Medicine is Changing

We are missing a lot of signals about the future of our health and our determinants of health.  In a journal article written by Asch et al. (2012) the evolution of healthcare and what determines our health is discussed.  Three specific signals are mentioned in the article and include the often overlooked social determinants of health such as social circumstances.  Second, healthcare institutions and insurance are no longer producing outcomes consumers’ desire.  There is a trend showing that there is interest in what happens to the population and the individual.  The third signal we are missing is that reimbursement for services is changing, and eventually the successful healthcare providers will offer a broad range of services to deliver health.

See the entire article in The New England Journal of Medicine

Asch, A.D., Volpp K. (2012). What business are we in? The Emergence of Health as

the business of Health Care.  The New England Journal of Medicine, 367; 10. pp. 888-889.

The Clinical Applications of Hawthorn (Crataegus Oxyacantha)

Crataegus Oxyacantha, also known as hawthorn, can be used in the treatment of hypertension.  The leaf, berry, and flower extracts have been researched for active constituents, which can be found in lengthy monographs. Actions of this botanical include increasing diuresis, improving coronary circulation, and acts as a hypotensive.

Isolating the active constituents appears to have little effect when tested in the lab. Research suggests utilizing the entire plant extracts for clinical use. A large review completed by Rastogi et al. (2015) examines Crataegus as a remedy for cardiovascular disorders.  The review suggests that there is abundant evidence to support the use of Crataegus in cardiovascular conditions, and further well-designed research is needed to evaluate drug-herb interactions and adverse side effects to incorporate this botanical in standards of care.

1.     Li L, Zhou X, Li N, Sun M, Lv J, Xu Z. Herbal drugs against cardiovascular disease : traditional medicine and modern development. 2015;20(9). doi:10.1016/j.drudis.2015.04.009.

2.     Rastogi S, Pandey MM, Rawat AKS. Traditional herbs : a remedy for cardiovascular disorders. Phytomedicine. 2015;000:1-8. doi:10.1016/j.phymed.2015.10.012.