The Patient A 52-year-old male with a long-standing history of poorly controlled high blood pressure despite adherence to a four-drug antihypertensive regimen (including a calcium channel blocker, ACE inhibitor, thiazide diuretic and beta-blocker). The patient reported persistent systolic blood pressures in the range of 170–190 mmHg, confirmed by ambulatory monitoring. He had no evidence of…
The patient A 79-year-old man with essential tremor in the bilateral hands for at least 10 years Over the years, the severity of the tremor worsened, along with its negative impact on his life. First-line medications, propranolol and primidone, both were tried, without significant impact on the severity of tremor and the patient’s disability. Feeding…
The patient A 45-year-old man with bilateral thumb carpometacarpal joint arthritis for several years (Figures 1 and 2): He tried bracing and steroid injections, which eventually provided diminishing relief. He works as a mechanic for UPS but was having an increasingly difficult time at work due to pain and loss of pinch and grip strength….
The patient A 48-year-old male with a past medical history significant for malignant thymoma status post thymectomy and right lower lobe lobectomy, and myasthenia gravis, presented to Norton Women’s & Children’s Hospital emergency department with dyspnea on exertion (DOE). His CT was concerning for possible pulmonary embolism. His labs on this admission showed B-type natriuretic…
Menstrual migraine affects approximately 60% of women with migraine yet remains significantly underdiagnosed in clinical practice. This hormonal-triggered condition requires coordinated care to improve patient outcomes and quality of life. “In a primary care setting, especially OB/GYN offices, it’s important to expect migraine,” said Ricardo A. Herrera, M.D., neurologist and headache medicine specialist with Norton…
Norton Healthcare has received American Heart Association Get With The Guidelines achievement awards for demonstrating commitment to following up-to-date, research-based guidelines for the treatment of heart disease and stroke, ultimately leading to more lives saved, shorter recovery times and fewer readmissions to the hospital. Heart disease and stroke are the No. 1 and No. 5 causes of…
The landscape of opioid use disorder (OUD) treatment is evolving, with recent Drug Enforcement Administration regulation changes enabling physicians to treat patients without obtaining the X-waiver. This shift underscores the pivotal role primary care providers can play in addressing treatment gaps and offering care for patients with OUD. Understanding opioid use disorder: Definitions and diagnosis…
Early recognition of Parkinson’s disease requires health care providers to look beyond the classic tremor. Parkinson’s disease affects approximately 1 million people in the United States, with 90,000 new diagnoses each year. Despite its prevalence, early recognition remains challenging for health care providers. Parkinson’s disease is the most common neurodegenerative movement disorder, characterized by abnormal…
By focusing on small steps, physicians can help patients make meaningful, lasting improvements to lifestyle habits that contribute to chronic disease. Time constraints and patient resistance can make conversations about activity, diet, stress reduction and other improvements feel secondary. Even small, incremental lifestyle changes can lead to significant long-term improvements in health outcomes. The Small…