22 Key Causes of Abdominal Pain – Stomach Pain Explained

Stomach pain, also known as abdominal pain, is caused by a variety of conditions most of whom are innocent or benign. However, sometimes, abdominal pain may be due to a severe disorder needing immediate intervention. The abdomen is the part of the body between the chest and the pelvis. Other common names used to describe … Read more

The CANTOS Trial – Is Targeting Inflammation the Solution to Heart Disease?

The recently published results of the long awaited CANTOS trial may forever change our approach to the prevention and treatment of coronary artery disease (1). Inescapably, there is now proof that targeting inflammation, in this case by a drug, significantly improves outcome for certain very high-risk patients. But, as so often in clinical research, things … Read more

Loneliness, Social Isolation, and Poor Health

Loneliness and social isolation are becoming problems of epidemic proportions. The statistics are chilling. Today, 25 percent of Americans have no one with whom to discuss matters important to them. What is even scarier is that loneliness is killing us. Studies show that loneliness and social isolation are associated with increased risk of early mortality … Read more

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