Tag: Dr. Karin Humphries

Research on cardiac care disparities between men and women: a waste of time?

~ Carolyn Thomas ~ 10 Comments

by Carolyn Thomas   ♥  @HeartSisters

I’m wondering how many more cardiac studies published in medical journals we’ll need before medical professionals start believing what decades of published research have already concluded. Here’s just one example: British researchers have described those past conclusions as: “an undeniable gender-based inequality in cardiovascular health to the detriment of women.”(1) 

At this point, I can’t help myself. Whenever I come across yet another heart study that comes to that identical conclusion, I have to quote my irreverent and brilliant heart sister Laura Haywood Cory, who at age 40 survived a heart attack caused by  Spontaneous Coronary Artery Dissection (SCAD). No matter the specific focus, Laura interprets those “ain’t it awful?” cardiac research conclusions like this:  “Sucks to be female – better luck next life!”       Continue reading “Research on cardiac care disparities between men and women: a waste of time?” →

Falling in love – with a tiny heart muscle cell

~ Carolyn Thomas ~ 9 Comments

by Carolyn Thomas   ♥  @HeartSisters   

Her book starts off with a gripping description of the human heart:

“When I look at the human heart beating in the chest during surgery, or lying in a dish when removed for transplant, it just looks like a glistening lump of meat. It’s hard to associate that solid muscle with Valentine’s Day decorations, or the romantic literary description of hearts soaring, bursting, sinking and breaking.

“But once upon a time, I fell in love  – with a cell.”

The object of Dr. Sian Harding’s affection was a cardiomyocyte, a single heart muscle cell, just 1/10 of a millimetre long, and about the width of a human hair.       .        Continue reading “Falling in love – with a tiny heart muscle cell” →

Will this $840,000 grant make a dent in women’s cardiac care?

~ Carolyn Thomas ~ 4 Comments

by Carolyn Thomas    ♥  @HeartSisters

In an article published this week in the Ottawa Citizen, we learned some encouraging predictions about the future of women’s cardiac care here in Canada – and beyond.  Award-winning health/science journalist Elizabeth Payne explained the news in her August 30th article called “New Ottawa-Based Initiative Aims to Close Heart Health Gender Gap“.  In case you missed it, here’s what she wrote: (The NOTES below in italics are my own questions and comments):

Elizabeth Payne (EP):  “Years after researchers, health professionals and advocates began working to reduce it, the gender gap in women’s heart health persists. Heart disease is the leading cause of death for women, but their cardiovascular symptoms are still not always recognized and women’s heart attacks continue to get missed.”   Continue reading “Will this $840,000 grant make a dent in women’s cardiac care?” →

Learn or Blame: when mistakes happen in medicine

~ Carolyn Thomas ~ 15 Comments

by Carolyn Thomas   ♥   @HeartSisters

Mistakes happen in medicine, just like in every other workplace. As intensive care physician and president of The Doctors’ Association UK (DAUK) Dr. Samantha Batt-Rawden reminded us in a BBC Newsnight interview:

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”    If patients are looking for a doctor who has never made a mistake, they simply won‘t find one.”    

Continue reading “Learn or Blame: when mistakes happen in medicine” →