2003

S13.E1 ∙ Deadly Blood Clots: The Dangers of Venous Thromboembolism

Wed, Aug 05, 2009

The dangers of blood clots are well known: they can cause heart attacks, strokes and other potentially fatal conditions. But there's another medical hazard that occurs when the blood clot lives quietly deep in the veins of the legs. And when a part of this blood clot breaks off and travels to the lung the result can be almost instantaneous death. This type of blood clot is called deep vein thrombosis and when it travels to the lungs its called pulmonary embolism. And these are two manifestations of the condition known as venous thromboembolism. In this program we will examine the symptoms and risk factors of venous thromboembolism, see who should be tested for clotting disorders and highlight the latest treatments. We will also take a look ahead to see what discoveries can help people with this condition in the future.

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S13.E2 ∙ Type II Diabetes

Wed, Aug 12, 2009

With more than a million people diagnosed every year with type II diabetes in the United States you might think there are standard treatments that work just about the same way for nearly everyone. But as you'll see in this program the treatments available for people with Type II Diabetes work differently with each patient and depend largely on the patient's specific needs. You'll also see how important it is that type II diabetes be effectively managed in patients over the long haul and we'll have solid information on how people with type II diabetes can achieve that long-term management goal.

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S13.E3 ∙ Treating Primary Immunodeficiency

Wed, Aug 19, 2009

Primary Immunodeficiency is a long name for a complicated condition where a person's immune system cannot adequately protect against the normal threats in our environment. Usually PI as it is known has a hereditary cause and in some cases it can cause those with the condition to live almost in isolation for fear of coming into contact with harmful diseases or bacteria. But in this program we'll highlight the treatments that scientists and researchers have developed that can help people with PI live nearly normal lives. We'll also meet patients who have been living with this condition for many years and see how they manage day to day. Plus, we'll take a look into the future to see what advancements may be coming soon.

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S13.E4 ∙ Understanding Hereditary Angioedema: A Mysterious Out-of-Control Immune Response

Wed, Aug 26, 2009

Its called Hereditary Angioedema and its so rare popular television shows have used it as one of their mystery diagnoses. But for the people who suffer with this condition the drama associated with an episode of hereditary angioedema is anything but entertaining. It can be harrowing and horrifying because a person's face or knees or other parts of the body that once looked normal suddenly takes on grotesque proportions due to an unusual amount of swelling. This condition baffled scientists and researchers for many years but today there are new treatments for hereditary angioedema that are helping people with this condition live healthy normal lives. In this program we'll hear what the experts have discovered about hereditary angioedema, see why it is often misunderstood and misdiagnosed and explore the new approaches to therapy.

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S13.E5 ∙ Advances in Managing Gout

Wed, Sep 02, 2009

Gout is the most common inflammatory arthritis among men. It can cause dramatic disabling painful episodes but also if inadequately treated causes chronic disability & documented loss of quality of life. Inadequate treatment, unfortunately, is very common due to a poor understanding of both diagnosis & treatment needs. In this program we'll see that much of the misunderstanding & poor outcome of people with Gout can be addressed by educating both physicians and the general public about effective treatments available for Gout.

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S13.E6 ∙ Insomnia: Waking Up at Night

Mon, Nov 09, 2009

Most of us have had trouble falling asleep on occasion. But imagine a scenario where you fall asleep easily and then after a few hours you wake up and stay up. You're not rested, you know you need more sleep but it just doesn't come. Now imagine that scenario repeats itself almost every night. A prominent expert referred to that type of sleep pattern, known officially as nocturnal awakening as a "nightmare". And that nightmare affects millions of people every year and contributes to danger on the highway from drowsy driving, as well as lost productivity at work and an overall poor quality of life. But there is help available. In this program we explore the problem of nocturnal awakening and see what can be done to treat it. We speak with the experts who discuss the scientific aspects of sleep disorders and patients who share their secrets to getting a good nights sleep.

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