Michael Carlston, M.D. - Family Practice & Complementary Medicine

Carlston, M.D.
Family Practice and Complementary Medicine

www.carlstonmd.com

June 6, 2008

Dear Patients,

I have what I consider to be a few bits of old business. Although they are old to me, they are the latest developments on the health front. Why the disparity? Some of us just seem to figure things out and act faster than others. That is why you are my patients. It is also why I am your doctor – over the years I’ve learned so much from my patients. Learning is a two way street.

In case you are interested, Veria will soon post an article I wrote on heart attacks in the Veriapedia portion of their website.

We are off to explore family roots. The office will be closed until June 26. My apology if this creates any inconvenience for you.

Best
Michael Carlston, MD
www.carlstonmd.com

Home Is Where The Heart Is
Banning Food Dyes
FDA M….o….v….e….m….e….n….t on Dental Amalgam

Home Is Where The Heart Is
For the last 15 years I’ve recommended home blood pressure monitoring to my patients with blood pressure concerns. My rationale was pretty simple. We knew that as many as 1/3 of those diagnosed with hypertension did not have high blood pressure. They are just afraid of going to the doctor. Since then we’ve learned that blood pressure readings in physicians’ offices have little correlation with individual’s long-term risk of high blood pressure related diseases (heart attack, diabetes, stroke) however home blood pressure readings strongly correlate.

I have found this approach very useful as it helps teach the patient about his/her blood pressure and helps me adjust medication levels or eliminate them entirely without risk to the patient. The American Heart Association has now recommended home blood pressure monitoring for all Americans with high blood pressure. I don’t know why it took so long, but I applaud the decision.

Another tip – check your blood pressure first thing in the morning. At that time your blood pressure is at its highest and least influenced by the outside world of stress. Your waking blood pressure reading is the truest reflection of your physiology. As it is the highest it will be, except for elevations caused by stress, this information can help you and your physician responsibly reduce the amount of medication you take. Blood pressure elevation later in the day is usually associated with stress. Unless those measurements are extremely high, they tell us that you need to learn to relax not take more blood pressure mediation.

Banning Food Dyes
The FDA is under growing pressure from scientific evidence and interest groups, like the Center for Science in the Public Interest (CSPI), to ban artificial food dyes. Some of these dyes have long been linked to aggravating asthmatic patients. More recently studies around the world have shown that concerns held by many parents about the ill effects of these products on the behavior of vulnerable children are entirely justified.

CSPI has petitioned the FDA to require warning labels on foods containing artificial colorings. You don’t need to wait for governmental intervention. Read the labels and don’t buy these food products.

FDA M….o….v….e….m….e….n….t on Dental Amalgam
In another example of wild-eyed crazies proving instead to be prophets, the FDA has issued an advisory on the risks of dental amalgam (mercury). Maybe it is just me, but I had great difficulty finding this on the FDA website. http://www.fda.gov/cdrh/consumer/amalgams.html There have been competing pressures on the FDA to more tightly regulate amalgam or continue to ignore scientific concerns. As the comment period ends in July, the appearance of this cautionary document on the FDA website suggests that they will be taking a more significant regulatory step. Better late than never?

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