Tag Archives: 72

Combating Coronavirus: In Support of a Mobilized National Response

Introduction

This Straight, No Chaser discusses combating Coronavirus in the midst of the current pandemic. Here’s the question of the day: What’s the best public health response? What’s not being done that should be done?

How We Got Here

Let’s begin by acknowledging that much of this has become necessary because of the failure to have testing and treatment available. As such, we have been placed in a situation that most Americans would find abhorrent. We’re particular when it comes to our freedom and suspicious of government power expansion that tends to occur during crises. Similarly, the “best” and “most practical” actions aren’t necessarily the same thing; this is often the tug of war that occurs between the public health and political communities. However, here we are.

Public Health vs Political Approaches

Beginning the conversation with identifying the most effective path of care and making practical (or political) adjustments based on that is a prudent approach. This is logistically more difficult now because of the misinformation and denials that haven’t paved the way for decisive action. Such action now may seem to be panic or overreaction. However, we must move past political posturing and move toward epidemiology as the way forward in promoting best practices. The science of data analysis, model formulating, predictions and deriving public health policy based on these considerations is incredibly effective.

Look at the attached chart. It’s incredibly instructive. Basically, there are two groups of countries: those with a high rate of new cases and those with a very low rate. Unfortunately, the trajectory of the US is consistent with those having a high trajectory – in fact, our trajectory is virtually the same as Italy’s, and we know how that turned out.

What does this mean? Simply put, act now, or we will suffer the consequences. The trajectory can be shifted.

How do we accomplish this? As I’ve said before, half-measures are inadequate. The data is in. It’s time to define the parameters of a total, temporary lock down of the U.S. Yes, that’s a national quarantine. Despite what you think, this isn’t that radical a proposition and would only represent an adjustment from current recommendations.

Combative Coronavirus: Straightforward Best Practices

The formal governmental apparatus should consider from among the following options. These are meant to be samples of options, not an exhaustive list. To the extent necessary, our military is going to have to participate in enforcing this process. For the purpose of discussion, let’s assume these measures will be implemented for 14 days and when applicable will apply to groups over 50 people. These recommendations are meant to be taken in isolation as public health measures. Additional societal and economic matters need to be addressed.

Prevention

  • Canceling local and international travel outside of that deemed essential to considerations of public health, medical and national security interests. This includes train, bus and train travel.
  • Postponing events that involve mass assembly. Eliminate public congregation. Schools, universities, churches, shopping malls and large community centers need to be closed. Restaurant activity needs to be exclusively converted to drive through offerings.

Health Promotion

  • Improve the supply chain. Mass production of masks, gloves and hand sanitizers must be fully increased in the way production occurs during war economies. Similarly, the supplies of medical equipment and supplies must occur, both for home and hospital use.
  • Engage in food promotion to the most vulnerable communities and citizens. Maintaining health and immunity are vital to arresting the spread of the disease and survival of those obtaining it.
  • Continue and expand upon current public information and education campaigns.

Testing

  • Allowing for full, widespread testing. The prior focus on deaths as the prime metric needs to change to the identification of cases. Doing so would allow for greater prevention of downstream clusters and additional deaths.
  • Centers and shelters must have immediate testing and treatment capacity.
  • Establish regional drive-through testing centers across the nation.
  • Create a mandatory testing protocol for healthcare workers and other key societal figures (e.g. those continually exposed to multiple people).

Treatment

  • Empower hospitals and other healthcare facilities to expand supportive and critical care capacity.
  • Empower expedited testing of existing and newly created antiviral medicines and immune enhancing medicines and remedies to combat Covid-19.
  • Fast track vaccination development.

Coronavirus (Covid-19) needs to be cut off at the head. A few decisive measures would go a long way to both reducing the risks and shifting the curve away from ongoing increases in cases. This type of plan would address current fears, plan the path forward and make clear to citizens what’s required. Do your part. Follow the recommendations. We’re in this together.

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Feel free to #asksterlingmd any questions you may have on this topic. Take the #72HoursChallenge, and join the community. As a thank you, we’re offering you a complimentary 30-day membership at www.72hourslife.com. Just use the code #NoChaser, and yes, it’s ok if you share!

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Straight, No Chaser: The Treatment of Erectile Dysfunction

Well, here’s what many of you’ve been awaiting.  Assuming the preventative efforts I mentioned didn’t work for you, there are several different treatment approaches. If there’s an underlying medical cause, then treatment of that cause is not only a good way to relieve erectile dysfunction (ED), but it’s a good way to get healthy and avoid other complications from the primary disease. Today, I’ll review different treatment strategies your primary care physician or urologist may discuss or recommend to you for treatment.
The medications
A first consideration is to be wary of (any) medications via mail order. The same level of testing, scrutiny and quality control just doesn’t exist to the same degree as do medications obtained through a pharmacy. Reports abound of people receiving expired or weak formulations of the pills, as well as fake or hazardous substitutes of the pills they thought they were receiving. Engage at your own risk.
Now, regarding those medications you know all too well by name and brand (e.g. Levitra, Cialis and Viagra), there’s no special ‘magic’ to them. They all are variations of the same theme, physiologically relaxing muscles in the penis, resulting in increased blood flow to it.  Unfortunately, that’s not the entire story with these medications.  ED medications all lower blood pressure throughout the body, and that increased blood to the penis is coming at the expense of decreased blood flow elsewhere (This is called a ‘steal syndrome’.).  If you’re otherwise unhealthy, and your redirecting blood that was needed in the heart or brain, you could end up with a heart attack or stroke while taking these meds.  Therefore, this leads to two very important cautions regarding ED meds.  You shouldn’t start them without discussing with a physician first (to determine “…if you’re healthy enough to have sex”, as the commercials say), and secondly, don’t keep the fact that you’re taking them a secret (to your significant other, and especially to any physician you come across if you’re sick).  These medications could be the cause of whatever medical issue has you in an emergency room. They could also be contributors to life-threatening adverse effects if you’re being treated for something else with a medication that interacts with the ED med you’re taking but didn’t bother to mention to the emergency physician.  This is why ED medications generally aren’t given to men also on medications for high blood pressure, an enlarged prostate, blood thinners or certain other heart diseases (e.g. angina).
There are actually even more intricate medications used to treat ED.  Taking testosterone injections is an increasing means of addressing low hormone levels.  Additional injections directly into the penis or inserting a suppository into the penis itself are additional, effective treatment methods.  You’d be given these options by your urologist if necessary.
The counseling
If your ED is due  to anxiety, stress or other psychologically generated reasons, psychotherapy (possibly with your partner) may be of incredible assistance.  If you pursue this option, you and your partner must be prepared to be patient and to work through a variety of issues and possible approaches.
Surgery and additional methods

  • If you’ve ever seen an Austin Powers movie, you’re familiar with (well at least the jokes about) penis pumps.  These are real things, and involve placing a hollow tube over the penis and creating a vacuum to pull blood to the penis via a pump.  A tension ring is placed about the base of the penis to maintain the erection during intercourse.
  • Actual vascular surgery to repair damaged arteries may be indicated in certain cases.
  • Penile implants are an additional option.  Inflatable rods are placed into the sides of the penis.  These rods are simply inflated when needed.

Penile-Prosthesis-300x168
If you think some of this is a bit much, it may or may not be, depending on if you’re the one suffering.  As I usually conclude, prevention would have been a much better course of action.  Hopefully if that’s not the case, you’ve understood the information provided well enough to have an informed conversation with your physician.  Good luck, and I welcome your comments and/or questions.
Feel free to ask your SMA expert consultant any questions you may have on this topic.
Take the #72HoursChallenge, and join the community. As a thank you for being a valued subscriber to Straight, No Chaser, we’d like to offer you a complimentary 30-day membership at www.72hourslife.com. Just use the code #NoChaser, and yes, it’s ok if you share!
Order your copy of Dr. Sterling’s new books There are 72 Hours in a Day: Using Efficiency to Better Enjoy Every Part of Your Life and The 72 Hours in a Day Workbook: The Journey to The 72 Hours Life in 72 Days at Amazon or at www.72hourslife.com. Receive introductory pricing with orders!
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