Brooks Memorial Hospital - The Observer

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Medical Directory 2011Page 27acid that some studies suggestmight help prevent mentaldecline.In Warren, Pa., ColleenWitmer says she works hardto maintain her weight andher health: The 52-year-oldwalks or rides her bike daily,plus does a more formal exerciseprogram three or fourtimes a week.“I maintain my annual visitsto the doctor’s office andfollow his advice whether Ilike it or not,” she says. “AndI refuse to admit I am myage, and keep going as if Iweren’t.”TheAP-LifeGoesStrong.com pollthat may predict Alzheimer’srisk, has no obligation to disclosethe results to a patientuntil there is a meaningfultreatment for the disease,Karlawish argued at the conference.The more symptoms apatient has, the more justifiedit is to help understand whatis known about possible reasons,he said.Lynda Hogg of Edinburgh,Scotland, is very glad her doctorsdiagnosed herAlzheimer’s in 2006. She isdoing exceptionally well onone of the existing drugs andis in a clinical trial for anexperimental one she hopeswill help her and helpadvance knowledge in thefield.At a discussion connectedwith the conference, she saidthe early diagnosis helped herget financial and legal mattersin order and serve on theScottish Dementia WorkingGroup and the board ofAlzheimer’s DiseaseInternational.ObesityContinued from Page 25AlzheimersContinued from Page 26was conducted from June 3-12 by Knowledge Networksof Menlo Park, Calif., andinvolved online interviewswith 1,416 adults, including1,078 baby boomers bornbetween 1946 and 1964. Themargin of sampling error forresults from the full sample isplus or minus 4.4 percentagepoints; for the boomers, it isplus or minus 3.3 percentagepoints.Knowledge Networks usedtraditional telephone andmail sampling methods torandomly recruit respondents.People selected whohad no Internet access weregiven it free.“I am certain involvementkeeps me focused andinvolved in society,” shesaid.The Alzheimer’sAssociation says early diagnosisand evaluation can bringthe following benefits:¯ Treatment of reversiblecauses of impairment.¯ Access to drugs that helptreat symptoms.¯ Inclusion in clinical trialsthat give expert care.¯ Avoiding drugs that canworsen cognition.¯ Letting others know of aneed for help managing medicinesand daily life.¯ Easing anxiety about thecause of symptoms.¯ Access to education,training and support services.¯ The ability to plan for thefuture.Lesher, the woman fromPennsylvania, wishes she hada clearer picture of what liesahead for her.“Not being able to get diagnosedis the must frustratingthing in the world,” she said.Keeping a leash on allergieswhile living with a pet(ARA) — Allergies nolonger have to prevent petownership. By taking a fewsimple precautionary steps, itis possible to comfortably livewith both pets and allergies.Here are a few helpful tips:¯ Shut the door.Keep cats or dogs fromyour bedroom - and not justwhen you are sleeping. If youkeep the door closed, it willprevent cat or dog hair fromdrifting in during the day.This also applies to a guestroom if you are hosting aguest with allergies.¯ Keep pets off the furniture.You can do this by placinga plastic cover on the furnitureor by placing pieces ofaluminum foil on areas wherepets settle. They find thenoise disturbing. Or you cantry orange peel; cats dislikethe smell.¯ Ditch the carpets.Pet hair tends to stick tocarpets, especially soft, shaggycarpet. Try area rugs ontile or wood floors. They areconvenient because they areportable and usually machinewashable.¯ Bathe pets.Use an allergen-reducingshampoo and clean dogs atleast twice a week.¯ Clean the air.Remove irritants with anair cleaner that has a filter.¯ Vacuum and dust frequently.Use a vacuum designedespecially for pet owners.These include features suchas an odor-absorbing filterand powerful suction for pethair, while still retaining thedust and dirt that can triggerallergies and asthma.
Page 28 Medical Directory 2011Most Americans unaware of gout risk factors(ARA) - Most Americansneed to know more about therisk factors for gout, accordingto the findings of a new consumersurvey. Gout, sometimescalled gouty arthritis, ischronic and painful. If leftuntreated, it can become disabling.It now affects an estimated8.3 million Americans.While 59 percent ofAmericans know that gout is alife-long disease, most adultsdon’t know what can put them— or their family members —at risk, according to a nationalsurvey conducted by the Gout& Uric Acid EducationSociety (GUAES). Gout ispart of the arthritis family andin fact is the most commonform of inflammatory arthritis.The telltale sign of a goutattack is usually sudden andoften debilitating pain, mostfrequently felt in the largejoint of the big toe. A flare upcan hurt so much that it mayrequire a trip to the emergencyroom for relief. The culprit is abuild-up of uric acid crystalsin the joints caused by toomuch uric acid in the body.Everyone has uric acid in theirbody. It’s naturally present insmall amounts, but whensomeone has an abnormallyhigh level, it can trigger a goutattack.Americans don’t have agood picture of other healthconditions that can increasetheir risk, according to thesurvey. Here’s how Americansfared when their knowledge ofrisk factors for gout was put tothe test:¯ Only 1 in 10 Americanscorrectly cited cardiovasculardisease as a risk factor forgout.¯ Just 1 in 3 Americans correctlyreported that obesity isa risk factor.¯ One in 5 Americansknows that diabetes and kidneydisease are also risk factors.Gout is chronic and painful. If left untreated, it canbecome disabling. It now affects an estimated 8.3million Americans.¯ A mere 1 in 5 Americansmade the connection that familyhistory can put you at risk.“It’s important to know ifyou may be at risk,” says Dr.Brian Mandell, chairman ofmedicine and a senior staff inRheumatology andImmunologic Diseases in theCenter for Vasculitis Care andResearch at the ClevelandClinic, and GUAES boardmember. “The survey findingsconcern me because gout isassociated with all of theseother serious health conditionsthat are also on the rise.Knowledge is power, and likemany other diseases, earlydiagnosis and treatment iskey.”Other risk factors for goutWith certain exceptions,gout develops in people age 45or older. It affects men morethan women. Once a womanis post menopausal, though,her risk is nearly the same as itis for men of her age.Here are some of the otherrisk factors to be aware of:¯ Untreated high bloodpressure¯ High cholesterol¯ Obesity — someone obeseis four times more likely todevelop gout¯ Crash diets which canincrease the amount of uricacid in the body¯ A high-fructose diet,including sweetened softdrinks¯ Excessive consumption ofalcohol, especially beer¯ Joint injury¯ Kidney disease, whichcan come from high bloodpressure or diabetes¯ Use of certain medicines,especially diuretics or waterpills¯ Some anti-rejection medicationsused in transplantpatientsWhile there’s no cure forgout, a combination of medicationand lifestyle modificationsmay help those diagnosedmanage the disease,helping them to maintain theiractive lifestyle.For more information aboutrisk factors for gout, talk toyour doctor and visitwww.GoutEducation.org. Thewebsite was developed byGUAES, a nonprofit group ofhealth care professionals whoeducate the public and thehealth care community aboutgout and the related healthcare consequences of hyperuricemia.It offers free educationalresources for patientsand family members who maybe at risk.DAVID P. VONA, D.P.M.Medical & SurgicalSpecialist of the FootProviding FootCare Serviceto the surroundingcommunitiesfor the past19+ years.WE MAKE HOUSE CALLS!Call For Appointment 345-6690
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