HealthyUMAGAZINE JAN 09

INSIDE > Annual Miracle Mile Walk Raises Awareness> Vascular Surgeons Highlight Common Vascular Diseases> University Welcomes Five New Physicians

ANNE TROTTER,Chairwoman of the

2009 Miracle Mile Walk

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THE MIRACLE MILE WALK HELPS RAISE MONEYto provide breast cancer care to underservedwomen in the CSRA, but it is first and foremost away to celebrate and honor those women whoselives have been touched by breast cancer.

The annual event had its humble beginnings in2001 after Queenie Glover, at the time a UniversityHealth Care Foundation board member, partneredwith the foundation to create the first Miracle MileWalk to raise money for University Hospital’s BreastHealth Center and Mobile Mammography Unit.They saw a need within the community, and real-ized there was a population of women who weren’t

getting screening mammograms, mainly becausethey lacked the funds.

That first year, 90 walkers helped raise $3,000 atthe event named after the South Augusta industrialarea. In less than a decade, the Miracle Mile Walkhas grown to nearly 2,500 walkers in 2008 of whom150 were recognized as breast cancer survivors.

Kathleen Bailie, of the Foundation, noted thestrong support the walk has garnered from compa-nies and organizations across the CSRA.

“We really wouldn’t have been able to do some-thing of this magnitude without the help of compa-nies like McDonald’s, Aetna, Wal-Mart and the KnoxFoundation,” she said.

Ms. Bailie also noted that 100 percent of the netproceeds from the Miracle Mile Walk stay in our areato help provide breast cancer care through the BreastHealth Center and Mobile Mammography Unit. ❖

A ‘Miracle’ Walks in AugustaAnnual walk helps raise money for University’s Breast Health Center

Special Event

NINTH ANNUAL MIRACLE MILE WALKDATE: Saturday, Oct. 17TIME: 8-9 a.m. registration, 9:30 a.m. walkbeginsLOCATION: Augusta Common, Eighth andReynolds streetsINFO: For more information about the walk, orto register for the event, call 706/729-5656.

EARLY DETECTION SAVES LIVES

The following early detection guidelines for people without symptoms are recommended by theAmerican Cancer Society and endorsed by University’s Cancer Services program. If symptoms arepresent or a person is at high risk, then the frequency of the tests and examinations can change uponthe advice of a physician.

• Breast Self Exam (BSE): Monthly, starting at age 20• Clinical Breast Exam: Every three years, ages 20-39; annually starting at age 40• Mammography: Annually, starting at age 40

If you have any questions or would like additional information, please contact the Cancer AnswerLine at 706/828-2522 or toll free at 866/869-2522.

Breast Cancer Screening Guidelines

STROKE IS THE THIRD LEADING CAUSE OF DEATHin the United States, killing nearly 160,000 peopleeach year. Those who survive a “brain attack” oftenare left dealing with its aftere!ects, making strokethe leading cause of adult disabilities.

Harold McGrade, M.D., a neurologist who prac-tices at University Hospital, said the “silent” partof a stroke’s calling card comes from the attack’sability to strike without a lot of fanfare – or pain.

“It’s been a challenge over the years to tryand educate patients about the symptoms of astroke. Sometimes the symptoms of a stroke can

be very straightforward and sometimes they canbe very di"cult to diagnose,” Dr. McGrade said.“We try to educate them on five or six symptomsthey can recognize.”

The Act F.A.S.T. campaign is designed to helppeople remember what symptoms to look for ifthey suspect a stroke. They include:■ FACE: Can the person smile? Is one side of the

face drooping?■ ARM: Can the person lift their arms? Can they

hold them up?■ SPEECH: Can the person talk? Are their words

slurring?■ TIME: If a stroke is suspected, call 911 immediately!

According to Dr. McGrade, part of the challengeis due to the fact that until the mid-1990s, there re-ally weren’t reliable treatments for stroke patients.

The development of tissue plasminogen activa-tor (tPA) therapy for stroke changed that.

TPA had been used in the past for heart attacks,but was found to have clot-busting properties thatworked to help dissolve clots that blocked arteriesto the brain.

However, early diagnosis is key since tPA has to beadministered within three hours of the stroke’s onset.

After that initial time period, it actually becomesmore dangerous to use the drug and it can lead toan increased risk of bleeding complications.

Fortunately, other treatment options are avail-able. Some strokes that present between four andsix hours can be treated with tPA directly at theclot through an artery. Some clots can be removedthrough various devices, and hypothermia and otherforms of protection for the brain also can be used.

Dr. McGrade said education and prevention arethe best ways to help avoid the devastation of astroke, especially since many of stroke’s risk fac-tors are preventable.

“Don’t smoke, control your cholesterol, controlyour blood pressure, eat a low-salt, low-fat dietand exercise,” he said. “All those things that aregood for the heart are also good for the brain.”

Above all else, people need to keep their bloodpressure in check. Dr. McGrade called it the “No. 1modifiable risk factor for stroke,” and don’t thinkyou don’t have room for improvement just because

Health News

FAST action neededto care for strokeCampaign educates the publicon common signs of stroke

“Don’t smoke, control yourcholesterol, control your bloodpressure, eat a low-salt, low-fatdiet and exercise. All those thingsthat are good for the heart arealso good for the brain.”Harold McGrade, M.D., Neurology

your numbers are average.“Even if you have a normal blood pressure, there

is still a benefit to lowering your blood pressure,”he said.

When a suspected stroke patient enters the hos-pital, they receive a CT scan to verify a diagnosis sotreatment can begin. The door-to-CT goal reportedby the National Institute of Neurological Disordersand Stroke of the National Institutes of Health is 25minutes. In its continuing e!orts to provide out-standing care, University has reduced that time toan average of 18 minutes. After treatment is provid-ed, patients will then move to University Hospital’sStroke Unit.

University’s dedicated Stroke Unit includes fivebeds for acute stroke patients and a nursing sta!specially trained to attend to the patient’s neuro-logical needs. A multidisciplinary team, includinga neurologist, nurse, dietitian, pharmacist, caremanager and rehabilitation therapists, visits eachpatient in the unit during daily rounds. Together,the team reviews each patient’s medical historyand develops a plan of care designed to ensure thebest possible outcome. ❖

For more information about stroke, callUniversity’s Heart Line at 706/828-2828 or tollfree at 866/601-2828.

DESPITE THE FACT that high blood pressure is theNo. 1 modifiable risk factor for stroke, hypertensioncontinues to be a growing threat in America.

Not only is hypertension a risk factor for stroke,it also complicates a number of other conditions,including heart disease, kidney disease and dia-betes.

But because hypertension is a modifiable riskfactor, patients can make lifestyle changes that canhelp reduce the problem, leading to a healthier life.

“It’s watching your salt intake, exercising to loseweightandstoppingsmoking,”saidHavonKnight,M.D.,an Internal Medicine Physician with Augusta MedicalAssociates who practices at University Hospital.

If lifestyle modifications aren’t enough, Dr. Knightsaid other therapies, such as medications, are avail-able. But sometimes the di"culty is getting patientsto adhere to their medication schedule.

“I think there are several factors that play intononcompliance by patients,” he said. “If patientsexperience side e!ects like light-headedness, diz-ziness, fatigue or sexual dysfunction of coursethey’re not going to be compliant.”

That’s when physicians can step in and work withpatients to find the best medications to addresspotential side e!ects.

“It’s not a one-size-fits-all process,” Dr. Knightsaid. “You can see what the problems are and workaround those problems.” ❖

Uncontrolledhypertension raisesrisk for stroke

Health News

“It’s watching your salt intake,exercising to lose weight andstopping smoking.”

Havon Knight, M.D., Internal Medicine

Risk Factors for a StrokeStroke prevention is still the best medicine.The most important treatable conditionslinked to stroke are:High blood pressure. Treat it. Eat a balanceddiet, maintain a healthy weight and exerciseto reduce blood pressure. Prescription drugsalso are available.Smoking. Quit. Free smoking cessation classesare available. Call 706/774-8900 to register.Heart disease. Manage it. Your physician cantreat your heart disease and may prescribemedication to help prevent the formation ofclots. If you are older than 50, scientists be-lieve you and your physician should make adecision about aspirin therapy.Diabetes. Control it. Treatment can delaycomplications that increase the risk of stroke.Transient ischemic attacks (TIAs). Seek help.TIAs are small strokes that last only a few min-utes or hours. They should never be ignored andcan be treated with medication or surgery.

Source: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention

Health News

WHEN PEOPLE DISCUSS cardiovascular disease,they usually don’t have a problem recognizing the“cardio” part of the equation. It’s only when you getto the “vascular” part that people might have a moredi!cult time understanding the disease.

In a nutshell, vasculardisease refers to thosediseases that involveveinsandarteriesoutsideof the heart and brain.Many of these a"ect thearms and legs, makingit di!cult for those af-flicted to go about theireveryday lives, but there are also life threateningproblems that can go undetected until it’s too late.

“The public needs to be educated about vascu-lar disease,” said Robert Mendes, M.D., a UniversityVascular Specialists surgeon who is also MedicalDirector of Vascular Services at University Hospital’sHeart and Vascular Institute. “Abdominal aortic an-eurysms are often silent until they are ready to rup-ture. If they rupture, 80 percent of patients will die.This disease can be treated very successfully if it isidentified early, which is why Medicare now coversthe cost of an ultrasound screening, a simple testthat can save tens of thousands of lives annually.”

Dr. Mendes noted that the people at greatest riskare those 65 years or older, smokers and those thathave had a family member with aneurysms.

Houman Tamaddon, M.D., a University VascularSpecialists surgeon who is also the Medical Director ofUniversity’s Peripheral Vascular Lab, said people needto understand the correlation between vascular dis-ease and its e"ects on the entire body. Dr. Tamaddonalso noted that vascular disease and coronary diseasego hand-in-hand, especially as people age.

“Most patients that have di!culty walking becauseof pain in their legs may have significant vascular dis-ease. If left untreated these patients decrease their ac-tivity, which increases their risks for heart disease andheart attacks. After the age of 65, three quarters of thepopulation will have some kind of vascular disease,”he said. “So it’s best to see your physician if you havequestions or concerns about vascular disease.” ❖

For more information about vascular disease, callUniversity’s Heart Line at 706/828-2828 or tollfree at 866/601-2828.

Physicians help patientsget a leg up on vascular diseases

Houman Tamaddon, M.D.Robert Mendes, M.D.

Peripheral Arterial DiseaseAccordingtotheAmericanHeartAssociation,peripheral arterial disease is the most com-mon vascular disease, with about 8 millionAmericans suffering from the disorder.

While some PAD risk factors can’t bechanged, such as age or a family historyof PAD, there are lifestyle changes thatcan help reduce your chances of develop-ing the disease.

They include:• Quit smoking• Lose weight• Get active• Control high cholesterol

and blood pressure• Manage diabetes• See your physician regularly

Health News

IT’S NO SECRET THAT DIABETES RATES are sky-rocketing in America. Rates have doubled in thepast decade, and physicians are seeing more andmore children in their o!ces with Type 2 diabetes,practically unheard of in years past.

“It’s an epidemic,” said Mary Lu Thompson,M.D., a medical endocrinologist who practices atUniversity Hospital. “Everyone is seeing an increasein diabetes patients, not just me.”

Dr. Thompson, who has received recognition fromthe National Committee for Quality Assurance’sDiabetes Physician Recognition Program, said thegrowing number of diabetes patients has made itincreasingly important to educate the public aboutthe disease, something often made more di!cultwhen a patient is in denial.

“For those patients who don’t have diabetes in

the family, the news can be a terrible shock,” shesaid. “A lot of our education is just repetition; ex-plaining to them the consequences of not keepingtheir diabetes under control.”

Because diabetes can a"ect so many di"erentareas of the body, diabetes patients have to beaware of potential medical complications that canstrike anywhere – from head to toe.

“We have to explain to them that it’s not reallythat their blood sugar number is high today,” Dr.Thompson said. “It’s the fact that the blood sugarnumbers of the last weeks, months and years candetermine whether they’re going to have an earlyheart attack, a stroke or lose their leg.”

While it can be di!cult to get patients to take con-trol of their diabetes, Dr. Thompson said the diagnosisoften can kick-start a lifestyle transformation, alleviat-ing those risk factors that can lead to the disease.

“It’s quite interesting how people react to adver-sity, and I think that’s one of the things that makesmedicine interesting,” she said. “There will be thosepatients who take the bull by the horns and say,‘I’m not going to stand for this,’ while others willstruggle for the rest of their lives.” ❖

Increase in number of diabetespatients concerns physicians

“For those patients who don’thave diabetes in the family, thenews can be a terrible shock,”Mary Lu Thompson, M.D.,Endocrinology

Physicians

FOR THE TREATMENT OF VASCULAR DISORDERS:Robert R. Mendes, M.D., Board Certified Vascular SurgeonMedical Director, Vascular Services at University Heart & Vascular InstituteMedical School: University of MiamiFellowships in Vascular Surgery and Vascular Interventional Radiology:University of North Carolina Hospitals

Houman Tamaddon, M.D., Board Eligible Vascular SurgeonMedical Director, Peripheral Vascular Lab at University Heart & Vascular InstituteMedical School: Upstate University, Syracuse, N.Y.Fellowship in Vascular Surgery: University of North Carolina Hospitals

Drs. Mendes and Tamaddon can be contacted at:University Vascular SpecialistsUniversity HospitalProfessional Center 2818 St. Sebastian Way, Suite 408Augusta, GA 30901Call 706/774-7022 for an appointment.

FOR THE PRACTICE OF INTERNAL MEDICINE:Luke A. Dolan, M.D., Board Certified InternistMedical School: Saint George University School of Medicine (Grenada)Internship: Greenville Hospital System, Greenville, S.C.Residency: Greenville General Hospital

Havon Knight, M.D., Board Certified InternistMedical School: Harvard Medical SchoolInternship and Residency: Emory University School of Medicine

Drs. Dolan and Knight can be contacted at:Augusta Medical AssociatesUniversity HospitalProfessional Center 41303 D’Antignac St., Suite 1200Augusta, GA 30901Call 706/774-7760 for an appointment. Same day appointments available.

FOR THE PRACTICE OF INTERNAL MEDICINE AND LIPIDOLOGY:Donald L. McAlexander, M.D., Board Certified Internist and LipidologistMedical School: Medical College of GeorgiaInternship and Residency: Parkland Memorial Hospital, Dallas

Dr. McAlexander can be contacted at:University Primary CareUniversity HospitalProfessional Center 1820 St. Sebastian Way, Suite 4CAugusta, GA 30901Call 706/774-5995 for an appointment.

Welcome these new physiciansto University Health Care System