Alzheimer’s Disease
Doctors and their care team play a vital role in the fight against Alzheimer’s disease, but they need help. Close cooperation between doctors, family members,
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Allergies
Allergies are a highly individualized form of misery. Some people turn into an itchy, drippy wreck whenever they’re around cats, while others can’t get within
Quiz: What Do You Know About Patient Safety?
Whether you’re looking for the aspirin in your medicine cabinet or recuperating in a hospital bed, safety should be uppermost in your mind. How much
Culture Clash: Bridging the Medical Divide
When the troubled patient from Puerto Rico arrived at Dr. Hector Flores’s office, she had already been seen by three other doctors for depression. None
Choosing a Fertility Doctor
Out of desperation, many people turn to the first fertility specialist they find in the phone book, or someone they’ve heard about from a friend.
Adherence and the Gender Gap
If you’ve attended a large family reunion lately, it may come as no surprise that women tend to outlive men. In the United States, the
Choosing a Family Doctor
Of the 1.1 billion medical visits Americans make each year, almost half are to primary care doctors. They are on the frontlines of medicine, doing
Sticking to Your Treatment: Overcoming Obstacles
The world would be a healthier place if everybody followed their doctor’s advice. People would get more exercise and eat healthier foods. They’d get regular
Choosing an Eye Doctor
Why do I — or members of my family — need to see an eye doctor? Sooner or later almost everyone will need to use
Depression: Getting the Treatment You Need
A diagnosis of depression shouldn’t feel like a life sentence. Doctors and mental health professionals have more tools than ever to help: Antidepressant drugs can
Glossary of Common Medical Specialties
Medical Specialties Acupuncture An ancient medical practice originating in China that uses the insertion of needles into various parts of the body to restore the
Medications: What to Ask Your Doctor
For all of the good they do in the world, medications can also be extremely risky. Even if you take your medication exactly as you’re
Personal Medical Records
Like most people, you probably have a file of important papers — everything from the warranty for the new vacuum to records of your cats’
The Global Crisis in Adherence
When Dr. Paul Farmer arrived in Haiti in the 1980s, he was a confident young doctor determined to bring modern health care to a population
Tracking Down Specialists
It pays to have back-up when serious illness strikes, judging from the legions of patients who turn to Web merchants selling customized medical information about
Buying Medications Online
How do you tell whether an online pharmacy is legitimate? Use the information below to easily weed out unscrupulous sellers and take advantage of the
Generic Drugs
Whether you’re shopping for soda or blue jeans, chances are you’ll recognize a brand name. Companies like Coca-Cola and Levi Strauss Co. have spent billions
Doctors
It took a freak accident to get pediatrician Betsy MacGregor to do something about a life on the verge of breakdown. MacGregor had always been
Hospital Medication Errors
Hospitals are supposed to be places of recovery and healing. But they can also be dangerous. A 1999 landmark study sponsored by the Institute of
Medication Errors
In an ideal world, doctors would always prescribe the right drugs, pharmacists would never mess up orders, and patients would always carefully follow the instructions