The Top Ten Causes of Death in America

by John W. Johnson, NCMT, MFCC

According to the CDC Division of Vital Statistics the following were the leading causes of death in 2002. These apply to both male and female adults.

Rank:

Heart Disease - 28.5%

Malignant Neoplasm (Cancer) -22.8

Cerebrovascular Diseases (Stroke) - 6.7%

Chronic Lower Respiratory Disease- 5.1%

Accidents (Unintentional) -4.4%

Diabetes Melitus- 3.0%

Influenza/Pneumonia- 2.7%

Alzheimer's- 2.4%

Nephritis(Liver Disease) - 1.7%

Septicemia - 1.4%

Another interesting statistic of note can be found in "Is US Health Really the Best in the World?", published in the Journal of the American Medical Association and written by Barbara Starfield, MD, MPH. In this paper Dr. Starfield gives the following statistics:

7,000 deaths occur each year due to medication errors in hospitals

12,000 deaths occur each year due to unnecessary surgery

20,000 deaths occur each year due to other hospital errors

80,000 deaths occur each year due to nosocomial infections in hospitals

106,000 deaths occur each year due to adverse effects to properly prescribed medications

This equals 225,000 deaths due to what are known as iatrogenic causes. This would place them as the third leading cause of death - just above cerebrovascular diseases at 162,672 deaths.

So What Can We Do?

There are many things that can be done to help reduce your risks. Simple things like maintaining a healthy diet rich in fruits, vegetables and whole grains and drinking plenty of purified or bottled water are vital to a healthy lifestyle. It is also important to avoid known toxins, such as tobacco, excessive alcohol, trans-fats and chemical food additives. Try to buy as much of your food as possible from organic and free-range sources.

Regular exercise is also an important part of maintaining a healthy body. You may find that varying your routine helps to keep your interest. It also assures that different muscles groups are being worked. Alternate aerobic activities such as dancing with strengthening and stretching exercises such as Body Rolling and Yoga. The latter also help to reduce stress and thereby decrease your chances of acquiring a stress related illness.

The use of a Chi Exercise Machine can also be of great benefit. These amazing machines help to improve circulation of the blood and lymph, stimulate metabolism and promote cellular regeneration. They are also very effective as a form of passive aerobic exercise and many who are unable to participate in standard exercise routines find that the use of a chi machine provides great benefit.

Supplements can also help to improve health and provide protection against disease. Greens, such as those found in Vitamineral Green, are rich in anti-oxidants, help to promote healthy digestion and are contain vital nutrients. Taking care of your liver is also crucial to your health and herbs such as those found in HepaCaps can help to ensure its proper function.

Perhaps the most important factor to staying healthy and vibrant, however, is keeping a joyful and positive attitude. Live your life with passion, integrity and love. As Joseph Campbell so wisely told us - "Follow your bliss"!

About the Author
John is a nationally certified massage therapist, health researcher, and psychotherapist. He worked on the US Olympic sports massage team during the 2002 Winter Olympics, and has most recently volunteered his time and expertise by giving massages to victims of Hurricane Katrina and the Red Cross personnel who have assisted them.

The Statistics of Medical Malpractice

by John Luke Matthews


When a doctor, a medical practitioner, or a medical institution caused more harm for its patient rather than good, it was said that he has been negligent in taking care of his patient's welfare and recovery. Medical malpractice is now getting more rampant than ever, and the cases of medical malpractice in the United States are rising at an alarming rate. A simple act of negligence can cause great injury to its patient, which then can lead to disability or even death.

Just how alarming medical malpractice is nowadays? According to the American Academy of Family Physicians, more than two-thirds of the total claims for medical malpractice come from death of patients. One-third of all the total claims account for "diagnostic errors", mainly due to problems with records, or the practitioner's negligence to look at the patient's medical background prior to treatment. In 2006, medication errors constitute at least 1.5 million harmed individuals, roughly 1.3 million of which had suffered preventable drug-related injuries in outpatient settings. Also, a recent study by Healthgrades found out that preventable medical errors have caused up to almost 100,000 new deaths every year, making it considered a national epidemic.

Medical malpractice claims can help determine where primary health care in the United States can go wrong. Analyses by different primary health care organizations have pinpointed the actual locations where people are being injured and it's usually the outpatients who suffer more than the patients in the hospitals. This does not conclude though that medical errors in hospitals are less adverse than medical errors in an outpatient setting.

The data gathered by these studies are useless unless medical practitioners recognize its value to review their medical process so they can identify the root causes and conditions of these medical errors, especially for those working on high-risk medical categories. Eventually, the information given by these statistics aim at investigating as to how potential injuries can be reduced.

About the Author
John Luke Matthews is a regular contributor of relevant articles about the jurisprudence of personal injury. He is part of the Mesriani Law Group and is currently taking information technology studies as well.

Prevent Medical Errors: Find Hidden Clues in Your Medical Tests & Procedures

by Margo Corbett


"Look at this!" I said as I reviewed the copy of my husband's chart after his discharge from the hospital. " Here is a copy of your blood chemistry test results done a year ago. Your BUN (kidney function test) was slightly above normal then! Did the doctor ever tell you that it was high? Was it ever repeated?"

I drive my husband crazy when I fire multiple questions at him before he can answer the first one.

"No and no. I don't remember the doctor saying any results were abnormal or saying he needed to repeat a test," he replied.

"I just don't understand why it wasn't repeated six months ago when your blood pressure suddenly increased or later when you turned that strange yellow color."

"Egad! Here are the results of the Retinol test the doctor did a couple of months ago. Remember, the test he did to placate us and that he said confirmed you were eating too many yellow vegetables causing the yellow skin. There is a note in fine print under the results box that says, 'high results are an indication of kidney failure.' He must not have read the note. You should have been admitted to the hospital then."

My heart sank. I began kicking myself for not paying more attention to and being more involved in my husband's medical care. He had been in very good health until the day he was admitted to the hospital on an emergency basis, told he was in kidney failure and might not live through the night. He had been reporting new symptoms and symptom changes to his doctor for six-months, but the doctor had failed to connect the pieces of his health story: symptoms, test results, and underlying chronic conditions.

During that time, we didn't realize hidden clues existed in his test and procedure results.

Things have changed since then. We prepare well for, go to each other's appointments and take good notes. Due to this and past experiences, we now make sure we get a copy of every medical test we have done and read it very carefully.

You too can discover hidden clues in your medical tests and procedures.

1) Obtain copies of results for every medical test and procedure done.

2) Read each report carefully. If you don't understand the words, ask your doctor or his nurse to explain them to you.

3) Create a chart and record results from routine blood chemistry and blood count tests. As you look across each test result row on your chart, look for upward or downward trends over time or wide variations in test results in general. If one of these occurs, review your chart with your doctor.

4) Do the following to prevent important information from slipping through the cracks:

a) Read all notes included in the report to see if there is any information not mentioned by your doctor.

b) Verify that all tests reported to you as "within the normal ranges" are in the normal range.

c) If a test is just outside the normal range and the doctor told you everything is OK, he probably didn't think the result a significant finding or was due to lab variation. This may be the case, but this is where it gets sticky. As you see from the story above, just outside the normal range results can be significant. Press the doctor, particularly if the test is remotely related to your symptoms, your condition(s), or conditions in your family history.

d) Ask your doctor to explain the implications of the result, if the test needs repeating in a reasonable time frame or at a different lab to verify the results, what you are risking if nothing is done, and what symptoms relate to an abnormal result? You may have symptoms you hadn't thought to tell him.

5) Do your own research on the test. You may learn something that will help him understand why the result may be significant for you.

6) Seek a second opinion if your instincts are gnawing at you and saying something is wrong.

We have had other experiences of missing or hidden test information that led to medical errors, ineffective doctor appointments, or the need for additional appointments. By following the steps above, my husband and I have eliminated these problems. Not only that, we have been able to show copies of test results to physicians during emergencies, at specialist appointments, and during test procedures. The result: we have saved time, money, and prevented errors. SO, CAN YOU.


About the Author
Surviving cancer and three medical errors, Margo Corbett is a speaker and the author of Lead Your Way to Better Healthcare: Help Doctors Help You and creator of the Partner With Your Doctor (PWYD) System. Learn how to take control of your healthcare. Find out more and read a FREE chapter at http://www.pwydhealthrecord.com .

Philadelphia Personal Injury Attorney Talks About Philadelphia Injury Settlements

By Evan Aidman

I was recently contacted by an individual who had managed to obtain an offer of $50,000 to settle her son’s case. This person wanted to know if it was safe to take the money without retaining a lawyer. He was afraid that if a lawyer was brought into the case that the lawyer might settle the case for $55,000 and take one third of the proceeds. My advice was to meet with several lawyers in order to work out the best possible arrangement. I told the client to insist that the first $50,000 was for her son and that the lawyer’s fee would come out of any amount he could negotiate above and beyond that amount.

This is a creative solution to a seemingly difficult problem. You need to think your situation through carefully so that you can come up with these kinds of solutions. There are plenty of unscrupulous lawyers who will steal you blind if you don’t act with care. These kinds of creative solutions will win you the respect of the lawyer you finally retain.

It is an illusion to think that an insurance company will offer an unrepresented person the same kind of settlement money they would offer a person represented by a capable personal injury lawyer. There is virtually no way for you to know the value of a personal injury case. These values are based upon years of jury verdicts and insurance settlements. Only an experienced personal injury attorney can accurately assess the maximum amount an insurance company is likely to pay for a particular injury.

The company knows very well that it possesses superior knowledge and bargaining power. It will not hesitate to use this knowledge and power to its advantage and your disadvantage. Insurance companies pay only what they feel they will be compelled to pay by a jury. A strong personal injury lawyer on your side acts like a hammer over the head of the insurance company. The company pays far more when it fears the outcome that an experienced personal injury attorney can secure for the client. Insurance companies do not fear unrepresented individuals because of the individual’s lack of knowledge about how to inflict pain upon the company if it does not settle the case. It’s like fighting a war without modern weapons. The other side is not likely to listen seriously to your terms of surrender if you have no ability to effectively wage the battle.

The insurance company will also know that even if the facts and justice are on your side, your unfamiliarity with the legal procedures involved may allow the company to beat your claim on a legal technicality. Although the courts generally relax the rules of procedure for unrepresented parties, you can’t count on this. The rules are made by lawyers for use by lawyers. It is extremely hard to dot all the i’s and cross all the t’s in just the right way when it comes to a personal injury lawsuit. Again, my advice is to retain an honest, energetic personal injury specialist at the first possible opportunity.

Cases involving property damage alone can be settled fairly without the assistance of an attorney. It may be better here to handle the case yourself and spare yourself the expense of an attorney. There are books available which set forth the value of cars. These accepted values establish guidelines which the insurance company should follow. There are no such clear cut guidelines concerning the "value" of pain and suffering in a serious injury case. That’s why you need a lawyer.

For more information about Evan Aidman, a Philadelphia, PA Injury Lawyer and his work with clients with serious injuries click here: Philadelphia, PA Injury Lawyer

Evan Aidman is the founder and principal of the Law Offices of Evan K. Aidman. Mr. Aidman received a Bachelor's Degree in psychology from the University of Florida where he was elected to the Phi Beta Kappa Honor Society after compiling a near perfect scholastic record. He graduated from the University of Pennsylvania Law School, an Ivy League Institution, in 1983.

Click Here for Attorney Aidman's website: Philadelphia, PA Injury Attorney

Personal Injury Lawyer Can Help Settle Your

By Hadiya Robins


Injury can happen to anyone at any time. However if the injury is caused due to negligence on the part of some other person, you can get a compensation as settlement. A person can get injured in different ways, but if the injury has been caused due to neglect one must not forgo the compensation, which is due. Personal injury can be a traumatic experience for both the victim and his/ her family, and most of the time you will find that the person who caused the injury is not willing to the compensation money. It is in such a situation that you need to hire a person injury lawyer. A personal injury lawyer is a qualified professional who can help you in claiming the money that you can get through compensation. A personal lawyer, who is experienced, can handle your case successfully.

Finding out about personal injury lawyers in your city is not a tough task. There are a variety of sources which can aid you in finding out a good injury lawyer in your city. The local yellow pages are a great and reliable source for you. The web is another option which you can explore. Most law firms and lawyers have a web presence, and through that you can fix up an appointment. If you put up your request in their site, professionals working for them will get in touch with you to set up the appointment for you with the personal injury lawyer. You can also talk with friends and family if anyone of them any prior experiences of dealing with personal injury lawyer.

Before hiring the services of a personal injury lawyer, you must know that there are lawyers who specialize in handling specific injuries. It is just like a doctor who has the expertise in treating certain conditions of the body and not all conditions. So you can find personal injury lawyers who deal with accidents, brain injuries, burns and construction injuries among several others. Make sure that you hire a local lawyer; in fact it will be the best bet for you. You will surely not like to spend huge amount of money visiting the lawyer who may be from out of town. In the entire process can be very stressful for you as you will have to constantly deal with your lawyer and the lawyer of the opposing party as well. So be ready beforehand to deal with all this.

You will be very fortunate if your case is solved early. Mostly, if the case if not of a complex nature, it can be settled early and easily as well. It has been seen that most of the personal injury cases, do not make it to the court. Rather, personal injury lawyers from both the side make an out of court settlement. Only if an agreement cannot be made outside the court, do both parties approach the court for its intervention. At the most a case can take up to one and a half year for settlement. If you have hired an experienced personal injury lawyer, you do not need to worry about anything.

Hadiya Robins is a legal expert. She works for Pulversthompson and gives advice to clients who are looking for New York lawyer, Personal injury lawyer, Attorney Immigration New York. For legal advice and to get services of a Lawyer in New York visit http://www.pulversthompson.com