Chronic Traumatic Encephalopathy (CTE) – A Disease of Athletes

The prevalence of chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE) in American football players is shockingly high according to a  paper published online in JAMA (Journal of the American Medical Association) on July 25th (1). The paper describes autopsy results from a convenience sample of 202 deceased football players who donated their brains for research. CTE was diagnosed … Read more

Obstructive Sleep Apnea (OSA) – An Overview

Obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) is a relatively common sleep disorder with several potentially serious consequences. It causes breathing to stop and then start again intermittently during sleep. The word apnea describes suspension of breathing. OSA may seriously affect quality of life and is strongly associated with the risk of diabetes, high blood pressure, liver disorders, … Read more

From Low-Fat, High-Carb to Insulin Resistance, Fatty Liver, and Heart Disease

I recently gave a talk at a meeting with colleagues, most of them cardiologists and endocrinologists, where I, among other things, discussed the current status of diet-heart hypothesis and the possible relationship between our fear of dietary fats and the obesity epidemic. After the meeting, a senior colleague of mine, an old friend, and a … Read more

Who Wants To Live Forever

The famous song, Who Wants to Live Forever, performed by the British rock band, Queen was used for the scenes in the film Highlander, where Connor MacLeod must endure his beloved wife Heather growing old and dying while he, as an immortal, remains forever young. The scenes are both tragic and beautiful at the same … Read more

19 Important Causes of Shortness of Breath – Dyspnea Explained

Shortness of breath, also known as dyspnea is a symptom that describes a sense of breathing discomfort or difficulty in breathing. It is often expressed as feeling out of breath or suffering from breathlessness. It is estimated that up to 7-8 percent of patients presenting to emergency rooms complain of dyspnea (1). In half of … Read more