Approximately 50 percent of women with symptoms of a vaginal infection self-treat with over-the-counter (OTC) medications designed to treat yeast infections.

Q. What are the blood fats that are most important to know about?
A: When I visit with patients, I make sure to discuss the good, the bad and the ugly when it comes to blood fats. That is, good cholesterol, bad cholesterol and triglycerides. Triglycerides are one of several types of fat found in our blood that are stored in our body when we eat too many calories. Triglyceride levels vary from normal to very high. Even when cholesterol levels are normal, very high triglycerides are something that patients should address with a doctor.

Today, women experience more emergency department visits, hospitalizations and--for the first time--deaths than men as a result of COPD. From 1980 to 2000, the death rate for COPD among women in the U.S. approximately tripled, and in 2003 more than 63,000 women died from COPD, compared to 59,000 men. In fact, that same year, more women died from COPD than from breast cancer.

Q: What kind of preventative screenings do women need and how often do they need them?

A: At any age, exercise and eating a well-balanced diet are keys to good health.