Health News
Features
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Pop Quiz! Beware of Interactions Between Medications and Herbal Supplements
July is Herbal/Prescription Interaction Awareness Month, and it’s time to talk about some common interactions between herbal supplements and prescriptions or over-the-counter medications. Most people will take at least one prescription medication in their lives, and some estimates maintain that about 70 percent of those age 60 and older take at least one herbal medication…
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Vitiligo Vigilance
Protection Is Key During Florida’s Intense Summers by PAUL CATALA Not long after Tonja Johnson was diagnosed, she knew her days out in the direct summer sun were, for the most part, over. In 2013, Johnson was living in Lakeland and working as a program manager for the Hillsborough County Department of Health. It was…
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New Face at Winter Haven Hospital
Chief Medical Officer Brings Optimism, Drive to BayCare Facility by TERESA SCHIFFER BayCare’s Winter Haven Hospital welcomed new Chief Medical Officer Dr. John Davidyock on May 31. Davidyock is board-certified in internal medicine and hails from eastern Pennsylvania, near Lehigh Valley in the Philadelphia region, where he had been practicing medicine for about 15 years.…
Columns
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Gaining a Better Understanding of Pacemakers and Defibrillators
Pacemakers and defibrillators have become so common. Everyone has questions and concerns about these. Here are some frequently asked questions and answers. What are pacemakers and defibrillators used for? Pacemakers are used when the heart rate is too slow or stops and the patient is symptomatic: dizziness or blackouts usually. Conversely, defibrillators are for the…
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Use of Opioids as First-Line Treatment a Slippery Slope
What do Michael Jackson, Heath Ledger, and Chris Farley have in common? These are celebrities who developed dependence on prescription drugs that started with legitimate use after injuries or procedures. They subsequently developed an addiction, which culminated in their unfortunate and untimely deaths due to unintentional overdose. Just a few examples of other celebrities who…
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Age-Related Macular Degeneration
Age-Related Macular Degeneration, AMD, is a leading cause of vision loss in adults over the age of 50. It destroys the macula, which is the small central area of the retina that provides detailed, central vision. With AMD, you lose the ability to see fine details, both close-up and at a distance. Due to the…