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Hi iT l I I■ m W | warn W »il 1 1 1 jfIHHMM “S 'omet/i/fig i o// can fee! good a bo/// SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 22, 2007 8A STROKE: Preventing the risk Special to the Journal Stroke is the third leading cause of death in the country, but many adults are unaware of the signs or symptoms of a stroke or wait too long to seek medical attention. That is unfortunate because studies show there is a critical “therapeutic win dow” - a span of about three to six hours - during which permanent brain damage may be largely avoided with proper diagnosis and treat ment. “Depending on its sever ity, a stroke may result in disability such as motor and vision impairment, loss of feeling, difficulty with speech and language, problems with memory or loss of ability to reason,” explains William O. Rankine, Jr., DO, family practitioner and member of the medical staff of Houston Medical Center. “A stroke can even cause paralysis, coma or Houston Healthcare to offer Diabetes Day Special to the Journal Diabetes is one of the most serious health problems fac ing Americans today, and the statistics are worsening. According to the National Center for Health Statistics, diabetes rates in the United States have increased 27 per cent between 1997 and 2002, as a result of the increasing rate of obesity and decreas ing exercise among adults. Nearly 12 million adults have been diagnosed with diabe tes, however, many people are unaware they even have the disease. Because diabetes often shows no symptoms, it is essential that adults, espe cially those at risk, have their blood sugar level checked on a regular basis. According to Vicky Alexander, RN, FNR Disease Management Coordinator at Houston Healthcare, Type Bread cancer luncheon set Special to the Journal Houston Healthcare and the Robins Air Force Base Health and Wellness Center will host its 12th Annual Breast Cancer Luncheon Oct. 16 from 11:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. at the Museum of Aviation’s Century of Flight Hangar. Doors open at 11 a.m. The guest speaker for this year’s event is Marcia Berlin, who is a breast cancer survivor, registered dietitian and working mom. She will share her inspi rational story - “The Sisterhood of the Traveling Genes.” In addition to the guest speaker, the luncheon will include a fashion show fea turing the latest sporty fall attire provided by Belk’s and modeled by breast can cer survivors. The luncheon is sponsored by Houston Healthcare, RAFB Health and Wellness Center, the Susan G. Komen Breast Cancer Foundation- Central Georgia Affiliate and the American Cancer Society. Tickets are $lO each and include lunch and a gift. The ticket must be present ed at the door for admit tance. For more information or to purchase a ticket, please call 478-923-9771. death. “The earlier someone pres ents to the emergency room, the more that can be done for optimal outcome.” Most strokes occur after the age of 55 and are equally common in both men and women of that age; however, more women than men die of stroke. African-Americans are more than twice at risk for stroke as Caucasians. Rankine warns that no one is completely safe from stroke. “Certain risk factors are uncontrollable such as aging or a family history of stroke,” he explains. “Other risk factors can be controlled such as being overweight or having high blood pressure, diabetes, high cholesterol and cardiovascular or heart disease.” Regardless, he says, a per son can dramatically reduce their risk of stroke by having regular checkups and mak II diabetes, or non-insulin dependent diabetes, is the type which affects mainly adults over the age of 40. Adults who are overweight, lead sedentary lifestyles, have high blood pressure and a family history of Type II diabetes are most at risk. If left untreated, diabetes can lead to blindness, chronic kidney disease, heart disease and even amputation of the foot or leg. “The good news is that Type II diabetes is treatable by controlling blood sugar levels through proper diet and exercise along with med ication if needed,” explained Alexander. “Diabetes differs from other diseases because 90 percent of the treatment necessary is the responsibil ity of the individual patient - a person with diabetes must decide daily whether to test ElMf .s.LAfe. 3CK2HF w. waklJiiua ■■ ■ T T JL JHLouston Healthcare's Med-Stops offer care for your family’s minor illnesses and injuries on a walk-in basis when your regular doctor’s office is closed or when you don’t need the technical services of the Emergency Room. The Med-Stops are staffed by Board Certified Family Practice and Internal Medicine physicians working with nurses and medical technicians. Lab and x-ray services are available on-site. ♦ Houston Lake Med-Stop Hwy. 127 and Moody Road 988-1865 Open Mem - Sat 7 am - 6:30 pm ing healthy lifestyle changes. “The three strongest risk factors for stroke that can be controlled - high blood pressure, heart disease and diabetes - often don’t cause symptomsin the early years,” states Rankine. “That is why it is important for all-adults, especially those with a family history of heart? disease and stroke, have regular screen ings to detect these condi tions while they are still fair ly treatable.” For adults, regular health check ups should focus on lowering blood pressure, con trolling heart disease symp toms, and managing diabe tes. Hypertension, or high blood pressure, is the num ber one risk factor for stroke, contributing to half or more of all attacks. Having Type 2 diabetes is an independent risk factor for stroke that is often associated with other related stroke risks such as their blood sugar, follow the appropriate diet and exercise regularly.” Houston Healthcare is sponsoring a Diabetes Day Oct. 26 from 10 a.m. until 2 p.m. at Middle Georgia Technical College in Warner Robins. Designed for all people affected by diabetes, the free program will consist of a variety of educational and informational seminars about diabetes-related topics including how to get the very best care for diabetes, pro tecting the heart by choosing foods and fats wisely, making the link between diabetes, heart disease and stroke, and more. Registration begins at 9:30 a.m., and lunch will be provided. For more informa tion and to register for the program, call 478-923-9771 or register online by visiting www.hhc.org/education. Urgent Care.** high cholesterol and being overweight. Important life style changes adults should ♦ Pavilion Med-Stop N. Houston Road at Houston Mall 923-2843 Open Daily 8 am - 7:30 pm FAST Action for Stroke Symptoms If you or someone nearby has any of the following stroke symptoms, remember F.A.S.T. (Face, Arms. Speech, and Time), and dial 911 immediately: FACE •Have the person smile. •Is one side of their face paralyzed? •Are they complaining of a sudden, severe headache? ARMS •Have the person raise both arms to shoulder level. •Does one arm drift downward? •Are they not able to keep one arm at the same level as the other arm? •Are they suddenly having difficulty maintaining their balance? SPEECH •Ask the person to repeat a simple sentence. For example, “My name i 5...” •Are they slurring their words? •Are they having trouble speaking? •Are they unable to talk at all? •If they can speak, are they making any sense? TIME •If the person exhibits any of the above symptoms, call 911 immediately. •Document the person’s symptoms and what time they started. This is very important for treatment! H Abdul Qadir, MD Diplomate, American Board of Psychiatry and Neurology ' i f’,- i'' ~ i . ' }’ ’ ' 1 /" ' : Middle Georgia Neurology, LLC Specializing in Adult and Child Neurology, EMG/Nerve Conduction and Sleep Medicine 233 North Houston Road, Suite 140 C • Warner Robins (located in the Houston Health Pavilion) when you need it. make to lower their risk of stroke include losing weight, eating a low-fat diet, low 923-3535 Accepting New Patients Hilary Kate Ellwood, MD Board Certified, American Academy of Family Medicine Kimberley R. Ham, MD Board Certified, American Academy of Family Medicine Cynthia M. Jones, MD Board Certified, American Board of Family Medicine Gayatri Kamat, MD Board Certified, American Board of Internal Medicine HOUSTON HOME JOURNAL ering salt intake, exercising regularly, limiting alcohol and quitting smoking. Barbara A. Matthews, MD Board Certified, American Board of Family Medicine Jodie Velie, MD Board Eligible, American Board of Family Practice Ferial Walid, MD Board Certified, American Board of Family Medicine 53852 50626