Health News

Features

Taking the Pulse of Polk Healthcare

Access and Population Growth Emerge as Top Challenges at Forum by PAUL CATALA During a recent forum on healthcare issues affecting Lakeland and Polk County, key players in the health community came together to share insight and perspective. About 80 guests attended “Let’s Talk Lkld: Health Care” on March 26 in the Hollis Cancer Center…
Angels Among Us

Healthcare Facilities Honor Nurses Who Have Gone Above, Beyond Nurses are the backbone of our healthcare system, caring for physical and mental health alike. Learn more about some of the outstanding nurses in Polk County, including insight into why they chose the profession and what it means to be a “good nurse.” AdventHealth Heart of…
Something to Smile About

Annual No-Cost Dental Clinic Coming to Lakeland in May by JULIE BUTTERFIELD Although all three of her stepdaughters have beautiful smiles, Skylar Fuller noticed they were smiling with their mouths closed in family photos. That’s not how someone with a great smile like theirs should pose for photos, she remembers thinking. They were using Mom…

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…