Comments on: I Paid $450 to Up My Cancer Risk http://pokedandprodded.health.com/2007/12/03/i-paid-450-to-u/ Adventures in being sick, getting better, staying well, from the editors of Health.com Sun, 22 Nov 2009 17:45:16 +0000 http://wordpress.com/ hourly 1 By: Marley P. http://pokedandprodded.health.com/2007/12/03/i-paid-450-to-u/#comment-4490 Marley P. Thu, 22 Oct 2009 18:12:01 +0000 http://localhost/wp/poked/?p=32#comment-4490 It's an interesting conundrum. I recently had a cardiac CT scan as part of a volunteer project at the NIH. I am healthy. The scan showed 2 areas of plaque and otherwise normal. What I can't seem to find out is how much plaque is normal for a 53 yr old. I am glad I did the study, I will be seeing that plaque when I make food choices: salmon or burger? extra broccoli or more fries? My cholesterol, triglycerides, are all superb, so it was a surprise. It’s an interesting conundrum. I recently had a cardiac CT scan as part of a volunteer project at the NIH. I am healthy. The scan showed 2 areas of plaque and otherwise normal. What I can’t seem to find out is how much plaque is normal for a 53 yr old. I am glad I did the study, I will be seeing that plaque when I make food choices: salmon or burger? extra broccoli or more fries? My cholesterol, triglycerides, are all superb, so it was a surprise.

]]> By: claudia http://pokedandprodded.health.com/2007/12/03/i-paid-450-to-u/#comment-4481 claudia Tue, 20 Oct 2009 04:29:31 +0000 http://localhost/wp/poked/?p=32#comment-4481 I'm cancelling my appo for that radiation test ! when I read that it was equivalent to 600 chest x-rays that gave me the creeps !!! I’m cancelling my appo for that radiation test ! when I read that it was equivalent to 600 chest x-rays that gave me the creeps !!!

]]> By: Mary T. http://pokedandprodded.health.com/2007/12/03/i-paid-450-to-u/#comment-3565 Mary T. Wed, 04 Feb 2009 03:31:36 +0000 http://localhost/wp/poked/?p=32#comment-3565 Gee, sudden death from coronary heart disease, or a long slow tortured death from iatrogenic produced cancer. Which would you rather take a chance on, Doc? Maybe since hospitals and slow tortured deaths are familiar to you, you'd rather take the extra X-ray-induced cancer. But please allow me to have my choice -- especially since neither outcome is written in stone. Gee, sudden death from coronary heart disease, or a long slow tortured death from iatrogenic produced cancer. Which would you rather take a chance on, Doc? Maybe since hospitals and slow tortured deaths are familiar to you, you’d rather take the extra X-ray-induced cancer. But please allow me to have my choice — especially since neither outcome is written in stone.

]]> By: new york doc http://pokedandprodded.health.com/2007/12/03/i-paid-450-to-u/#comment-3564 new york doc Wed, 04 Feb 2009 03:09:17 +0000 http://localhost/wp/poked/?p=32#comment-3564 More than half of the time, the first sign of coronary artery disease is a heart attack or sudden death. Statins have been shown to slow, stop, and (in some cases) reverse the atherosclerotic process. Better than any other test, cardiac CT scans identify who is at risk and who is most likely to benefit from treatment. At experienced centers with the latest equipment, the radiation dose from a CT scan of the heart can be very low (less than one-third the dose of a nuclear stress test). I believe when the research studies are completed, they will show that for many patients the benefits of having a cardiac CT scan will far outweigh the risks. More than half of the time, the first sign of coronary artery disease is a heart attack or sudden death. Statins have been shown to slow, stop, and (in some cases) reverse the atherosclerotic process. Better than any other test, cardiac CT scans identify who is at risk and who is most likely to benefit from treatment. At experienced centers with the latest equipment, the radiation dose from a CT scan of the heart can be very low (less than one-third the dose of a nuclear stress test). I believe when the research studies are completed, they will show that for many patients the benefits of having a cardiac CT scan will far outweigh the risks.

]]> By: WellnessAid http://pokedandprodded.health.com/2007/12/03/i-paid-450-to-u/#comment-37 WellnessAid Sat, 08 Dec 2007 07:03:01 +0000 http://localhost/wp/poked/?p=32#comment-37 It’s not just that the assessment may have some long term effects. One additional risk with using CT scans for “screening” is that it may lead to unnecessary follow-up diagnostic or treatment procedures (for example, biopsies). All these procedures have a real risk of complications including death associated with them. ___ How often do you feel unwell? It’s too often… WellnessAid <a href="http://www.wellnessaid.com" rel="nofollow">http://www.wellnessaid.com</a> It’s not just that the assessment may have some long term effects. One additional risk with using CT scans for “screening” is that it may lead to unnecessary follow-up diagnostic or treatment procedures (for example, biopsies). All these procedures have a real risk of complications including death associated with them.

___
How often do you feel unwell?
It’s too often…

WellnessAid
http://www.wellnessaid.com

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