LEADING MEDICINE Your link to health innovations, news and tips IN NORTHWEST HOUSTON
SUM M ER 2014
SMART women Take our quiz to learn more about your greatest health risks
Weight Loss Winner
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Free Events and Seminars
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upcoming events
Gear Up for School Sports When it’s time for your child’s school sports physical, go where the athletes go. Physicians with Houston Methodist Orthopedics & Sports Medicine will offer sports physicals at Houston Methodist Willowbrook Hospital at 8 a.m. to noon Aug. 2 at 13802 Centerfield Drive, Suite 300. The cost of the physical is $20, with optional EKG screening offered for an additional $10 and IMPACT baseline concussion testing for $5. No appointment is necessary. Payment is by cash only; no credit cards or checks. For more information, call 281.737.2120.
Exploring Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery Learn about plastic and reconstructive surgery from Dr. Anthony Echo at an open house for the recently relocated branch office of the Houston Methodist Institute for Reconstructive Surgery. The event, which will take place at 11:30 a.m. July 31, will include refreshments and free skin care product samples. Dr. Anthony Echo Echo’s new office, 13300 Hargrave Rd., Suite 450, is located on the Houston Methodist Willowbrook Hospital campus. The institute staff performs a wide range of services, including breast restoration and cosmetic surgery, and has significant experience treating nerve disorders, along with conditions such as carpal tunnel syndrome and migraines. For more information or to make an appointment, call 281.737.4560.
Seminars All seminars take place at: Houston Methodist Willowbrook Hospital Conference Center 18220 State Hwy. 249 Houston, TX 77070 To register for a free seminar, call 281.737.2500. Hand & Upper Extremity Lecture Presenter: Dr. Korsh Jafarnia, Hand & Upper Extremity, Houston Methodist Orthopedics & Sports Medicine Date: Sept. 17 Time: 6 to 8 p.m. Dr. Korsh Jafarnia Learn about the advanced treatment options available to patients who are experiencing symptoms such as pain, tingling and numbness in the hands and fingers. Weight Loss Seminars Date: July 2 Time: 6 p.m. Presenter: Dr. Dexter Turnquest, Bariatric Medical Director Date: July 15 Time: 6 p.m. Presenter: Dr. Todd A. Worley
Dr. Dexter Turnquest
Date: Aug. 6 Time: 6 p.m. Presenter: Turnquest Date: Aug. 19 Time: Noon Presenter: Worley
Dr. Todd A. Worley
Breastfeeding Expo for Expectant Parents Presenters: Houston Methodist Willowbrook Hospital certified lactation consultants Date: Aug. 9 Time: 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. Topics include the basics and benefits of breastfeeding and returning to work. Enter to win a breast pump rental.
brought to you by Houston Methodist Willowbrook Hospital. Three times a year, we’ll provide valuable information to help you make informed health care decisions. You can share our digital version with friends and loved ones through the QR code, or at houstonmethodist.org/publications.
PHOTO BY THINKSTOCK
We’re Here to Help Welcome to the first issue of the new Leading Medicine publication,
2 LEADING MEDICINE IN northwest houston
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The Breast Care Center in its new location.
Better Breast Care
Houston Methodist Willowbrook Hospital’s expanded center specializes in caring for women with dense breasts and higher cancer risk
PHOTO BY THINKSTOCK
The recently expanded Houston Methodist Breast Care Center at Willowbrook offers comprehensive services that include programs for women with dense breasts and those with Dr. Anna a higher-than-average Belcheva breast cancer risk. While the average American woman has a one-in-eight chance of developing breast cancer during her lifetime, the risk is greater for some women. The center’s Angie McDonald, high-risk program is Director of dedicated to serving Imaging and Cardiology women who have Services a family or personal history of breast or ovarian cancer, certain gene mutations, abnormal breast biopsies or chest radiation. “Women at high risk have special needs around prevention and early detection of breast cancer,”
said Dr. Anna Belcheva, medical oncologist and hematologist at Houston Methodist Willowbrook. Approximately 40 percent of women have dense breast tissue. Radiologists use a scale developed by the American College of Radiology to categorize breast density. A finding of “A” means the breasts are almost entirely fatty; “B” means there are scattered areas of fibroglandular density; “C” means the breasts are heterogeneously dense, which may obscure small masses; and “D” means the breasts are extremely dense, which lowers the sensitivity of mammography. “Dense breasts have less fat and more fibrous and connective tissue, which
appears white on a mammogram,” said Angie McDonald, director of imaging and cardiology services at Houston Methodist Willowbrook. “Because cancer also appears white, it can be masked by dense tissue. That’s why it’s important for a woman with dense breasts to talk with her doctor about having additional screening studies, such as an ultrasound or breast magnetic resonance imaging.” The award-winning center, which has moved to a new location on the first floor of the hospital’s Women’s & Children’s Pavilion, features a second ultrasound room, front-door access, reserved parking for patients and dedicated registration. The center offers digital mammography with computer-aided detection software, breast ultrasound, breast MRI and on-site laboratory testing to ensure a rapid diagnosis. When irregularities are identified, the supportive staff and warm environment help to minimize anxiety while findings are confirmed and a path to wellness is created.
Are You at Higher Risk for Breast Cancer?
To learn more about the high-risk program at the Houston Methodist Breast Care Center at Willowbrook, call 281.737.0435 or visit houstonmethodist.org/willowbrook.
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Smart
Women
If you’re like most women, you’re in charge of your family’s health. Women make 80 percent of health care decisions for their families. But how much do you know about your own health? Take this quick quiz to see whether what you don’t know might be hurting you.
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Women don’t always experience the same heart attack symptoms as men do. Name a symptom more common in women. ANSWER: During a heart attack,
women are more likely than men to have shortness of breath, nausea and vomiting, and back or jaw pain. When it comes to ticker trouble, it’s not just a man’s world. Heart disease is the No. 1 killer of women. WHAT YOU CAN DO: Quit smoking, be physically active (a daily 30-minute walk can lower your risk), and try healthier cooking techniques (such as broiling instead of frying). Schedule an appointment with your health care provider to learn your ABCs — your A1C (blood sugar), blood pressure and cholesterol levels.
4 LEADING MEDICINE IN NORTHWEST HOUSTON
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n
are
t
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Think FAST — and spell out this acronym that identifies the sudden signs of stroke.
Answer: FAST stands for face
drooping, arm weakness, speech difficulty and time to call 911. What you can do: With women accounting for 60 percent of stroke deaths, adopt heart-healthy strategies to reduce your risk. This year, the American Stroke Association issued its first guidelines for preventing stroke in women. The guidelines address stroke risk factors unique to women, such as preeclampsia and the use of birth control pills.
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True or false: With the advent of human papillomavirus (HPV) testing, I only need to have a Pap test to check for cervical cancer every five years. Answer: True, if you’re between 30 and
65. Women in this age group should have Pap and HPV tests every five years (or Pap test alone every three years). Women ages 21 through 29 should have a Pap test every three years. Women 65 and older who have a history of regular screening and normal results can stop Pap tests. What you can do: Keep up with Pap tests and see your obstetriciangynecologist annually for a pelvic exam and a breast exam.
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Rank in order the top cancer killers of women — breast, lung, colorectal.
Answer: Lung, breast, colorectal. Lung
cancer kills more women than breast and colorectal cancers combined. What you can do: If you smoke, quit. After 10 years of being smoke-free, your risk of dying from lung cancer lowers to half the risk of a smoker. Eat well, stay active and keep up on cancer screenings. The Houston Methodist Cancer Center uses advanced technology to screen for lung, breast and colorectal cancers, as well as other cancers.
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Choose the correct answer: A woman should have a mammogram annually/every other year beginning at age 40/50. Answer: Houston Methodist, like
the American Cancer Society and the American College of Radiology, recommends that women begin annual mammograms at age 40. One in six cases of breast cancer occurs in women in their 40s. In addition to mammography, the Houston Methodist Breast Imaging Center offers breast MRI to clarify mammogram results and improve diagnosis. What you can do: Talk to your health care provider about your breast cancer risks. Schedule your mammogram if you’re due.
Easy, Convenient and Fast Online Mammogram Scheduling
Houston Methodist Willowbrook Hospital’s online scheduling system makes it easy for patients to view available mammogram appointments. To schedule your appointment, visit houstonmethodist.org/willowbrook and click “Appointments & Online Scheduling” or call 281.737.1900.
Quality Stroke Care at Houston Methodist Willowbrook Houston Methodist Willowbrook Hospital recently received the Get With the Guidelines-Stroke Gold-Plus Quality Achievement Award from the American Beryl Ramsey, Heart Association/ CEO American Stroke Association for the treatment of stroke patients. Houston Methodist Willowbrook earned the award by meeting quality achievement measures for the diagnosis and treatment of stroke patients. These measures include aggressive use of medications and risk-reduction therapies aimed at reducing death and disability and improving the lives of stroke patients. Houston Methodist Willowbrook also made the association’s Target: Stroke Honor Roll for meeting measures that reduce the time between hospital arrival and treatment with the clot-buster tPA, the only drug approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration to treat ischemic stroke. People who suffer a stroke and receive the drug within three hours of the onset of symptoms may recover more quickly and are less likely to suffer severe disability. “With this award, our hospital demonstrates our commitment to ensure that our patients receive care based on internationally respected clinical guidelines,” said Beryl Ramsey, chief executive officer at Houston Methodist Willowbrook and senior vice president of Houston Methodist.
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Cause for
Celebration Hospital chaplain Kenneth Archer says bariatric surgery helped him add years to his life
H
ouston Methodist Willowbrook Hospital recently celebrated the success of its weight loss surgery patients at an event in the hospital’s Swadesh Khurana Healing Garden. The combined weight loss of about 30 patients exceeded 1,700 pounds. Along with patients’ families and friends, community members attended the Bariatric Patient Celebration to hear inspiring weight loss success stories and talk to the Houston Methodist Willowbrook Surgical Weight Loss team. Kenneth Archer, a patient and chaplain at the hospital, happily shares his weight loss success story with others. When he weighed more than 290 pounds, he experienced difficulty walking up stairs and had high blood pressure, elevated blood sugar levels and sleep apnea. Since his weight loss surgery, Archer has lost nearly 70 pounds, wears size 38 pants instead of size 48, and no longer has
type 2 diabetes, sleep apnea or high blood pressure. “I’ve been told I need to be on the cover of GQ magazine now,” said Archer. “I’ve come a long way and shed a bunch of weight so that now my knees feel good and I’m climbing stairs. Now I enjoy the taste of food with as much delight as I had previously enjoyed the volume of food. This weight loss has added years to my life.” Houston Methodist Willowbrook was recently named a Center of Excellence in Metabolic and Bariatric Surgery, a designation that recognizes an unparalleled commitment and ability to consistently deliver safe, effective, evidence-based care. In addition to surgical options including LAP-BAND, Rouxen-Y gastric bypass and sleeve gastrectomy, the Surgical Weight Loss Center also offers nutritional plans, educational seminars and support groups to help achieve sustained results.
Kenneth Archer lost nearly 70 pounds after bariatric surgery.
AFTER
BEFORE
To watch an inspiring weight loss surgery patient video, visit methodistwillowbrook.com/weightloss.
Is Weight Loss Surgery Right for You?
To learn more about the Houston Methodist Willowbrook Surgical Weight Loss Center or sign up for a free seminar about bariatric surgery, call 281.737.4636 or visit methodistwillowbrook.com/weightloss.
6 LEADING MEDICINE IN NORTHWEST HOUSTON
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Pam Sowa with her daughter, Julie, and granddaughter, Lucy
Mending a Broken
Heart Pam Sowa was waiting for a heart transplant when treatment at Houston Methodist Willowbrook Hospital changed her life More than 25 years ago, Pam Sowa was pregnant with her fourth child when she became sick with a viral infection. An echocardiogram revealed that Sowa Dr. Sanjay had mitral valve Kunapuli prolapse, a relatively common heart condition in which the valve between the left atrium and left ventricle does not close properly. But because most patients don’t show symptoms or need treatment, Sowa’s physician advised her not to worry. A decade later, Sowa was busy with her job at a major airline and her four children when she started feeling weak and experiencing shortness of breath. A visit to a cardiologist led to additional diagnoses of cardiomyopathy (disease of the heart muscle) and bicuspid aortic valve disease (a condition related to mitral valve prolapse, in which the valve contains only two leaflets instead of three). Although Sowa was prescribed medications, she never quite felt like herself. Over the years, Sowa continued undergoing tests, trying new doctors and medications, but still could not find solutions for her symptoms. “I was frustrated by a lack of answers and not happy with my health, but I was a busy working mom,” she said. “Life just
continued, and at one point, against physician advice, I got off my medicines. I actually felt much better and think I went into a period of denial. I knew I had a problem but decided to ignore it, hoping it would go away.” In 2011, Sowa received a frightening wake-up call. While undergoing rotator cuff surgery at another hospital, she went into congestive heart failure. She was then referred to Dr. Sanjay Kunapuli, a cardiologist at Houston Methodist Willowbrook Hospital, who ran a series of diagnostic tests. Sowa was shocked when Kunapuli told her that she not only needed an implantable cardioverter defibrillator, but that her heart output was so poor she needed to be placed on the heart transplant list.
As she waited for a transplant, though, her symptoms began to fade, thanks to the defibrillator and medical management of her disease. “And then an amazing thing happened,” said Kunapuli. “After being on the transplant list for a year, Pam’s heart output improved and her condition improved so much that she was taken off the transplant list in the spring of 2012.” As Sowa grows stronger every day, she is getting back to living her life, which now includes a new granddaughter. Sowa’s message to women is to listen to your body because it is telling you something. If your physician is unable to resolve your concerns, be persistent until you find someone with the expertise you need.
To see a video of Pam Sowa discussing her treatment for heart disease, visit youtube.com/ watch?v=r2DzqwlSvyc.
Trust Your Heart to the Experts
The Houston Methodist Willowbrook Hospital cardiology team offers cutting-edge diagnostic techniques and innovative therapies. For more information about cardiovascular services, visit houstonmethodist.org/ cardiovascularcareatmethodistwillowbrook or call 281.737.2500 for a free physician referral.
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Methodist Willowbrook Hospital 18220 State Highway 249 Houston, Texas 77070-4349 houstonmethodist.org/willowbrook
713.790.3333
LEADING MEDICINE IN GREATER HOUSTON Just around the corner Houston Methodist has locations throughout the Greater Houston area to best serve you near your home or workplace. Our locations include hospitals, and emergency care and imaging centers.
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HOSPITALS EMERGENCY CARE CENTERS IMAGING CENTERS
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For more information about Houston Methodist or for a physician referral, please call 713.790.3333 or visit houstonmethodist.org.
HOUSTONMETHODIST.ORG
1 HOUSTON METHODIST HOSPITAL (Texas Medical Center) 6565 Fannin St. Houston, Texas 77030
6 HOUSTON METHODIST WEST HOSPITAL (I-10 at Barker Cypress) 18500 Katy Frwy. Houston, Texas 77094
2 HOUSTON METHODIST SAN JACINTO HOSPITAL (Garth Rd. exit off I-10) 4401 Garth Rd. Baytown, Texas 77521
7 HOUSTON METHODIST WILLOWBROOK HOSPITAL (Hwy. 249 and FM 1960) 18220 State Hwy. 249 Houston, Texas 77070
3 HOUSTON METHODIST ST. CATHERINE HOSPITAL (Katy - West Houston) 701 S. Fry Rd. Katy, Texas 77450
Emergency Care Centers 713.441.ER24 (3724)
4 HOUSTON METHODIST ST. JOHN HOSPITAL (Clear Lake Area) 18300 St. John Dr. Nassau Bay, Texas 77058
8 HOUSTON METHODIST EMERGENCY CARE CENTER – KIRBY 2615 Southwest Frwy., Suite 140 Houston, Texas 77090
5 HOUSTON METHODIST SUGAR LAND HOSPITAL (U.S. 59 and Sweetwater) 16655 Southwest Frwy. Sugar Land, Texas 77479
9 HOUSTON METHODIST EMERGENCY CARE CENTER – PEARLAND 11525 Broadway St. Pearland, Texas 77584
10 HOUSTON METHODIST EMERGENCY CARE CENTER – SIENNA PLANTATION 8200 Hwy. 6 Missouri City, Texas 77454 Opening July 15 11 HOUSTON METHODIST EMERGENCY CARE CENTER – VOSS 1635 S. Voss Rd. Houston, Texas 77057
Methodist Imaging Centers 8 HOUSTON METHODIST BREAST IMAGING CENTER 2615 Southwest Frwy., Suite 104 Houston, Texas 77090 713.441.7765 12 HOUSTON METHODIST IMAGING CENTER 83333 Katy Frwy. Houston, Texas 77024 713.797.XRAY (9729)
Easy Online Appointment Scheduling
Choose your service and location, and filter the results to match your needs. Book online — instantly. Schedule an appointment for a CT scan, DEXA scan, fluoroscopy, mammogram, MRI, MRI 3T, ultrasound or X-ray. houstonmethodist.org/online-scheduling-willowbrook
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