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Pop Quiz: Learn the Facts About Alzheimer’s

June is Alzheimer’s Awareness Month. As the most common form of dementia, Alzheimer’s is a progressive disease that starts off with mild memory loss and eventually becomes debilitating. It affects the parts of the brain that control thought, memory, and language, and it takes a huge toll on both the sufferer and the family and…
So Much More …

Central Florida Health Care’s Efforts Go Above, Beyond by TIM CRAIG As the region continues to navigate its way through the country’s health crisis, stories are emerging of people working together to go above and beyond the normal in order to meet the extreme. Central Florida Health Care prides itself in coming up with creative…
Thoughts From the Front Line

BayCare Health System Heroes Open Up About Challenges, Change, and Keeping the Faith Carlos Felix Facilities Manager, Bartow Regional Medical Center Felix is in 15th year as facilities manager at Bartow Regional Medical Center. He’s responsible for conducting fire drills, meaning he has had to find new ways to comply with regulations while keeping…

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…