Whilst it is inevitable that new infectious illnesses emerge all the time, mankind does its share to spread them more rapidly with its modern means of transport like the examples above teach us. But apart from that we have to prepare for known illnesses emerging in new populations because of the illness travelling itself. The African West Nile Virus is believed to have been spread nearly all over the world via an infected bird or mosquito entering the United States less than two decades ago. It mainly infects birds and kills them. It causes severe illness in humans, most patients however recover eventually.
Progress In The Slow Lane
by Wolfgang K Piller MD •
In March 2014 the U.S. Prevention Services Task Force presented its update on “Screening for Cognitive Impairment in Older Adults,” meaning more than 65 years of age.
Spring Is In The Air
by Wolfgang K Piller MD •
My Nicaragua diary is now on sale, but only as an e-book. A good English friend got me to consider the idea of writing a diary and although it is above suspicion of winning the Nobel price for literature, I really enjoyed doing it. Sue Brewer helped me in translating the diary, but to be fair to her, I did not always follow her suggestions.
Nanny Versus Nano
by Wolfgang K Piller MD •
Medicine has advanced since and quietly keeps advancing. And maybe, we will witness the moment when not the nanny but the nano makes us help the medicine go down.
An exciting technology is emerging, offering possibilities as diverse as radiation does and medicine has discovered it, too. Nanotechnology works in dimensions which are hardly imaginable for us – matter no bigger than the size of 400 hydrogen atoms (the smallest atom).
Let The Music Play…
by Wolfgang K Piller MD •
Music therapy improves the well-being of patients when undergoing endoscopies or suffering from depressive disorders.
Horrible Helicobacter
by Wolfgang K Piller MD •
With the discovery of antibiotics we seem to have declared war on bugs and by eradicating them shouldn’t we have solved the problem?
Philippines… Forgotten People, Forgotten Illnesses.
by Wolfgang K Piller MD •
Philippines… forgotten people, forgotten illnesses. Support “German Doctors”
Like a Thriller
by Wolfgang K Piller MD •
Like a thriller… that is the study of the “European Society of Hypertension recommendations for conventional, ambulatory and home blood pressure measurement.” Over 28 densely packed pages you get comprehensive information about the pros, cons, pitfalls and considerations of when, how to take and how to interpret blood pressure (BP). And the DIY chartrooms are like a horror story concerning health (here blood pressure) issues; they truly are the stronghold of incompetence and a malicious endangerment of the help seeker´s health.
Depressing News
by Wolfgang K Piller MD •
Checking my portfolio of Seaside Gazette articles reveals that there are definitely two subjects missing over the years: alcohol and hypertension. Thus I shall start with the more pleasurable subject, which for some is a problematic one. Alcohol in moderation is pleasurable and considered to be healthy, e.g. reducing the risk of heart disease, stroke, hypertension and diabetes.
Extremes In Medicine
by Wolfgang K Piller MD •
Medicine, or let’s say the functioning and malfunctioning of human bodies and minds still remains fascinating for me. There is more to it than cholesterol, blood pressure, PSA and mammography; it’s like an old chest in the attic.