Your Health - Sutter Amador Hospital

Community Based, Not For Profit
yourhealth
Winter 2004 Bringing Wellness and Health News to Northern California
Women
Are Truly
Different
at Heart
Page 8
Our Daffodil
Memorial
Program
Blooms
Page 15
Volume 5, No. 1
The Sutter Health Network
Curry
County, OR
Del Norte
County
Contents
Your Health Can Only Get Better
3
Our CEO, Bruce Tigner, welcomes
you to the first issue of Your Health.
Fight Heart Disease With Your Fork
5
Learn how dietary changes may help
your heart.
Yuba
Sutter County
County
Lake County
Nevada
County
Placer County
El Dorado County
Yolo County
Sonoma County
Classes and Support Groups
Napa County
Marin
County
San Francisco
County
Solano County
Amador
County
Sacramento
County
Contra Costa
County
Alameda
County
San
Mateo
County
Santa Clara
Santa Cruz County
County
San Joaquin
County
COVER STORY
Women Are Truly Different at Heart
Merced County
Acute Care Hospitals
Physician Care Centers
8
Learn more about the ways heart
disease affects women.
Matters of the Heart
Stanislaus County
6
We offer a variety of community
services.
10
Quiz yourself on your risk factors
for heart disease.
It’s Time to Quit Smoking
13
Read all about the reasons to
put that cigarette out.
Feeling Stressed?
14
Discover ways to reduce your stress.
Welcome to Your Health
Sutter Amador Hospital is part of Sutter Health, a family of not-forprofit hospitals and physician organizations that share resources and
expertise to advance health care quality. Serving more than 100 communities in Northern California, Sutter Health doctors and hospitals are
regional leaders in pediatric, obstetrical, heart and cancer care. Your
Health is designed to help you and your family make informed decisions
about your health care.
Daffodil Memorial Program
15
Read about this lasting tribute to
loved ones.
On the cover:
Studies show that one in three American women dies of heart disease,
even more than from breast cancer. Learn about how a few simple
lifestyle changes have helped heart attack victim Pamela Xiromamos
turn her heart health around.
Please note that while the information in Your Health is gathered from a wide range of
medical experts, it may not apply to your particular situation. If you have specific questions
about your health, contact your personal physician. Nothing contained in this publication is
intended to be for medical diagnosis or treatment.
2
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winter 2004
Want to learn more about heart health? Visit us
online at www.SutterAmadorHospital.org.
Our Web site contains hundreds of health topics,
the latest news on our programs and services
and a directory to help you find a physician.
Your Health Can
Only Get Better
Raising the Bar for
Patient Safety
Sutter Amador Hospital has taken
patient safety to a new level with
advanced bar-code technology
designed to better ensure safe bedside administration of approximately 1,500 medications throughout the hospital annually.
Today, patients wear a wristband
with their name on it. With the new
system, patient wristbands and all
medications will include a bar code.
Using advanced software applications at the bedside, nurses will be
able to positively identify both the
patient and the drug by simply
scanning the bar codes. They will
also access vital information about
the patient’s current medications,
conditions and drug allergies.
“Delivering high-quality care to
patients is a top priority for Sutter
Amador Hospital,” says Pat Adams,
director of critical care and project
leader. “The Critical Care staff is
ready to accept the challenge of a
new program. We look forward to
enhancing our already stringent
quality-control guidelines as well as
the good care already delivered.”
The system will benefit Sutter
Amador Hospital’s patients
Sutter Amador Hospital
immediately, as the number of
medications has grown 500 percent
in the past decade. Today, more than
17,000 trade and generic pharmaceuticals are marketed in North
America. The bar-coding program
will help the patient-care team manage these medications and intercept
potential errors at the bedside. It
also helps ensure accurate administration of medications at the final
stage of the ordering and dispensing
process. In addition, the bar-coding
system will increase efficiency in
patient care by automatically creating an electronic medication administration record and other useful
reports that can be used to analyze
and improve clinical processes.
The new program, which is used
by only 2 percent of U.S. hospitals,
is scheduled to go “live” in June
and will first be implemented in the
Critical Care Department.
Sutter Amador Hospital is among
many Sutter Health affiliates to use
this advanced technology, which
will help better ensure safe bedside
administration of approximately 30
million medications throughout the
Sutter Health network annually.
Welcome to Sutter Amador
Hospital’s first issue of Your Health,
an informative resource for our
community. This quarterly newsletter is filled with local medical
news, as well as the most up-todate information to help you live
a healthier lifestyle.
You’ll find information in Your
Health that will help you take better care of yourself and your loved
ones while reassuring you that the
medical resources you need are
available in your community. We
regularly measure the quality of
those services against our goals of
continuing improvement and
excellence.
Enjoy Your Health, knowing that
we at Sutter Amador Hospital are
committed to providing not only
quality health care but also the best
in education to help you make
healthier choices.
Sincerely,
Bruce Tigner
CEO, Sutter Amador Hospital
www.SutterAmadorHospital.org
3
More Than Joint Pain
Don’t Take Arthritis to Heart
More research is
needed to determine
the correlation
between rheumatoid
arthritis and
heart disease, but
experts believe that
inflammation may
be the link.
If you’re a woman experiencing
the pain of rheumatoid arthritis, there’s
information that you should hear. You
may be surprised to learn that rheumatoid arthritis may put you at a greater
risk for a heart attack. This finding was
recently published in Circulation, the journal of the American Heart Association.
The news affects approximately 1.5
million American women with rheumatoid arthritis, an autoimmune disease that
causes inflammation of the joints, leading
to pain, swelling and stiffness. This is not
the first study to find a link between
rheumatoid arthritis and heart attack, but
it is the largest. Researchers used data
from Harvard University’s ongoing
Nurses’ Health Study to track the health
of more than 114,000 women over the
course of 20 years. Researchers found that
the women who were diagnosed with
rheumatoid arthritis were twice as likely
to have a heart attack compared to those
who did not have the condition. And
heart attack risk increased with the
number of years a woman had rheumatoid arthritis.
The Inflammation Connection
More research is needed to determine the
correlation between rheumatoid arthritis
and heart disease, but experts believe that
inflammation may be the link. Inflammation is a major component of rheumatoid arthritis, and researchers theorize
that it may also contribute to atherosclerosis (hardening of the arteries), one of
the causes of heart attack. Experts think
that the inflammation of rheumatoid
arthritis may cause plaque in artery walls
to rupture and cause fatal blood clots,
which can lead to a heart attack.
Other possible links between rheumatoid arthritis and cardiovascular disease
include rheumatoid arthritis medications
and the decreased activity level that can
result from arthritis pain — this lack of
exercise can lead to high cholesterol and
weight gain, both factors in heart attack.
COX-2 inhibitor medications taken for
rheumatoid arthritis, such as Celebrex
and Vioxx, may slightly increase the risk
for heart attack, possibly because they can
lead to increased fluid retention and
increased blood pressure.
Next Steps
Researchers believe that enough evidence
exists now to list rheumatoid arthritis as a
marker of increased heart attack risk. The
next step is to examine how people with
rheumatoid arthritis might alter their
drug treatment plan or make lifestyle
changes to reduce their risk for heart
attack. The research indicates that it is
more important than ever for people with
rheumatoid arthritis to discuss their
health, and especially their risk for heart
attack, with their doctor.
For more information about arthritis
and heart disease, visit us online at
www.SutterAmadorHospital.org.
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winter 2004
Fight Heart Disease
With Your Fork
T h e r e ’s a l o t o f n e w s a b o u t choles-
䡲 Eat no more than two servings of meat
terol these days, and your heart is telling
you to listen. High cholesterol contributes
to heart disease, which kills more Americans than all cancers combined. The good
news is that making a heart-healthy
change is as close as your dinner plate.
Adjusting your diet to lower your cholesterol is a great first step toward a healthy
heart.
“Making positive changes to improve
your health can be as easy as starting with
a good high-fiber breakfast,” says Kim
Vagt, M.S., R.D., CDE, and director of Food
and Nutrition Services for Sutter Amador
Hospital. “Small improvements, such as
timing of meals and snacks, can make a
big difference in improving your energy
level during the day. Most people skip
breakfast, eat lunch, eat a big dinner and
graze all night,” notes Vagt. “Your body
responds better by jump-starting your
metabolism by eating a small breakfast.
Smaller meals and healthy snacks throughout the day are easier to digest and
burn off.”
Are you ready to make a change?
Here are some tips to get you started.
a day. One serving is three ounces
(about the size of a deck of cards). Meat
can be high in cholesterol and saturated
fat — the type of fat that most directly
raises your cholesterol. Avoid eating
high-fat cuts of red meat, chicken with
skin and certain processed meats such
as bologna and hot dogs. Instead,
choose leaner foods such as fish, skinless chicken and turkey breast and
extra-lean or lean cuts of beef such as
tenderloin.
䡲 Switch to lower-fat dairy products. For
example, if you drink whole milk,
switch to low-fat. Once you get used to
the flavor, try nonfat milk.
䡲 Trade high-fat baked snacks, such as
muffins and cookies, for pieces of fruit.
Fruit is naturally low in fat.
What is the difference
between a registered
dietitian and a nutritionist?
Anyone can call himself or herself a nutritionist, but a registered dietitian (R.D.) is someone
who has a minimum of an
undergraduate degree in nutritional science and has completed a 2,000-hour internship
to achieve experience in medical
nutrition therapy. Eighty percent
of all R.D.’s have master’s
degrees. After the internship,
they must pass a credentialing
exam to become an R.D.
Tossing away less-healthy foods and holding on to healthier ones can add up to a
big victory for your heart health.
If you would like to meet with a registered dietitian to discuss the best nutrition
plan for you, call Sutter Amador Hospital’s
Outpatient Services at 223-7422.
Kim Vagt, M.S., R.D., CDE
Sutter Amador Hospital
www.SutterAmadorHospital.org
5
Classes and Support Groups
As the primary provider of health care in Amador County, Sutter Amador Hospital’s role does not end with inpatient
and outpatient services. Sutter Amador Hospital also offers a variety of educational classes and interactive support
groups for community members to take part in. For more information on a particular group or to sign up for a class,
call the contact number listed.
Cancer Support Group
Stroke Support Group
Cosponsored by Sutter
Amador Hospital and the
American Cancer Society,
this group meets monthly
at Sutter Amador Hospital
and offers an opportunity
to ask questions and meet
other cancer patients and
survivors while learning
about nutrition, pain management and other topics.
All cancer survivors and cancer patients actively pursuing treatment are encouraged to attend. Call 257-7609.
The Gold Country Stroke
Support Group meets the first
Thursday of every month
(excluding July and August),
4 to 5 p.m., at Sutter Amador
Hospital. Call 295-3485.
Better Breathers of Amador County
Led by Sutter Amador Hospital’s Directory of Respiratory
Therapy, this group meets the first Wednesday of
every month (excluding June through August), 10:30
to 11:30 a.m., at Amador Senior Center, 229 New York
Ranch Road, Jackson. Speakers discuss the most accurate, up-to-the-minute information about respiratory
health. Call 223-7581.
Safe Sitter Classes
Sutter Amador Hospital
Education Department offers
Safe Sitter classes throughout
the year. Students learn what to do when a child chokes,
how to call for emergency help, baby-sitting business
skills and basic child care skills. Students receive a completion card when they complete the two-day program.
The cost is $50, with a $25 refund upon completion. Call
223-7435.
2004 Schedule
쑺 Jan. 31 – Feb. 1
쑺 April 24 – 25
쑺 Aug. 28 – 29
쑺 Oct. 23 – 24
Diabetes Support Group
Coordinated by Sutter Amador Hospital’s Outpatient
Diabetes Education Program, this group meets the fourth
Thursday of every month, 4 to 5:30 p.m., at Sutter
Amador Hospital (excluding November and December).
Speakers cover all aspects of education pertaining to
diabetes. Call 223-7448.
Man to Man
Cosponsored by Sutter Amador Hospital and the
American Cancer Society, this group meets monthly at
Sutter Amador Hospital and provides a comfortable setting among peers for discussion, education and support
through the recovery process for prostate cancer.
Call 257-7609.
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Childbirth Education
Classes
Sutter Amador Hospital’s
Perinatal Department
offers childbirth education classes from 7 to
9 p.m. in the Multipurpose Conference
Room at Sutter Amador
Hospital. This sevenclass series covers
relaxation and breathing
techniques, stages of
labor, cesarean section
birth, care of newborns, breast-feeding
and postpartum care. The cost is
$60, and registration is required. Call
223-7460.
2004 Schedule
Wednesday evening classes:
쑺 Jan. 7 – Feb. 18
쑺 Feb. 25 – April 7
쑺 April 14 – May 26
쑺 June 2 – July 14
쑺 July 21 – Sept. 1
쑺 Nov. 3 – Dec. 15
Monday evening classes:
쑺 May 3 – June 14
쑺 Sept. 6 – Oct. 18
Community CPR Classes
Sutter Amador Hospital’s Education
Department holds American Heart
Association CPR classes throughout the
year. Courses include Basic Life Support
for Health Care Providers, Heartsaver
CPR, Heartsaver First Aid and CPR for
Family and Friends. The Basic Life
Support for Health Care Providers course
is recommended for the professional rescuer, and the Heartsaver CPR courses are
recommended for the lay rescuer who
requires a course completion card. CPR
for Family and Friends is recommended
for anyone who would like to learn the
lifesaving skills of CPR and does not
require a course completion card.
Fees vary depending on the type of
course, and registration is required.
Call 223-7435.
Sutter Amador Hospital
Walk Your Way
to Better Health
M a k i n g e x e r c i s e a p r i o r i t y is the secret to making it happen. If you think
about it, you may discover you don’t have time not to engage in physical
activity.
A growing body of research has found that a regular program of moderate
to brisk exercise — such as walking — may add years to your life.
It can help you sleep better; improve your energy level; control your
weight, cholesterol and blood pressure levels; reduce the risk for heart attack,
stroke, type 2 diabetes, breast cancer, depression and colon cancer; and
improve arthritis and back pain, to name a few benefits.
Add More Appeal
Try these offbeat ways to make fitness walking a breeze:
䡲 Buy a pedometer at a sporting goods store. Aim for 10,000 steps throughout
each day — whether at work, home or the grocery store.
䡲 Put a dollar in a jar every day you meet your walking goal. Spend the
money on yourself on the last day of the month.
䡲 Stop by your local tourist office and pick up pamphlets listing historic
walking tours, shopping malls, local universities, parks and wildlife sanctuaries. You’ll discover wonderful places to walk in your locality as you
improve your health.
䡲 Join a walking club; you’ll meet other walkers and explore some scenic
walks.
Walk This Way
The following walking techniques promote a safe and fit walking style:
䡲 Warm up for five minutes by walking at a slow, easy pace. At the end of a
brisk walk, cool down for five minutes in the same way.
䡲 Avoid overly long strides. Instead, use small, quick steps to prevent injury.
䡲 Land on your heel with each step, roll your foot from heel to toes, then
push off with your toes.
䡲 Pull in your abdominal and buttocks muscles as you walk.
䡲 Walk with your head up, chin level, chest up and shoulders back.
䡲 Drink plenty of water before, during and after you walk.
䡲 Check with your doctor before beginning any walking routine.
www.SutterAmadorHospital.org
7
Cover Story
Women at Heart
Are Truly Different
Know the Signs of a Heart Attack
䡲 Chest discomfort, pressure or
burning
䡲 Chest or abdominal discomfort
or pain spreading to the shoulders,
neck, arm or jaw
䡲 Discomfort or pain between the
F o r m o s t w o m e n , routine checkups
usually involve a trip to the dentist’s
office, an annual eye exam and a visit
with their gynecologist. But there’s one
important health check many women
are missing and need to take seriously:
a check for heart disease.
Studies show that one in three
American women dies of heart disease
and that the disease is the number one
killer of women. In fact, every year
since 1984, more women than men have
died of heart disease.
“For years, women have believed
that breast cancer is their greatest
health threat and that heart disease is a
man’s disease,” says cardiologist Robert
Schott, M.D., of Sutter Medical Center,
Sacramento. “Our goal is to help educate women about their risk factors and
symptoms.”
Dr. Schott says that many women
may not recognize the symptoms of a
heart attack, and this is compounded by
the fact that they don’t see themselves
as at risk for the disease.
For example, 49-year-old Pamela
Xiromamos of Sacramento considered
herself to be healthy and physically fit
before suffering a heart attack. “The
only risk factor that I was aware of
was that I smoked,” says Xiromamos,
a runner, bike rider and long-time
vegetarian. “One night I had gone to
bed at about 11 o’clock, and I was
shortly awakened by a strong sensation
in my chest. It kind of felt like a hot
coal sitting in the middle of my chest,”
recalls Xiromamos. “As I lay in bed, the
sensation seemed to morph into something totally different — it began to
feel like the onset of a muscle cramp.”
Xiromamos’ pain started to get
worse, and her fingers and hands
started to tingle. As her husband,
Sutter Amador Hospital
shoulder blades *
䡲 Shortness of breath *
䡲 Sweating*
䡲 Nausea or vomiting *
䡲 Indigestion or gaslike pain *
䡲 Dizziness or fainting
䡲 Unexplained weakness or fatigue
䡲 Sense of impending doom
The symptoms with an asterisk ( * ) are
more common in women than in men.
Pamela Xiromamos is telling her story to raise awareness of heart disease
in women and help improve early detection and treatment.
George, reached for the phone to call
911, Xiromamos remembered reading
that people should take aspirin if they
felt as though they were having a heart
attack. Aspirin helps prevent blood
clots from forming, which reduces the
risk for heart attack. Xiromamos went
immediately to the medicine cabinet,
got two aspirins and started chewing
them. It turned out that Xiromamos
was indeed having a major heart attack
and ended up having an angioplasty
and a stent implanted.
“When I first met Pam, I didn’t think
heart disease — she was lacking a lot
of the things we traditionally associate
with the disease,” says Dr. Schott. “So
we had to look beyond the traditional
factors to try to understand why she
developed heart disease.”
Through new, highly specialized
blood tests, Dr. Schott was able to determine that even though Xiromamos’
total cholesterol level seemed OK, she
had high levels of a particularly bad
type of cholesterol. She also had a
marker for inflammation. “Inflammation
can cause plaque in the arteries to
rupture, which leads to a heart attack,”
explains Dr. Schott.
Xiromamos immediately started taking cholesterol-lowering medication. She
also quit smoking and made a strong
commitment to exercise every day.
Now Xiromamos is helping Sutter
Health reach more women with the
message that heart disease can happen
to them. She is one of many women
who are telling their stories through
Sutter’s Women’s Heart Advantage
Program, an educational and clinical
effort sponsored by the doctors, nurses
and hospitals of Sutter Health to raise
awareness of heart disease in women
and improve early detection and treatment. We encourage you to discuss
heart health with your doctor, including
your family history of heart disease and
your risk factors. It’s never too late to
start protecting your heart. For more
information about heart disease, visit
www.hearts.sutterhealth.org.
www.SutterAmadorHospital.org 9
matters of the
HeartRisk?
are you at
Heart disease can decrease your quality of life — your health and well-being — and
can even affect your ability to do simple tasks like climbing the stairs. Two-thirds
of women who have had a heart attack never fully recover. And if you have a heart
attack, your risk of having another one increases.
Ask Your Doctor These Critical Questions
Talk with your doctor about heart disease. The more you
know, the more you can do to lower your risk. Here are
some questions you can ask:
䡲 What screening or diagnostic tests for heart disease
do I need?
䡲 If I have a family history of heart attack, am I at
greater risk?
䡲 What are my numbers and what do they mean? Ask
about blood sugar level, which could indicate a risk for
diabetes, blood pressure, total cholesterol, body-mass
index and waist-circumference measurements.
䡲 If I smoke, what is the best way for me to quit?
䡲 How much physical activity do I need to help protect
my heart?
䡲 What is a heart-healthy eating plan for me?
䡲 What are the warning signs of heart disease or a
heart attack?
䡲 If I experience signs or symptoms of a heart attack,
what steps do I need to take?
your risk for heart disease. It’s also important to limit your
exposure to secondhand smoke as much as possible. See page
13 for more information about women and smoking.
ARE YOU DEPRESSED OR UNDER A LOT OF STRESS?
It has been shown that too much stress contributes to heart
problems and even increases the risk for death. Depression is
also an important risk factor, occurring nearly twice as often in
women with heart disease. The good news is that there are
ways you can lower your stress and help manage depression.
This can be done through counseling, medication, regular
physical activity and stress-management programs, including
support groups.
ARE YOU OVERWEIGHT? Overweight women are much more
likely to develop heart-related problems, even if they have no
other risk factors. Being overweight also appears to contribute
to heart disease by increasing the chances of developing other
major risk factors. These include diabetes, high blood pressure
and high blood cholesterol.
Put Your Heart to the Test
DO YOU HAVE HIGH BLOOD PRESSURE?
It’s important to understand how certain factors can affect
your chances for heart disease and how to help control them.
Please take a moment to learn about the risk factors.
High blood pressure, or hypertension,
can damage the blood vessels, allowing
cholesterol and other substances to build
up. High blood pressure also increases
the workload on the heart. This extra
workload may lead to a heart attack or
stroke. Aim to keep your blood pressure
below 120/80.
DO YOU SMOKE? Women smokers are up to six times more
likely to suffer a heart attack than nonsmoking women. The
risk increases with the number of cigarettes smoked. Smoking
also increases the risk for stroke. Quitting smoking can reduce
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winter 2004
DO YOU HAVE HIGH CHOLESTEROL? Extra cholesterol and
fat in the blood can build up as plaque in the arteries of the
heart and reduce or block blood flow. If over time the blood
supply is cut off completely or if the plaque ruptures, you
will have a heart attack. The two key ways to reduce cholesterol are through lifestyle changes and medication. Have your
cholesterol level checked, including total cholesterol, HDL,
LDL and triglycerides. See page 12 for more information
about cholesterol.
If you answered yes to one or more of these questions,
be sure to talk with your doctor about your risk for
heart disease and what you can do to lower your risk.
For more information about women and heart disease,
visit www.hearts.sutterhealth.org.
DO YOU HAVE DIABETES? Women with diabetes are more
likely to have higher blood pressure, higher triglyceride levels,
low levels of good cholesterol and problems with how well
the heart pumps. If you have diabetes, controlling your blood
sugar level will help prevent complications of diabetes, such
as heart disease and stroke.
DO YOU HAVE AN INACTIVE LIFESTYLE? Lack of physical
activity raises your risk for heart disease. Most women do not
get the recommended amount of physical activity. Research
shows that 30 minutes of moderate activity on most days of
the week helps protect your heart health. Try taking a brisk
walk, raking leaves, housecleaning or gardening. Work your
way up to other activities, such as bicycling, swimming and
hiking.
DO YOU TAKE HORMONES? Loss of estrogen after menopause
increases your risk of developing heart disease. Hormone
replacement therapy (HRT) has now been shown not to prevent heart disease, and in fact, new research shows that certain types of HRT may result in an increased risk for heart
attack and stroke. However, HRT does have some benefits, so
if you are taking HRT or are considering it, talk to your doctor about your specific situation.
DO YOU HAVE A FAMILY HISTORY OF HEART DISEASE?
It’s important to inform your doctor of any family history of
heart disease. If your mother or sister was diagnosed with
coronary heart disease or had a heart attack before age 65,
or your father or brother before age 55, you are considered to
be at higher risk. Heart disease is also higher among African
Americans, Mexican Americans, American Indians, native
Hawaiians and some Asian Americans.
Sutter Amador Hospital
Tracy Chu, R.N., CCRN, clinical nurse educator,
and Lorna Coloma, R.N., of Sutter Medical Center,
Sacramento, review an electrocardiogram in the
coronary intensive care unit.
Note: Taking steps to prevent heart disease is
important, but it’s not enough. You also need to
be able to recognize the symptoms of a heart
attack (see page 9). If you experience any of these
symptoms, you should seek medical treatment.
Contact your doctor or call 911. Drugs and
procedures are most beneficial with immediate
treatment.
www.SutterAmadorHospital.org
11
Know Your Cholesterol
T h e r e ’s n o q u e s t i o n that choles-
terol has a bad reputation — too much
can cause serious, life-threatening
health conditions, such as heart disease
and stroke. But you can get cholesterol
under control and prevent heart disease
by making a few lifestyle changes.
To better understand cholesterol,
here’s a primer.
The Good, the Bad and the
Triglycerides
Cholesterol cannot travel throughout
the body to cells and to the liver on its
own; it needs proteins called apoproteins to transport it. The proteins
that perform this function are highdensity lipoprotein and low-density
lipoprotein.
High-density lipoprotein (HDL) is
often called “good” cholesterol because
its job is to prevent cholesterol from
building up in the arteries. HDL helps
protect the body from heart disease by
transporting cholesterol away from
body tissue and toward the liver, where
it is broken down.
Low-density lipoprotein (LDL) is
often referred to as “bad” cholesterol
because it is the source of cholesterol
buildup on artery walls. LDL causes
cholesterol to stick to artery walls, narrowing them and restricting blood flow.
Although LDL helps deliver cholesterol
to cells, a high LDL level is associated
with an increased risk for heart disease.
Triglycerides are another kind of fat
or lipid found in the blood. Typically,
they are measured with cholesterol
because a high triglyceride level can
be associated with high cholesterol.
Elevated triglycerides have also been
associated with an increased risk for
heart disease and diabetes.
If high cholesterol is left untreated
and builds up on artery walls, it can
cause hardening of the arteries, or atherosclerosis. This condition can lead to
a heart attack or stroke.
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winter 2004
Numbers
Screenings Are Vital
High cholesterol does not produce any
symptoms, so experts recommend that
people ages 20 and older get a fasting
lipoprotein profile every five years. A
fasting lipoprotein profile is the ideal
cholesterol screening. This profile must
be done after fasting for nine to 12 hours
and provides a breakdown of cholesterol
levels that includes total cholesterol,
LDL, HDL and triglycerides. Tests done
without fasting show only the total
cholesterol level and HDL level.
What the Numbers Mean
Cholesterol measurements are determined by the National Cholesterol
Education Program (NCEP). According
to the NCEP, a total cholesterol level of
less than 200 milligrams per deciliter
(mg/dL) is desirable. A borderline-high
level is 200 to 239, and a level of 240
or above is considered high. It is
particularly important to focus on the
LDL level. An LDL level of less than 100
is ideal. An LDL level of 100 to 129 is
considered acceptable, a level of 130 to
159 is borderline high, a level of 160 to
189 is high and a level of 190 or above
is considered very high. Unlike the LDL
level, a high HDL level is good. NCEP
guidelines suggest that an HDL level of
less than 40 is considered undesirably
low. An HDL level of 60 or above can
help shield against heart disease. A
triglyceride level of 150 or above raises
the risk for heart disease.
If you have high cholesterol or are
concerned about your numbers,
talk with your doctor. Together
you can take steps to help lower
your cholesterol and keep it in
check. For more information, visit
www.SutterAmadorHospital.org.
You’ve Come a Long Way:
It’s Time to Quit Smoking
J o e C a m e l a n d t h e M a r l b o r o M a n have some female
company. Although men still smoke more than women, the
gender gap is closing fast. Today, women are almost as likely
to smoke as men. No one knows this better than the tobacco
industry. Tobacco companies continue to target women, hoping to recruit new smokers. They know that women smoke for
different reasons than men do, often to handle stress or lose
weight. Advertisements and marketing materials frequently
capitalize on this by promoting female smokers as slim,
empowered and sophisticated. Yet the tobacco industry’s
advertising neglects to mention how damaging cigarettes
are to your health.
Concerns for Women
Lung cancer has surpassed breast cancer as the leading
cause of cancer deaths among women. Smoking can also
lead to other lung diseases, such as emphysema and chronic
bronchitis. It contributes to stroke and heart disease, increases
a woman’s risk for osteoporosis and may result in early
menopause.
Women also put their unborn babies and children at risk
with each cigarette. Smokers can develop severe complications
during pregnancy. Chemicals from tobacco can be passed
from mothers to babies through breast milk. And secondhand
smoke increases a child’s risk of developing pneumonia and
bronchitis.
If you smoke and want to quit, or if you know that you
should quit, you can get tobacco out of your life for good.
Sutter Amador Hospital
Think of Reasons to Quit
It can be helpful to start by writing down your reasons for
quitting smoking — both big and small. Perhaps you want
to quit so that your kids won’t be exposed to smoke. Maybe
you don’t like the smell in your clothing and car. You should
also consider that giving up smoking is one of the best things
you can do for your body. Did you know that when you quit,
your body begins to change for the better just 20 minutes
after your last cigarette? Here are a few of the healthy benefits
you’ll see in your body when you quit:
䡲 Twenty minutes after quitting, your blood pressure and
pulse rate drop.
䡲 After eight hours, the carbon monoxide level in your blood
drops to normal, and the oxygen level increases to normal.
䡲 Forty-eight hours after your last cigarette, you can taste
and smell things better.
䡲 Your body feels stronger, and physical activity is easier.
䡲 Two weeks to three months after quitting, your circulation
improves.
䡲 Five to 15 years later, your risk of developing lung cancer,
stroke and coronary heart disease decreases significantly.
Tobacco Reduction of Amador County (TRAC) offers local
cessation classes to help you quit smoking. The five-week
classes are $75 per person (waivers are available). For more
information or to register for the next class, call 223-6638.
www.SutterAmadorHospital.org
13
Feeling
Stressed?
chronically, the long-term effect of these increased hormones
becomes harmful, resulting in increased blood pressure, increased stomach acid and an altered immune system.” Given
the numerous sources of stress in life, it’s vital to find ways to
relieve and reduce stress. Here are several proven methods:
Try to be optimistic. It’s difficult to change personality traits,
S t r e s s e x i s t s i n y o u r m i n d , b u t you feel it from head
to toe. It’s also evident in your stomach, heart and muscles.
Since researcher Hans Selye coined the term stress as it is
currently used more than 60 years ago, stress has been found
to be a factor in many health conditions. In recent news, the
American Heart Association reported that stress causes blood
vessels to constrict, which may increase the risk for sudden
death.
When the body is stressed, the
heartbeat and breathing quicken,
blood pressure rises and blood
flow is redirected to the brain and
large muscles. Called “fight or
flight,” this response evolved to
help humans fight or flee from a
threat, but it can be harmful if it
continues without relief. Some of
the 50 common physical symptoms of stress include headaches,
upset stomach or indigestion, elevated blood pressure, chest pain,
sleeping problems, dizziness,
muscle tension, change in
appetite, sexual difficulties and
fatigue or exhaustion.
Stress is characterized as being
acute or chronic. Acute stress can be triggered by an event
perceived as threatening or traumatic, such as missing a
flight. Chronic stress is more common and exists over a period of time — for example, having a nagging feeling of loneliness or persistently worrying about finances. “Our bodies
react to acute stress by releasing certain hormones, which are
helpful for an acute stressful situation,” said Donald Van
Fossan, M.D., local neurologist and chief of staff for Sutter
Amador Hospital. “However, when the stress persists
14
yourhealth
winter 2004
but studies show that people who are optimistic suffer from
fewer health problems than pessimists. To reduce stress, envision positive outcomes for stressful situations, such as imagining the applause you’ll receive before giving a speech.
Exercise regularly. Exercise helps offset the effects of stress. Do
20 to 30 minutes of aerobic exercise (such as walking, biking
or swimming) three or four times a week.
Learn cognitive-behavioral techniques. These techniques teach
people to identify the sources of their stress and to understand their response so that they can
react differently to the stressors in
their lives. Examples of cognitivebehavioral techniques are learning
time-management skills, assertiveness training and learning to
correctly gauge one’s control of a
situation — perception is vital.
Seek professional help for ongoing
stress. Persistent stress can signal a
treatable health problem, such as an
anxiety disorder, or be a sign of a
stressful lifestyle, such as caring for
an elderly parent. Medications and
psychotherapy can
be extremely helpful.
Ultimately, stress is
very personalized;
we all react to stressors differently. It
doesn’t matter which
healthy stress-relief
method you choose,
as long as you use
one of them.
Daffodil Memorial Program
at Sutter Amador
Blooms
Daffodils will soon be blooming
again at Sutter Amador Hospital.
Beneath the valley oak tree at the main
entrance, dozens of daffodils have been
planted in memory of loved ones lost.
Remembering the Past
Sutter Amador Hospital’s Foundation
Board understands how important it is
to have an enduring memory of friends
and loved ones who have passed away.
To honor those individuals recognized
by memorial gifts made to Sutter
Amador Hospital, daffodil bulbs are
planted every fall. As daffodils emerge
with the coming of spring, they will
serve as a lasting tribute to cherished
friends and loved ones. This spring,
additional landscaping and benches are
planned to create a reflective garden
retreat for patients, visitors and staff to
enjoy year-round.
Looking to the Future
The daffodil memorial garden is one of
Sutter Amador Hospital’s ways of honoring the past while preparing for the
Sutter Amador Hospital
future. To meet the ever-changing
health care needs of our community, we
must continuously keep up with medical technology and expand programs
and services. A memorial gift is just one
of the ways the community can support
the hospital and ensure that Sutter
Amador Hospital continues to provide
quality health care to its family, neighbors and friends for years to come.
The daffodil memorial
garden is one of Sutter
Amador Hospital’s
ways of honoring the
past while preparing
for the future.
Working to Help You
Sutter Amador Hospital’s Foundation
Board, a subcommittee of the hospital’s
board of trustees, is dedicated to continuing philanthropic efforts. It is their
mission to improve the health and wellbeing of the community by being attentive to local needs, communicating our
not-for-profit message and directing
fund-development efforts.
Additional Information
For more information on the Daffodil
Memorial Program or Sutter Amador
Hospital’s Foundation Board, call
257-7617.
www.SutterAmadorHospital.org
15
Always Accepting
New Patients
Sutter Amador health centers located in Plymouth and Pioneer offer
quality health care in Amador County’s more rural areas. Board certified
family practice doctors, family nurse practitioners and registered nurses
in both centers offer basic primary care services for the entire family,
including:
䡲 Regular medical care
䡲 Well-child care
䡲 Immunizations
䡲 School and sports physicals
䡲 DMV physicals
䡲 Pre-employment physicals
䡲 Injury care (including workers’ compensation injuries)
䡲 Referrals for specialty consultations as necessary
Call the nearest health center to schedule an appointment today. Both
centers accept most insurance carriers, including Medicare and
MediCal. Discounted services are also available for self-pay patients
based on income and family size.
Locations:
9279 Locust
24685 Hwy. 88
Plymouth, Calif.
Pioneer, Calif.
209-245-6968
209-295-5544
Hours:
Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Need health information?
Visit our Web site at
www.SutterAmadorHospital.org.