Yesterday, CNN Opened a Whole New Field of #FakeNews: Fake Remote Medical Diagnosis

Yesterday CNN, a degenerate den of #FakeNews addicts who can't stop sucking the pipe, claimed that Trump definitely had heart disease based on a guideline that "some" cardiologists use to predict future heart disease.

It was typical CNN.

[O]on Wednesday morning Gupta, who did not examine Trump, took Jackson’s data and declared that Trump has heart disease, prompting instant ridicule from people on both sides of the political aisle.

"This is math. This is based on the numbers that Dr. Jackson provided," Gupta said. "The president has heart disease."

After being ridiculed for his remote diagnosis based on a guideline that "some" cardiologists use (why didn't he tell us about the ones that don't use it, and their reasons for not using it?), he seemed to walk this dramatic TV-friendly clickbait claim back into something less juicy.

Gupta eventually followed up his on-air report by doubling down with an article on CNN's website.

"Like most men of his age, President Donald Trump has a common form of heart disease, relatively easy to address if he increases the dose of his cholesterol-lowering medication and makes necessary lifestyle changes," he wrote.

Peter J. Hanson fact-checked Gupta's claims (Note: Gupta is a neurosurgeon, not a cardiologist, and should probably avoid attempting to overrule someone's personal doctor using a fairly esoteric test).

Diagnosis: #FakeNews.

Using the results of Trump’s medical exam from Dr. Jackson, The Daily Caller calculated Trump's risk of heart attack or similar heart disease. According to that algorithm, Trump’s risk from heart attack or other coronary heart disease is just 4.1 percent each year for the next 10 years. (Feel free to replicate our results here.)

Additionally, Trump’s coronary calcium score of 133 is lower than the mean for men his age, according to MESA, making Trump’s score a sign of above average heart health.

CNN’s coverage left out those details and cast doubt on Jackson’s confidence in Trump's heart health. The network instead painted a picture where Trump's heart health is of serious concern.

CNN "New Day" host Alisyn Camerota described Trump’s heart health as "troubling" on Wednesday morning. "The president has heart disease. Those numbers qualify him for having heart disease," Gupta agreed, adding that he, too, finds it "concerning."

Trump's better-than-average-for-his-age plaque level? Deeply troubling.

This? Not troubling at all.

posted by Ace at 04:28 PM

| Access Comments