Host: Darryl S. Chutka, M.D. [@chutkaMD] Guest: Rekha Mankad, M.D. Mitral valve disorders are extremely common, one of the most common is mitral valve prolapse. The majority of these patients live their life without symptoms, but some go on to develop significant mitral regurgitation or less likely, mitral stenosis. How can we recognize mitral valve…

Host: Darryl S. Chutka, M.D. [@chutkaMD] Guest: Rekha Mankad, M.D. It’s estimated that between 2% and 3% of the population has some form of valvular heart disease and this increases with age. Most of these patients are initially cared for by primary care providers. Most valvular disease deaths are due to disease of the aortic…

Host: Darryl S. Chutka, M.D. [@chutkaMD] Guest: Siobhan Pittock, M.B., B. Ch Thyroid hormone plays an important role in metabolism of adults. It plays an even more important role in children. Undiagnosed hypothyroidism in children not only impairs metabolism but can result in stunted physical growth and impaired cognitive development. Congenital hypothyroidism is one of…

Host: Darryl S. Chutka, M.D. [@chutkaMD] Guest: Philip R. Fischer, M.D. Among adolescents, complaints regarding fatigue are relatively common and it’s been assumed to be associated with the hormonal changes of puberty, the various social conflicts common in adolescence and a variety of educational expectations. At times, fatigue becomes chronic and may be accompanied by…

Host: Sanj Kakar, M.D. @sanjkakar  Guest: Neha P. Raukar, M.D., M.S We’ve all been experiencing the intense heat and humidity, and did you know that this past July was one of the hottest months on record. Exposure to heat poses a major threat to high-risk populations by substantially contributing to increased morbidity and mortality. Our…

Host: Darryl S. Chutka, M.D. [@chutkaMD] Guest: Sahil Khanna, M.B.B.S., M.S. It’s estimated that C. difficile causes about a half million infections each year in the U.S. and 1 in 6 of those will have a recurrence within a couple months. Although C. difficile typically occurs following the use of antibiotics, it can also be…

Host: Darryl S. Chutka, M.D. [@chutkaMD] Guest: Katherine A. Zeratsky, R.D.N., L.D. Chronic disease is creating a tremendous financial impact on our healthcare system. Cardiovascular disease alone accounts for approximately 18 million deaths globally, annually. Most often, we think of pharmacologic therapy in managing chronic disease, yet there’s good evidence that shows adults who eat…

Host: Darryl S. Chutka M.D. [@chutkaMD] Guest: Liz A. Gilman, M.D. Guest: Chris R. Stephenson, M.D., M.H.P.E. As clinicians, we’re used to obtaining health information from our patients through a medical history, performing a physical exam and ordering a variety of lab tests or imaging studies. We then formulate a differential diagnosis and eventually a…

Host: Darryl S. Chutka M.D. [@chutkaMD] Guest: Teresa A. Rummans, M.D. The COVID-19 pandemic has caused innumerable health complications. One complication which hasn’t received a lot of attention has been the effect seen on mental health. Since the pandemic, the incidence of mental illness has increased dramatically, both in patients who have been infected as…

Host: Darryl S. Chutka M.D. [@chutkaMD] Guest: Lisa Lammert, R.D.N., L.D. Cardiovascular disease is the leading cause of death to individuals in the U.S. Many feel that our typical American diet with its high saturated fat content is a major contributor to this. There’s good evidence that shows plant-based diets are cost-effective in lowering the…