Tag Archives: SMA

Straight, No Chaser: Your Questions About Taking a Daily Aspirin

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Thanks for your enthusiastic response to yesterday’s post on taking an aspirin.  Today, I’ll follow up with some of your questions.
So you’ve been told to take a daily aspirin to reduce your risk of a heart attack because you likely fell into one a high-risk category. Here are some logistical considerations about what to do.
1) Is there a better time of day to take an aspirin?
Recent data suggests that most heart attacks occur early in the morning. The best time to take an aspirin is relatively soon before you have that heart attack. However, since your heart doesn’t give you a heart attack alarm clock (and many of us aren’t especially mindful of heart attack recognition), the best move would seem to be to take an aspirin before going to bed, and recent research supports that an aspirin taken before going to bed offers the most protection from a heart attack. There are limitations to doing this (e.g. taking aspirin on an empty stomach if you have a history of ulcers may not prove to be the most pleasant thing), and you should discuss such timing with your physician.
2) Is there a better dose of aspirin to take?
That’s a question your physician will answer and is dependent on your personal situation. That said, doses as low as 75-81 mg have been shown to be effective. You may be placed on any dose up to 325 mg/day. It really is important to take an aspirin dose recommended by your physician for this consideration.
3) Is it better to chew or swallow an aspirin?
Chewing an aspirin is the quickest way to achieve effective blood levels. In case you were thinking about taking an alka-seltzer (which contains aspirin), that’s also good – but it’s just not as good as chewing an aspirin.
Thanks for liking and following Straight, No Chaser! This public service provides a sample of what http://www.SterlingMedicalAdvice.com (SMA) offers. Please share our page with your friends on WordPress. We are also on Facebook at SterlingMedicalAdvice.com and Twitter at @asksterlingmd.

Copyright © 2013 · Sterling Initiatives, LLC · Powered by WordPress

From the Health Library of SterlingMedicalAdvice.com: "Is skin glue as good for stitches for laceration repair?"

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So your child has been cut.  S/he is writhing in pain and anxiety and lives in deathly fear of needles.  The doctor tells you that you have options.  Your child can be strapped down, sedated or… the laceration can be repaired with some variety of ‘medical glue’?  Let’s briefly look at what it means to use a skin adhesive for laceration repair.

  • The main advantage to skin glue is that it is quickly applied and virtually painless to use if applied correctly.  Occasionally a small amount of burning will be felt after application.
  • There are no needles, papooses, or putting the child to sleep.
  • The main disadvantage to skin glue is that sometimes the cosmetic result may not be as good as with stitches, especially if the laceration is in an area of high skin tension or if it’s in an area where the child can pick the wound apart.  It is very important to understand that if you can’t control your child to the extent to if s/he picks at the wound, you can’t come back and get stitches later.
  • In short, in most instances it’s as good of an option as stitches.

Thanks for liking and following Straight, No Chaser! This public service provides a sample of what http://www.SterlingMedicalAdvice.com (SMA) offers. Please share our page with your Friends on WordPress, and we can be found on Facebook at SterlingMedicalAdvice.com and on Twitter at @asksterlingmd.

About SterlingMedicalAdvice.com: "Is SterlingMedicalAdvice.com right for me?"

Everyone, whether insured or not, can register for SterlingMedicalAdvice.com.

  • If you enjoy being empowered with more knowledge and control over your healthcare, SterlingMedicalAdvice.com is for you.
  • If you appreciate the security of having healthcare professionals available to answer urgent questions for you and your family 24/7,  SterlingMedicalAdvice.com is for you.
  • If you prefer not to waste time and money on unnecessary ER and physician visits, SterlingMedicalAdvice.com is for you.
  • If you represent a corporate entity looking to reduce healthcare related costs and provide a healthcare benefit to your employees, SterlingMedicalAdvice.com is for you.
  • If you are an educator who wants to empower the next generation with a robust complement of health and medical knowledge while measurably improving our nation’s public health outcomes, SterlingMedicalAdvice.com is for you.

Thanks for liking and following Straight, No Chaser! This public service provides a sample of what http://www.SterlingMedicalAdvice.com (SMA) will offer beginning November 1. Until then enjoy some our favorite posts and frequently asked questions as well as a daily note explaining the benefits of SMA membership. Please share our page with your Friends on WordPress, and we can be found on Facebook at SterlingMedicalAdvice.com and on Twitter at @asksterlingmd.
Copyright © 2013 · Sterling Initiatives, LLC · Powered by WordPress

About www.SterlingMedicalAdvice.com: "Why would I need this? I already have insurance!"

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Insurance covers most of the costs of the care you need when you need it. However, did you forget that insurance comes with co-pays and deductibles?

  • Before receiving any insurance benefit, patients pay $1,500 in deductibles on average. The year’s deductible alone is 2½ times the cost of a year’s subscription to SMA.
  • Emergency room (ER) and urgent care facility co-pays average between $50–$150. Patients have an additional responsibility for about 30% of the total cost of the bill (the average ER bill comes to about $1,200/visit; your share comes to about $400). So you’re still paying approximately $500/ER visit, even if you have insurance – and that’s after you’ve exhausted your deductible! Even one ER visit with insurance is more expensive than a year’s subscription to SMA.

One of the main purposes of www.SterlingMedicalAdvice.com is to save you multiple ER visits over the course of a year.
SMA works inside your insurance (included as part of your deductible, for example) to reduce additional yearly expenses. Try us, and experience the difference!
Thanks for liking and following Straight, No Chaser! This public service provides a sample of what http://www.SterlingMedicalAdvice.com (SMA) will offer beginning November 1. Until then enjoy some our favorite posts and frequently asked questions as well as a daily note explaining the benefits of SMA membership. Please share our page with your Friends on WordPress, and we can be found on Facebook at SterlingMedicalAdvice.com and on Twitter at @asksterlingmd.
Copyright © 2013 · Sterling Initiatives, LLC · Powered by WordPress

About www.SterlingMedicalAdvice.com: How is this different than online libraries?

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When you join SMA, you gain a live personal healthcare consulting team!
Whenever your SMA consultants chat with you, they have your personal health information in front of them. This is the information you give us in our initial questionnaire and which we update during every chat. Every interaction with SMA is customized and personal, which makes all the difference in getting you the best answer to your questions.
With SMA you are not just looking through an encyclopedia, though you do have an extensive resource of health information at your fingertips.
Try us, and experience the difference!
Thanks for liking and following Straight, No Chaser! This public service provides a sample of what http://www.SterlingMedicalAdvice.com (SMA) will offer beginning November 1. Until then enjoy some our favorite posts and frequently asked questions as well as a daily note explaining the benefits of SMA membership. Please share our page with your Friends on WordPress, and we can be found on Facebook at SterlingMedicalAdvice.com and on Twitter at @asksterlingmd.
Copyright © 2013 · Sterling Initiatives, LLC · Powered by WordPress

“What should I look for as an indicator of poor mental health in children?”

Introduction

Today’s questions related to mental health in children.

“What should I look for in my child as an indicator of mental health issues?”

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Today’s question is simple. The answer certainly is not. Be aware of changes in your child’s emotional, behavioral, and/or mental functioning. Remember that children often express sadness and feelings of depression in the form of anger, through outbursts, tantrums, etc. If the symptoms persist for more than a month, seek evaluation from your child’s doctor or a mental health professional. Sooner is better than later.

Follow us!

Ask your SMA expert consultant any questions you may have on this topic. Also, take the #72HoursChallenge, and join the community. Additionally, 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!

Order your copy of Dr. Sterling’s 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.jeffreysterlingbooks.com. Another free benefit to our readers is introductory pricing with multiple orders and bundles!

Thanks for liking and following Straight, No Chaser! This public service provides a sample of http://www.SterlingMedicalAdvice.com (SMA) and 844-SMA-TALK. Likewise, please share our page with your friends on WordPress! Also like us on Facebook @ SterlingMedicalAdvice.com! Follow us on Twitter at @asksterlingmd.

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