WSJ today has the 2009 number on healthcare expenditures in the US: $2.4 trillion.  They check it in t

Today a patient came in who suffered a devastating stroke at age 35 result of a lupus anticoagulant and some very bad luck. We check her coumadin once a month and I am keeping tabs on her home physical therapy which is improving her mobility slowly. She speaks with difficulty though her cognition is ok. She said she heard a news story on TV about a new pill and wondered if it was for her. She couldn't quite remember the name of the pill but said she thought it was called "Poly" something. I had seen reports yesterday from the ACC (cardiology) meeting about the polypill data.

Coming soon to a dentist near you: improvements in screening for malignancies of the oral mucosa. Medical professionals have been searching for a better way to screen for oral cancers for many years. Clearly early diagnosis leads to better outcomes. Now dentists have the ViziLite Plus. It makes sense to use the higher-sensitivity test on patients at higher risk for malignancies such as smokers or users of chewing tobacco. Clinical trial experience is limited but early results are encouraging.