An aortic tear is often a death sentence

Dear Dr. Roach: I wrote to you previously about my wife’s death from an aortic dissection. She was in the hospital for a urinary tract infection and was being examined by a resident doctor so she could be released within 12 hours. All of a sudden, she cried out because of a sharp pain in her back. Then she closed her eyes and stopped breathing. I would like to know what caused this. Was it medicine, old age or high blood pressure? I have lost a lot of sleep over this shock. She was 82.

Asthma meds tied to high blood pressure?

Dear Dr. Roach: I use Advair every day, two times a day, and I now have high blood pressure. I have heard there is a connection between the two.

Cirrhosis of the liver cannot be reversed

Dear Dr. Roach: Could you please explain why alcoholics get distended abdomens, and would the disorder reverse itself if someone quit drinking?

Body's testosterone serves a legitimate need

Dear Dr. Roach: Could you help explain the preponderance of testosterone-enhancing drugs that I see advertised lately for

Balance meds with the quality of life

Dear Dr. Roach: Several years ago my husband received a stent for a 99 percent blockage. What had kept him alive was a network of collateral arteries, thanks to a lifelong high level of exercise. His cardiologist put him on Crestor, and he became an old man before his time — muscle cramps, muscle weakness to the point that he was unable to exercise and our sex life became nonexistent. Also, his mental functioning dropped off noticeably.

Thyroid scores concern senior

Dear Dr. Roach: I am a 64-year-old woman in fairly good health who takes no medications. Both my mother, 88, and my sister, 53, take medication for hypothyroidism. In the past four months, I have had blood work done three times to check my thyroid and had slightly elevated TSH scores (between 5 and 7). My doctor then had me tested for antibodies, which came up negative.

ARDS is a breathtaking illness that can be fatal

Dear Dr. Roach: My son-in-law, age 48, suffered for a week with what he thought was the flu. Then he started having trouble catching his breath. He went to the emergency room and was admitted with what was diagnosed as double pneumonia. He was put on oxygen so that he could breathe. The next day, he was moved to the intensive care unit and put on a ventilator. The doctors said he had only a 50/50 chance of making it.

Calcium supplements are not necessary for all women

Dear Dr. Roach: I have been taking 1,000-1,200 mg of calcium daily for a long time now — more than 12 years. I am 46.

Delusions are real for the sufferer

Dear Dr. Roach: I am writing on behalf of my mother. For the past 17 months she has been experiencing what she feels are parasites coming out of her skin. She has seen multiple doctors, including skin doctors. They have done blood tests, X-rays and endoscopies, and she has been given several medications, such as permethrin, melechion, stromectal, etc.

Even topical estrogen can cause side effects

Dear Dr. Roach: For the past five years I have been using vaginal estrogen. I was first given Estradiol Cream. I have always had very thick, curly hair. In less than a week I started noticing hair coming out in my hands when washing it. Within a couple of months, my hair started to look thinner. Five years after starting the cream, my hair is noticeably thinner.

Using Tylenol in treatment for RA

Dear Dr. Roach: I am an 80-plus-year-old man with rheumatoid arthritis. My doctor has reduced my methotrexate dosage due to his concern about kidney damage. He prescribed Tylenol. My question is whether Tylenol also has a potential problem for my kidneys. Dear R.B.: Rheumatoid arthritis is a serious form of arthritis that can cause severe damage to joints if not aggressively treated. Methotrexate is a powerful medicine, often used as chemotherapy for some cancers.