
Donald Trump's session with reporters cut short after young girl faints in Oval Office
White House aides sprung into action, shooing away reporters and photographers, who were covering the White House swearing-in ceremony of Mehmet Oz as Administrator of the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS).
"Everybody out, please move," a White House aide could be heard saying on the pooled video feed after a young relative of Mehmet Oz collapsed.
"No photos!" the aide instructed journalists, as per NYP.
Oz, 64, had just been sworn in as administrator of the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services before Trump began taking questions on several topics from the assembled press pool.
The girl was identified by People and TMZ as Oz's 11-year-old granddaughter Philomena, NYP reported.
Trump walked over to check on the girl as the media were escorted away.
"A minor family member fainted during Dr. Oz's swearing in ceremony in the Oval Office," a White House official said in a brief statement, as quoted by NYP. "We are happy to say she is OK."
The White House stated in a post on X that Oz was sworn in by Robert F Kennedy, Jr.
"Dr Oz has officially been sworn in as the Administrator of the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services by Robert F Kennedy, Jr in the Oval Office!"
https://x.com/WhiteHouse/status/1913326439916519615
Trump, while introducing Oz said, "As Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services Administrator, Dr. Oz will work tirelessly to strengthen and protect Medicare for our nation's seniors & Medicaid... there will be NO CUTS."
As Mehmet Oz completes his first week as the 17th Administrator of CMS, he is sharing his agenda and vision for the agency.
A cardiothoracic surgeon and former host of an award-winning TV show, he now leads the largest agency under the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), with a USD 1.7 trillion budget, tasked with delivering health outcomes for more than 160 million people, as per CMS website.
"I want to thank President Trump and Secretary Kennedy for their confidence in my ability to lead CMS in achieving their vision to Make America Healthy Again," said Oz.
"Great societies protect their most vulnerable. As stewards of the health of so many Americans - especially disadvantaged youth, those with disabilities, and our seniors, the CMS team is dedicated to delivering superior health outcomes across each program we administer. America is too great for small dreams, and I'm ready to get work on the President's agenda,", CMS quoted Oz as saying.
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Observer
27-07-2025
- Observer
This test can see a heart attack in your future
A long list of Lynda Hollander's paternal relatives had heart disease, and several had undergone major surgeries. So when she hit her mid-50s and saw her cholesterol levels creeping up after menopause, she said, 'I didn't want to take a chance.' A cardiologist told Hollander that based on factors like age, sex, cholesterol and blood pressure, she faced a moderate risk of a major cardiac event, like a heart attack, within the next 10 years. Doctors typically counsel such patients about the importance of diet and exercise, but Hollander, now 64, a social worker in West Orange, New Jersey, didn't have much room for improvement. She was already a serious runner, and although 'I fall off the wagon once in a while,' her diet was basically healthy. Attempts to lose weight didn't lower her cholesterol. Her doctor explained that a coronary artery calcium test, something Hollander had never heard of, could provide a more precise estimate of her risk of atherosclerotic heart disease. A brief and painless CT scan, it would show whether the fatty deposits called plaque were developing in the arteries leading to her heart. When plaque ruptures, it can cause clots that block blood flow and trigger heart attacks. The scan would help determine whether Hollander would benefit from taking a statin, which could reduce plaque and prevent more from forming. 'The test is used by more people every year,' said Dr. Michael Blaha, co-director of the preventive cardiology program at Johns Hopkins University. Calcium scans quadrupled between 2006 and 2017, his research team reported, and Google searches for related terms have risen even more sharply. Yet 'it's still being underused compared to its value,' he said. One reason is that although the test is comparatively inexpensive — sometimes up to $300, but often $100 or less — patients must pay for it out of pocket. Medicare rarely covers it, though some doctors argue that it should. Patients with a CAC score of zero — no plaque — have lower risk than their initial assessments indicate and aren't candidates for cholesterol-lowering drugs. But Hollander's score was in the 50s, not high but not negligible. 'It was the first indication of what was going on inside my arteries,' she said. Although guidelines vary, cardiologists generally offer statins to patients with calcium scores over zero, and suggest higher intensity statins when scores exceed 100. At over 300, patients' risks approach those of people who've already had heart attacks; they may need still more aggressive treatment. Hollander has taken a low dose of rosuvastatin (brand name: Crestor) ever since, supplemented by a nonstatin drug, a shot called evolocumab (Repatha). This is the way calcium testing is supposed to work. It's not a screening test for everyone. 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Observer
19-07-2025
- Observer
Trump diagnosed with vein issue
Washington - US President Donald Trump has been diagnosed with a common, benign vein condition, the White House said Thursday, following speculation about his heavily bruised hand and swollen legs. The 79-year-old, who in January became the oldest person ever to assume the presidency, was found to have "chronic venous insufficiency," Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt told reporters. The widely noted discoloration on Trump's right hand, meanwhile, was "tissue irritation from frequent handshaking" and the use of aspirin as part of a standard cardiovascular treatment, she said. Presidential physician Sean Barbabella said Trump "remains in excellent health" despite the condition, in a letter released by the White House. The Republican frequently boasts of his good health and energy levels, while the administration recently even posted an image depicting him as Superman. Trump has alleged that Democrats covered up the mental and physical decline of his predecessor, Joe Biden, who was 82 when he left office in January. Now, Trump, who said after undergoing a routine medical check-up that he was in "very good shape," has been forced to answer questions about his health. Leavitt's revelations follow widespread online discussions about the president's visibly swollen ankles, seen in particular at the recent FIFA Club World Cup final in New Jersey, and a bruised hand that often appeared to be covered with make-up. "In recent weeks, President Trump noted mild swelling in his lower legs," Leavitt said, adding that he was examined by White House doctors "out of an abundance of caution." Ultrasound tests "revealed chronic venous insufficiency, a benign and common condition, particularly in individuals over the age of 70." The condition involves damaged leg veins that fail to keep blood flowing properly. Leavitt said Trump had asked her to share the diagnosis "in the effort of transparency." - 'Pretty common' - Dr. Matt Heinz, an internist and hospitalist from Tucson, Arizona, told AFP that chronic venous insufficiency is "pretty common," especially in older adults. It results from the venous valves becoming less effective. "It comes with age, gravity, and obesity doesn't help if that's a condition that people suffer from. I know the president's been losing some weight, though, so I think that's probably a little better," he said. The White House pressed home its message that the condition did not pose a serious risk to Trump, saying that "importantly, there was no evidence of deep vein thrombosis or arterial disease." Trump had "normal cardiac structure and function, no signs of heart failure, renal impairment or systemic illness," added Leavitt. Of the hand bruising issue, Leavitt said: "This is a well-known and benign side effect of aspirin therapy." For months, however, the White House had previously dismissed questions about Trump's bruised hand, saying that it was purely down to handshaking. The health of US presidents has always been closely watched, but with the White House seeing its two oldest ever occupants since 2017, the scrutiny is now heavier than ever . Biden's health was a key issue in the 2024 election, and the then-president was forced to drop his campaign for a second term after a disastrous debate performance against Trump. Republicans in the House of Representatives have issued subpoenas to several Biden aides, including his doctor, to get them to testify in an investigation into the Democrat's mental fitness. Biden was diagnosed with aggressive prostate cancer in May. As far as Trump was concerned, his condition was likely to be treated with compression socks, activity, and maybe weight loss, rather than any "invasive" treatment such as prosthetic valves, Heinz said. Swelling could indicate something more serious, such as heart issues, "but I don't have that information."


Times of Oman
18-07-2025
- Times of Oman
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