Heart Health

The recency of my month on cardiology continues to nag at the inner beast that wants everything bad for the heart. Making wise decisions in diet and exercise has been one of the hardest challenges over the first years of medical school.

Fighting the Urge

Now working a specialty offering a little extra free time, I continue to be confronted with using my downtime effectively. I find that even with just a small amount of physical activity my days seem to be more productive. In addition to generally feeling better, that pesky voice of guilt is silenced more often. So I'm hoping that my yoga sessions and runs have put a little counterweight against the fries and pizza I couldn't resist.

Disappointingly, I've slowly watched my belly grow and my view of the ground become more limited. The belt has been loosened a notch to accommodate my horizontal expansion in an effort to breath more comfortably. This is not exactly what I had in mind when came to school. Now cursed with this food baby, I feel compelled to do something about it. Time is not more plentiful than before, but when productivity increases as a result of healthy living, there is a definite benefit to setting aside the time.

Question of the Week

A confused elderly man who was wandering around complaining of abdominal pain is taken by ambulance to the emergency department. He is unable to give a coherent history. Urine analysis shows ketones without glucosuria. Plasma glucose is 100 mg/dL. What is the most likely explanation for these findings?

A. Congestive Heart Failure
B. Emphysema
C. Alcoholism
D. Inflammatory Bowel Disease
E. Rheumatoid Arthritis

Answer & Explanation