LIVEACTIVE PRIMARY CARE
  • HOME
  • ABOUT
    • What we do
    • Meet our team
  • Employer Benefits
  • Refill Request Form
  • JOIN NOW
  • LiveActive Aesthetics
  • LiveActive MultiSpecialty Physician Group
  • Blog
  • New Page

Physicians take aim at climate change

4/20/2016

0 Comments

 
Climate change, according to the EPA, means that the Earth is warming. In fact, the average temperature has risen 1.5 degrees Fahrenheit over the past century. It is expected to rise another 0.5 to 8.6 degrees Fahrenheit over the next hundred years. Why should we care and as a physician, what does this mean to our health?

This is an important topic. So important, in fact, that the American College of Physicians (ACP) has written a position paper on this matter. The rising temperatures have led to changes in weather and climate. This means more floods, droughts, intense rain, and more frequent and severe heat waves. 

Oceans are heating up and becoming more acidic and with glaciers melting, sea levels are rising. Many bacteria, insects, and other disease causing organisms thrive in these environments. You see, insects are effective carriers and vehicles for spreading disease to large populations. The Zika virus, Lyme disease, West Nile Virus, Ehrlichiosis, and the list goes on. 

In addition, water is at risk of becoming contaminated and the air is becoming more polluted and full of allergens, which lead to significant health hazards from infectious disease to cardiovascular and respiratory illnesses. 

The health effects are already being felt by all of us, especially physicians. The number of emphysema exacerbations, sinusitis, allergies, asthma flares, and respiratory failure from these pathologies is increasing in frequency and severity. The number of strokes and heart attacks in young and healthy individuals are increasing - in fact, I tweeted a NY Times article a few months ago that raised this concern. 

I was in the doctors lounge last weekend and talking with a critical care friend of mine. As we sat there talking about our day, I asked him "how has the flu season been?" To this he responded, "we had worse years, but still lost a few." To us, the stories of healthy 18 year olds going on ECMO - life saving bypass machines- are not extraordinary. Unfortunately, it is all too common. In our experience, we have seen and heard of many young healthy folks pass away from things like the flu or an asthma flare triggered by allergies. Cases of infectious disease from contaminated water or food poisoning are also common. Ultimately, cases that come from contaminated food and water that should have been "ancient" are present and claim many lives today. 

It is hard to convince the general public about the importance of climate change and it's effect on all of us. Thus, we write position papers, use TV, radio, and journals to get the word out. But like any other health issue, as much as physicians long for conversations like this to take place before any crisis happens, it almost always ends up being at the bedside surrounded by concerned family members. 

The issue of climate change transcends countries, race, nationalities, or gender. This is a human issue. It's a international issue that must be taken seriously by each of us. Like many health challenges and pathologies, there are solutions and steps we can take today to prevent the development of global disease and fatalities.  Please read the ACP position paper published yesterday and also visit www.epa.gov to learn more about how you can help. 
ACP position paper
File Size: 195 kb
File Type: pdf
Download File

0 Comments

Your comment will be posted after it is approved.


Leave a Reply.

    Author

    "He who studies medicine without books sails an uncharted sea, but he who studies medicine without patients does not go to sea at all."
    - William Osler

    Archives

    August 2022
    July 2022
    July 2021
    May 2021
    April 2021
    December 2020
    November 2020
    October 2020
    August 2020
    February 2019
    April 2017
    November 2016
    October 2016
    September 2016
    August 2016
    July 2016
    June 2016
    May 2016
    April 2016
    February 2016
    January 2016
    December 2015
    November 2015
    October 2015
    September 2015
    August 2015
    July 2015
    June 2015
    May 2015
    March 2015
    February 2015
    January 2015
    December 2014
    November 2014
    October 2014

    Categories

    All
    Advanced Directives
    Athletes
    Book Reviews
    Direct Primary Care
    Flu
    History Of Medicine
    Leadership
    Living Healthy
    Measles Outbreak
    Meditation
    Our Healthcare System
    Personal Stories
    Scoliosis
    Seasonal Allergies

    RSS Feed

​We are passionate about practicing medicine
​ the way it should be.


HOURS OF OPERATION
MON-THURS  9am-5pm
FRIDAY  9am-12pm 

Closed 12pm-1pm daily for lunch
SAT&SUN  CLOSED
 2023 Holidays - CLINIC CLOSED
New Year's Eve - January 2
Memorial Day - May 29
Independence Day - July 3 & 4
Labor Day - September 4
Thanksgiving - Nov 22, 23 & 24
Christmas - December 25 & 26


Contact Us

Tel: (913) 549-3884
Email: info@Liveactivepc.com

6650 West 110th Street
Suite 220 A
Overland Park, KS  66211
Our mission
Privacy Policy
  • HOME
  • ABOUT
    • What we do
    • Meet our team
  • Employer Benefits
  • Refill Request Form
  • JOIN NOW
  • LiveActive Aesthetics
  • LiveActive MultiSpecialty Physician Group
  • Blog
  • New Page