Travel, once reserved for the wealthy and high-level executives, has become a regular experience for many people. U.S. domestic travel in 2017 was estimated at 2.25 billion person-trips. It is also estimated that 17 million people with diabetes travel annually for leisure and another 5.6 million for business. There are certain considerations and advice for those with medical conditions, including diabetes, who travel, especially if that travel is out of the country. First of all, for those who

Our bones are constantly being broken down and rebuilt. This process is called remodeling. As we age, in many people, the rate of bone breakdown eventually exceeds the rate of bone creation. This causes a condition called osteoporosis. Osteoporosis is a condition with severely low bone mineral density (BMD). People with osteoporosis are much more likely to have bone fractures, especially after a trauma like a fall. The two most common osteoporosis-related fractures are hip fractures and spinal

Chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL) is the most common adult leukemia in the Western world. It accounts for almost 25 percent of all leukemias and 1.3 percent of all cancers in adults. It primarily affects older individuals with more than 70 percent of patients being over 65 years of age. It affects males and whites more than females and those of other races. It is less common in Asian people and more common in Ashkenazi Jews. There is a genetic component, plus it is more common among patients

Atrial fibrillation (AF) is by far the most common disorder of the rhythm of the heart. The lifetime risk of developing it is about 37 percent for those over 55 years of age. The biggest risk from AF is developing a stroke from a blood clot from the heart. The clot forms in the corners of the upper heart chamber, or the atrium, because in AF this chamber does not contract, or beat. It just vibrates, or fibrillates, allowing blood in the chamber to form a clot. If the atrium goes back into

It has long been known that psychiatric reactions to life’s stresses are common and can lead to immune system dysfunctions. Recently, the results of a study done in Scandinavia were published. The study looked at whether there was an association between stress-related disorders and autoimmune diseases. Autoimmune diseases, much more common in women as opposed to men, cause the immune system to make antibodies that attack the body’s organs. The reasons for this are not well understood. The

Hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM) is a common and complex disease. It is caused by a genetic mutation. Since the genetic inheritance of this disease was first discovered in 1960, more than 1,400 mutations associated with the disease have been discovered, making it now the most common inherited cardiovascular disease. It is estimated to affect one in every 200 people, or half a percent of the population. It is found in all ethnic groups. Most people who have it are not aware of its presence, but