Global Health Tribune - December 2011 issue

Prsrt std U s Postage

PaIdWest Palm Bch, Fl

PermIt No. 1340

FLORIDA HEALTH NEWSP.O. Box 213424

Royal Palm Beach, FL 33421

More than one in 10 Americans over the age of 12 takes an antidepressant, a class of drugs that has become wildly popularin the past several decades, U.S. government researchers said. PAGE 2

Feds to allow use of Medicare

data to rate doctors

Also in this issue

Federal officials announced that Medicare will finally allow the use of its extensive claims database to ratedoctors, hospitals and other medical service providers. PAGE 2

5th Annual Salsa Festival PAGE 6

Ribbon Cutting & Tour of Butterfly HousePAGE 3

Palms West Hospital and the Children’sHospital at Palms West PAGE 12

Feds to allow use of Medicare

data to rate doctors ................2

Diabetics need special

treatment ................................3

Medical Community Business

Networking .............................4

Ribbon Cuttin & Tour of

Butterfly House ......................5

5th Annual Salsa Festival .......6

Are you paying too much for

Imaging??? ............................7

Radiation Technology Evolves

in Treating Breast Cancer........8

Gastroesophageal Reflux

Disease .................................10

The Silent Killer ....................11

Palms West Hospital and the

Children’s Hospital at Palms

West .....................................12

Doctors: Test all kids for

cholesterol by age 11 ...........14

Harvest Festival ....................15

Serving: Jupi ter n Boca Raton n Boynton n Lantana n Lake Worth n Belle Glade n Well ington n Royal Palm Beach n Palm Beach Gardens

Global Health- T R I B U N E -D E C E M B E R I S S U E - 2 0 11 w w w. g l o b a l h e a l t h t r i b u n e . c o m

WWW.GLOBALHEALTHTRIBUNE.COM2 DECEMBER ISSUE • 2011

CONTRIBUTING ARTICLESU.S. Department of Health and Human Services,

ARA Content, Hispanic PR Wire, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention,METRO Editorial Services, Family Features,

© SEA PUBLICATIONS, INC.ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.Printed in United States.

CONTACT USP.O. Box 213424

Royal Palm Beach, FL [email protected]

Deborah LynnStaff Writer and Sales Executive

[email protected]

Erica WhymanStaff Writer and Sales Executive

(561) [email protected]

Global Health Tribune is a newspaper published every month in Palm Beach county and surrounding areas. Copyright 2011, all rights reserved by SEA Publications, Inc. Contents may not be reproduced in any form without the written consent of the publisher. The publisherreserves the right to refuse advertising. The publisher does not accept responsibility for advertisement error beyond the cost of the advertisement itself. All submitted materials are subject to editing.

Leapfrog Group namestop hospitals for 2011

Leapfrog's top hospitals for 2011 arelisted by category and in order bystate in each category.

The survey results for all participating hospitalsare posted on the Leapfrog website. The site isopen to patients and families, the public, and em-ployers and other purchasers of healthcare.

2011 LEAPFROG TOP HOSPITALS

(in order by state, within each category)Kaiser Permanente Antioch Medical Center (CA)Kaiser Permanente Fontana Medical Center (CA)Kaiser Permanente Los Angeles Medical Center (CA)Kaiser Permanente Oakland Medical Center (CA)Kaiser Permanente Panorama City Medical Center (CA)Kaiser Permanente Richmond Medical Center (CA)Kaiser Permanente Riverside Medical Center (CA)Kaiser Permanente Roseville Medical Center (CA)Kaiser Permanente San Diego Medical Center (CA)Kaiser Permanente San Francisco Medical Center (CA)Kaiser Permanente San Jose Medical Center (CA)Kaiser Permanente South Bay Medical Center (CA)Kaiser Permanente South Sacramento Medical Center (CA)Kaiser Permanente South San Francisco Medical Center (CA)Kaiser Permanente Vacaville Medical Center (CA)Kaiser Permanente Walnut Creek Medical Center

Center – Arthur G. James Cancer Hospital and Richard J.Solove Research Institute (OH)The Christ Hospital of Cincinnati (OH)University Hospitals Case Medical Center (OH)Lehigh Valley Hospital (PA)Bon Secours St. Francis Health System - Downtown (SC)Vanderbilt University Hospital (TN)Swedish Medical Center First Hill Campus (WA)Virginia Mason Medical Center (WA)

2011 LEAPFROG TOP RURAL HOSPITALS

Mariners Hospital (FL) Miles Memorial Hospital (ME)Sebasticook Valley Hospital (ME)

2011 LEAPFROG TOP CHILDREN’S HOSPITAL

Children's Hospital Los Angeles (CA)CHOC Children's (CA)Children's National Medical Center (DC)Children's Memorial Hospital (IL)Children's Hospital Boston (MA)Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center (OH)Children's Hospitals and Clinics of Minnesota-St. Paul (MN)Children's Hospitals and Clinics of Minnesota-Minneapolis (MN)Nationwide Children's Hospital (OH)Cook Children's Medical Center (TX)

Kaiser Permanente West Los Angeles Medical Center (CA)Kaiser Permanente Woodland Hills Medical Center (CA)Mills-Peninsula Health Services (CA)Stanford Hospital and Clinics (CA)UC San Diego Health System, Hillcrest (CA)Baptist Health South Florida Homestead Hospital (FL)NorthShore University HealthSystem-Evanston Hospital (IL)NorthShore University HealthSystem-GlenbrookHospital (IL)Northwestern Memorial Hospital (IL)Rush University Medical Center (IL)Baystate Medical Center (MA)Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center (MA)Brigham and Women's Hospital (MA)Anne Arundel Medical Center (MD)University of Maryland Medical Center (MD)Detroit Receiving Hospital/University Health Center (MI)Spectrum Health Blodgett Hospital (MI)Spectrum Health Butterworth Hospital (MI)St. Joseph Mercy Oakland (MI)University of Michigan Health System (MI)Regions Hospital (MN)St. Mary's Hospital of Rochester (MN)University of North Carolina Hospitals (NC)Hackensack University Medical Center (NJ)The Valley Hospital of Ridgewood(NJ)Presbyterian Hospital (NM)Montefiore Medical Center, Weiler Division (NY)Roswell Park Cancer Institute (NY)The Ohio State University Comprehensive Cancer

Feds to allow use of Medicaredata to rate doctors

WASHINGTON—Trying to find a topspecialist to assesspotentially trou-

bling findings on a routine mam-mogram? That nerve-wrackingprocess may soon get easier.Federal officials announced thatMedicare will finally allow theuse of its extensive claims data-

base to rate doctors, hospitals andother medical service providers.The report cards could be pro-duced by employers, consumergroups or others, and would haveto follow valid statistical meth-ods. Individual medical providerswould have 60 days to privatelychallenge a report before itsrelease.

But Medicare acting administra-tor Marilyn Tavenner calls it "agiant step forward" to makingmedical decisions less dauntingfor patients while holdingproviders accountable for quality.Consumer groups that have longpushed for the release of the datasaid they are still poring over thefine print.

US baby boomers feed needfor joint replacements

US baby boomers are fu-eling a wave of joint re-placement surgeries,

hoping to use new artificialknees and hips to stay active asthey get older.With 76 million baby boomersstill kicking, many are rejectingthe sedentary lifestyle of theirparents' generation, and areusing advances in technologyand surgical techniques to keepon running, cycling, skiing andengaging in other sports.The 45-64 age group accountedfor more than 40 percent of themore than 906,000 total knee ortotal hip replacement surgeriesin 2009, the last year for whichfigures were available from theAmerican Academy ofOrthopedic Surgeons.Boomers will account for amajority of these joint replace-ments in 2011, according to pro-jections by Drexel Universityspecialist Steven Kurtz.The study projects the 45-64age group will account for a 17-fold increase in knee replace-ments alone to 994,000 by

2030. Active boomers oftenaccelerate the arthritis whichwears down their joints, andobesity is another factor."We are still doing patients 65years and up, but the volume isincreasing dramatically among45-64 year-old patients," saidDouglas Dennis, a Coloradoorthopedist who has performedsome 5,000 knee replacementsand 4,000 hip replacementsover his career.Decades earlier, most replace-ments were in elderly patientsunable to walk. But Dennissaid, "We are now performingthem in younger age patients.We have made great strides inour ability to revise themshould they fail."A number of his patients areavid skiers who have had sever-al attempts to repair kneeinjuries, but want to keepactive."We encourage the patients tobe active," he said. "But I don'tfavor things like racquet sports,soccer or basketball" which canput extra strain on joints.

Global Health- T R I B U N E -

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DIABETICS NEED SPECIAL TREATMENT

Foot ulcers and amputa-tions are a major cause ofmorbidity, disability, aswell as emotional and

physical costs for people with dia-betes. It is important to obtain earlyrecognition and management of in-dependent risk factors for ulcers.This can prevent amputationsand/or delay the onset of adverseoutcomes. Below are recommen-dations for people who have yet toencounter foot ulcers. Each seg-ment strives to educate an effectiveway of identifying and managingrisk factors for ulceration in hopesof preventing and ulcer.

IDENTIFYING RISKIdentifying the risks for diabeticulcerations is key to preventingthem. The chance of developinga diabetic ulcer/amputationbegins to increase after ten yearsof being diagnosed withDiabetes, poor sugar control, ifyou are male, and also havingcomorbidities such as renal, reti-

nal and cardiovascular disease.Risk identification is fundamen-tal for effective preventive Below are symptoms that areassociated with an increased riskof amputation:

• Peripheral neuropathy with lossof protective sensation

• Altered biomechanics (in thepresence of neuropathy)

• Evidence of increased pressure(erythema, hemorrhage under acallus)

• Bony deformity

• Peripheral vascular disease(decreased or absent pedal pulses)

• A history of ulcers or amputation

• Severe nail pathology.

PREVENTIONAll people with diabetes shouldreceive an annual foot examinationto identify high-risk foot condi-tions. People with any of the men-tioned high-risk foot conditionsshould be examined more fre-

quently. The exam should includeassessment of protective sensation,vascularization, foot deformities,and skin assessment. Diabeticswith known peripheral neuropathyshould have their lower extremi-ties inspected at every professionalhealth care visit.

PREVENTION OF HIGH-RISK CONDITIONSEqual sensory loss to both feetusually starting at the toes andworking up is one of the mostimportant predictors of ulcers andamputation. Neuropathy can bedelayed significantly by control-ling glucose levels to as near nor-mal as possible. The cessation ofsmoking should be encouraged

to reduce the risk of vascular dis-ease complications. Appropriateand timely referral to a foot carespecialist is gravely important forprevention.

PATIENT EDUCATIONPatients with diabetes and associ-ated risk factors for foot condi-tions must be educated regardingthese risk factors and how tomanage them. Diabetics mustfully understand the complica-tions associated with the risk fac-tors. They must inspect their feetdaily, clean and dry them appro-priately daily, and be aware oftheir shoe gear. As many diabet-ic patients have trouble seeing orreaching their feet family mem-bers should also be educated onthe risks and daily examinations.The patient’s understanding ofthese issues and their

The American DiabeticAssociation makes the followingrecommendations:• All individuals with diabetes

should receive an annual footexamination to identify high-risk foot conditions. This exam-ination should include assess-ment of protective sensation,foot structure and biomechan-ics, vascular status, and skinintegrity.

• People with one or more high-risk foot conditions should beevaluated more frequently forthe development of additionalrisk factors.

• People with neuropathy shouldhave a visual inspection of theirfeet at every visit with a healthcare professional.

• Evaluation of neurological sta-tus in the low-risk foot shouldinclude a quantitativesomatosensory threshold test,using the Semmes-Weinstein5.07 (10-g) monofilament.

• Patients with diabetes and high-risk foot conditions should beeducated regarding their risk fac-tors and appropriate manage-ment.

• Initial screening for peripheralvascular disease should includea history for claudication and anassessment of the pedal pulses.

For Diabetics, the loss of feetand/or legs is a real concern.Identification of those patientsmost as risk, education and pre-vention are key to saving limbs.If you are a diabetic make yourappointment today.

Diabetics are prone to many problems thataffect the feet and legs. Some of them leadingto amputation of part of the foot or theentire leg. If you are Diabetic, you need to behaving your feet checked by a professionalregularly.


Medical Community Business Networking

On October 27ththe Board ofManagers of thePalms West

Chamber of CommerceMedical Committee, PalmsWest Hospital andWellington RegionalMedical Center were invitedto a Medical BusinessNetworking Event with thedoctors of US Hospitalists,Palm Beach Primary CareAssociates and IndependentImaging, at Palomino Parklocated at 3347 State Road7 in Wellington. The eventwas attended by areaphysicians and members ofthe medical and businesscommunity.

More Exercise Could Make For Better Sleep: StudyThose getting 150minutes' activity aweek were less likelyto report daytimefatigue.

Anew study suggests regu-lar physical activity mightencourage better shut-eye:

People who met national exerciseguidelines reported better sleepand less daytime fatigue than thosewho didn't.The research doesn't confirm thatexercise directly leads toimproved rest, and it's possiblethere may be another explanationfor the apparent connectionbetween exercise and sleep. Still,the findings are mostly consistent

with previous research, saidMatthew P. Buman, an assistantprofessor of exercise and well-ness at Arizona State Universitywho's familiar with the study.But if you think a daily walk orjog will clear up your sleep prob-lems, that might be a bit too opti-mistic."In general, the relationshipbetween physical activity and

sleep is moderate," Buman said.More than one-third of U.S.adults have trouble falling asleepat night or staying alert during theday, according to backgroundinformation in the study.Inadequate sleep has been linkedto depression, cardiovascular dis-ease and other health problems.Another theory suggests thatexercise helps the body deal bet-

ter with the cooling down of itstemperature during sleep, he said.So should you avoid exercisingbefore bed, as conventional wis-dom suggests? The new researchdoesn't look at the timing of exer-cise, but the study authors do notethat most previous studies haven'tshown that late-night exercisedisrupts sleep quality.

LIndsey Erekson, Alan Zangen, Scott Herndon, Bland Eng, and Jeff Wisnicai. Dr. Mazze, Charlene BIshop, and Holly Gordon.

Fred Zrinscak, Kimberly Rodale, Bruce Ciarlariello, Judith Zchumacher, andDebra Vanderhoff.Carol O’Neil, Marcello Fabbri, Stan Kushay, and Dana Ray.

Tony Pollack, Jesse Eisenman, and Woody White.Carmine Priore III, Dr. Michael Mikolajczak, Dr. Kishore Dass, Dr. Jeffrey Bishop, Bland Eng, Dr. Shekhar Sharma,and Mohan Pillai.

Sharon Mineo, Staci Martin, Dr. Devine, Craig Cuden, Dr. Michael Mikolajczak, Dr. Arthur Hansen and Helen Rengepis.

Elizabeth Prol, Eliana Bejarano, MD, Maria Fernandez and Sergio Fernandez. Dr. Kishore Dass, Katiann Susich, Craig Cuden, Holly Gordon, Frederic Roy, and Chris Radcliffe.

Marlon D. White, Sherri Ann Lopez, and Miguel Muniz.


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DEAR DEBORAH: Whydon’t men seem to want tocommit? I met what I thoughtwas a great guy online a fewmonths ago and he just wantsto date casually.

- Wants More

DEAR WANTS MORE: In myopinion, it does depend on sev-eral factors. Let’s start with thefact that you met him online.It’s a wonderful source for meet-ing men and women that youwould not normally have had theopportunity to do so. With thatbeing said, it’s also a way forthem to meet a variety of peopleand explore their possibilitiesand opportunities.

There is nothing wrong withdating casually and I recom-mend it. It takes time to get to

Why Won’t He Commit?know someoneand what a bet-ter way thandating. Youhave to allowthe connectionto grow as timegoes on. It’snice to know that you want acommitment, but rushing intoone is also not the right move.

As I do not know his age orbackground, it’s difficult to gointo more detail. There may besome unresolved issues fromformer relationships, includingdivorce. He may have financialdifficulties. He may also haveyoung children and is not readyfor something serious. As Imentioned, there are numerousfactors that play a role. So, my advice to you is to goslow and enjoy.

Ribbon Cutting & Tourof Butterfly House

By Deborah Lynn

“Where there is aneed, there should beaction” and SenatorLizbeth Benacquistodid just that – she took action.

On Thursday, December 1, aribbon cutting ceremonywas held for the first cen-

tralized sexual assault crisis centerin Palm Beach County, The But-terfly House. Senator Benacquisto, Senator JoeNegron, County CommissionerJess Santamaria, along with Dr.David Soria, Dr. Jeffrey Bishop,

and Jerel Humphrey, CEO ofWellington Regional MedicalCenter all spoke at this historic,yet humbling event.The Butterfly House is the resultof a year-long effort to securefunding and a location for theservice center. The center whichis dedicated to rape victimsshould greatly improve responseto victims’ needs. Palm Beach County Victim Serviceswill run the center in conjunctionwith Wellington Regional MedicalCenter. The project is funded by theFlorida Department of Health,Wellington Regional MedicalCenter and Palm Beach County.The Butterfly House is located onthe grounds of the WellingtonMedical Center at 10101 ForestHill Blvd., in Wellington.

Hospice of Palm Beach County provides care to all who needand want it, regardless of insurance or financial status.Donations, grants and proceeds from fundraising eventssupplement the insurance reimbursement to ensure that costfor services is never an issue for our patients or their families.Nearly 900 highly trained employees and more than 600 caringvolunteers make this a program that excels in innovative careand quality service to our community.

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Marsha Israel, Sandy Reynolds,Melissa McKinlay and Dr. DavidSoria.

Senator Lizbeth Benacquisto.

L to R: Wellington Councilwoman Anne Gerwig, Rep. Mark Pafford, Rep. Joseph Abruzzo, County CommissionerJess Santamaria, Julie Weil, Senator Lizbeth Benacquisto, Dr. Jeffrey Bishop,Nicole Bishop, Director, PBC VictimServices, Dr. David Soria. Back row: Jerel Humphrey, CEO, Wellington Regional, Capt. Carol Gregg, PBSO

Dear Deborah is a monthly advice column written by Deborah

Lynn with a common sense approach to dating. If you have any

questions or comments, please forward them to:

[email protected] as we would love to help.


5th Annual Salsa Festival By Erica Whyman

GREENACRES, FL -- The South Florida sun wasnot the only thing bringing the heat the weekendof November 19 in Greenacres, the Palms WestChamber of Commerce hosted the 5th Annual

Salsa Festival. The two-day family festival celebrating thegrowing Hispanic population was packed with events, rides,games, and plenty of tasty treats.

Saturday evening, international musical artist Jerry Riveraheadlined on the main stage that also hosted other well-known musical acts. Those in attendance could not helpbut get up and dance, showing off some impressive Salsamoves. Earlier in the day, the elected officials ofWellington, Royal Palm Beach, Palm Beach,Loxahatchee, and the Indian Trail Improvement Districtcompeted for the best salsa in the Sizzling SalsaShowdown. Top honors went to Mayor Ferreri ofGreenacres for his Thanksgiving themed Salsa with cran-berries. All were entertained throughout the weekend withthe annual Chihuahua races, Salsa dancing competitions,carnival games and rides that filled the GreenacresCommunity Park.

Freddie Vega, Chef at Someone’s in the Kitchen, helpedout in the Culinary Pavilion where kids could register orstop by for a professional cooking lesson. Thanks to spon-sors Republic Services of Palm Beach and SupermercadosEl Bodegon Grocery, children were able to work with freshvegetables to make their own healthy homemade salsa.

Many vendors, including local healthcare providers linedthe entrance path answering questions, handing out freegoodies and providing education to all those who camethrough. The event was a huge success, thanks to Palms

West Chamber of Commerce, the sponsors, vendors, vol-unteers and local community who came out to attend whatis becoming known as the spiciest family festival in PalmBeach County.

Marsha Israel of Wellington Regional Medical Center.SFRO and Cyber Knife Center of South Florida: VeronicaMuniz, Carly Grant, Emily and Nancy Johnson.

Palms Wellington Surgical Center: Autum Rhoades, ChrisDeese, Eduardo Pantoja, Laura Ronan, Brittany Duarte andAnabel Pena.

Chef Freddie Vega in the Culinary Pavilion.

Donna H. Kleban, M.D., F.A.C.S, P.A. of Surgery of the Breast,Tami Pogue, Donna Kleban, MD and Daymi Quintana

Mauricio Gomez and Katina Karl of Independent Imaging

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Madeline Nava Joins Palms WestHospital as Chief Operating Officer

Loxahatchee, FloridaPalms West Hospital is pleasedto announce that Madeline Navahas joined the hospital as ChiefOperating Officer. Madelinecomes to Palms West Hospitalfrom a local affiliate HCA facil-ity, JFK Medical Center, whereshe was Vice President ofOperations since 2008.Madeline has over 17 years ofhealthcare experience and start-ed her healthcare career as aRespiratory Therapist. She has aproven track record of demon-strating operational improve-ments, management of construc-tion projects, implementationand restructuring of key servicelines and strategic planning.

Madeline received her BADegree and Masters of HealthServices Administration fromIona College, New Rochelle,NY and her Respiratory Therapydegree at NorthwesternUniversity Medical School inChicago, Illnois.

Bland Eng, CEO of Palms WestHospital explains, “We arepleased to have Madeline join theexecutive team. We welcome herextensive knowledge of hospitaloperations, experience with con-struction projects, and partneringwith Physicians. Her backgroundis a great fit for Palms WestHospital and our current growthin the community.”

Are you paying too muchfor Imaging???

By Staci Martin

When it comes to selecting afacility to have diagnostic imag-ing needs met, patients often arefaced with the decision betweenthe hospital and a freestanding,outpatient imaging center.Finding the highest quality serv-ice at the lowest price is the mis-sion of many patients today. It isimportant to note that there is acost savings to be realized local-ly, without giving up any measureof quality, technology and superi-or service.

Patients seeking the most afford-

able imaging services should beaware that hospitals and theiraffiliated facilities are usuallymore expensive than freestandingoutpatient centers. This is in partbecause hospitals are allowed tocharge Medicare and most othercommercial insurers a facilityfee. It can cost up to 1/3 less tohave an imaging exam at a free-standing imaging facility such asIndependent Imaging inWellington, Lake Worth, BelleGlade and Palm Beach Gardens.

Another positive feature ofIndependent Imaging is experi-encing less wait time and more

personalized service for patients,technologists that are all certi-fied through The AmericanRegistry of RadiologicTechnologists (ARRT), a facilitythat is ACR accredited, as wellas extended hours, complimenta-ry valet parking, and some of themost advanced technology onthe market.

Below, please find a graph pub-lished in the July 2011 edition ofRadiology Business Journal illus-trating the average expenses perprocedure in the hospital settingversus that of the freestandingimaging facility.

Independent Imaging has the following locations to serve you:Wellington Facility Lake Worth Facility Belle Glade Facility Palm Beach Gardens Facility

Palomino Park 5051 South Congress Ave 701 South Main St 3385 Burns Road-1093347 State Road 7

For questions, or to schedule an appointment, please call 561.795.5558

Note: rates are blended and include all commercial and government payors for each provider, excluding professionalrevenues. outpatient imaging center global revenue was reduced by estimated professional percentages using thefollowing reductions: mrI, 18%; ct, 19%; ultrasound, 20%; radiography, 30%; mammography, 30%; nuclear medicine,19%; and Pet/ct, 18%.

Modality Hospital Cost Outpatient Imaging Center costmrI $832.46 $460.95ct $626.66 $245.83

Ultrasound $241.23 $87.01radiography $106.45 $44.55

mammography $121.44 $78.07Nuclear medicine $634.71 $181.72

Pet/ct $2,898.95 $1,243.64

Men More Likely to SkipCancer Screenings: Study

Best Antidepressant MayDepend on Patient

Men are less willingthan women to bescreened for cancer,

even though men have highercancer death rates, a new studyshows.

Researchers conducted a tele-phone survey of nearly 1,150adults in New York City,Baltimore, and San Juan,Puerto Rico, who answeredquestions from the CancerScreening Questionnaire. Mostof the participants were aged30 to 59, and 35 percent ofthem were men. "This studyexamined beliefs and attitudesheld by men and women aboutcancer screening. Our aim wasto gain insight for improvingexisting cancer health promo-tion practices," study corre-sponding author Jenna Davis,of the department of health out-comes and behavior at theMoffitt Cancer Center inTampa, Fla., said in a centernews release. "Our findingsindicate that there is a need forbetter health and cancer screen-ing promotion among men,"she said.

The researchers suggested sever-al reasons why men are less will-ing than women to undergo can-cer screening: most cancerawareness campaigns in themedia are for women's breastcancer; there is a lack of govern-ment-sponsored men's cancerawareness campaigns; and stud-ies indicate that women see theirprimary care doctor more oftenthan men.

But the study also found thatwhen men are provided with thedetails of cancer screening proce-dures, they're slightly more likelythan women to participate in can-cer screening.

"This strongly suggests thatmen will participate in screen-ing when given more informa-tion about screening proce-dures," Davis said. "Thismeans that health educators,physicians and community-based organizations shouldmake a concerted effort to edu-cate men on exact screeningprocedures, explain how canceris detected, and communicatewhat to expect during screen-ing."

The study will appear in anupcoming print issue of theAmerican Journal of Men'sHealth.

Large evidencereview finds newerbrands work equallywell.

Newer antidepressants seemto be about as effective asone another, a new analy-

sis indicates.This suggests that the choice ofwhich drug is appropriate forwhich patient should be made onthe basis of such considerationsas side effects, cost and patientpreference."They're all equally effective,"said Dr. David Schlager, a clini-cal assistant professor of psychia-try and behavioral science atTexas A&M Health ScienceCenter College of Medicine."They're interchangeable exceptfor side effects," he added, so

psychiatrists do tend to "exploitthe side-effect profile" to findsuitable medications for individ-ual patients, he added.According to the backgroundinformation in the new study,appearing in the Dec. issue ofAnnals of Internal Medicine,some 27 million people in theUnited States had taken antide-pressants as of 2005.Cost, of course, is another con-sideration."If one drug costs $200 a monthand another costs $20, I don't seeany reason why not to go with thelatter," said Dr. Radu Saveanu, aprofessor of psychiatry at theUniversity of Miami MillerSchool of Medicine.Dosing is also important, he said,"because studies have shown thatif patients have to take the drugless frequently, compliance ishigher, which will make a big dif-ference in terms of efficacy."But given the similarity in effec-tiveness, prescribing antidepres-sants is still largely a trial-and-error process.It's hoped that the next series ofstudies will provide guidance onwhich medications to try first."The real heart of the matter is, ifthey don't respond to one type ofantidepressant, is there anyguidelines about what you shouldtry next?" Schlager said.

delivered two times daily for justfive days on an outpatient basis. “Newer-generation cathetersallow us to have much better con-trol over radiation dosage toavoid irradiating normal tissuelike skin and ribs,” informs Dr.Shieh. “We are now able to offerthis treatment to women who oth-erwise wouldn’t have qualifiedfive years ago, such as those withsmaller cup sizes.”

"APBI does not treat the wholebreast. The past 15-20 years oftreating breast cancer has taughtus many important things aboutearly stage breast cancer. Theyrarely come back following sur-gery and radiation. But, if theyare going to recur, most will do sowithin 1 to 2 cm of the originalsite. So, the question arose, whytreat the whole breast? APBI onlytreats the surgical cavity, therebypreserving the rest of the breastand skin from radiation sideeffects." - A. E. Addesa, MD

According to Dr. Shieh, APBI hasbeen available since the early2000s, and over 50,000 womenhave been treated nationwide.

“Our patients have experiencedgreat outcomes with very lowrates of cancer recurrence,” hereports. “Choosing the best meth-ods for treating breast cancershould be a multi-disciplinarydecision made with patientinvolvement. Here at SouthFlorida Radiation Oncology, weoffer the full range of breast can-cer treatments and our goal is toprovide the best care possible.”

Learn more about South FloridaRadiation Oncology by visitingthe website at www.sfrollc.com.

Anthony E. Addesa, M.D.

Board-Certified Radiation

Oncologist Completed his

fellowship at Harvard Joint

Center for Radiation Oncology

Kishore K. Dass, MD.

Board-Certified Radiation

Oncologist. Has been trained

at Cleveland Clinic, Ohio

According to the Natio-nal Cancer Institute,over 230,000 Ame-rican women were

diagnosed with breast cancer inthe past year. While researchingtreatment options can be an over-whelming process, the area ofradiation therapy has gainedmany breakthroughs.

“The future is quite promising forwomen with newly diagnosedbreast cancer,” emphasizes EugeneC. Shieh, MD, a board-certifiedradiation oncologist with SouthFlorida Radiation Oncology.“We’re able to do more for patientsthan we could five or ten yearsago. A multidisciplinary, evidence-

based appro-ach, with earlyinvolvement of all the medical spe-cialists, allows us to achieve thebest possible outcomes for ourpatients. This is an approach thatwe firmly embrace.”

South Florida Radiation Oncologyoffers conventional whole breastradiation therapy, with 3-DConformal radiotherapy, or inten-sity-modulated radiation therapy(IMRT).

“We are excited to have imple-mented the Varian TrueBeam atour Jupiter and Boca Raton loca-tions,” reveals Dr. Shieh. “This isthe absolute latest-generationtechnology for external beam

radiation, allowing us to achieveunprecedented accuracy andmuch faster treatment deliverythan the other linear accelerators.” Fast, effective radiation A select number of patients withsmaller tumors have the option toundergo a new alternative calledaccelerated partial breast irradia-tion (APBI). While it boasts com-parable outcomes to traditionalexternal radiation therapy, APBItreatment is a significantly short-er process that offers more con-venience and comfort.

“This allows women to eitherstart chemotherapy or get backto their normal lives quickly,”notes Dr. Shieh. “The vastmajority of patients say theywould choose this type of treat-ment again or would recommendit to a friend.”

APBI works by delivering radia-tion directly to the lumpectomycavity (space left behind aftertumor removal) and to surround-ing tissue where cancer is mostlikely to recur.

“The surgeon places a breastcatheter into the cavity, with aportion of the catheter exposed,”he explains. “We then performCT planning to precisely deter-mine where to deliver the radia-tion dose.

“A targeted dose of radiation isdelivered through the catheter bya radiation afterloader. The treat-ment is quick, between five andten minutes, and no radiation isleft inside the patient.”

Conventional radiation therapytreatments typically last as longas seven weeks, but APBI is

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Most U.S. Drivers Engage in 'Distracting' Behaviors: PollCellphone talk,texting, evenapplying makeup:Most know it'sdangerous, but manydo it anyway.

Whether it's talkingon cellphones, fid-dling with food anddrink or doing

some last-minute grooming, alarge majority of adult drivers inthe United States admit to beingdangerously distracted while be-hind the wheel, a new poll shows.

According to the new HarrisInteractive/HealthDay poll, mostadults who drive on a regularbasis admitted to having at somepoint engaged in distractingbehaviors, be it eating/drinking(86 percent), talking on a non-hands-free cellphone (59 per-cent), setting their GPS device(41 percent), texting (37 percent)or applying makeup (14 percent).

Large minorities of drivers alsoadmitted to driving while lessthan fully alert. For example, aquarter of respondents said theyhave driven after having two ormore drinks, and 44 percent saidthey've felt sleepy while driving,"sometimes even momentarily

dozing off." Smaller percentages(7 and 12 percent, respectively)said they drive this way "some-times or often."

"The number of drivers whoengage in potentially dangerous,in some cases extremely danger-ous, behaviors while driving isterrifyingly high, particularlywhen you remember that every 1percent of drivers polled repre-sents more than one-and-three-quarters of a million people," saidHumphrey Taylor, chairman ofThe Harris Poll.

"While we have some informa-tion on how dangerous some ofthese behaviors are (driving afterdrinking, talking on cellphones,falling asleep, texting) we canonly speculate as to the numbersof accidents and deaths that arecaused by the many millions of

people who drive while settingtheir GPS, eating or drinking,surfing the Internet, watchingvideos, combing their hair, read-ing or applying makeup," addedTaylor.

Prior research has examined thedangers of distracted driving,with one 2010 study finding thattexting alone was implicated inmore than 16,000 deaths from2001 to 2007. The study, pub-lished in the American Journal ofPublic Health, also found thatauto deaths involving cell phonesand texting while driving rose 28percent between 2005 and 2008.

According to the new online poll,which surveyed more than 2,800U.S. adults between Nov. 10 to14, distracted driving isn't justlimited to cellphone use. Othermajor distractions include:

n Eating/drinking: 86 percentsaid they had done it at somepoint, and 57 percent said theydo it "often or sometimes."

n Setting/changing GPS: 41percent have ever done it whileat the wheel, while 21 percentdo it more frequently.

n Sending/receiving text mes-sages: 37 percent have done so,and 18 percent do it regularly.

n Reading a map: 36 percentadmitted doing so, and 10 per-cent do it often or sometimes.

n Combing/styling hair: one infive drivers acknowledgeddoing this at least once; nearly1 in 10 does it more regularly.

n Applying makeup: 14 percenthave done it at least once, 7 per-cent say they do it frequently.

n Surfing the Internet: 13 per-cent have done so while driving,and 9 percent do it often/some-times.

n Watching videos (on a mobiledevice or in-board system): 7percent say they do this "oftenor sometimes."

Certain drivers were more apt toindulge in risky distractions thanothers, the poll found. For exam-

ple, drivers over the age of 65were less likely than theiryounger counterparts to engagein distracting behaviors. Andwhen it came to gender, menwere more likely than women todrive while drowsy, consult aGPS navigation system, look atmaps, drive after drinking alco-hol, surf the 'Net or watchvideos.

For example, 77 percent thoughtthat texting increases the odds ofa car accident "a lot." Forty-fourpercent thought the same abouttalking on a (non-hands-free)cellphone, and two-thirds thoughtit was dangerous to apply make-up while driving.

"Despite all of the attention paidto cell phone distractions in thepast few years, this survey high-lights the broader problem thatdrivers do a lot of things behindthe wheel that distract them," saidRuss Rader, a spokesman for theInsurance Institute for HighwaySafety in Arlington, Va. "Peoplehave driven distracted longbefore there were cellphones."

While technology has helped cre-ate new driving hazards, it mightalso be a means of minimizingthe risk, too, Rader said. Hepointed to "crash-avoidance tech-nologies" that automakers areinstalling on vehicles.

The overlap of the cold andflu season with the holi-day season can make it a

challenge to stay healthy as yougo to parties and get togetherwith family and friends.

Getting a flu shot is important,but other precautions can alsoreduce your risk of gettingsick or of spreading illness toothers, according to a RyersonUniversity news release.

Here are some tips for ahealthy holiday:

n When you have to cough orsneeze, do it in your sleeveor the inside of your sweateror jacket. That will preventthe spread of viruses to thosenearby.

n Wash your hands regularlyand always after using therestroom, before eating, andafter blowing your nose.

n Use the air kiss or fake peckon the cheek instead of a kisson the lips when greetingfamily and friends.

n Always use serving spoonsor forks -- never your fingers-- to put food on your plate.If you're hosting a party, besure to supply plenty of serv-ing utensils and provide peo-ple with alternatives toreaching into bowls, such asmaking individual servings.

n Find creative ways to per-sonalize cups so that peopledon't accidentally mix themup. Don't serve beverages intheir original containersbecause people might getconfused about which bottleor can belongs to them.

n Carry hand sanitizer withyou and use it before you eatany food or touch your face,particularly your nose andmouth. This will help protectyou against viruses you mayhave picked up from door-knobs, shopping cart han-dles, handrails and faucets.

n When you attend religiousservices, try to stay three tosix feet away from othersand don't share the commun-ion wine goblet. Instead ofshaking hands and hugging,use a friendly wave or elbowtap to greet others.

n Make sure you get adequatesleep, which is important forkeeping your immune sys-tem strong.

n If you develop a flu, stay athome until you feel better.

How to Stay Flu-Freefor the Holidays

GERD: A review

Background:

Gastroesophageal RefluxDisease (GERD) is achronic digestive dis-ease due to an incom-

petent lower esophageal sphinc-ter, which regulates the passage offood from the esophagus into thestomach. Episodes of transientlower esophageal sphincter relax-ation cause stomach acid or bile to

backup from the stomach into theesophagus. This backwash ofstomach contents irritates the lin-ing of the esophagus and causessigns and symptoms of GERD.GERD is a global condition, af-fecting people of all ages andraces.

Symptoms of GERD:• Frequent heartburn usually

more than 2 episodes per week• Regurgitation• Dysphagia• Atypical symptoms include dry

cough, asthma like symptoms,and non-cardiac chest pain.

Risk Factors:• Hiatal hernia (a condition in

which part of the stomachmoves above the diaphragminto the chest)

• Obesity• Smoking• Pregnancy• Alcohol use• Medications (i.e.: Beta-

Blockers and Calcium ChannelBlockers)

Complications If LeftUntreated:• Barrett’s Esophagus• Esophageal Carcinoma

Treatments:Lifestyle Changes:• Weight loss

• Smoking cessation• Small frequent meals• Wear loose fitting clothing• Avoid lying down for 3 hours

after eating• Raise head of the bed 6-8 inches.

Extra pillows alone will not help.

Medications:• Foaming agents such as

Gaviscon• Antacids (Maalox, Mylanta)• H2 Blockers (Zantac)• PPI’s (Aciphex, Nexium)• Prokinetics (Reglan)

Surgical Options:Surgery is an option when med-ications and lifestyle changes donot help, or can be a reasonableamendment to a lifetime of drugsand discomfort.

• Robotic/Laparoscopic NissenFundoplication- The upper partof the stomach (fundus) iswrapped around the loweresophageal sphincter tostrengthen it. The surgery isaccomplished through tiny inci-sions and requires 1-2 days ofhospitalization.

• Trans Oral IncisionlessFundoplication (TIF) - Repairof a small hiatal hernia usuallyless than 2 cm. This is accom-plished endoscopically withoutany incisions.

GastroesophagealReflux Disease


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There are several medical condi-tions in some people that may notmanifest itself. In other words,certain people may have hidden

medical conditions that are not diagnosedbecause they are asymptomatic whichmeans that they do not have any symptomsof their hidden medical condition. In mypractice I have encountered patients whomay have diabetes mellitus, hypertensionand hypercholesterolemia without evenknowing it. The following are two scenariosfrom my practice.

A 60 year old female patient calls andcomplains of heartburns and wants to beprescribed Zantac. I tell her over the phonethat she needs to see me ASAP since therecould be an underlying heart condition.She is skeptical of this situation and statesthat her neighbor has the same conditionthat goes away with Zantac, and thereforewhy couldn't she get the same. I tell herthat each person's case history differs. Sheanyway refuses to seek medical attention.The next day I receive a call from the hos-pital ER physician who tells me that mypatient has had a heart attack. The outcomeof this scenario speaks for itself.

The next scenario is about a gentlemanwho has uncontrolled hypertension. Onexamination he is found to have high bloodpressure. This patient has no symptomswhatsoever. I advise him to increase hisanti-hypertensive medication dosage. Hebelieves that since he feels fine he does notneed to increase his dosage for fear of sideeffects. I tell him that the very reason thatthese medications are manufactured is toprevent complications of hypertension. Ifeel that the benefits of an increase indosage in some cases far outweighs therisks of some side effects. He tells me thathe just needs to stay on a low salt diet andthis will correct the problem. He isinformed that a low salt diet is surely theway to go, but that would not bring theblood pressure down immediately and thatthere is a possibility of a stroke. A fewweeks later he has a stroke with paralysisof one side of the body.One can definitely learn from the abovescenarios and heed the advice of one'sphysician. To stay healthy is the ultimategoal that we all need to strive for.

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How Much Salt Is Bestfor the Heart?

For people with heart disease or dia-betes, too little salt may harbor al-most as much danger as too much

salt, researchers report.Reducing salt is still very important in peo-ple consuming more than 6,000 or 7,000milligrams of sodium per day, said Dr.Martin O'Donnell, lead author of a study inthe Nov. 23/30 issue of the Journal of theAmerican Medical Association.But people who already consume moderateor average amounts of salt may not need toreduce their intake further, addedO'Donnell, an associate clinical pro-fessor at McMaster University inHamilton, Ontario, in Canada."We're seeing more and more thatthere may be an optimal moderateamount of salt that people should beeating," said Dr. John Bisognano,professor of medicine and directorof outpatient cardiology at theUniversity of Rochester MedicalCenter, in New York. "This isreassuring for people who eat adiet that is moderate in salt."Bisognano was not involvedwith the study, which was fundedby pharmaceutical companyBoehringer Ingelheim.After years of seemingly happy agreementthat people should lower their salt intake,experts recently have begun debatingwhether or not lower salt intake is actuallygood for everyone.One recent study found that although cut-ting back on salt does lower blood pres-sure, it may also increase levels of choles-terol, triglycerides and other risk factors

for heart disease.Another study found that lower sodiumexcretion (sodium excretion is a way tomeasure how much salt is consumed) wasassociated with an increased risk of heart-related deaths, while higher sodium excre-tion was not linked with increased risks forblood pressure or complications from heartdisease in healthy people.However, in the latest study, results weresomewhat different.These authors looked at how much sodium

and potassium were excreted inurine in a group of about 30,000men and women with heart dis-ease or at high risk for heart dis-ease. Participants were followedfor an average of more than fouryears.In this study, sodium excretionlevels that were either higher orlower than the moderate rangewere each associated withincreased risk.For example, people whoexcreted higher levels of sodi-um than those with mid-rangevalues had a greater risk of

dying from heart disease, heartattack, stroke and hospitalization for heartfailure, the report found.On the other hand, people who excretedlower levels than mid-range were at araised risk of dying from heart disease orbeing hospitalized for heart failure.When the researchers assessed potassiumlevels, they found that a higher level ofexcretion of the nutrient was associatedwith a lower risk of stroke.


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Birthmarks,scars andother facialblemishesmay makeit harder forpeople to land a job, newresearch suggests.this is because interviewerscan be distracted by unusualfacial features and recall lessinformation about jobcandidates, according to theinvestigators at rice Universityand the University of houston."When evaluating applicants inan interview setting, it'simportant to remember whatthey are saying," mikki hebl, apsychology professor at riceUniversity, said in a universitynews release. "our researchshows if you recall lessinformation about competentcandidates because you aredistracted by characteristics ontheir face, it decreases youroverall evaluations of them.""the bottom line is that howyour face looks cansignificantly influence thesuccess of an interview," heblsaid. "there have been manystudies showing that specificgroups of people arediscriminated against in theworkplace, but this study takesit a step further, showing why ithappens. the allocation ofattention away from memoryfor the interview contentexplains this."the findings were recentlypublished online in the Journalof applied Psychology.

Can FacialFlaws CostYou the Job?

By Erica Whyman

Loxahatchee, FL---Palms WestHospital will kick off 2012 bybreaking ground on a $16 milliondollar expansion project. LisaGardi, Marketing Director ofPalm West, joked that a “raise theroof” ceremony may be moreappropriate since this project willbe a vertical expansion, that addsa fourth floor to the east tower.The expansion will increase thehospital capacity from 175 to 204operational beds.

“We are excited about this expan-sion project and look forward tothe benefits that this will bring toour patients and the community formany years to come,” says PalmsWest Hospital CEO, Bland Eng.

The expansion project will createan estimated 50 new local jobs andwill focus in the areas of the AdultMedical/Surgical Department,Adult Intensive Care Unit,Pediatrics, Pediatric Intensive CareUnit and the Laboratory.

The continued growth of PalmsWest Hospital and The Children’sHospital at Palm’s West is due tothe quality care and innovativeservices that consistently exceedpatient and community expecta-tions.

Palms West Hospital is on the fore-

Palms West Hospital and theChildren’s Hospital at Palms West

front of technological innovation;expert physicians using robotictechnology allow once complexand invasive surgeries to be donewith less pain and time in the hos-pital, due to smaller incisions andenhanced precision. Expertlytrained physicians are producingexcellent outcomes in the field ofgynecology, urology and generalsurgery at Palms West.

Children are an important andgrowing demographic of PalmBeach County. Focusing on thisdemographic, The ChildrenHospital at Palms West having anaffiliation with renowned Miami

Children’s Hospital since 2010.The alignment with MiamiChildren’s Hospital, along withthe highest number of fellowshiptrained pediatric physicians onstaff in the county; has allowedthe hospital to build a reputationleading to referrals from a fivecounty region.

In today’s fast paced society, hos-pitals have turned to billboards toconstantly stream average waittimes in emergency rooms.

“We have an app for that,” saysPalms West CEO Bland Eng, andhe is not kidding.

(Left to Right): Silvia Stradi, CNO, Bland Eng, CEO, Michael McCumber, ED Director, Scott Herndon, CFO,Madeline Nava, COO

Palms West Hospital meets con-sumer demands for immediateaccess to care, but with a focus onthe patient and the patient experi-ence. They employ Child LifeSpecialists who work with fami-lies and patients through theprocess and help them understandthe procedures and manage thestress that comes with being inemergency care.

From robots to apps to patientfocus groups, Palms WestHospital meets their mission ofbeing the hospital that combines“latest medical advances with anold-fashioned personal touch.”

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Doctors: Test all kids for cholesterol by age 11Every child should be tested for high cho-lesterol as early as age 9 -- surprising newadvice from a government panel that sug-gests screening kids in grade school for aproblem more common in middle age.

The idea will come as a shock to most par-ents. And it's certain to stir debate.

The doctors on the expert panel thatannounced the new guidelines this weekconcede there is little proof that testing nowwill prevent heart attacks decades later. Butmany doctors say waiting might be too latefor children who have hidden risks.

Fat deposits form in the heart arteries inchildhood but don't usually harden themand cause symptoms until later in life. Thepanel urges cholesterol screening betweenages 9 and 11 -- before puberty, when cho-lesterol temporarily dips -- and againbetween ages 17 and 21.

The panel also suggests diabetes screeningevery two years starting as early as 9 forchildren who are overweight and haveother risks for Type 2 diabetes, includingfamily history.

The new guidelines are from an expertpanel appointed by the National Heart,Lung and Blood Institute and endorsed bythe American Academy of Pediatrics.

Some facts everyone agrees on:

n By the fourth grade, 10 to 13 percent ofU.S. children have high cholesterol,defined as a score of 200 or more.

Multitasking StressesOut Working MomsMore Than Dads

Ever unload thed ishwasherwhile help-

ing with a child'sh o m e w o r k ?Ever keepone eye onsoccer practice whilechecking your voicemail and trying to fig-ure out what to makefor dinner?That's called multi-tasking, and in a fast-paced world, Americanworking moms do awhole lot of it -- and seemmore stressed by it than working dads, anew study shows.According to the research, working moth-ers spend 9 more hours a week multitask-ing than do working fathers, or about 48hours per week for moms compared with39 for dads.And, when they have to multitask, womendon't particularly enjoy it.The research found that when women aretrying to do multiple things at once, theyreport feeling stressed, while men don'tseem to mind it as much. Researchers sayit could be because men's multitasking athome more often involves work, whilewomen's involves combining householdchores and child-rearing, which may leavethem feeling conflicted and guilty.Among working mothers, 53 percent ofmultitasking at home involves houseworkcompared with 42 percent among workingfathers. Additionally, 36 percent ofwomen's multitasking at home involveschild care compared with 28 percent forfathers."The hours men spend in household laborhave increased, but when you include mul-titasking, then you are able to see womenare still shouldering more of the householdresponsibilities than men," said study co-author Barbara Schneider, a professor ofsociology and education at Michigan StateUniversity.The study is published in the Decemberissue of the American Sociological Review.

n Half of children with high cholesterolwill also have it as adults, raising theirrisk of heart disease.

n One third of U.S. children and teens areobese or overweight, which makes highcholesterol and diabetes more likely.

Until now, cholesterol testing has onlybeen done for kids with a known familyhistory of early heart disease or inheritedhigh cholesterol, or with risk factors suchas obesity, diabetes or high blood pressure.That approach misses about 30 percent ofkids with high cholesterol.

"If we screen at age 20, it may be alreadytoo late," said one of the guideline panelmembers, Dr. Elaine Urbina, director ofpreventive cardiology at CincinnatiChildren's Hospital Medical Center. "Tome, it's not controversial at all. We shouldhave been doing this for years."

Elizabeth Duruz didn't want to take thatchance. Her 10-year-old daughter,Joscelyn Benninghoff, has been on choles-terol-lowering medicines since she was 5because high cholesterol runs in her fami-

ly. They live in Cincinnati.

Dr. Roger Blumenthal, who is preventivecardiology chief at Johns Hopkins MedicalCenter and had no role in the guidelines,said he thinks his 12-year-old son shouldbe tested because he has a cousin with veryhigh "bad" cholesterol who needed heartbypass surgery for clogged arteries in his40s.

Dr. William Cooper, a pediatrics and pre-ventive medicine professor at VanderbiltUniversity, said expanding the testingguidelines "would seem to me to makesense." But, he added: "One of the riskswould be that we would be treating morekids, potentially, and we don't know yetthe implications of what we're treating. Arewe treating a number or are we treating arisk factor?"

That's the reason a different group of gov-ernment advisers, the U.S. PreventiveServices Task Force, concluded in 2007that not enough is known about the possi-ble benefits and risks to recommend for oragainst cholesterol screening for childrenand teens.


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Poor Sleep May Leadto Fibromyalgia in Women

Sleep problems are associatedwith an increased risk offibromyalgia in women, especial-ly those who are middle-aged andolder, a new study says.

Fibromyalgia is a chronic muscu-loskeletal pain condition thataffects more than 5 million adultsin the United States. Womenaccount for up to 90 percent ofpeople with fibromyalgia, whichtypically begins in middle age.

Previous research has found thatinsomnia, nighttime awakeningand fatigue are common symp-toms experienced by fibromyal-gia patients, but it wasn't knownif sleep problems contribute tothe development of fibromyalgia.

Norwegian researchers enrolled12,350 healthy women, 20 yearsand older, with no musculoskele-tal pain or movement disordersand followed them for 10 years.At the end of that time, 327 (2.6percent) of the women had devel-oped fibromyalgia.

The study found a more than five-fold jump in the risk for

fibromyalgia among women over45 who often or always had sleepproblems, and a nearly three-foldrise for women aged 20 to 44with similar sleep woes.

The study appears online in thejournal Arthritis & Rheumatism.

"Our findings indicate a strongassociation between sleep distur-bance and fibromyalgia risk inadult women," Dr. Paul Mork,from the Norwegian Universityof Science and Technology, saidin a journal news release. "Wefound a dose-response relation,where women who often reportedsleep problems had a greater riskof fibromyalgia than those whonever experienced sleep prob-lems."

While the study found an associ-ation between poor sleep andfibromyalgia, it did not demon-strate a cause and effect.

Further research is needed todetermine whether early detectionand treatment of sleep problemscan reduce fibromyalgia risk inwomen, the researchers said.

By Deborah Lynn

Great weather, great foodand great companytruly sum up Harvest

Festival. This event took placeat John Prince Park on Satur-day, November 19. With twelve amazing sponsorsparticipating, you certainly

Harvest Festivalcould not ask for a more familyfriendly atmosphere. Thank youto the following sponsors thatmade the event a huge success –South Beach Orthotics andProsthetics, Inc., CharlesWadlington IndependentFinancial Advisors, All For OneHome Health Care, Inc., WoodLake Nursing & Rehabilitation,

Coral Bay Healthcare andRehabilitation, RenaissanceHealth and Rehabilitation,Unique Medical Supplies, AlanS. Zangen (Attorney at Law),PNC, Hospice by the Sea Inc.Cresthaven East and Vitas. A special thank you to MariaCastillo from Wood LakeNursing & Rehabilitation formaking me feel right at home.

Global Health Tribune - December 2011 issue

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Transcript of Global Health Tribune - December 2011 issue