There are 3 questions that I always ask my patients. They are about “E, S, B&M”: How well are you eating? How well are you sleeping? How are your bowel movements? These are questions that patients are glad I ask. They show that I care about life’s most basic needs. It’s a doctor’s more specific way of asking “how are you doing?” ESBM are important in childhood, adult life and as people get older. The answers to these questions are “life” vital signs. Just like heart rate or respiratory rate, they give me clues about […]
Monthly Archives: January 2023
Medications and Older Adults, the Bottom Line
In the last several videos, Dr. Ariel Green, an Associate Professor at Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, discussed risks related to medication use among older adults. She has also described problems associated with specific classes of medications. Here are some bottom-line points: Polypharmacy – Too many medicines The greater the number of medications a person takes, the higher the likelihood of problems. This includes side effects, interactions between medicines, and mistakes in taking medicines correctly. Five or more medicines is a rule of thumb that doctors use. More medicines are likely to result in […]