March 26, 2018
Things Keep Happening
By John 
I had been monitoring a steady increase in blood pressure for a while but could never pinpoint its cause. Therefore, it was a relief when my nephrologist diagnosed me with hyperaldosteronism, caused by a small benign tumor on the adrenal gland. I was relieved because now there was a way to fix this problem. Hyperaldosteronism […]
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Tags: adrenal gland, aldosterone, benign tumor, blood pressure, hyperaldosteronism, nephrologist, patient stories, post-operation appointment, surgery
March 9, 2018
New blood pressure guidelines affect millions
By uclahealth 
The American College of Cardiology recently updated existing blood pressure guidelines based on findings from the 2017 Systolic Blood Pressure Intervention Trial (SPRINT). Previously, guidelines labeled people with a blood pressure reading of 140/90 as high risk. Now, if your reading is 130/80 you are high risk. This 10-point change means nearly half of American […]
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Tags: blood pressure, blood pressure guidelines, exercise, heart services, high blood pressure, hypertension, increasing exercise, lifestyle modification, lower blood pressure, Mediterranean diet, SPRINT trial, systolic blood pressure
January 11, 2018
All’s well that ends well
By Ana 
I am a student and I am taking a class where we had to monitor our blood pressure. Mine was high so I went to UCLA Health. I was examined by a cardiologist and scans were done but they did not find the reason for the high blood pressure so I was referred to an […]
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Tags: adrenal gland, blood pressure, cardiologist, CT scan, Dr. Masha Livhits, endocrinologist, high blood pressure, patient stories, student
January 10, 2018
I’m very appreciative!
By Slow Nana 
When my numbers were elevated, my primary doctor took me off my blood pressure meds to try to reduce them but the numbers remained high. I had been in a bad auto accident so there was some thought that the numbers could be stress/trauma related. But then I saw an endocrinologist who said it was […]
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Tags: blood pressure, Dr. Michael Yeh, Dr. Yeh, endocrinologist, hyperparathyroid, patient stories, primary doctor, stress
December 5, 2017
Getting My Life Back
By Ari 
3 years ago I began to feel very tired and I had pain on the side of my kidney. I grew up in a family of doctors so when I feel something, I go to the doctor. I found I had calcium in my kidneys. But around that time, my daughter was diagnosed with Huntington’s […]
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Tags: biopsy, blood pressure, calcium in my kidneys, Dr. Masha Livhits, Huntington's Disease, kidney, osteoporosis, patient stories, surgery
November 29, 2017
Fight On
By G1951 
Initially it was quite a shock that I had any kind of thyroid cancer, however the journey has been a challenge, not an ordeal. Along the way I’ve been nurtured, doctored by some wonderful people. I would say to any, if you feel a lump, don’t put it off, address it right away. I failed […]
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Tags: blood pressure, blood test, cancer, cancer tumor board, Dr. Deborah Wong, Dr. Michael Wong, Dr. Michael Yeh, Endocrine Center, endocrinology, lung nodules, lymph nodes, neck dissection
September 27, 2017
Someone finally sees who I am
By DivaD 
It’s taken me a long time to accept myself. Twenty years ago, when I finally began the process, it was almost impossible to get insurance companies to pay for trans related care of any kind. Around 2002, I intuitively and stubbornly began to do whatever I could to confirm what I already knew about who […]
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Tags: blood pressure, breast augmentation, Dr. Amy Weimer, Dr. Jessica Bernacki, estrogen, gender health, health insurance, hormone treatment, laser hair removal, LBGQT, LBGTQ, patient stories
February 22, 2017
Women’s Heart Month: Are you at risk for heart disease?
By uclahealth 
Seeing red? February is Women’s Heart Month, and each year women around the country wear scarlet to raise awareness of the risk heart disease poses for women. Heart disease is the leading killer of women in the United States, causing one of every three deaths, according to the American Heart Association. Yet, experts say, many […]
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Tags: abnormal heart rhythms, alcohol consumption, atherosclerosis, blood pressure, blood sugar, chest pain, cigarette smoking, diabetes, Dr. Karol Watson, fluttering heartbeat, healthy weight, heart attack
February 14, 2017
Give your heart a healthy Valentine’s Day gift
By Roxanne Moster 
While boxes of decadent chocolates treats, celebratory champagne and romantic high-calorie dinners may dance in your mind as a way to celebrate Valentine’s Day, your heart may be pining for something else. With Valentine’s Day just around the corner, it is a great time to look at the state of your heart. “Despite recent progress, […]
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Tags: aerobic exercise, blood pressure, blood-sugar levels, cardiovascular disease, cardiovascular medications, cardiovascular risk factors, cholesterol levels, David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA, diabetes, Dr. Sheila Sahni, early diabetes, elevated blood sugar levels
December 28, 2016
How obesity can affect a woman’s ability to conceive
By uclahealth 
You’ve likely heard about the health issues caused by obesity. It raises your risk for heart disease and diabetes, increases your blood pressure and makes it difficult to do everyday activities such as walking or climbing stairs. For women specifically, obesity also may be a contributing factor in infertility. If you are overweight and having […]
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Tags: activities, bariatric surgery, blood pressure, BMI, body mass index, conceive, diabetes, Dr. Yijun Chen, excess weight, fertility, gestational diabetes, heart disease