BREAST CANCER BECOME METASTATIC

of The Villages who was diagnosed with metastatic breast cancer in 2010 and has been taking Ibrance since February.

“Many medicines offered hinder your quality of life,” Mathis said. “They limit what you can do. But not this one. I’m very pleased. I have experienced no side effects at all.”

Mathis is one of two patients being treating with the new medication by Dr. Maen Hussein, of Florida Cancer Specialists in The Villages. “This is the fi rst drug that is specific and inhibits only the enzymes that we want it to,” Hussein said. “The drug is effective in treating estrogensensitive cancers. It’s the fi rst of its class.”

Speaking of hormones, menopause also has been addressed in recent medical breakthroughs.

In February of 2014, the Menopause Society released results of a study that could significantly reduce the moderate to severe hot fl ashes that result from unavoidable body changes. A simple injection near a nerve bundle in the neck could mean the difference between a night on the town or sitting by the air conditioner.

Technology is also addressing the No. 1 killer of women — heart disease. Every minute, one woman dies from heart disease. It claims more women than all cancers combined. But the killer is being stalked by medical breakthroughs.

Just last year, Florida Hospital Waterman introduced the world’s fi rst implantable defibrillator outside of the heart. The new device is a real game-changer. Today, almost 4 million people are being kept alive by traditional pacemakers and defibrillators. Talk about going wireless. The subcutaneous implantable defibrillator (S-ICD) system developed by Boston Scientific, is placed just under the skin and leaves the heart and blood vessels untouched. There are no restrictive wires to attach to your heart.

The S-ICD does not use insulated wires, known as leads, to provide electrical shocks, but rather a combination of a pulse generator and an electrode that surround the heart. “This innovative technology is paving the way for better outcomes and improved quality of life for our cardiac patients,” said Miguel Bryce, M.D., Medical Director of Electrophysiology at Florida Hospital Waterman. “The

THE FDA HAS APPROVED AN INJECTABLE SUBSTANCE THAT ELIMINATES FAT UNDER THE CHIN.

ATX-101 will help people dramatically reduce their double chin. No price for this new breakthrough is given, but Yahoo! News reports that this cure can cost upwards of $2,000 depending on the severity of affected areas.

device is clinically proven to provide patients with the same reliable protection as a traditional ICD but with a decreased chance of complications and potential damage to the heart and its surrounding area.”

And the S-ICD isn’t the only wireless innovation making waves here in Lake County. Florida Hospital Waterman electrophysiologists Dr.George Monir and Dr. Scott Pollak became the fi rst in Florida to implant a leadless pacemaker last year. This tiny device, smaller than an AAA battery, resides entirely in the right ventricle of the heart and is inserted through the groin rather than the chest. “The traditional pacemaker requires surgery and insertion of a wire called a lead into the heart,” said Pollak. “Over time, the leads can degrade and malfunction over a period of years.” include added comfort and safety, factors that will save lives because more women will get the tests done.

The push for revolutionary new systems is being driven by women determined to resume living a full life after surgery. And scientists, researchers and medical practitioners are responding.

A team of engineers, scientists and medical researchers from the University of Melbourne are developing a NEW GENERATION

Of Bionic Devices

to treat epilepsy, Parkinson’s disease and spinal injuries. Engineering prototypes of the devices have been developed and tests are in the process of being certified. Before being rolled out to the public, the devices would also need to gain regulatory approval.

With the leadless pacemaker, there are no scars and no chest bulge that often restricts mobility for patients. Instead, this will most likely lead to a longer, more active life with the ability to remove the device when the latest marvel in medicine comes to town.

Being fi rst is business as usual at Florida Hospital Waterman. The hospital also boasts the fi rst ACRcertified Breast Imaging Center of Excellence in Lake County that uses digital mammography rather than fi lm. “The imaging time for the patient is less but the most important is that the resolution is much improved and the radiation exposure is much less,” says Dr. Ram Krishnan. Other benefits

Not every medical advancement is high-tech. Some breakthroughs are more science than technology. Case in point: the LINX implant used to help people with gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD), a condition that occurs when stomach acid goes up into the esophagus that can lead to cancer if untreated. LINX, an almost simplistic device that resembles an elastic bracelet you’d put on the wrist of a small doll, is being used to fend off esophageal cancer, one of the fastest growing cancers in the U.S. This small implant comprised of titanium and magnetic beads attaches to the outside of the esophagus just above the stomach and will stretch or contract to allow food to enter the stomach but prevent acid from escaping. The LINX implant was approved by the FDA in 2014 and has shown a success rate of over 90% in combating GERD. And that is something that can quite literally help you sleep at night.

IMAGINE RUBBING A VACCINATION INTO YOUR SKIN.

University of Auckland researchers have found a way to deliver medicines through skin, which is usually an impervious barrier. Results of human trials of a face serum will be presented to the World Congress of Dermatology.

The marvels presented here are just the tip of the iceberg. So much is changing in this digital age. Chances are another breakthrough has occurred in the time it took you to read this article.

Erica Harden ARNP NUTRITION

Coronary artery disease is the number one cause of death in women. The good news is that many of the factors that contribute to heart disease are modifiable and can be lessened by changing your lifestyle. Some of the modifiable risk factors of heart disease are high cholesterol, obesity, diabetes and hypertension. All of these are risk factors that can be improved or worsened with nutrition. By simply eating more natural food and less saturated fat and sodium you can greatly improve your health and lower our disease risk. If you would like some help improving your diet and reducing your risk of advancing heart disease then contact us today.

Dalida Couturier EXERCISE

Exercise centers on moving to music and having fun! My husband and I just started out on a new adventure taking dance lessons. It improves memory, gait and balance. Rhythm is in our soul and incorporating it is the icing on the cake!! Stretching improves flexibility and range of motion. Dancing is cardiovascular exercise, which raises heart rate and increases endurance and circulation. Walking and swimming are easy low-impact exercises that help with endurance and are easy on joints. Yoga and tai chi improve balance, strength, flexibility and concentration.