Community Magazine January 2009

84 Community magazine To • Your • Health PAPERLESS PRESCRIPTIONS Starting this month, doctors who prescribe medication via electronic prescription pads can get bonus pay from Medicare. Patients will ben- efit from shorter drugstore waits and increased safety, as pharmacists no longer have to decipher doctors’messy handwriting, and instead receive the prescriptions from the doctor via computer. Only about 10 percent of doctors currently use the new method, which promises to reduce errors and save millions of dollars each year. Doctors who are still using paper prescriptions in 2012 will get cuts to their Medicare payments. The use of updated medical information technology is a key part of President-elect Barack Obama’s health-reform plans. WOMENNEGLECTED AFTERHEART ATTACK New research has found that women hospitalized with heart attacks are less likely than men to receive necessary treatment. Although women survive heart attacks about as well as men when hospitalized, female sufferers of severe heart attacks get fewer of the recommended medicines and procedures than men, or wait lon- ger to receive them. The research was published in the American Heart Association’s journal Circulation. Previous research has already suggested that women’s heart attacks were treated less aggressively than men’s. 1 OUT OF 2 DEFICIENT IND Both adults and children should be getting a lot more vitamin D than they currently do. The American Academy of Pediatrics doubled its recommended daily intake of vitamin D for children, and other groups urge adults to receive up to 10 times more than is currently recommended in their diets. Vitamin D deficiency may lead to not only osteo- porosis, but also heart disease, multiple sclerosis, diabetes and cancer. There is a growing trend among doctors to monitor vitamin levels, and vitamin D tests are now among the top five blood tests ordered nationwide. Up to half of adults are believed to get an inadequate amount of vitamin D, which is found in fortified milk, juice and cereals, as well as oily fish such as mackerel, sardines and wild salmon. Our bodies produce vitamin D in response to sun exposure, and just 10 to 15 minutes a day of sum- mer sun without sunscreen would provide enough vitamin D. Of course, care should be taken to avoid overexposure to the sun. SMOKERS SUE OVER ‘LIGHT CIGARETTES’ Smokers can sue tobacco companies for allegedly deceptive marketing of “light” cigarettes. The recent Supreme Court deci- sion validates claims filed by ex-smokers against a number of big tobacco producers. Having smoked Marlboro Lights and Cambridge Lights for 15 years, the ex-smokers argued they had a right to sue the companies for allegedly deceiving smokers into thinking that light cigarettes were healthier. The tobacco companies dispute the findings, claiming that the federal oversight agency is responsible, but the court ruled that the government never approved of the “light” and “low tar” advertisements. If the lawsuit succeeds, tobacco manufacturers could be forced to pay out huge legal settlements. KEEP YOUR HEART PUMPING: FACTS AND REMEDIES Heart attacks – the leading cause of death all over the world – are interruptions of the heart’s normal functioning due to a loss of blood supply to part of the heart. This results in a shortage of oxygen that can damage the heart tissue and potentially be fatal. Major risk factors include a history of angina or vascular disease; a previous stroke or heart attack; old age; excessive alcohol intake; illegal drug abuse; smoking; episodes of abnormal heartbeat; obesity; stress; high or low cholesterol; high blood pressure; and diabetes. Heart Disease Prevention: Quit smoking: Tobacco contains more than 4,800 chemicals, many of which damage the heart and blood vessels, mak- ing them more vulnerable to narrowing of the arteries, and hence to a heart attack. Get Active: Moderate to vigorous physical activity on a regular basis can reduce your risk of fatal heart disease by nearly a quarter. Eat a Heart-Healthy Diet: A diet rich in fruits, vegetables, whole grains and low-fat dairy products can help protect your heart. Limit your calorie intake to what your body needs. (An average male should have 2000 calories for weight loss). Maintain a Healthy Weight: Weight gained in adulthood is fatty tissue. This excess weight can lead to conditions that increase your chances of heart disease: high blood pres- sure, high cholesterol and diabetes. Regular Checkups: Check blood pressure levels and choles- terol levels regularly. Optimal blood pressure is less than 120/80 Sources: Heart Attack Statistics, Dr. Mark Clayson Andre; Heart Disease Prevention, Dr. Sharonne Hayes MD cardiologist and director at Mayo Clinic, Rochester, MI MIKE’S COR NER Michael Cohen (Body by Mike)