Can We Prevent Cardiac Disease? (with Danny Luger, MD and Max Fitzgerald, MD)

Many of the questions we answer here on Your Doctor Friends focus on a specific problem. What should I do if I am nauseous? Did I tear my meniscus? Do I have a kidney stone? 

However, the "holy grail" in healthcare lies in the question, can I prevent a problem?

Individually, we go to our annual physicals. We click on the headlines that suggest there is a "secret" or "one weird trick" we didn’t know that could make us feel better or live longer or perform better. We read nutrition labels, take vitamins and supplements, consult with nutritionists and personal trainers. Universally, we all want to live long, healthy lives. 

Alas, healthcare does not often encourage prevention. Insurance generally doesn’t cover preventative services. Healthcare companies, by and large, don’t invest in preventative care. Similarly, diagnostic testing, the backbone of identifying risks, remains underfunded and under-researched. 

Again, this all begs the question, can we actually prevent disease?

Today Your Doctor Friends are tagging in their friends, Max Fitzgerald, MD and Dr. Danny Luger, MD!

Drs. Max Fitzgerald and Danny Luger are physicians at Rush University Medical Center and direct the Center for Prevention of Cardiac Disease. Max is a Physiatrist (a specialist in musculoskeletal medicine and rehabilitation) and Danny is a Cardiologist. They are both exceptional clinicians, incredibly accomplished individually, and together they saw a hole in our medical system and Your Doctor Friends are super jacked to have them here on the show!

This episode underscores the necessity of habitual changes, like movement/exercise adjustment and sleep regulation, for preventing diseases and their efforts in setting up a care model focusing on prevention at Rush. Drs. Fitzgerald and Luger also share the community collaborations they have initiated to enhance community wellbeing.

Points of Interest in the episode:

00:13 The Importance of, and Challenges Regarding Prevention in Healthcare

01:15 The Role of Annual Physicals and Lifestyle Choices

01:41 The Current State of Healthcare and Prevention

02:07 The Potential of Disease Prevention

04:35 The Origin and Goals of the Preventative Clinic

09:48 The Role of Mental Health in Preventive Care

39:53 The Importance of Sleep and Diet in Preventive Care

42:28 The Role of Community and Policy in Preventive Care

To learn more about the Rush Center for Prevention of Cardiovascular Disease, check out their website here!

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