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Q&A on the most lethal form of dementia

Dr. Gordon J. Rafool shares the symptoms and treatment options of Alzheimer’s disease Alzheimer’s disease is the sixth leading cause of death in America. In Polk, 11.8 percent of Medicare beneficiaries were treated for Alzheimer’s or another form of dementia in 2013, according to Healthy Tampa Bay. We interviewed Dr. Gordon J. Rafool, a geriatrician…
Pop Quiz: Establishing a solid oral care foundation

Will your child have a future Filled with healthy smiles? Teeth add to your smile, allow you to enjoy delicious foods, and rip apart that plastic wrap off your new DVD. However, as a parent, you might be wondering whether you’re setting up proper oral hygiene habits for your child, or if the little tike…
To smile or not to smile

Dr. Karen Teston and other local experts on oral hygiene and your overall health Some folks are afraid of pain. Some know they haven’t done a good job of taking care of their teeth, and don’t want to be lectured. Still others lack cash. Whatever the reason, many avoid the dentist until an emergency arises.…

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…
7 Ways to Save Money on Your Glaucoma Drops

Glaucoma is a group of diseases that affect the optic nerve of the eye. It is the cable that carries the information from the eye to the brain. Any damage to this optic nerve due to high pressures can damage it, resulting in lower vision or vision loss. Therefore, it is essential to treat glaucoma…
Stay strong with healthy hips

Expert care can get you there. We all hope to be able to walk, run and dance through life with healthy, natural joints. But when your hips become arthritic and painful, it’s not easy to keep moving like you used to. The good news is that hip replacement has come a long way, with advanced…