MAYO CLINIC - DRINKING WATER
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Apparently, this internet lore about drinking water to prevent heart
attacks started off as an email circulation about heart attacks and
aspirin, which has now been creatively attached to information on water,
Virend K. Somers, MD told The American. Dr. Somers is the Mayo
Clinic cardiologist whose name and the organization he represents have
been attached to this erroneous posting. For starters, the posting did not come from Somers or even Mayo.
“For clarification, we had nothing to do with the e-mail. The Mayo Clinic web site has a note about this particular e-mail, pointing out that neither Mayo Clinic nor I had any role in formulating it.”
That would be a “ditto” on the health studies as well.
“I have not published any studies on aspirin nor on water,” Dr. Somers added. “The entire part on aspirin was put together by someone who took the liberty of mischievously attaching our name and our work on sleep apnea to the advice.”
Not only are some of the statements wrong. Some of this advice could hurt more than it could help.
“Some of the advice is potentially dangerous and irresponsible, such as the part about not lying down,” Somers said. “Aspirin may also have significant side effects. Should anyone have any questions regarding aspirin and personal health issues, it would be best to discuss these with his or her physician.”
If you’ve been advised by your doctor to take a daily low-dose aspirin, health experts currently point out that the best time to take that it for heart health is at bedtime. The U.S. Food & Drug Administration stresses consistency in the time of day, but four hours before taking a non-steroidal anti-inflammatory medication, like ibuprofen or naproxen, to reduce the risk of bleeding in the stomach or intestines.
Bottom line: Friends don’t let friends get their health care advice from non-medical personnel on social media. Leave that to the health professionals.
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