This week's show covers serious health topics: medication side effects, stroke prevention, blood pressure concerns, rising colon cancer rates in the young, and the dangers of vaping

Ask Doctor Dawn

KSQD 4-24-2024: In this week's show, we tackle several important health topics. Dr. Dawn starts by investigating "the prescribing cascade," where side effects from an initial medication necessitate additional prescriptions. This is often seen with treatments for high blood pressure and atrial fibrillation.

We then explore strokes of undetermined origin. Interestingly, Dr. Dawn notes that for preventing recurrent strokes, the classic, low-cost aspirin can be just as effective as newer, more expensive alternatives.

Another topic is delayed orthostatic hypotension, a condition where blood pressure drops upon standing. Dr. Dawn provides details on a simple test for diagnosis.

We address a worrying trend: increasingly aggressive colon cancers are occurring in younger populations. Dr. Dawn discusses both established and novel screening tests, like the new DNA-based successor to Cologuard, emphasizing the importance of early detection.

Finally, we offer a sobering reality check about vaping. Studies show a growing number of young people who begin with vaping are transitioning to traditional smoking, underscoring that vaping carries its own significant risks.