We describe the case of a patient presenting with odd neurologic symptoms initially thought to represent somatization who was found to have critical hypokalemia manifesting as hypokalemic non-periodic paralysis. It was determined that the patient had baseline hypokalemia as a function of alcohol abuse, exacerbated by self overmedication with hydrochlorothiazide for elevated blood pressure readings at home. The diagnosis was suspected when an electrocardiogram was obtained demonstrating a pseudo-prolonged QT interval with ST depression, consistent with T-U wave fusion and a QU interval with an absent T wave.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFAm J Lifestyle Med
December 2018
Significant contributors to rising health care costs are diseases influenced by lifestyle, such as cardiovascular disease, diabetes, and cancer. Unfortunately, American medical education devotes disproportionately little time training future doctors in prevention. Approach.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFPurpose: Elevated low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) is a major modifiable risk factor for cardiovascular disease (CVD), a leading cause of death in the United States. Despite clinical practice guidelines aimed at facilitating LDL-C control, many Veterans do not achieve guideline-recommended LDL-C levels.
Methods: We describe a study focused on VA healthcare system users at risk for CVD (i.