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HEALTH & FITNESS
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ASSOCIATED ENDOCRINOLOGISTS, P.C.
Gary W. Edelson, M.D.
Michael Garcia, M.D.
Michael M. Kaplan, M.D.
Donald A. Meier, M.D.
Lowell R. Scluneltz, M.D.
Charles I. Taylor, M.D.
is pleased to welcome
HOWARD S. BLANK, M•D.
to their Endocrinology practice.
Dr. Blank specializes in management of thyroid, pituitary,
and adrenal disorders, along with diabetes mellitus. He
has a particular interest in osteoporosis and other metabolic
diseases of bone. Dr. Blank received his undergraduate degree
with honors from the University of Michigan, Ann Arbor,
and he received his Doctor of Medicine from the Finch
University of Health Sciences / The Chicago Medical
School. Dr. Blank completed his internship and residency in internal medicine
training at Wayne State University and served as Chief Medical Resident.
He recently completed his fellowship in Metabolism, Endocrinology,
and Diabetes at the University of Michigan in Ann Arbor. Dr. Blank has
conducted clinical research on Paget's disease of bone and hypertension
management during his training. He has completed training in thyroid
ultrasonography and ultrasound-guided thyroid biopsy, and Dr. Blank has
been recognized as a Certified Clinical Densitometrist by the International
Society for Clinical Densitometry.
248-855-5620
Main Office:
6900 Orchard Lake Road, Suite 204
West Bloomfield, MI 48322
1404450
efforts at lowering cholesterol values
he prevention of cardiovas-
cular disease is a major task
in the blood. Experts feel that the
for patients and physicians.
principal reason that we are seeing a
lowering of heart disease is the aggres-
Coronary artery disease (the cause of
sive lowering of cholesterol by both
heart attacks) and strokes account for
modifying detrimental health habits
almost one-third of all deaths in the
and taking lipid-lowering medication.
United States.
Fortunately, the incidence of these
Cholesterol is broken down into LDL
illnesses is gradually decreasing due
(bad cholesterol) and HDL (good cho-
lesterol). Both of these values are very
to diligent efforts to not only treat
important in heart disease risk. LDL
already established disease, but also
goals range from less than 70 to 130,
prevent the disease from occurring in
the first place.
depending on your overall risk. Your
HDL should ideally be at least 50.
Blockages in the bodies' arteries is
due to a build-up of "plaque," which
• High blood pressure. This causes
eventually can cut off the blood supply "tension" in the arteries, which causes
to vital organs — the heart muscle, in
injury and blockages. It can be low-
ered by medication and improving
the case of heart attacks, or the brain,
which causes strokes. If we
habits, much like choles-
terol. Weight loss can have
can keep the plaque from
a marked effect on blood
forming by affecting its
causes ("risk factors"), we
pressure. Reasonable blood
pressure goals are less than
can prevent such devastat-
ing health problems.
130 (systolic) and 80 (dia-
stolic).
Cardiovascular risk fac-
• Diabetes. This is
tor prevention has been
researched extensively.
another common cause
of vascular disease, even
The chief risk factors are
divided into those that can
in the young. Strict blood
Dr. S cott
glucose control in diabetics
be modified and ones that
Le wis
can definitely prevent pro-
cannot.
Colu mnist
gression of plaque.
The non-treatable risk
• Obesity. Unfortunately,
factors are heredity, male
this problem is not improving in our
gender and advancing age. Women
and young people certainly can have
population. Besides contributing to high
cholesterol, high blood pressure and
heart disease, but the incidence is
diabetes, being overweight indepen-
somewhat less. Heredity is a very
strong contributor to cardiac risk; thus dently causes cardiovascular disease.
• Inactivity. Those who exercise can-
we need to "work against" such genes
not only affect their cardiac risk, but
by altering the treatable factors.
they have less difficulty with heart dis-
These are the six treatable causes
ease should they get it. People who lead
that deserve the most discussion:
active lifestyles can recover from illness
• Smoking. People who smoke have
easier as they age. A study showed that
substantially higher cardiovascular
overweight exercisers do better with
disease. It is a very common cause of
cardiac prevention than thin sedentary
heart attacks in younger people. The
people. Thus, being active can certainly
tobacco contents cause significant
help modify and offset many of the risk
injury to blood vessels, especially
factors noted above.
when they are deprived of oxygen.
Hopefully, we can continue to make
Cigars and passive smoke exposure
progress in altering these cardiac risk
also contribute to such risk. For-
factors. Illness and death from cardio-
tunately, as smoking incidence is
vascular disease is the most common
decreasing, its effect on cardiac dis-
malady in our country. Improving diet
ease is also diminishing.
and exercise habits, and taking proper
• Cholesterol. Elevated lipids (fats)
medication, when needed, will help us
in the bloodstream, of which choles-
arrive at this goal.
terol is the most important, deposit
on the wall of arteries, which makes
Dr. Lewis is a primary care internal
up the majority of plaque. It starts at
medicine physician at Premier Internists/
a very young age. The large amount
Millennium Medical Group, P.C., in
of publicity this problem has received
Southfield.
is certainly warranted, as is the large
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June 26 • 2008