Health News

Features

A Tribute to Our Local Nurses

Celebrating National Nurses Week by Highlighting the Great Work of our Area Nurses Bartow Regional Medical Center Elaine Bernard was named Bartow Regional Medical Center’s 2018 Nurse of Excellence. She is flanked by Misty Holland, Director of Patient Services at BRMC, and Carol Koeppel-Olson, the Chief Nursing Officer for the Polk Region. Elaine said she…
The Connection Between Gum Disease and Alzheimer’s Disease

By Teresa Schiffer Alzheimer’s disease is a devastating illness that many people suffer from as they age. Experts estimate that more than 5.5 million people in the U.S. suffer from Alzheimer’s. A recent research publication from Science Advances suggests that there may be a connection between gum disease and Alzheimer’s. There is a particular bacterium…
Wake Up to these Facts and Stats About Getting Better Sleep

A good night’s sleep is worth its weight in gold when it comes to your physical and mental health, but it’s an important facet of good health that too many neglect. Getting an adequate amount of sleep is paramount, but many people don’t get enough hours of sleep in a day, whether due to a…

Brain Attack (Stroke or Mini-stroke): Are You at Risk?

Approximately 700,000 strokes occur in the United States annually. Stroke or brain attack is a disease that involves the blood vessels that supply blood to the brain. A stroke occurs when a blood vessel that brings oxygen to the brain gets blocked by a blood clot most commonly. With the oxygen supply to the brain…
Punctal Plugs

Many patients suffer from dry eye, and eye care professionals have many tools at their disposal to help with symptoms. For many patients, over-the-counter lubricating drops such as Blink or Systane can be helpful. It is important to avoid redness relieving drops, as these tend to cause more problems over time. When over-the-counter drops are…
Understanding Heart Failure With Preserved Ejection Fraction

Last year, I wrote about heart failure. At that time, I had said that about half the patients admitted with congestive heart failure have normal systolic function. This is true. The most common way to express heart function is by measuring ejection fraction (EF). This is the proportion of the amount of blood in the…