Health
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- Written by: Elizabeth Larson
Adventist Health St. Helena is one of the only medical centers in the North Bay to offer the WATCHMAN device as an alternative to the lifelong use of oral anticoagulant medications, such as warfarin, Xarelto and Eliquis, for people with atrial fibrillation not caused by a heart valve problem (also known as non-valvular atrial fibrillation).
The first procedure was performed in the cardiac catheterization lab at the hospital on Oct. 22.
An estimated five million Americans are affected by atrial fibrillation, an irregular heartbeat that feels like a quivering heart. People with atrial fibrillation have a five times greater risk of stroke than those with normal heart rhythms.
The WATCHMAN device closes off a blind pouch of the heart called the left atrial appendage, or LAA, to keep harmful blood clots that can form in the LAA from entering the bloodstream and potentially causing a stroke. By closing off the LAA, the risk of stroke may be reduced and, over time, patients may be able to stop taking warfarin or other blood thinners.
“The WATCHMAN device is a novel alternative for patients with non-valvular atrial fibrillation at risk for a stroke, especially those with a compelling reason not to be on blood thinners,” said Dr. Monica Divakaruni, an interventional cardiologist and medical director of the hospital’s structural heart program. “I’m proud we are offering this option as it provides patients with potentially life-saving stroke risk treatment.”
The WATCHMAN device has been implanted in more than 50,000 patients worldwide and is done in a one-time procedure. It is a permanent device that doesn’t have to be replaced and can’t be seen outside the body. The procedure is done under general anesthesia and takes about an hour. Patients commonly stay in the hospital overnight and leave the next day.
At the Adventist Heart & Vascular Institute, the WATCHMAN implant physician team is led by Dr. Divakaruni, interventional cardiologist Dr. Stewart Allen and cardiac electrophysiologists Dr. Daniel Kaiser and Dr. Peter Chang-Sing. Structural heart coordinator Christina Dovas, NP-BC, provides dedicated support, including patient education and facilitating communication between physicians, patients and referring providers.
The multidisciplinary structural heart team at the Adventist Heart & Vascular Institute is made up of cardiothoracic surgeons, interventional cardiologists, a dedicated nurse coordinator, highly skilled cardiac nurses, anesthesiologists and imaging professionals that collaborate to evaluate, diagnose and treat patients with atrial fibrillation or other structural heart conditions. Together, they are unified by a vision to help patients access new advances in treating these conditions to improve their quality of life.
Patients or physicians interested in learning more about the WATCHMAN procedure can call the Adventist Heart & Vascular Institute at 707-963-6322 or can visit www.adventistheart.org.
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- Written by: Elizabeth Larson
The data and analysis were released today by the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation. They come from the 2016 and 2017 National Survey of Children’s Health (NSCH), along with analysis conducted by the Health Resources and Services Administration’s Maternal and Child Health Bureau.
The newest data and policy information for California can be found at: https://stateofobesity.org/states/ca/.
A full national data interactive, with information for every state, is available at https://stateofobesity.org/children1017/.
The new data show that racial and ethnic disparities persist. Nationally, black youth had nearly double the rate (22.5%) as white youth did (12.5%).
The rate for Hispanic youth falls between those two, at 20.6 percent, and Asian youth have the lowest rate, at just 6.4 percent. A new data brief from RWJF, including obesity rates for white, black, and Hispanic youth in California, is available at https://stateofobesity.org/.
“Childhood obesity continues to be major public health challenge, with significant financial and societal implications,” said Jamie Bussel, senior program officer at the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation (RWJF). “Far too many young people in this country are facing increased chances of diabetes, heart disease, and high blood pressure, all due to a preventable condition. And black and Latino youth are still more likely than their white peers to face these problems. We must help all children grow up at a healthy weight, so they can lead healthy lives, and save the nation billions in healthcare costs.”
The new analysis uses combined data from the 2016 and 2017 editions of the NSCH. Comparing the combined 2016-17 data to 2016 alone, only one state, North Dakota, had a statistically significant change in its obesity rate, which dropped from 15.8 percent to 12.5 percent.
Scientists predict that more than half of today’s children will be obese by age 35 if current trends continue. To help prevent that scenario, RWJF urges policymakers at all levels to prioritize obesity prevention and help all children have a healthier future.
Specific recommendations include:
– Congress and the Administration should maintain and strengthen essential nutrition supports for low-income children, families, and individuals through programs—like the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), the Child and Adult Care Food Program (CACFP), and the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children (WIC)—and expand programs and pilots to make healthy foods more available and affordable through the program.
– The U.S. Department of Agriculture should maintain nutrition standards for school meals that were in effect prior to USDA’s interim final rule from November 2017, as well as current nutrition standards for school snacks.
– The U.S. Department of Education should maintain the Office of Safe and Healthy Schools, as well as Title I and Title IV programs under the Every Students Succeeds Act (ESSA), through which schools can receive funding for physical education and physical activity initiatives.
– States should ensure that all students receive at least 60 minutes of physical education or activity during each school day.
– States should follow expert guidance and adopt and implement best practices—including by investment in Quality Rating and Improvement Systems—for nutrition, activity and screen time requirements and regulations covering child care and day care settings.
– States should support access for low-income families to targeted home visiting and community-based programs that provide families with resources and connections to parenting education, nutrition programs and other services.
– States and localities should ensure all restaurant meals marketed to children meet nutrition standards, and remove sugary drinks from all restaurant children’s meals.
– Food and beverage companies should eliminate children’s exposure to advertising and marketing of unhealthy products.
– States should refrain from adopting preemption policies that limit the ability of local communities to improve the health of their residents.
The full set of policy and practice recommendations is available on the State of Obesity Web site.
About the new data
The National Survey of Children’s Health (NSCH) collects information on the health of children in the United States who are 0-17 years old. Parents or caregivers are asked to report their child’s height and weight, which can be used to calculate body-mass index (BMI) for children 10-17 years.
An advantage of the NSCH is that it supports both national and state-by-state estimates, so obesity rates between states can be compared. A limitation is that the survey collects parents’ report of their child’s height and weight, not direct measures.
Prior to 2016, the NSCH was significantly redesigned. Due to changes in the survey’s mode of data collection and sampling frame it is not possible to directly compare results from the 2016 or 2017 NSCH to earlier iterations.
Starting in 2016, the NSCH is being conducted as an annual survey and will continue to collect new data each year going forward, so trends over time can be evaluated, with 2016 data serving as a new baseline.
The Health Resources and Services Administration’s Maternal and Child Health Bureau (HRSA MCHB) funds and directs the NSCH and develops survey content in collaboration with a national technical expert panel and the U.S. Census Bureau, which then conducts the survey on behalf of HRSA MCHB.
The Robert Wood Johnson Foundation worked with HRSA MCHB to disseminate the latest obesity data.
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- Written by: California Department of Public Health
SACRAMENTO – California Department of Public Health Director and State Public Health Officer Dr. Karen Smith has warned consumers about the risks associated with wearing decorative contact lenses.
“Advertised as color, cosmetic, fashion and theatrical contact lenses, decorative contact lenses are especially popular around Halloween,” said Dr. Smith. “Wearing any kind of contact lens, including decorative lenses, without proper consultation of an eye care professional can cause serious injury.”
The sale of contact lenses without a prescription is illegal. The right to dispense, sell or furnish contact lenses is limited exclusively to licensed physicians and surgeons, licensed optometrists, and registered dispensing opticians.
Decorative contact lenses are intended to temporarily change the appearance of the eye, but do not correct vision. “The risks include infection, ulcers, decreased vision, cuts or scratches to the surface of the eye, itchiness or redness. If these conditions are left untreated, the injuries can progress rapidly. In severe cases, blindness and eye loss can occur,” said Dr. Smith.
Decorative contact lenses are typically sold at beauty supply and novelty stores.
Consumers who have experienced any injury or illness with decorative contact lenses should contact their health care provider.
Consumers can report the illegal sale of decorative contact lenses without a prescription to CDPH’s Food and Drug Branch Hotline at 800-495-3232 to initiate an investigation.
For more information on healthy contact lens wear and care, visit the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s Web site.
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- Written by: Sutter Lakeside Hospital
Heart disease accounts for one in every four deaths, and is the leading cause of death for both men and women.
Establishing care with a cardiologist, or heart doctor, is essential to managing heart conditions and preventing cardiac problems.
Sutter Lakeside Hospital is hosting a free public cardiology seminar with board-certified cardiologists Drs. Minotti and Diets on Tuesday, Oct. 23, from 5 to 6 p.m. in the Hospital Conference Room at 5176 Hill Road East in Lakeport.
Interested participants can register by calling 707-262-5121.
The seminar will include light refreshments, a brief presentation on common heart conditions and preventative measures, and an open forum for the doctors to answer attendee questions.
While some heart conditions are hereditary, the risk of many cardiac diseases can be greatly reduced through lifestyle habits such as healthy eating and regular exercise.
Not smoking and not excessively drinking alcohol also reduce the risk of heart disease; contributing factors to heart disease also include high blood pressure and high cholesterol.
Other elements of cardiac risk include age and ethnicity; knowing your risk factors and working with your health care team to manage risks can help treat or prevent common heart problems.
For more information on cardiology services, visit www.sutterhealth.org/lakeside.
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