Comments on: Hard Facts: Med http://www.overcomingbias.com/2010/03/hard-facts-med.html Overcoming Bias is economist Robin Hanson’s blog, on honesty, signaling, disagreement, forecasting, and the far future. Sat, 11 Feb 2012 22:21:13 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.1.3 By: Lauren http://www.overcomingbias.com/2010/03/hard-facts-med.html#comment-444373 Lauren Thu, 18 Mar 2010 15:04:51 +0000 http://www.overcomingbias.com/?p=22160#comment-444373 actually, blood letting is an accepted therapy for some medical issues ie, hemachromatosis a striking common inherited disorder whereby the body holds on to more iron that it should leading to liver failure among other things. More to the point, it makes sense that getting rid of plasma volume is a way to combat congestive heart failure or even myocardial infarction. Doctors do it nowadays via pharmacologic methods such as diuretics ("water pill" lasix) or venodilators (nitroglycerin). It is obviously was used inappropriately, but bloodletting didn't become in-fashion for nothing. I understand that the point of this review is to highlight medical errors, but this particular example seems a bit out of place. actually, blood letting is an accepted therapy for some medical issues ie, hemachromatosis a striking common inherited disorder whereby the body holds on to more iron that it should leading to liver failure among other things.

More to the point, it makes sense that getting rid of plasma volume is a way to combat congestive heart failure or even myocardial infarction. Doctors do it nowadays via pharmacologic methods such as diuretics (“water pill” lasix) or venodilators (nitroglycerin). It is obviously was used inappropriately, but bloodletting didn’t become in-fashion for nothing.

I understand that the point of this review is to highlight medical errors, but this particular example seems a bit out of place.

]]> By: tom http://www.overcomingbias.com/2010/03/hard-facts-med.html#comment-444029 tom Thu, 11 Mar 2010 16:24:54 +0000 http://www.overcomingbias.com/?p=22160#comment-444029 Expecting true contrarianity, I hoped for a defense of bloodletting. Expecting true contrarianity, I hoped for a defense of bloodletting.

]]> By: Helix http://www.overcomingbias.com/2010/03/hard-facts-med.html#comment-444015 Helix Thu, 11 Mar 2010 06:31:32 +0000 http://www.overcomingbias.com/?p=22160#comment-444015 Here is an account of the bloodletting that almost certainly contributed to Washington's death: http://xnet.kp.org/permanentejournal/spring04/time.html Here is an account of the bloodletting that almost certainly contributed to Washington’s death:

http://xnet.kp.org/permanentejournal/spring04/time.html

]]> By: Captain Oblivious http://www.overcomingbias.com/2010/03/hard-facts-med.html#comment-444006 Captain Oblivious Thu, 11 Mar 2010 00:06:37 +0000 http://www.overcomingbias.com/?p=22160#comment-444006 So I've always wondered if bloodletting could be an effective treatment for high blood pressure... (I bet you're all glad I'm not a doctor!) So I’ve always wondered if bloodletting could be an effective treatment for high blood pressure…

(I bet you’re all glad I’m not a doctor!)

]]> By: lemmy caution http://www.overcomingbias.com/2010/03/hard-facts-med.html#comment-443997 lemmy caution Wed, 10 Mar 2010 20:07:04 +0000 http://www.overcomingbias.com/?p=22160#comment-443997 That book looks good. I have ordered it from amazon. That book looks good. I have ordered it from amazon.

]]> By: Richard Silliker http://www.overcomingbias.com/2010/03/hard-facts-med.html#comment-443993 Richard Silliker Wed, 10 Mar 2010 18:41:42 +0000 http://www.overcomingbias.com/?p=22160#comment-443993 Sounds like leadership is lacking, The people in charge have loyalty to their bosses instead of to themselves. Where is this robust intuition that is needed to lead? Change the context to adjust the symmetry or live with the problem. Sounds like leadership is lacking, The people in charge have loyalty to their bosses instead of to themselves. Where is this robust intuition that is needed to lead?

Change the context to adjust the symmetry or live with the problem.

]]> By: Nancy Lebovitz http://www.overcomingbias.com/2010/03/hard-facts-med.html#comment-443991 Nancy Lebovitz Wed, 10 Mar 2010 14:54:16 +0000 http://www.overcomingbias.com/?p=22160#comment-443991 Sidelight on bloodletting: There's a bit in Jane Jacobs about bloodletting being more aggressive in the colonies than it was in Europe-- in Europe there were more "common sense" limits on how much blood could be taken. Sidelight on bloodletting: There’s a bit in Jane Jacobs about bloodletting being more aggressive in the colonies than it was in Europe– in Europe there were more “common sense” limits on how much blood could be taken.

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