Comments on: GOOD NEWS ON HEART DISEASE: OH NO! http://www.healthcarebs.com/2008/01/28/good-news-on-heart-disease-oh-no/ Cleaning the Augean Stables of the Health Care Debate Wed, 03 Dec 2008 08:06:08 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.3.3 By: drmatt http://www.healthcarebs.com/2008/01/28/good-news-on-heart-disease-oh-no/#comment-22960 drmatt Wed, 30 Jan 2008 22:08:04 +0000 http://www.healthcarebs.com/2008/01/28/good-news-on-heart-disease-oh-no/#comment-22960 Dont forget that the vital stats come from death certificates, and it has been amply proven that us docs are terrible at figuring cause of death. In a study where hundreds of autopsies where performed after the death certificate was filled out, it was discovered that we were wrong 90% of the time. Dont forget that the vital stats come from death certificates, and it has been amply proven that us docs are terrible at figuring cause of death. In a study where hundreds of autopsies where performed after the death certificate was filled out, it was discovered that we were wrong 90% of the time.

]]> By: Catron http://www.healthcarebs.com/2008/01/28/good-news-on-heart-disease-oh-no/#comment-21962 Catron Mon, 28 Jan 2008 21:27:04 +0000 http://www.healthcarebs.com/2008/01/28/good-news-on-heart-disease-oh-no/#comment-21962 "Fund raising, it appears, demands a continual crisis ..." Good point. “Fund raising, it appears, demands a continual crisis …”

Good point.

]]> By: DrRich http://www.healthcarebs.com/2008/01/28/good-news-on-heart-disease-oh-no/#comment-21911 DrRich Mon, 28 Jan 2008 18:03:26 +0000 http://www.healthcarebs.com/2008/01/28/good-news-on-heart-disease-oh-no/#comment-21911 I entirely agree with you that good news about healthcare is about as welcome in today's classic media as is good news about the war in Iraq or global warming. However, keep in mind that the AHA's main mission is to generate millions of dollars in research funds, and that to do so, a fine balance must be struck between touting success in combating heart disease, and stressing that heart disease remains a scourge on society. For example, a couple of years ago when the American Cancer Society proudly proclaimed cancer to be the # 1 killer, the AHA rapidly countered that, no, cardiovascular disease still kills more Americans than anything else. (They did this by including stroke and all manner of other vascular conditions.) To this day the pissing match ("mine is bigger") continues. Fund raising, it appears, demands a continual crisis, so you will never hear one of these medical organizations declaring victory. I entirely agree with you that good news about healthcare is about as welcome in today’s classic media as is good news about the war in Iraq or global warming.

However, keep in mind that the AHA’s main mission is to generate millions of dollars in research funds, and that to do so, a fine balance must be struck between touting success in combating heart disease, and stressing that heart disease remains a scourge on society.

For example, a couple of years ago when the American Cancer Society proudly proclaimed cancer to be the # 1 killer, the AHA rapidly countered that, no, cardiovascular disease still kills more Americans than anything else. (They did this by including stroke and all manner of other vascular conditions.) To this day the pissing match (”mine is bigger”) continues. Fund raising, it appears, demands a continual crisis, so you will never hear one of these medical organizations declaring victory.

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