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Pop Quiz: Pedestrian rules of the Road

Test Your Knowledge of Pedestrian Safety and Prevent a Fatal Injury or Death! Polk County ranks at the top of many lists, but one high ranking that definitely needs to decrease is Polk County’s instances of pedestrian deaths. In such a beautiful climate, there is always going to be a high number of pedestrians sharing…
Knowing whether or not to call 9-1-1

Recognizing an emergency versus non-emergency and how to get help Imagine this— it is 11 o’clock at night and you’re at home watching television. You see lights from a vehicle driving past your home. You can hear that the vehicle is slowing down and you look out the window to see the lights have been…
Local Health Update: All eyes on Amendment 2

Public forum on medical marijuana brings cheers and boos The Public Forum on Medical Marijuana hosted by the Lakeland Ledger was held at 6 p.m. in the auditorium of the Harrison School for the Arts. There was a lot of cheering and booing going on Thursday night, August 28, at the Medical Marijuana Forum, as…

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…