Getting Her Health on Track
Rebecca Davis knows how to keep a freight train on track, but she says it was Life Line Screening that put her health on track.
Rebecca, 47, and her husband, Joseph, are a railroad family. Rebecca was a conductor for the Union Pacific Railroad, running freight trains from Villa Grove, Illinois, to Chicago until a neck injury put her on disability. Joseph, who is a switchman, saw a notice that Life Line Screening would be setting up shop in their hometown of Highland, Indiana.
While four screenings are available- carotid artery blockage (which identifies stroke risk), abdominal aortic aneurysm, peripheral arterial disease, and osteoporosis-Rebecca was particularly interested in the latter because her mother had osteoporosis. "I was going in for the osteoporosis screening, but Joseph talked me into all four," she says. That was fortunate. When the screening was completed, the technologist took her into the hallway and told her that the test showed blockage in both of her carotid arteries, with a significant amount in one. They urged her to see her doctor immediately. She was able to get an appointment with one of her doctor's associates, who sent her to the hospital right away for further testing.
At the hospital, doctors told Rebecca that she had 99 percent blockage in one carotid artery and 40 percent blockage in the other. "The specialist couldn't believe I had no symptoms. He said, "That's the best money you ever spent in your life.’ He was surprised that I was up and walking."
Rebecca had more tests the next day, and in less than a week, she had surgery to correct the more seriously blocked artery. Doctors are still monitoring the other artery.
These days, Rebecca watches her diet, leaning more toward vegetables and fish than toward red meat. She stays active with lawn mowing and snow blowing. She likes helping Joseph work on his new purchase, a 1969 Corvette Stingray (the body, upholstery, and engine are "really good," although the driveshaft did fall out recently). She also enjoys scrap-booking, spending time with two grandsons (ages 10 and 3 ½) in Chicago, and browsing the Internet for contests to enter ("I've won grills and a basket of makeup worth $350," she says.).
When she visits with friends, she hands them Life Line Screening fliers. "I tell them, 'I'm being watched closely-maybe you should be, too,'" she says. "I can't say enough good things about Life Line Screening."
New Research Study for the Treatment of Small Aneurysms
Plaque buildup in the carotid artery reduces blood flow to the brain and increases the risk of stroke.
An aneurysm is a bulge or balloon that forms in the wall of a blood vessel. An aneurysm is most commonly a result of an accumulation of fatty deposits on the vessel wall, but may also relate to heredity, trauma or other disease that weakens the vessel wall. Over time, as the vessel wall continues to lose its elasticity, the stretching force caused by normal blood pressure in the aneurysm can lead to bursting also referred to as "rupture") of the vessel. An aneurysm that forms in the part of the aorta (one of the body's main blood vessels) that extends through the abdominal area is called an abdominal aortic aneurysm (AAA).
One option of treatment is known as "endovascular stent grafting." In this procedure, a stent graft, a woven polyester tube (graft) covered by a tube-shaped metal web (stent), is placed inside of, and spans across, a diseased (aneurysmal) vessel using a long slender tubular catheter, without surgically opening the tissue surrounding the diseased vessel.
The PIVOTAL study ("Positive Impact of EndoVascular Options for Treating Aneurysms Early") will compare endovascular stent graft repair, using the Medtronic AneuRx® Stent Graft System, versus surveillance (observation) in patients with smaller AAAs that are 4-5 cm in diameter. Comparisons will be made regarding patient survival, AAA rupture or bursting, and AAA related deaths. Currently, the standard practice for physicians diagnosing patients with a 4-5 cm diameter AAA is to regularly perform imaging to monitor the AAA until it reaches a diameter of 5 cm, and then treat the aneurysm. Although smaller aneurysms, 4-5 cm, have sometimes been repaired when the patient was relatively healthy, there is little information that supports repairing smaller aneurysms.
The PIVOTAL study is being done to determine whether AAA treatment using endovascular stent grafting is a better option than regular imaging surveillance (observation) to monitor AAA growth. The study will be done with a follow-up period up to five years.
The PIVOTAL study is being conducted at 70 hospitals in the U.S. which will include 1,700 patients with AAAs nationwide.
For more information on this option, to see if you qualify and to find the closest center, contact:
The Cleveland Clinic Foundation
Phone: (216) 445-4057
E-mail: pivotal@ccf.org
Breaking Bad Habits: A Happy New You
If you're ready to conquer one of the most common healthdamaging practices-smoking or excessive drinking-here's how medical experts say you can increase your chances of success. As you map out a plan to kick your habit, talk to your doctor-you'll get plenty of help and support. Your heart and circulatory system will thank you, as smoking and excessive drinking are major contributors to heart and blood vessel disease.
Smoking
Don't just toss out your cigarettes and grit your teeth. Preparation is important if you want to give up smoking for good. Set a date for quitting and find a buddy who will quit at the same time. Change your smoking routines. For instance, don't smoke in customary situations, such as with your morning coffee or while you're on the telephone. Don't keep your cigarettes in their usual spot. Switch to a brand you don't like and buy your cigarettes one pack at a time. When you get the urge to smoke, tell yourself you're going to wait a few minutes, then find something else to do, such as drinking water or chewing gum.
On the day you quit, put all of your ashtrays away and destroy all of your cigarettes. Vary your routines so you'll be less tempted to slide into your habit. Be ready with a backup plan-something to stick into your mouth besides a cigarette (such as gum, a lollipop, or a toothpick). Then reward your success: If you go smokeless for a day, buy yourself a nice shirt or go to your favorite restaurant.
Once you've gone through the difficult process of quitting, it will be a challenge to continue to abstain. Stay active-ride your bike, garden, and go for walks. Focus on the benefits of not smoking: better health, a cleaner environment, and being a good example for others. Tell friends and family you have quit and get their support.
Keep at it. If you lapse, don't worry. For many former smokers, it took several attempts before they finally shook the habit for good.
Drinking
No amount of smoking is good for you, but alcohol consumption is different, since small amounts may actually be beneficial. But not everyone can stick to just a drink or two a day. If you struggle with this, talk to your doctor. Many people can cut back on their drinking only by stopping altogether.
To prepare to reduce your alcohol consumption, write down why you want to drink less. Perhaps you hope it will improve your relationships, help with health goals, or contribute to better sleep. Set a drinking goal for yourself, too. It may be to stop drinking altogether, or you may want to stick to the recommended limits of one drink per day for women and two for men. (A drink is defined as 12 ounces of beer, 5 ounces of wine, or 1.5 ounces of liquor.)
For one month, keep a diary of every drink you take-on what day, at what time, and where. You may find this information revealing when you review it later. Compare your recorded consumption with your goal. In the future, avoid places and situations where you're most tempted to drink, and think through ahead of time how you'll react when you're offered a drink.
To avoid being tempted, keep little or no alcohol in the house. When you do drink, sip slowly and alternate alcoholic drinks with nonalcoholic ones so that you have only one alcoholic drink per hour.
Avoid people who urge you to drink, and practice polite ways of declining alcohol when it's offered. Break the link between emotional upset and drinking: When you've had a bad day, don't respond by picking up a bottle.
Be persistent. Remember that changing an ingrained habit isn't easy. Ask for support from the people who care about you.
Sources:
American Cancer Society
National Cancer Institute
National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism
Surprised by Silent Sickness
"It's surprising how silent a serious illness can be," says 70-year-old Pat Ingram.
Pat is a retired office manager for the office supply company Pitney Bowes. Her "significant other," Tony, 72, is retired from the U.S. Postal Service. One day, Pat saw a notice in the newspaper that a Life Line Screening would be available at a church near her home in Rocklin, California. She decided to go, and for good measure, she "dragged" Tony along. Tony, you see, is not a big fan of things medical. "He 'didn't have anything wrong with him,' and he didn't go to doctors." Pat says.
Pat made the appointment for the screenings, and when the couple arrived at the church, they were registered, saw an introductory video and went through the four screening stations. Pat's results had little cause for concern (she has minor blockage in one carotid artery), but Tony's report warned him to see his doctor-he showed signs of significant carotid artery blockage as well as an abdominal aortic aneurysm. He hadn't exhibited any symptoms from the blockage, so the results were a real surprise.
Pat took Tony to a specialist for a thorough examination, which verified the findings. She jokes that he "has been mad at me ever since." He now gets a full examination each March, and his arteries are being monitored.
Pat and Tony split their time between California and a vacation home in Oregon. Pat doesn't drink alcohol, doesn't smoke, and eats "whatever I want." While Tony is restricted in how much weight he is supposed to lift, they both get plenty of exercise- particularly around the house in Oregon. There's lots of snow to clear, and the couple had to dismantle a damaged 30- by-50-foot workshop all on their own before it could be rebuilt.
Pat now refers all of her friends to Life Line Screening. To make things easy, she teaches them how to find a nearby location on the Internet. "You have silent things happening inside your body that you don't know about until you do something like Life Line Screening," she says.
A Big Fan of Prevention and Education
As a home care nurse and college instructor, Pat Buls wants people to take more control of their health and learn more about options for testing and treatment. That's one reason the 61-year-old Waterloo, Iowa resident made an appointment immediately when she saw a flyer for Life Line Screening. The other reason: Her husband, Loren, 63, "has a horrible history of cardiovascular disease in his family."
Sure enough, the ultrasound technologist urged Loren to go to the doctor, as the screening indicated that there was blockage in Loren's carotid arteries.
Loren visited the family doctor, who sent him to the hospital for more testing, which confirmed Life Line Screening's results. About 10 days later, Loren had surgery on his left carotid artery to correct the problem. The surgeon told him his carotid artery had been 90 percent blocked. Afterward, the doctors continued to monitor his right carotid artery, and several months later, they operated to unblock that one as well.
Pat found it alarming that her husband's arteries could be so dangerously blocked, yet he showed no symptoms. Pat used a stethoscope to listen to her husband's carotid arteries, but detected no signs of unusual blood flow. The only sign of trouble was what was found during his screening, and "I am just eternally grateful for that," she says.
Both Pat and Loren believe in a healthful lifestyle. Neither drinks or smokes, and both follow a lowfat, low-salt diet. Pat walks at least two miles a day, while Loren gets "tons of exercise" in his security guard job, hauling sacks of money to and from armored cars.
In their leisure time, the Buls enjoy summer camping. Loren likes wood working and carpentry and is in the process of remodeling the garage. Pat is an avid quilter and loves reading. Their three children are out of the house now (there are four grandkids), but the couple's two kitties get lots of attention.
As a five-year survivor of breast cancer, Pat is a big believer in aggressively managing your own health. "It helps a lot," she says, "that mobile screenings are available and good health information is easy to find on the internet. Everyone should be aware of this and take advantage of preventive health care," she says. "It is so much better to prevent disease than to treat it."
Are Your Bones at Risk?
There is a way to detect bone diminishment in its early stages. Through preventive screenings, men and women can identify their risk of osteoporosis. Then their personal physicians can provide treatment options so that the chance of having a bone fracture can be greatly reduced.
Osteoporosis is defined by the National Osteoporosis Foundation as a disease characterized by low bone mass and structural deterioration of bone tissue leading to bone fragility and increased susceptibility to fractures of the hip, spine and wrist.
According to the foundation, "An average of 24 percent of hip fracture patients aged 50 and over dies in the year following their fracture."
OSTEOPOROSIS AT A GLANCE
- The disease is painless in its early stages, so most people are unaware of its presence until a fracture occurs.
- It's estimated that more than 10 million Americans have osteoporosis. Two million are men and 8 million are women.
- More than 58 percent of postmenopausal women have osteoporosis and don't know it. One third of all men have some degree of osteoporosis by age 75.
- Only 9 percent of people with below-normal bone density, and therefore higher risk of fracture, are diagnosed and are being treated.
- Fifty percent of those who fracture a hip after age 55 are unable to walk again without assistance. Twenty four percent die within one year of the hip fracture (from complications).
- Fifteen percent of those who fracture a hip after age 55 are in nursing homes one year after the injury.
- There are 300,000 hip fractures from osteo - porosis per year, with an average cost of $26,000, excluding physician fees.
Life Line Screening can help assess the risk of a bone fracture. Through preventive screening services, people throughout the nation can determine if they are at a higher risk of developing this disease. If caught in its early stages, a physician can implement appropriate preventive measures.
In addition to the osteoporosis screenings, which have been approved by the FDA for both men and women, Life Line Screening offers tests to detect:
- Blocked arteries, which can lead to a stroke
- Aortic aneurysms, which can lead to a ruptured aorta
- And hardening of the arteries in the legs, which is a strong predictor of heart disease
All four of the screenings take less than one hour.
Life Line Screening was established in 1993, and has since become the nation's leading provider of preventive vascular screenings. More than 80 ultrasound teams are on staff to travel to your local community, bringing the screenings to you. These non-invasive, inexpensive and painless ultrasound tests help people identify their risk for stroke, vascular diseases or osteoporosis early enough for their physicians to begin preventive procedures.
To schedule an appointment or find another screening location near you, call 1.877.754.9627. Pre-registration is required.
