• Douglas M. Lakin
    Paradise Valley Medical Clinic
    Ph: (480) 614-5800
  • 9977 North 90th Street, Suite 180
    Scottsdale, AZ 85258
    Fax: (480) 614-6322

DOES THE FLU SHOT CAUSE HEART ATTACKS…THE ANSWER: NOPE

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I recently had a patient tell me about their friend who had a heart attack shortly after having a flu shot, and this was their reason for not getting a flu shot: That the flu shot can cause heart attacks and strokes.

 

This is a great question. If I heard this story, I too might hold off on my flu shot.

 

Do immunizations rev up the immune system and this initiate heart attacks and strokes?

 

I wasn’t sure of this answer, so I went to Google….but not regular Google where you find all sorts of misinformation when you are looking to answer a scientific question: I went to Google Scholar.

 

For those who are not familiar, Google Scholar is a subset of Google that focuses on scientific and legitimate articles to eliminate the ‘trash’ on regular Google searches when you are trying to ask a more specific science question.

 

And, looking into this topic, I found a very specific answer to this question in an article in the prestigious New England Journal of Medicine.

IN this 2004 article out of England, the researches did a population study and showed:

  1.   Flu shots and other immunizations are NOT associated with heart attacks and strokes
  2. Infections (respiratory and urinary) are associated with an increased risk for subsequent heart attack stroke in the following several weeks
  3. The mechanism of action is presumed due to inflammation activation…but this is unknown.

Although these are not high likelihoods, we can confirm that taking a flu shot for heart and stroke patients:  A:  Is Safe and B:  Will reduce your risk of heart attack and stroke by preventing infections.

 

Case Closed!

AGREED….IT’S A GAME-CHANGER

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I’m intrigued by the new Apple 4 watch that has an FDA approved EKG monitor.

This is a much more accurate way to measure heart rhythm and is really the first readily available health monitor that provides accurate information that can be shared with the doctor.

I’m excited for this ‘new future’ and the Apple 4 is a game changer.  Read more >>>HERE<<<<

PS…Hypochondriacs…please don’t buy this…it will only cause consternation.

WHAT’S THE DEAL WITH ASPIRIN?

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Aspirin was invented by Bayer Inc. a little over 100 year ago.  Some of you may remember that in my previous essay  it was expected to be a small seller, compared with Bayer’s more exciting product that had such high hopes…HEROIN!   Yes…aspirin and heroin were born in the same year.

 

But you are concerned about aspirin and whether you should take one every day to prevent heart attacks and cancer to help you live longer.

 

The most recent article in the New England Journal of Medicine sheds more light on this topic and suggests that the pro’s and con’s of baby aspirin fall slightly to the negative due to the increased bleeding that results from regular low dose aspirin use.   They did not see any definitive benefits in heart attack/stroke prevention or in cancer risk to support the use of regular baby aspirin.

This issue has been controversial for many years.  In England, they have never recommended daily aspirin use due to the controversy with the data.

I think this latest study is interesting, but not the ‘nail in the coffin’ for regular aspirin use.   This study was looking at 70 year olds across the board, without specific concerns in which aspirin would test to have a more positive result.

 

So…who should take aspirin:

  1.  Anyone with a history of heart disease or arrhythmia or a strong family history of heart disease.
  2. Anyone on statin medications
  3. Anyone with a strong family history of colon cancer, breast cancer, or prostate cancer
  4. Anyone with a history of colon polyps

Who should NOT TAKE aspirin:

  1.  Anyone with a history of stomach ulcer
  2. Anyone with a history of bleeding issues (gastrointestinal bleeding primarily)

For the rest…it’s a toss of a coin and you could consider taking or not taking aspirin.   For today (until the next study)……if you are in the more general category, you can hold.

PREPARING FOR FLU SEASON..FIRST ITEM ON YOUR LIST….GET THE FLU SHOT

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Flu infections in The Valley generally begin right around Christmas, but it can come earlier, so it’s worthwhile getting your flu shot as a preventive, and getting it at the proper time.

The end of September through November is the ideal time for the flu shot as it takes a few weeks for the shot to become effective, and the duration of the shot is not completely the same in every person (3-4 months or longer)…..so having it properly timed is a good start.

Second, you need to know which flu shot to get.  There are many options out there, surprisingly, and although they all are effective, some offer different advantages.

For the 65 and over set, the high-dose flu shot is recommended.  This is TRIVALENT (3 flu strains….2-Type A (most important) & 1 Type B).  The high dose provides a boosted immunity in the older crowd, resulting in better protection

For the under 65 set, the standard dose TRIVALENT or the FLUBLOK QUADRIVALENT is desired.    We are doing the FLUBLOCK QUADRIVALENT as it has two advantges:

1.  NO EGG (Egg allergies are not an excuse people..there are no egg in the production of the genetically produced vaccine.)

2.  QUADRIVALENT means (2-Type A & 2 Type B) which gives a broader coverage if Type B is prevalent in the coming season

Our Flu Vaccine Clinics are on Wednesdays, 1 – 2:30pm, starting September 19, 2018.
Please call to schedule your flu vaccine today! 480.614.5800

So…get your flu shot…whatever type available, but the seniors should get the high dose.

DO YOU HAVE PAGOPHAGIA?

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The desire to chew on ice is called pagophagia, and if a person has an intense desire to chew ice they of will often be found to have iron deficiency anemia.

 

It is the iron deficiency that causes this behavior as the person is seeking iron in their environment, and that desire if focused into eating ice as opposed to other natural substances (such as soil/dirt….non nutritive substances) that have a high level of iron in them naturally.

 

It is sometimes amazing when I find a person with very low iron levels and anemia and ask them about their ice eating. They feel like I am a mind-reader. Often their ice eating, although extreme, has not struck them yet as a bizarre sign that something must be wrong with them.

 

Pagophagia is just one form of pica, the eating of non-nutritive substances. Other picas include eating hair, soil, paint chips (thus the children with lead poisoning, and even blood (vampires exhibit pica.)

 

So….eating ice is fine and is a normal behavior, but if you always feel the need to have ice in an ice chest in your car or cup, you may find that you are anemic and it would be worthwhile getting bloodwork to find out.

NEW VIDEO! POWERFUL CONVERSATIONS WITH DR LAKIN & DR SINGH

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CLICK HERE TO VIEW VIDEO!

 

Dr. Singh has been a specialist in spinal and neurological rehabilitation for 35 years.

He has held medical director positions at number of institutions including the Barrow Neurological institute in Phoenix.

He has been a medical director of Neurospine and rehabilitation at the Barrow brain and spine since 2008.

Dr. Singh has been a phoenix magazines “Top doc Since 1990.

He has served on the Arizona Governor’s council for brain and spinal injuries.

 

My Philosophy

“Many patients who refer themselves to us are people who have been told they need spine surgery and are not aware of the vast array of other options. My passion is to educate patients—and the public in general—on the kinds of evidenced-based, scientific, nonsurgical treatment available to them.” 

 

For more information about Dr. Singh….  CLICK HERE!