CLEVELAND CLINIC FAMILY. Young at Heart

Transcription

1 Willoughby Hills Family Health Center CLEVELAND CLINIC FAMILY Winter 2006 Health Information from the Family Health Center Closest to You Young at Heart Our Ob/Gyns Deliver at Hillcrest Hospital in Mayfield Heights. Free Health Talks Offered at our Family Health Centers. To learn about upcoming talks, call 216/ Sign up for MyChart Access your medical records online. Lung Function Testing Our Independence Pulmonary Function Lab offers breathing-capacity and other tests four days a week, 7:30 a.m. - 3:30 p.m. Call 216/ Welcoming New Patients For appointments, call 440/ Sustaining Your Health Through the Years Recent research confirms that you truly are as young as you feel. Experts now believe we control more than 70 percent of how well and how long we live. Slow Down The stress of juggling career, marriage and family can mean putting our own well-being on hold. However, nothing ages our bodies more than stress, and chronic stress can damage your heart. Actively reducing stress through meditation, and avoiding stressful relationships and pressure-filled workplaces, will go a long way toward preserving your health. Smash the Ash If you smoke, quit now. Besides putting you at risk for diseases such as lung cancer, emphysema and bronchitis, smoking wreaks havoc on your arteries and bones. Get Physical Any amount of physical activity lowers blood pressure, the most important factor in arterial aging. Have your blood pressure measured regularly, and take immediate steps if it is high. Ask your doctor to clear you for three vigorous 20-minute exercise sessions a week. Coronary artery disease is the leading cause of death in every developed country. Exercise and weight management can make your heart more strong and vital. Add 30 minutes of weight-bearing exercise a week to maintain bone density and protect against fractures from osteoporosis. Taking daily calcium supplements will also counter the gradual bone loss we experience after age 35. Stay Sharp Evidence is mounting that aerobic exercise significantly improves mental ability in older adults. Stretch yourself mentally to avoid brain shrinkage and help guard against memory loss. Check In Throughout the years, but especially as we age, annual physicals are important. Choose a primary care physician with whom you have a rapport. Together, you can gauge health risks and flag problems. Your doctor will alert you when regular screenings such as cholesterol tests, colonoscopies, prostate exams, mammograms, Pap smears and pelvic exams are due. Cleveland Clinic Family Health Center physicians are available to help you and your family meet your health goals through the years. You also can track your progress by enrolling in e-cleveland Clinic MyChart. For appointments, call 216/444-CARE ( ) or 800/CCF-CARE ( ).

2 MyChart Brings Health Care Management Home JULIA GLAVIN DOESN T HAVE TO GUESS WHEN SHE S DUE FOR HER NEXT MAMMOGRAM. In a second, I can see when I last visited my doctor or had my last tetanus shot, she explains. That s because she joined over 25,000 patients enrolled in e-cleveland Clinic MyChart, an online medical record that gives patients immediate access to personal health information from home. I spend a fair amount of time online and I m comfortable surfing the net, says the 53-year-old mother of three. MyChart puts my personal health information in an easy-to-read format that is simple to navigate. When her primary care physician ordered a series of tests, Mrs. Glavin checked the results online. One of the best features of the online record is that it not only provides the results, but it explains what the findings mean and includes links to helpful information on acceptable ranges, she says. Patients using the secure system can request or cancel appointments and renew prescriptions from home. Ask about signing up for e-cleveland Clinic MyChart the next time you visit your primary care doctor, or visit What to Do About the Flu IF YOU ARE OVER 65, OR HAVE A 6- TO 23-MONTH-OLD, you probably got your flu shot this fall. Caregivers and those with compromised immune systems most likely received one as well. The Centers for Disease Control recommend flu vaccination via shot or nasal spray not just because the flu itself is dangerous, but because it can lead to devastating pneumonia in fragile populations, such as the elderly. Why do some people still catch the flu despite being vaccinated? It s not because flu shots give you the flu, as some mistakenly believe. Flu vaccines only protect against three strains of flu each year. Among the many flu viruses circulating, scientists must predict the top three most likely to spread in a given year and combine them into a vaccine. So though you are protected against those strains, you could still be exposed to a less common flu strain that happens to hit you hard, or to an aggressive flu strain that spreads unexpectedly, taking scientists by surprise. The best way to prevent the flu from spreading between now and May, when flu season ends, is to cover your mouth and nose when coughing or sneezing, throw away used tissues, and clean hands with soap and water or alcohol-based cleaner afterward. Internist Suzan Saber, M.D., focuses on preventive medicine and geriatrics. Diabetes: Quality Care Boosts Quality of Life Podiatrist Dina Stock, D.P.M., is available to treat diabetic foot problems. LIVING WITH DIABETES IS A CHALLENGE, but staying on top of this multifaceted condition makes life easier. Cleveland Clinic Family Health Center specialists advocate quality diabetes care, starting with early diagnosis. They periodically test anyone over age 45, or over age 20 with risk factors such as obesity, high cholesterol or a family history, for diabetes. Once diabetes is diagnosed, tight control of blood sugar through diet, exercise, and medication or insulin, if necessary, minimizes risks of eye, foot and cardiovascular complications. Medications may be prescribed to lower blood pressure and cholesterol, keys to preventing heart attack and stroke in diabetic individuals. Our family health centers use a team approach, with physicians, nurse educators, dietitians, ophthalmologists and podiatrists collaborating to ensure quality diabetes care. Call 440/ or visit to request appointments.

3 Lung Cancer Rates Rising Have Your Preteens and Teens Been Vaccinated? Two new vaccinations approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration are recommended for teens and preteens. The meningococcal vaccine protects adolescents against infection with meningococcal bacteria, the culprit in meningitis and certain blood infections. Infections are fatal in 10 to 15 percent of cases, according to the Centers for Disease Control (CDC), and a similar percentage of survivors suffer severe health consequences. Teens and young adults are considered to be at high risk of meningitis. Vaccinations are recommended one time only for children, from 11 years of age through high school. The second new vaccine, Tdap (tetanus, diphtheria and acellular pertussis) is the first adolescent vaccine that offers combined protection against whooping cough (pertussis), as well as tetanus and diphtheria. Over the last 20 years, the number of adolescents with whooping cough a potentially serious, highly contagious respiratory tract infection has increased. The new vaccine provides welcome protection. The CDC has replaced the tetanus-diphtheria booster that teens currently receive with the new vaccine to avoid an additional shot. Alison Young-Tan, M.D., is board-certified in both pediatrics and internal medicine. She and her colleagues are available for appointments, along with our family medicine specialists. CRP: To Test or Not to Test? HIGH LEVELS OF CRP (C-REACTIVE PROTEIN) LUNG CANCER RATES ARE RISING AMONG FORMER SMOKERS AS WELL AS NON-SMOKERS, and lung cancer remains the most common cause of cancer death in our country. Cure rates are highest when the disease is identified early. Unfortunately, symptoms do not appear until lung cancer reaches advanced stages. Middle-aged smokers and former smokers with 20 to 30 pack-years of exposure are at greatest risk. So why not screen them for lung cancer before symptoms develop? This is an area of controversy, say Cleveland Clinic experts. Routine screening with chest X-rays and saliva tests has had no impact on lung cancer survival. Some experts recommend screening asymptomatic smokers with CT scans. However, others point out that screening CTs have a high false-positive rate (meaning they pick up many harmless lesions as well as cancers). For your own health and the health of those around you, your best bet is to quit smoking as soon as you can to lower risks for lung cancer as well as emphysema and heart disease. Willoughby Hills oncologists Armin Green, M.D., and Aric Greenfield, M.D., specialize in the diagnosis and treatment of cancers. CAN TRIPLE YOUR RISK OF HEART ATTACK, whether or not your cholesterol levels are high, researchers reported in the Journal of the American Medical Association in July. Their study of more than 15,000 women found that even when cholesterol levels were good, high CRP levels doubled the risks of heart attack. High CRP signals inflammation somewhere in our system. Inflammation in the arteries can cause plaque to rupture, leading to heart attack or stroke. When is CRP testing useful? CRP testing can pinpoint whether patients at intermediate risk need more intensive treatment. Intermediate-risk patients have two or more of the following risk factors for heart disease: obesity, a family history of heart disease, high cholesterol, high blood pressure or smoking. If you believe you fall into this category, ask your doctor whether you need to have CRP levels measured along with cholesterol levels. Meanwhile, exercise and weight loss can lower both CRP and cholesterol. When risks of heart attack are known to be high, doctors treat patients aggresively and may use CRP to track such treatment. Willoughby Hills internists and cardiologists are available for consultation. Are ADHD Medicine Vacations Right for Your Child? Should children and teens with attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) take vacations from medications like Ritalin over weekends and school breaks? Cleveland Clinic Family Health Center pediatricians make recommendations based on the individual child. When a child s hyperactivity and inattention interfere significantly with daily peer and family interactions, some experts recommend taking methylphenidate agents year-round. They also suggest that this may reduce risks of car accidents and other problems in highly inattentive, impulsive teens with ADHD. However, because ADHD medications dampen the appetites of children and teens, some pediatricians recommend taking breaks from medication to catch up on nutrition and growth. Studies may show that new, longer-acting ADHD medications may have fewer side effects. Ask your doctor what is best for your child or teen. Pediatrician Jo Ann Robinson, M.D., focuses on behavioral concerns and adolescent care.

4 Visit For a Full List of Cleveland Clinic Family Health Center Staff, Services and Locations Cleveland Clinic Willoughby Hills Family Health Center 2570 SOM Center Rd. Willoughby Hills, OH For appointments, call 440/ or 800/ Hours: Monday - Thursday: 8 a.m. - 8:30 p.m. Friday: 8 a.m. - 5 p.m. Saturday: 8 a.m. - noon Special Services on site: Willoughby Hills Cancer Center Willoughby Hills Radiology - CT - MRI - Ultrasound - Mammography - Echocardiography, stress echo - Cardiac stress testing - General adult and pediatric radiology Cleveland Clinic Services Available to You Nurse on Call Speak with a nurse for your adult or pediatric health concerns. 216/ or 800/ , 8 a.m p.m., Monday - Friday. Cancer Answers Line Speak with a nurse about cancer symptoms or concerns. 216/ or 866/ , 8:30 a.m. - 4:30 p.m., Monday - Friday. Sports Injury Hotline 877/440-TEAM (8326) 7 a.m p.m., seven days a week Cleveland Clinic Health Information Resource Center Free health information. 216/ or Cleveland Clinic Family Health Centers Cleveland Clinic Family Checkup is published by the Division of Marketing to provide up-to-date health information and news about Cleveland Clinic Family Health Center services. The information contained in Cleveland Clinic Family Checkup is for educational purposes only and should not be relied upon as medical advice. It has not been designed to replace a physician s medical assessment and medical judgment. Editor: Cora M. Liderbach Art Director: Barbara Coleman Photographers: Don Gerda and Tom Merce Avon: 440/ Beachwood: 216/ Brunswick: 330/ Chagrin Falls: 440/ Elyria: 440/ Independence: 216/ Lakewood: 216/ Lorain: 440/ Solon: 440/ Strongsville: 440/ Westlake: 440/ Willoughby Hills: 440/ Wooster: 330/

5 Q: What is the difference between a family physician and a specialist in internal medicine-pediatrics? A: Family medicine specialists, or family physicians, are adept at providing comprehensive primary care for infants, children, adolescents, adults and seniors over time. They receive broad training in outpatient care as well as maternity, emergency and critical care, and can manage adults and children who are hospitalized. Family physicians often develop long-term relationships with their patients. Physicians who are certified in both Internal We are pleased to offer Family Medicine Medicine and Pediatrics, or Med/Peds specialists, also care for adults and children. With two Willoughby Hills. Family physician Michael as well as Internal Medicine-Pediatrics at years of intensive training in each field, they Hackett, M.D., has a special interest in type 2 diabetes and men s health. For provide expert, in-depth primary care for the full appointments, call 440/ range of pediatric and adult illnesses, from the simple to the complex. Med/Peds specialists are extensively trained in the care of hospitalized patients and are exposed to the in-depth specialty aspects of Internal Medicine and Pediatrics. Both family medicine and Med/Peds specialists may develop areas of special focus, such as sports medicine, women s health or geriatrics. I would like the following free information: Fact Sheets: Family History Chart Cataracts Colonoscopy MyChart, your personalized medical record Smoking Cessation Joint Replacement Options Medical Acupuncture Newsletters: Competitive Edge (sports health) Images (plastic surgery) Keeping Your World in Sight (eye) Brochures/Pamphlets: Preventive Cardiology and Rehabilitation Senior Circle Plus Fitness Program for Youths (FYI) Brain Tumor Institute Weight Loss Surgery: Bariatric and Metabolic Institute To receive our fact sheets, brochures or newsletters, simply: Send this completed coupon to The Cleveland Clinic Foundation, P.O. Box 943, Wooster, OH Or call toll-free: 800/ Or go to and click on Health Resources and then Family Checkup to request them online. Name Street Address City/State/Zip Send me Family Checkup via Please add me to your Family Health Center mailing list Please remove me from your Family Health Center mailing list Age (optional) Daytime Telephone Number Please add my friend to your Family Health Center mailing list: Name Street Address Address Age (optional) Videos: Joint Decision: Solutions for Hip Pain City/State/Zip Address WH-106

6 WOMEN S HEALTH Women can make appointments at Cleveland Clinic Willoughby Hills by calling 440/ Help for Heavy Bleeding Hysterectomy may be recommended when a woman suffers from heavy uterine bleeding of unknown origin. But Cleveland Clinic Family Health Center specialists can offer a less invasive alternative in many cases that speeds recovery and has fewer risks. Endometrial ablation is a procedure that thins the endometrium (the lining that builds up within the uterus each month and is shed during periods) using electrical energy, heat or cold: Electrical energy: The electrocautery method requires anesthesia in the O.R. Using gentle suction, endometrial tissue is brought into contact with a small electrode that delivers electrical current. Heat: Balloon endometrial ablation is an outpatient procedure. A triangular balloon is placed in the uterus under local anesthetic, then filled with fluid that is heated for several minutes. Cold: Endometrial cryoablation is an outpatient procedure. It involves applying a freezing probe to the uterine lining for approximately 10 minutes. The three methods are equally effective, and have comparable side effects. However, more than one treatment may be required, and ablation is not recommended for women who wish to preserve fertility. Jonathan Emery, M.D., practices general obstetrics and gynecology at Willoughby Hills. For appointments, call 440/ Cancer: Proactive Measures Against Bone Loss CLEVELAND CLINIC PHYSICIANS FREQUENTLY MONITOR BONE LOSS in patients with breast or prostate cancer; they may be at risk of osteoporosis, according to the American Cancer Society. Osteoporosis is a major health threat affecting more than 28 million Americans (mainly women) and causing over 1.5 million debilitating fractures every year. Painful fractures in the spine, hip and elsewhere can occur suddenly after years of gradual loss of bone density. Younger women with breast cancer may experience rapid loss of bone density because chemotherapy drugs may cause them to enter early menopause. Both premenopausal and postmenopausal women with breast cancer may experience accelerated loss of bone density if they take hormonal agents that lower estrogen levels. Meanwhile, men with prostate cancer may risk osteoporosis because standard therapy may lead to loss of bone density. John Dorsky, M.D., performs breast, gastrointestinal and thyroid surgery at Hillcrest Hospital, and sees patients at Willoughby Hills. To identify and start early treatment of osteoporosis for those cancer patients who need it, Cleveland Clinic specialists measure bone density with DXA (dual energy X-ray absorptiometry). Family Checkup / W Euclid Avenue, Cleveland, OH NONPROFIT ORG. U.S. POSTAGE PAID CLEVELAND, OH PERMIT NO. 4184