Health News

Features

Licensed Practical Nurses Play Essential Role in Collaborative Approach to Healthcare

by RYAN MILEJCZAK Sponsored by Central Florida Health Care Doctors are the cornerstone of healthcare, and their contributions to our wellbeing are undeniable. But they’re far from the only people that help make healthcare happen; equally as essential are the nurses who assist them, especially Licensed Practical Nurses (LPNs). “Our organization has 80 LPNs right…
Growing Together

Lakeland Officials Say Orlando Health Watson Clinic Hospital Partnership Signals Promising Future by PAUL CATALA It’s a collaboration bringing together one of Central Florida’s most renowned and respected hospitals and top physician-led practices to offer specialized care. Watson Clinic, which opened as Watson Health in 1941, is a multispecialty community clinic with comprehensive primary and…
Rhythm & Resilience

Senior Pair Stays Active and Connected Through Dance by RYAN MILEJCZAKphotos by JESS McDONALD Staying active physically, mentally, and socially can be a challenge for anybody, and even more so for seniors. But for Bartow’s Cynthia Aycock, 65, and Polk City’s Doug Wright, 69, the solution was simple: dance. “I grew up dancing, and my…

Smoking Hurts More Than Your Lungs

I cannot really believe that the holidays are upon us already. This year has been like no other with its usual mix of pain and pleasure. I would like to take this opportunity to emphasize the role of lifestyle in the management of vascular disease that can lend a sense of control in its otherwise…
What Is Age-Related Macular Degeneration, or AMD?

by NADER MOINFAR, M.D., M.P.H. Geographic atrophy (GA) is an advanced form of dry age-related macular degeneration (AMD). In general, AMD is a disease that progresses in stages. Patients with advanced AMD experience vision loss from either excess ﬂuid and blood (wet AMD) or the death of cells (GA). It is estimated that 1.5 million…
Understanding Abdominal Aortic Aneurysm

An aneurysm is a “weakening” or “dilatation” in a part of an artery. An estimated 15,000 people die of ruptured abdominal aortic aneurysm (AAA) every year in the US. About 200,000 new cases of AAA are diagnosed every year. Most of these are diagnosed by tests that are done for unrelated reasons. The aorta is…