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Pop Quiz! Cholesterol: The Good, the Bad, and the Power to Change

September is National Cholesterol Education Month, so it’s the perfect time to educate yourself about the dangers of high cholesterol and the best options for managing your cholesterol. High cholesterol runs rampant in the U.S., and it’s linked with many of the country’s leading causes of death. Take our quiz to learn about high cholesterol…
Staying Connected

Peace River Center navigates the ‘new normal’ through pandemic. By PAUL CATALA The fear and anxiety caused by COVID-19 has become universal, causing many to feel isolated, lonely, stressed and anxious. Throughout the country, healthcare practitioners are adapting to the changing times and finding ways to help people deal with the added stress. At Peace…
Harbingers of Hope

From ECT to TMS, Lakeland Regional Health Has Powerful Tools for Fighting Depression By TERESA SCHIFFER Depression is an insidious illness. It can affect people in a myriad of ways, making it difficult to identify at times. If left untreated, it has the potential to impact the individual’s life in a profoundly negative way. Jobs…

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…