For those who can’t stand the sight of blood, I would advise against pursuing a career in gastroenterology. We confront blood more often and more directly than nearly every other medical practitioner. One of the most common reasons we are called to see hospitalized patients is to evaluate internal bleeding that originates somewhere within the alimentary canal. It is then our task to identify the exact site of leakage and to caulk the leak, if possible. As even a casual TV watcher knows that blood thinning medications are ubiquitous. In the olden days, there was Coumadin (aka warfarin), which is still in use today. It is a rather clumsy drug that requires frequent monitoring and dosage adjustments. At times, and for no apparent reason, a Coumadin user’s blood will become thinner than desired and internal bleeding may result. More recently, new generations of blood thinners have emerged giving physicians many new ways to thin their patients’ blood. These newer agen
MD Whistleblower presents vignettes and commentaries on the medical profession. We peek 'behind the medical curtain' and deliver candor and controversy in every post.