Dit is de reactie van zijn weduwe:
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Statement by Veronica Atkins on the illegal distribution of personal medical
information regarding her late husband Dr. Robert C. Atkins
I have always assumed that my husband's personal medical history is private
and of no concern or relevance to the media or general public. Prior to
today, I have not seen any reason to share Dr. Atkins' private information
with the public. I am sure that any one of you would be offended and perhaps
even horrified to have complete strangers intrude into your personal family
matters, especially with regard to something as intimate as your medical
records or those of your loved-one.
It has now become clear to me that if I don't speak out, unscrupulous
individuals will continue to twist and pervert the truth in an attempt to
destroy the reputation and great work of my late husband. These individuals
have gone so far as to obtain my husband's personal and confidential medical
information from the New York City Medical Examiner's office for
distribution to news organizations in direct and knowing violation of
federal law. Obviously such people will have no trouble picking and choosing
bits and pieces of fact and supposition to mislead the world.
But here is the truth: my husband's medical records have been reviewed by
knowledgeable doctors and his medical condition discussed with cardiac
specialists. It is clear that Dr. Atkins developed a condition called
cardiomyopathy approximately three years prior to his death. It is also true
that when Robert developed cardiomyopathy his coronary arteries showed only
minimal and clinically insignificant signs of coronary artery disease,
consistent with what would be expected in a 69-year old man. Cardiomyopathy
is a serious and progressive condition and was, I have been told, in Robert'
s case, caused by a viral infection. Though this condition significantly
weakened his heart, its cause was clearly related to an infection and not
his diet.
All of this was well documented and openly discussed by Robert himself on
national television. Additionally, as Dr. Atkins explained on Larry King
Live and other public appearances, he did have a witnessed cardiac arrest in
April of 2002. All accounts and records related to this event, and the
insight of his treating cardiologist, are consistent with conditions arising
from his cardiomyopathy, rather than a lack of blood flow. While Robert did
have some progression of his coronary artery disease in the last three years
of his life including some new blockage of a secondary artery that was
remedied during this admission, he did not have a heart attack.
There is no evidence to suggest otherwise and for any physician to suggest
so would be irresponsible, unethical and represent nothing more than an
attempt to tarnish the reputation of a man who dedicated his life to solving
one of medicines greatest challenges - the obesity epidemic. Let me state
emphatically that I have been assured by my husband's physicians that my
husband's health problems late in life were completely unrelated to his diet
or any diet.
It is also clear that my husband's death resulted from a serious head injury
that occurred April 8th, 2003. Hospital records obviously and unequivocally
detail the unfortunate clinical course that transpired following arrival of
Emergency Medical Services through the entirety of hospitalization,
confirming that after losing consciousness en route to the hospital, Robert'
s condition failed to improve despite emergency neurosurgical treatment for
bleeding within his head. In life, Dr. Atkins was adamant about not wanting
life support and when his wishes were honored, and ventilator life support
was withdrawn on April 17th, he passed away as has been widely reported in
the media.
But it has become clear to me that something as simple as the truth will be
perverted and manipulated by dishonest individuals who will stop at nothing
and will proceed without any regard for medical ethics or the previously
private medical history of Dr. Atkins in an attempt not only to discredit my
husband's work but to profit from his death. Work, I might add, that has
been consistently and repeatedly vindicated by 18 independent scientific
studies over these past three years. I now find myself in the uncomfortable
position of having to relive his horrific accident and defend my late
husband from people who would convince you that stolen and irrelevant bits
and pieces of Dr. Atkins' medical history carry more validity than published
scientically controlled and peer reviewed research out of Harvard, Duke
University, the American Heart Association and the National Institutes of
Health.
It is for these reasons that I realized that I must put aside my grief and
pain and speak out. Make no mistake about it, Dr. Atkins, at the end of
life, was struggling with the effects of his cardiomyopathy and did not hide
that fact. Despite repeated, often pathetic and now even illegal attempts by
his most bizarre and extreme detractors to make the health of this 72 year
old man THE central issue in the all important obesity debate raging in this
country and around the world, it is not and never will be relevant. It is a
sad and distracting sideshow, taking time away from an intelligent debate of
the known science.
We should all ask, is caring about what someone else eats so important that
some Doctors are willing to betray their most basic of oaths, to protect a
patient's dignity and confidentiality? It is time to forget the myths and
urban legends perpetuated by extremists like those who acted unethically in
disclosing my husband's records and pay more attention to the real issues
and all available peer reviewed science.
I will do my utmost to put an end to this nonsense so that responsible
physicians can focus on a debate rooted in fact and moderation and
objectivity. We will not engage in espionage, tabloid journalism, or try to
shout louder than these shameless individuals and I look forward to the day
when Dr. Atkins' soul can rest in peace and I can grieve uninterrupted.
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We zien wel. Voor mij heeft het uitstekend gewerkt (en nog steeds) en voor een heleboel anderen ook. Uiteraard is het momenteel een modieus dieet, dus krijg je veel meelopers die zonder de feiten te kennen trots & triomfantelijk gaan lopen schermen met hun 'kennis'.
Waar ik nog naar uit zit te kijken is een onderzoek waarin een verband gezocht wordt tussen honger & 'snelle' koolhydraten, zoals geraffineerde suikers. Het idee is dat je door een te snelle opname van voedingsstoffen in je lichaam dik wordt, en niet zozeer door teveel eten. Hoe sneller de voedingsstoffen in je bloed komen, hoe eerder ze als vet worden 'opgeborgen', en dan krijg je weer honger..
Dat principe schijnt dikke mensen op te leveren, en als je Atkinst dan blijf je heel toevallig uit de buurt van die 'snelle' koolhydraten.
En gezond vet is prima vet. Ik ontbijt met zalm & makreel, en das nie verkeerd. Voor mij geen boterhammen met pindakaas meer.
De Amerikaanse dieetgoeroe Robert Atkins, die vorig jaar op 72-jarige leeftijd overleed, had overgewicht en leed aan hartkwalen. Dit is bekend geworden na een gerechtelijk medisch onderzoek naar de dood van Atkins.
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