Author Archives: Eric Van De Graaff, M.D.

Eric Van De Graaff, M.D., a cardiologist with Alegent Health Clinic Heart and Vascular Specialists, has been a regular contributor to BlogAlegent since February 2009.  He posts weekly about everything from heart health to more general issues facing physicians today – and it all comes with a bit of his now-signature sense of humor. His posts are also featured every Monday morning on LiveWellNebraska.com.

Besides caring for patients and writing for your education and entertainment, Dr. Van De Graaff is also a husband and father. He plays piano in a jazz band and enjoys marathon running as well as road and mountain biking.

Farewell

Posted on May 22, 2012 by Eric Van De Graaff, M.D.

They say all good things must come to an end. Such wisdom probably counts for mediocre things, too.  This represents my final submission to the Alegent Cardiology Blog and I’d like to occupy some electrons on your computer screen to thank all the people who’ve helped me with my writing along the way.  My gratitude goes out to Alegent Health for allowing me to have a voice for my opinions.  It’s not everywhere you’d find a large organization that provides blanket permission for an individual to spout off week after … Continue reading →

Posted in Cardiology | 13 Comments

Doctors Behaving Badly

Posted on May 14, 2012 by Eric Van De Graaff, M.D.

As odd as this might sound, my mother was upset when I declared my intention to go to medical school. It wasn’t the mountain of debt I was sure to incur since I’d already figured out how to get Uncle Sam to pick up the bill (a small deal that put me in a military uniform for a decade).  It wasn’t the fact that medical school would delay the litter of bouncing grandbabies she wanted to fawn over.  And it certainly wasn’t because she’d miss me—she’d already seen too much … Continue reading →

Posted in Cardiology | 8 Comments

Running Races

Posted on April 30, 2012 by Eric Van De Graaff, M.D.

This summer marks the 25th straight year that I’ve been running on a regular basis.  Over the last quarter of a century I’ve done so many five- and 10-kilometer races that I’ve lost count.  I’ve competed in 10-milers, half-marathons, 3-k and 25-k runs and every “k” in between, and enough marathons that my knees are starting to hold a grudge. Not that I win any of these, mind you.  I’ve always been a fairly mediocre runner—generally placing in the top third of any race but never talented enough to post … Continue reading →

Posted in Cardiology | Tagged | 3 Comments

Smoking in the Military

Posted on April 23, 2012 by Eric Van De Graaff, M.D.

The military has a long tradition of mixing warfare and tobacco.  Years ago the army included a pack of smokes in every C-ration distributed to the troops; as a result it was more common for soldiers to take up smoking than to remain abstinent.  The tobacco industry insured itself a whole generation of addicted consumers by volunteering their product to help the war effort.  Years later, of course, we’ve inherited this tradition in the form of lung cancer, emphysema and heart disease among our veterans. When I was a young … Continue reading →

Posted in Cardiology | Tagged | 2 Comments

Obstructive Sleep Apnea and Your Heart

Posted on April 16, 2012 by Eric Van De Graaff, M.D.

I recently asked a patient about his compliance with therapy for obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) and got an odd response.  “What does it matter to you if I use my CPAP?”  The CPAP to which he referred is the mask that OSA sufferers wear at night to improve their oxygen levels during sleep. On one level I can understand his question.  This is a sleeping problem, after all—not exactly the realm of cardiology.  Why should I care if he starts his day refreshed or drags himself out of bed feeling … Continue reading →

Posted in Cardiology | Tagged | 9 Comments