Numerous people are suffering from hair or scalp problems. Hair may get thinner or fall out, break off, or have very slow growth rate. Dandruff, itching or peeling scalp may cause humiliation and discomfort. Hair and scalp problems can be distressing and may effects your self-esteem, but these problems usually don’t cause any serious or life threatening medical problems.

Hair loss

Hair loss, including thinning and breaking, is the most widespread scalp problem. Most people lose almost 50 to 100 hairs each day.

Hair gradually thins as people age, though not all people have same degree of affect, it varies from person to person. Hereditary factor of thinning or balding is the most important cause of thinning hair. You can inherit it from either side of your parents. Women having gene of this trait develop thinning hair, while men may become completely bald. The problem can start in the teens, 20s, or 30s.

continue reading Hair or scalp problems

Although it seems incredibly gruesome, a recent study found that heart patients have to wait the longest to receive assistance in the emergency room. Twenty-five percent of the time, heart patients were forced to wait at least an hour before someone came to their aid. Considering that the chances of survival from a heart attack go down exponentially the longer you wait for treatment, this is definitely cause for concern.

The study was conducted over a period of seven years, from 1997 to 2004. They found that during this time period, visits to the emergency room increased overall and most patients were forced to wait. In fact, over the length of the study, they found that overall wait times were increased by thirty-five percent for all patients.

In increasingly busier emergency rooms, nurses are forced to triage patients. Those who are deemed to be near death can expect to wait at least fourteen minutes to get treatment. For some reason however, heart attack patients are generally not deemed to be in this group. Overall, heart attack patients had to wait 150% longer for care by 2004 than they did in 1997. At least one in every four patients was waiting at least an hour for treatment by the time the study concluded.

continue reading Heart Patients Subjected to Long ER Waits

Implantable cardioverter defibrillators, such as the one marketed by Medtronic, are widely used. These devices supply a shock to the heart if an abnormal rhythm is detected. Medtronic is the largest supplier of these ICD devices on the market. However, if you have one of these devices, you should be aware of the Medtronic recall affecting the Sprint Fidelis leads that are used with ICD’s. The leads are fracturing and may shock you unexpectedly or fail to work properly when needed.

If you are concerned about the Medtronic recall - it is vital to speak with your doctor about the risks you may be facing. ICD’s are commonly used to prevent the risk of sudden cardiac death. A defective device could mean the difference between a non-event and sudden death.

Patients are alleging that Medtronic was aware of the problems with their devices and continued marketing them to the public. This is not the first time that Medtronic has had issues with their implantable cardioverter defibrillators.

continue reading Medtronic Defibrillator Leads Endanger Lives