DEAR DR. ROACH: I am an 80-year-old male who’s very physically active. Six years ago, I had a coronary calcium scan resulting in a score of 3,708 with no symptoms. A few days later, a thallium treadmill stress test showed no problems. I have aortic stenosis that recently reached the borderline-severe stage and is being […]

DEAR DR. ROACH: Why is there a flu season instead of it being a year-round health challenge? And why do flu strains originate in Southeast Asia instead of, say, Poughkeepsie, New York? — M.S. ANSWER: Why there is a flu season is a bit of a mystery. Scientists used to think it was due to […]

DEAR DR. ROACH: I’m an 83-year-old woman in very good health who takes no medications. My doctor informed me that I have an “extra” heartbeat, but I have no noticeable symptoms. What is my prognosis? Will my heart wear out sooner? — R.P. ANSWER: Based on what you’ve told me, I’m going to guess that […]

DEAR DR. ROACH: I am in my early 90s and have read your column and those before yours, and have not seen this topic covered. Long ago, my primary doctor told me that many people suffering from constipation are not aware that they are ignoring the natural urge for a bowel movement that comes within […]

DEAR DR. ROACH: A 2016 Hopkins study reported that medical negligence accounts for 250,000 deaths per year. And that’s just mortality; it does not include any contributions to living with disease. My own view is to attribute nearly all of this to the fact that physicians are severely overworked. What do you think about all […]

DEAR DR. ROACH: A few years ago, while skiing in Utah, I became violently ill and could barely walk. I called 9-1-1 and was taken to the hospital, where I was diagnosed with hyponatremia. It took a week in the hospital to recover. My internist eventually prescribed 1 gram of salt/sodium a day and to […]

DEAR DR. ROACH: I’ve caught a flu. That’s despite taking vitamin C, garlic and oil of oregano. I gave up on echinacea a long time ago. I try to get enough rest and live a relatively healthy life. I take no prescription drugs, and you’d think at age 59 I’d have built immunity to the […]

DEAR DR. ROACH: All my friends who are hypertensive have been able to bring their blood pressure to 120/80 or less. However, I have diabetic friends who are taking several diabetic drugs but none has been able to bring the fasting glucose levels to the ideal amount, around 85. As a matter of fact, none […]

DEAR DR. ROACH: For more than three years, I lived with never-ending diarrhea. My doctor diagnosed me with irritable bowel syndrome. Once, I got very dehydrated and passed out after taking a shower. I was admitted to the hospital. An evaluation at that time, including a nuclear test, showed a tumor on my pancreas and […]

DEAR DR. ROACH: I am a 91-year-old man with swollen legs. I take 20 mg of furosemide and 20 mEq of Klor-Con daily. I understand that the Klor-Con is to replace the potassium loss caused by the former. I also understand that I should reduce my salt intake to the lowest amount possible. Because of […]