The New York Times featured an article on June 29th that discussed rapidly expanding use of CT scans for the heart. The article discusses the potential for overuse of this and other diagnostic testing when the physician actually owns the device and profits from the volume generated. It also highlights the very substantial radiation exposure of... Read more
It is, indeed, easy to second-guess Mr. Russert’s doctors, fumbling their way through explanations of why their popular talk show host died suddenly despite the appearances of receiving good healthcare. The fault doesn’t really lie with Mr. Russert’s doctors. We should point fingers at the system that perpetuates the... Read more
Mr. Russert had a heart scan in 1998. Score: 210. What does that mean?It means that Mr. Russert’s untimely death was every bit as predictable as knowing when the next football season is likely to begin. Heart scans provide a precise, measurable index of coronary atherosclerotic plaque. They provide a level of confidence in predicting... Read more
The sudden passing of news giant, Tim Russert, of sudden cardiac death dealt a blow to the American consciousness. Perhaps his hard-hitting interviewing style, while making guests squirm, provided an appearance of invincibility. But, of course, none of us is invincible. We are all vulnerable to this disease. We should not allow Mr. Russert's... Read more