Training & Nutrition - Atkins. SchmAtkins.

Variations on this story have been all over the UK media all day. Apparently the infamous Dr Atkins had severe heart disease and was obese at the time of his death, despite 36 years on his eponymous diet...

BBC news http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/americas/3477277.stm

Jonny

PS this link is very sympathetic, most of the newspapers I've read today were much more condemnatory. (Originally in the Wall Street Journal, I think?)

Actually, the autopsy showed that he died from a head injury sustained from a fall on ice. The people that have been making all this ruckus have been traced back to PITA!

Plus, he was 72 years old! I wonder if he would have made it past 60 if it weren't for his diet, due to his family's history with heart problems.

L8R

Actually, the autopsy showed that he died from a head injury sustained from a fall on ice.

He must have tripped over the food pyramid.

Quote:
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Originally Posted by a2psyklnut
Actually, the autopsy showed that he died from a head injury sustained from a fall on ice.
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He must have tripped over the food pyramid.


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Good one.

Very true-

Many people think Atkins died of a heart attack. He actually tripped on the sidewalk, fell and hit his head and was in a coma for a few days before he died of his injuries. Boyfriend was pretty much on the old side.

Seriously, the autopsy was done by the medical examiner, and it was an external examination. The family refused an autopsy, so we won't know what truly caused his death, except that it was most likely due to injury from his fall.

I don't like that someone's private medical files were released to the public, no matter what the situation. For what it's worth, if it was true that Atkins had cardiomyothy like his widow claimed, it would support the medical files for the heart disease, bypass surgeries, etc. It would also explain the amount of fluid buildup in his body, which would make him a bit heavier than he actually was. On the other hand, how could a high-fat diet help his heart condition any, since it would just stress the arteries of the heart even more? He should have known better than to eat high fat, which would have given him plaque buildup on the artery walls, which would weaken his heart even more, which would actually make him even sicker, I would think.

I don't think this is the tell-all for the Atkins diet. It didn't help Atkins any, and he should have always been straightforward with the masses about this condition, since if it did come out the wrong way, it would just aid the critics even more.

Koffee

I don't like that someone's private medical files were released to the public, no matter what the situation.[QUOTE]

Evidentaly these criminals have never heard of HIPPA guidlines for patient privacy!!!!!! They should be tracked down and fined by the government and the family for the violation of the privacy of the patient!


What do you think that long piece of paper, or electronic mumbo jumbo, you have to sign at the Dr.'s office is saying? We can only release results to the MD who ordered them or the patient. Even if the patient comes to the hospital where I work and want's a copy of their labs, they have to sign a release and have proper ID. We also have to verify fax numbers twice a year. This is taken very serously!


As for the Atkins diet, I lost 60 lbs. doing it. My BUN was slightly elevated the whole time I was on it, probably not good. So I decided to stop doing it. I still avoid the high gylcemic index foods, unless I am on a ride. I have come to the realazation that if I eat things I prepair, and don't add a lot of salt, fat, or sweetners, and stay away from high glycemic carbs, I do just fine. I have been trying to eat more fresh fruit and veggies, and less meat, although I do enjoy meat! Now if I can just learn to practice better portion control, I am sure I can dump the rest of the JUNK from the TRUNK! :D

Atkins. SchmAtkins.!! I need my carbs man! :D

I don't like that someone's private medical files were released to the public, no matter what the situation.[QUOTE]

Evidentaly these criminals have never heard of HIPPA guidlines for patient privacy!!!!!!

Ah, actually it's HIPAA. Don't sweat it - everyone screws it up.

Ah, actually it's HIPAA. Don't sweat it - everyone screws it up.

Yea, and HIPAA only applies to facilities/entities in the United States. I think Mr. Adkins passed in a facility Great Britian. Soooo, HIPAA does not actually apply. (well, at least they are not bound by HIPAA rules)

I haven't seen that much information linking the Atkins diet to a long life. I have however seen a lot of it linking the diet to weight loss. I will stick with avoiding fat and ice. ;)

Ummm... no, he didn't die in GB. He died in the USA. In New York, to be exact. At the New York Weill Cornell Medical Center to be precise. So his medical records were protected, and no one had the right to release those records without the consent of family.

Regardless, it's wrong to violate privacy guidelines and invade people's privacy, as well as break laws to prove a point. Two wrongs doesn't make a right.

Koffee

Ummm... no, he didn't die in GB. He died in the USA. In New York, to be exact. At the New York Weill Cornell Medical Center to be precise. So his medical records were protected, and no one had the right to release those records without the consent of family.

Regardless, it's wrong to violate privacy guidelines and invade people's privacy, as well as break laws to prove a point. Two wrongs doesn't make a right.

Koffee

I guess I should pay closer attention to the morning news. :p

I agree. Those responsible for disclosing his records should be held accountable under HIPAA Regulations.

I work for a "Regional Community Mental Health Center" and we have spent a lot of money and time to insure this type of thing does not happen with our records. (I am in I.T.) Of course, there is always the risk of a rogue employee trying to make a buck.

I am batting a thousand today with being off of the facts... dang... :rolleyes:

N7CZinMT, it seems we have more than a love for biking in common today. ;)

If you are in IT you know how important it is to protect these records. HIPAA protected info isn't the only thing that should be guarded. Most people would be shocked at the disreguard that some workers have with records that have names, SSNs and addresses in the same place! This is a serious breach, reguardless of the reason and should be punnished.

You wouldn't beleave how pissed some people get when we tell them we can't release any information over the phone. I look for the day when we will not even be able to release info over a phone line, unless it is secure, and we have a way to prove who we are giving them to.

I really dislike the whole Atkins controversy, but what really reeks more than this is a bunch of preachy doctors who violate the privacy of others to further their agenda. It's an egregious violation of federal laws that are in place to protect us from people like this- people that could take our personal information and dessiminate it at will to whomever they want. I truly agree that Atkins does more harm than good, but this was definitely not the way to go about exposing Atkins. Not only did they violate the privacy of a dead man, but they also twisted the information to the best of their abilities in the process. If anything, they end up doing more harm than good in the fight to educate people to the Atkins myth, since it seems clear that the information given is not entirely accurate. There is no way a medical examiner could possibly know what the arteries of this man looked like, given that he only gave the body a visual inspection. So the medical report, at best, is inaccurate, which doesn't do anything to debunk the Atkins claims at all.

I seriously hope those doctors are punished in federal court for what they did- they broke the law and I hope someone prosecutes them so that other doctors think twice before releasing information without consent from the patient and/or the family.

Koffee

N7CZinMT, it seems we have more than a love for biking in common today. ;)

If you are in IT you know how important it is to protect these records. HIPAA protected info isn't the only thing that should be guarded. Most people would be shocked at the disreguard that some workers have with records that have names, SSNs and addresses in the same place! This is a serious breach, reguardless of the reason and should be punnished.

You wouldn't beleave how pissed some people get when we tell them we can't release any information over the phone. I look for the day when we will not even be able to release info over a phone line, unless it is secure, and we have a way to prove who we are giving them to.

Yep, you are right. We have had to battle certian staff trying to take records home to work on! That was ok 10 years ago. Not today!

The Feds really need to make an example of HIPAA enforcement out of these people.

Our "Privacy" officer is very detailed oriented. I am our defacto "Security Officer" and together we keep a VERY close eye on things. Heck, we have even stopped making appointment reminder calls. (especially since we are mental health services)

We could start a whole other forum just to talk about HIPAA... :p And don't even get me started on transaction code sets... :rolleyes:

Nice, taking advantage of a dead man.

Steak Through the Heart?

Wednesday, February 11, 2004

By Neil Cavuto



I think it's time to update you on a few key facts on this Atkins situation.

Update 1: He's dead. He can't defend himself.

Update 2: His medical records were made public. How would you like that to happen to you, or a loved one?

Update 3: The people who revealed those records were a group called the Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine.

Update 4: That group advocates vegetarianism and is among the Atkins diet's biggest critics.

Update 5: They seem to have an axe to grind.

Update 6: They seem to be selective when they grind that ax.

Update 7: Atkins was not, and I repeat was not, obese at the end of his life. According to a hospital record obtained by USA Today, the good doctor was all of 195 pounds when he was admitted to a hospital after a fall on April 8, 2003.

Update 8: He lapsed into a coma and died nine days later. No one, and I repeat no one, knows for sure how much weight he gained with water retention while he was comatose. But clearly, it wasn't the fault of a guy downing ring-dings. For god's sake, he was dying!

Update 9: Dr. Atkins had cardiomyopathy that resulted from a viral infection, not his diet.

Update 10: I had a chance to see Dr. Atkins several times over the last few years. He always seemed in pretty good shape to me. And why wouldn't he be? He was the face of a diet revolution for more than 40 years! You don't stay on message if you're not staying in shape. And Atkins did and was.

They say dead men tell no tales. I just pity the fact this dead man can't tell his critics where to get off.

Let them eat their vegetables. But for god's sake, let this man rest in peace.

Amen!

Do you trust your doctor? Ask her/him before going on the Atkins diet. Don't put all your faith in a bestseller.

as i understand it, it was a doctor in nebraska who had requested the external autopsy notes, and it was given to him although he had no rights to see them.

as for the debate over the adkins diet, i think that the lines that are being drawn largely due to the potential for a huge public liability. over 10 million americans are on this diet. now, if this was a drug (otc or rx) it would have to go through very stringent tests before going to market. the FDA is now (a little late) go through a process to limit access to OTC supplements.

there is even a movement towards more disclosure for processed foods, meat and poultry sources grown with steroids, etc., the use of pesticides , etc.

but a diet that advocates completely cutting out a food group that we as humans have evolved into using as a primary source of energy and other building block nutrients....that opens him up to debate and scrutiny.

i want to know long term effects from ingesting something....anything. i refuse to ever spray DEET on me or my children for example. i know it has been approved for topical use (although scaled back in concentration from the '70's)

remember that sat night skit? it's better to look good than to feel good...i am only sceptical about the long term effects. that's all. and that is just my conservative 'first do no harm' personal attitiude towards things.

this diet is bigger than you or i.

and my concerns are the same as when he was alive. although it is suspect that the family only wanted an external autopsy, i prefer the more moderate south beach diet. what ever happened to 'everything in moderation?'

i want to know long term effects from ingesting something....anything. i refuse to ever spray DEET on me or my children for example. i know it has been approved for topical use (although scaled back in concentration from the '70's)

I dunno if I would ditch the DEET yet. I know two people that nearly died from the West Nile virus last year. One has since been able to return to work the other will never be the same again. That is BAD. I have never been one to freak over stuff like viruses but Man I am scared of Mosquitos now. After I get bitten I am thinking, hmmmmm wonder how long till i die?

I think i will meet with my pediatrician to see what he suggests for the kids. I am going to put some serious dope on myself this year. I'm not gettin takin out by a mosquito.

I haven't seen that much information linking the Atkins diet to a long life. I have however seen a lot of it linking the diet to weight loss. I will stick with avoiding fat and ice. ;)

Do you get ice in Kansas.I thought you only got tornados ! :D

My wife took care of Dr. Atkins in surgical recovery after his fall on the ice.

Nothing else to add in particular, just thought it tied in with the thread somehow.

Rest In Peace Dr A. Your diet enabled me to lose some weight initialy & start me off on a healthier path, R.I.P