Medical

You may want to put down that fourth cup of coffee. A new study finds that heavy coffee drinking is linked with a higher risk of death in men and women younger than 55.

Of the eight top hospitals in Atlanta according to U.S. News & World Report, two of them have nationally ranked specialties. Emory University Hospital and Shepherd Center, the top ranked local hospitals on the list, have national areas of expertise.

The IV in my right arm pumped in liters of needed fluid, along with some Toradol anti-inflammatory medication, while a nasal cannula provided a steady stream of cool oxygen. This was a Sunday morning, after a nine-mile run from Decatur to Buckhead left me particularly tomato-faced, parched and pouring with sweat.Though I’ve found myself in a similar predicament before, this time I wasn’t sick and sitting in urgent care.I had elected to visit Hydration Station, a new business in Buckhead that offers intravenous fluids to the over-exerted, the stomach-bugged and the hungover.

The man was in a wheelchair, his shoulders hunched and his wrists twisted from a muscular disability, as Jason Colleran worked on him, pressing his fingers onto the man’s muscle attachment tissues in the hopes of elongating them and helping the muscles to contract.

A shortage of doctors continues in the state, limiting access to care throughout Georgia, especially in rural areas.

When the Asthma and Allergy Foundation released its annual Spring Allergy Capitals list, metro area allergy sufferers threw their discarded tissues in disgust. Atlanta ranked No. 72 on the list. (Up from No. 73 last year.)

Thanks to a new online survey process, more physicians voted than ever. Plus, we share a few doctors recommended by patients.

Healthgrades, one of the nation’s leading healthcare research firms, tracks hospital performance by dozens of indicators. Here are the metro hospitals that excel in one or more areas. Find the one with the expertise you need.

With additional reporting by Carolyn Crist

Plus:
‣ Advice from Healthgrades: How to find the best hospital for you
‣ Advice from Healthgrades: How to select a doctor