparents it just might trickle down to the younger generation. Wouldn't it be great if they didn't have to give up 10 or 20 years of quality life before getting DXed!

If you get that far you might just as well suggest to Dr. Oz a "Heart Healthy diet" he might suggest for the women! (DASH Eating Plan, low sodium). If it is an eating plan they may even get the men in their life to participate!

Dr. Oz's article , "The Heart Hazard Facing Women", raised questions for me. He talks about "arteries unable to dilate and can spasm closed" It raised a couple questions for me. Why is this gender specific? How many of these individuals are on statins? And if they addopted a DASH Eating Plan, low sodium would they eliminate or reduce some of their risks instead of "quadrupling" them?

I could address them but wonder if it might be more effective coming from one of authority! Besides I'm going to tell them what my bi-pap machine has done FOR my sex life! "My Spouse Won'tWear his Sleep Apnea Mask - and It's Killing Our Sex Life---Now What?" Thought I would explain how a constant cool air blowing in her face might not encourage foreplay! (Excuses, everybody has one, IMHO!)

BTW, sleep apnea issues started long before I found Spironolactone, !

.....

[Guest guest]

Heart disease research focused on women is a relatively new development.

Historically, medical research subjects have been male - due it part to early

social mores and more readily available volunteer population groups - military &

college students. The most well known medical studies featuring women subjects

are commonly referred to the Nuns' study and the Nurses' study because these 2

populations were easier to track.

Then suddenly medical researchers discovered that boys and girls were different

- not just in the obvious ways we all discovered in kindergarten - but on a

biochemical level. Treatments and medications that had successfully been used

in male patients may not have been as successful for women patients. Such

studies began to determine if gender played a role in a treatment's

effectiveness.

Heart disease is still considered " a mans disease " with many women displaying

non-traditional symptoms or delaying treatment. Awareness is still a problem.

However, one thing appears to be the same - the cool air from my bipap machine

annoys my husband too - but you can always remove the mask!

[Guest guest]

I showed my wife how to remove my mask 11 years ago but she has yet to figure it out!

I used to sing to her, "I hold my pants up with a piece of twine, I hold my pants up with piece of twine, Oh I hold my pants up with piece of twine - if you wnt to be mind just pull that twine!" She never figured tht one out either! (Well maybe once or twice but it was so long ago, I forgot!)

>> Heart disease research focused on women is a relatively new development. Historically, medical research subjects have been male - due it part to early social mores and more readily available volunteer population groups - military & college students. The most well known medical studies featuring women subjects are commonly referred to the Nuns' study and the Nurses' study because these 2 populations were easier to track.> Then suddenly medical researchers discovered that boys and girls were different - not just in the obvious ways we all discovered in kindergarten - but on a biochemical level. Treatments and medications that had successfully been used in male patients may not have been as successful for women patients. Such studies began to determine if gender played a role in a treatment's effectiveness. > Heart disease is still considered "a mans disease" with many women displaying non-traditional symptoms or delaying treatment. Awareness is still a problem.> > However, one thing appears to be the same - the cool air from my bipap machine annoys my husband too - but you can always remove the mask!>

[Guest guest]

lol - you sound like my husband

> >

> > Heart disease research focused on women is a relatively new

> development. Historically, medical research subjects have been male -

> due it part to early social mores and more readily available volunteer

> population groups - military & college students. The most well known

> medical studies featuring women subjects are commonly referred to the

> Nuns' study and the Nurses' study because these 2 populations were

> easier to track.

> > Then suddenly medical researchers discovered that boys and girls were

> different - not just in the obvious ways we all discovered in

> kindergarten - but on a biochemical level. Treatments and medications

> that had successfully been used in male patients may not have been as

> successful for women patients. Such studies began to determine if gender

> played a role in a treatment's effectiveness.

> > Heart disease is still considered " a mans disease " with many women

> displaying non-traditional symptoms or delaying treatment. Awareness is

> still a problem.

> >

> > However, one thing appears to be the same - the cool air from my bipap

> machine annoys my husband too - but you can always remove the mask!

> >

>