You all know the numbers by now, right?
So what’s the big stink, then? Given the logical stream above, you would think that my job would be super duper easy when it comes to heart attack prevention in all our wonderful patients. You would be WRONG!
Despite the CLEAR statistics and obvious solutions, my hands are tied behind my back, often times by our very own patients. Where is the hesitation? Is it me? Is it what they hear from friends and family, a shrewd neighbor perhaps? Is it a genetic propensity? Is it alternative universe phenomenon--maybe even a tree falling in the middle of the forest somewhere? It is likely a little bit of everything, but, as the scenario plays out, I will go through a perfectly sound explanation of what the factors are, what we can do, and what I recommend--ONLY to be blocked at the very last step where I make a case for adding medication as a cornerstone of the strategic plan.
I think I get it. In a world where my 4-yr old has more exposure to technology now than I did in my first three decades of life, we have the advent of widespread information, misinformation, counter-information, and confusion. And with this phenomenon, the public has become privy to the complex and convoluted data sets that we doctors were primarily charged with learning, evaluating, and incorporating into our practices in all previous generations.
When you read about ALL the side effects that one may experience from a cholesterol medication, it’s no surprise that patients are electing to steer completely clear. After all, why aim for preventing something in the future by possibly shooting yourself in the foot now? True, true, true, and true, but it's not that simple folks. And what we are seeing is potential for people’s fears to overshadow the actual danger they face in real life.
This blog entry starts us off on a series that will focus strictly on heart disease, the main killer in the United States. Together, I hope that you and I will be able to wade through this thick quagmire together and understand the importance of doing everything we can to achieve heart-healthy wellness. Stay tuned for more... #manythanks #muchlove #hhmd4life
