HB spring 2011

healthbeat St. Luke’s

®

Heart attack help The hospital for lifesaving heart care PAGE 4

Cancer fight Iowa’s robotic surgery leader helps patients beat cancer PAGES 2 and 10

Curbing colon cancer A routine test saves a life PAGE 6

Ask the Expert Are heart attack symptoms different in women? PAGE 12

What’s Inside 1

Health Clips Report to the Community

Health Clips

Health news you can use.

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10 - 11 St. Luke’s

Vol. 16 No. 2 spring 2011 healthbeat magazine is produced locally by St. Luke’s Marketing Communications for the community and friends of St. Luke’s Hospital P.O. Box 3026 Cedar Rapids, IA 52406-3026 319/369-7395

Cancer fight Why robotic surgery is becoming the standard of care for uterine cancer.

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Heart attack help

A Cedar Rapids man was in the right place, at the right time for lifesaving heart care.

•St. Luke’s earning Top 100 Hospital status for the third time.

6 - 7 Curbing colon cancer

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healthbeat

2 - 3

Whether measured by patient satisfaction or numerous local and national accolades St. Luke’s Hospital has a lot to be proud of. Each year the hospital publishes its annual Report to the Community as a way of educating the community on the hospital’s dedication to maintaining excellence and integrity in all aspects of its operations.

In the upcoming annual report, you will read about:

A simple screening detects a silent killer.

8 - 9

Long-term care hospital aids recovery

A closer look at Iowa’s first and only hospital-within-a-hospital.

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Prostate cancer surgery

Ackley man travels to St. Luke’s for cancer treatment.

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Ask the expert

Are heart attack symptoms different in women?

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13

For your health

Timely health and medical news.

Cover

Matt Chute hits the golf course in Marion.

stlukescr.org

Missed the last issue?

All stories from Healthbeat, winter 2011, are available at stlukescr.org.

Connect with St. Luke’s at stlukescr.org

St. Luke’s named among 50 Best U.S. Hospitals St. Luke’s Hospital was recently identified as one of America’s 50 Best Hospitals for 2011 by HealthGrades, a leading independent healthcare ratings organization.

St. Luke’s demonstrated superior and sustained clinical quality over an eleven year time period, based on an analysis of more than 140 million Medicare patient records.

On average, patients treated at America’s 50 Best Hospitals had a nearly 30 percent lower risk of death and a three percent lower rate of complications. If all U.S. hospitals had performed at this level, more than a half million Medicare deaths could have been prevented between 1999 and 2009.

•St. Luke’s receiving the gold Iowa Recognition for Performance Excellence (IRPE) award, which is a first for an Iowa hospital.

•St. Luke’s Cancer Care earning a three-year approval with commendation from the Commission on Cancer (CoC).

•Why St. Luke’s is Iowa’s Robotic Surgery Leader.

You’ll also read about St. Luke’s financial status, our contributions to communities, our vision for the future and our continuing commitment to quality care.

Read St. Luke’s 2010 Report to the Community: When it matters most starting May 1, online at stlukescr.org. Then take a brief survey for a chance to win an iPad.

30 years of saving lives Lifeguard Air Ambulance has been serving the Cedar Rapids community and surrounding area for more than 30 years. The program, which is celebrating 30 years of saving lives, has flown more than 6,800 flights since it started in 1981.

Lifeguard provides around-the-clock emergency and critical care transportation helping patients get the medical care they need as quickly as possible.

Lifeguard Anniversary Open House Saturday, May 14 • 10 a.m.-2 p.m.

St. Luke’s Hospital, Nassif Heart Center, 3rd floor Meet crew members and check out the helicopter.

No hospital can opt-in or opt-out of being rated and no hospital pays to be rated.

St. Luke’s healthbeat | spring 2011 |

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Cancer fight Robotic surgery is first line of defense against uterine cancer

‘Y

ou have cancer.’ With just three words Dee Dee Silver’s life was forever changed.

“I was devastated,” said Silver. “There’s nothing in the world that prepares you to hear those words. I wasn’t expecting that at all. I thought my doctor was going to tell me it was a cyst or something like that – not cancer.”

But the Central City woman’s worst fear was realized. The 57-year-old was diagnosed with uterine cancer. Her family doctor referred her to Jerry Rozeboom, MD, OB-GYN Associates.

“A biopsy is performed by taking a sample from the uterus to diagnose uterine cancer,” said Dr. Rozeboom. “Once it’s diagnosed uterine cancer is initially best treated by a combination of surgery and radiation therapy or chemotherapy.”

According to the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) uterine cancer is the fourth most common cancer in women in the United States and the most commonly diagnosed gynecologic cancer.

Most uterine cancers are found in

women who are going through or who have gone through menopause.

After meeting with Silver, Dr. Rozeboom recommended she have a hysterectomy, which is the surgical removal of the uterus.

“Whenever possible I perform hysterectomies using the da Vinci surgical robot,” said Dr. Rozeboom. “It’s less invasive, allows for a faster recovery and most importantly it does the same thing as open surgery and that is it removes the cancer.

Open surgery involves larger incisions, which typically take longer to heal.”

Experience matters The robotic surgery program was established at St. Luke’s in 2005. St. Luke’s is Iowa’s Robotic Surgery Leader. More robotic surgery cases are performed at St. Luke’s than any other hospital in Iowa.

Last year 417 patients had robotic surgery at St. Luke’s. Experience matters when it comes to choosing where you have robotic surgery.

“St. Luke’s is a designated Robotic Epicenter for gynecologic surgery,” said Dr. Rozeboom. “This means I work with surgeons from all over the country to

“It’s rapidly becoming the standard of care in the country to use robotic surgery for uterine cancer.”

Jerry Rozeboom, MD, OB-GYN Associates

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teach them the latest techniques in gynecologic robotic surgery at St. Luke’s.

It’s an honor to earn this designation.

Very few hospitals in the U.S. are robotic surgery teaching hospitals.”

Dee Dee Silver working on a craft project in her Central City home.

“I felt completely comfortable with Dr. Rozeboom and robotic surgery,” said Silver. “He told me the recovery time was much faster – two weeks compared to six-to-eight weeks with open surgery.”

Standard of care “It’s rapidly becoming the standard of care in the country to use robotic surgery for uterine cancer,” Dr. Rozeboom said.

“Patients have incisions the size of a dime and they get back to their normal activities just as fast as non-cancer patients having hysterectomies. For uterine cancer patients surgery is frequently curative and is also used to stage the cancer so the appropriate follow-up therapy can be determined.”

Silver had surgery on a Saturday morning.

She stayed one night in a private room at St. Luke’s and was able to go home the day after surgery.

“It’s amazing surgery,” Silver said. “If I had any surgery to do again and robotic surgery was available I would do it again in a heart beat. I had virtually no pain after surgery.”

Following robotic surgery Silver underwent chemotherapy and completed her last treatment in December. Silver is happy to report she’s cancer-free.

To learn more and to watch a robotic hysterectomy log on to stlukescr.org.

Symptoms of uterine cancer Uterine cancer may cause vaginal discharge or bleeding that is not normal. Bleeding may be abnormal because of how heavy it is or when it happens, such as after you have gone through menopause, between periods, or any other bleeding that is longer or heavier than is normal. Uterine cancer may also cause other symptoms, such as pain or pressure in your pelvis.

If you have abnormal bleeding, especially if you have already gone through menopause, see a doctor right away. Also see a doctor if you have any other signs or symptoms for two weeks or longer. These things may be caused by something other than cancer, but the only way to know is to see your doctor.

Source: Centers for Disease Control

St. Luke’s healthbeat | spring 2011 |

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Heart attack help Right place, right time for lifesaving heart care “

T

hings are not always what they seem;” this is especially true when it comes to Matt Chute.

Looking at the Cedar Rapids man you would never think he is a heart attack survivor who had triple bypass surgery at age 44.

“I was very lucky,” said Matt Chute. “Going to St. Luke’s was the best thing for me. I was in the right place at the right time with the right people.”

July 27, 2010 started out as a great day for Chute. It was the first day all summer his entire family was home. His son, Austin was home from college along with his daughter Hannah, a freshman in high school.

“I noticed a pain in my back,” said Chute.

“It was an upper back pain and never once was it in my chest. It never occurred to me that I may be having a heart attack. It was more of a nuisance pain in my back.”

Chute let the pain go for about a half-an-hour when he mentioned it to his wife Tracie.

“She took one look at me and said ‘you’re white as a ghost and sweaty – you’re having a heart attack’ and then she drove me to St. Luke’s Emergency Room (ER),” said Chute.

Heart attack It was during that ride to St. Luke’s that Chute realized he was having a heart attack.

“I remember being in the car and getting to about Coe College when I turned to Tracie and said ‘I’m in trouble,’” said Chute. “It was scary.”

Chute said everything moved fast once he arrived at St. Luke’s ER. He remembers ER Doctor Donald Linder and the rest of the ER team rushing him to St. Luke’s Heart Catheterization Lab where Roy Venzon, MD, Cardiologists, L.C., placed a stent to open a heart blockage.

“The stent worked well but Matt also had disease of other vessels,” said James Levett, MD, cardiothoracic surgeon, Physicians’ Clinic of Iowa, P.C. “It’s not uncommon to operate on someone who has a stent.”

It was determined Chute would need open-heart surgery to open the other diseased vessels.

“I was very surprised I was going to need surgery,” said Chute. “But I knew I was in good hands with the open-heart surgery team at St. Luke’s and Dr. Levett.”

Open-heart surgery Chute had coronary artery bypass graft surgery (CABG) on August 31. It’s a surgical procedure performed to reduce the risk of death from heart disease. Arteries or veins from elsewhere in the patient’s body are grafted to the coronary arteries to bypass blockages or narrowing of the arteries and improve blood circulation to the heart.

“I placed three artery bypass grafts during Matt’s open-heart surgery,” said Dr. Levett. “We use radial arteries whenever we can when it’s safe for the patient.

Arteries tend to have a longer lifespan

Today Chute exercises for about 45 minutes a day, five days a week. He makes healthier choices with his eating and quit smoking.

He has also returned to work.

than veins because they have a better chance of remaining open and functioning well for many years.”

According to Dr. Levett St. Luke’s has a very high radial artery usage rate. About half of all open-heart surgery patients at St. Luke’s have at least one radial artery placed. The radial artery is located in the forearm. St. Luke’s is Cedar Rapids’ heart hospital – where all open-heart surgeries are performed in town.

“St. Luke’s gave me the tools and the opportunity I needed to succeed and regain control of my health,” Chute said.

“Don’t ignore the signs of your own body – if you think you’re having a heart attack or something just doesn’t feel right get to a hospital right away.”

“Heart disease does not discriminate – we see all ages,” said Kilburg. “It’s never too late to regain control of your health and make positive lifestyle changes.”

Lifestyle changes “I had excellent care at St. Luke’s,” said Chute. “I stayed in a private room and about ten days after surgery I started Cardiac Rehabilitation. I participated three days a week for about 20 visits.”

“St. Luke’s is tops in heart care,” said Chute. “I have nothing but good things to say – I owe them my life.”

Patients who participate in Cardiac Rehabilitation at St. Luke’s learn about lifestyle changes, including eating healthier foods and exercising.

“I think most people know what to eat and not eat but to hear it and see it is a real eyeopener,” said Chute. “It’s a complete lifestyle change. The lessons I learned from the folks at Cardiac Rehab I have taken home.”

St. Luke’s Heart Check is a series of five tests to assess your heart, vascular and stroke health. The cost for all five tests plus a consultation with a St. Luke’s heart care expert is $195. Call 319/369-8129 to schedule your appointment today.

“It’s scary if you’ve had a cardiac event and there are lots of questions,” said Lisa Kilburg, St. Luke’s Cardiac Rehabilitation nurse. “We are here to support them and answer questions. A lot of people tell me ‘I know what I need to do but I need some guidance.’ We work with them and educate them so they feel empowered to make lifestyle changes.”

“We use radial arteries whenever we can when it’s safe for the patient. Arteries tend to have a longer lifespan.”

James Levett, MD, cardiothoracic surgeon Physicians’ Clinic of Iowa, P.C.

Matt Chute is golfing again after open-heart surgery last year.

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St. Luke’s healthbeat | spring 2011 |

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Prevent colon cancer,

get screened

K

urt Meyer is thankful his wife Marilyn pushed him to get a colonoscopy. He was having some symptoms last summer and his wife urged him to set up an appointment with a doctor for peace of mind.

“I had wanted him to get a colonoscopy since he turned 50 a couple years ago,” said Marilyn Meyer. “The fact he was

having some symptoms made me push him to finally set up the appointment.”

A colonoscopy is an internal examination of the colon and rectum, using an instrument called a colonoscope. During this procedure, samples of tissue may be collected for closer examination or precancerous polyps may be removed.

Removing these polyps may prevent colon cancer. Colon cancer can almost always be caught in its earliest and most curable stages by a colonoscopy. Men and women age 50 and older should have a colon cancer screening. Patients at risk may need a screening earlier.

Excluding skin cancers, colorectal cancer is the third most common cancer diagnosed in both men and women in the United States. According to the American Cancer Society

Colorectal cancer is the third leading cause of cancer-related deaths in the United States when men and women are considered separately, and the second leading cause when both sexes are combined.

“We found and removed it at the right time.

Colon cancer is very preventable.”

Dean Abramson, MD, Gastroenterologists, P.C.

Removing cancerous polyps

“I never expected him to find anything.

To think that I had colon cancer shows me how important it is to have a colonoscopy. Knowing it prevented the colon cancer from spreading is a huge relief.”

Dean Abramson, MD, Gastroenterologists, P.C. performed Kurt’s colonoscopy.

Family history

During his colonoscopy Dr. Abramson found two medium-sized polyps, one of which contained cancerous cells.

“Typically when people talk about polyps they are talking about the precancerous kind and Kurt’s did actually have cancer cells in it, which is somewhat unusual,” said Dr. Abramson. “Typically polyps have to be very large before they contain cancerous cells but the good news for Kurt is the cancerous cells were contained in the polyp and the mere act of removing the polyp was sufficient that he did not require surgery or other therapies to contain the cancer.”

According to Dr. Abramson about 40 percent of men and about 25 percent of women that have a colonoscopy do have polyps that are precancerous.

If these polyps are left alone they may turn into colon cancer.

“I was very surprised Dr. Abramson found cancer during my colonoscopy,” said Kurt.

Since his colonoscopy Kurt has had a recheck with Dr. Abramson. He will likely have several follow-ups and periodic colonoscopies through out his life. And because of his experience his two sons will need to get checked when they turn 40. Having colorectal cancer in a family member increases the risk of cancer if the family member is a first degree relative (a parent, brother or sister, or child), if several family members are affected, or if the cancers have occurred at an early age – for example before age 55.

“Kurt is very, very lucky,” said Dr. Abramson. “Probably if he had waited another couple of years it would have been an invasive cancer. We found it and removed it at the right time. Colon cancer is very preventable. Almost all colon cancers start as polyps and the general growth rate is slow so typically five to 10 years can pass before it becomes a cancer; so if any point along that time you intervene and remove the polyp you may have prevented cancer.”

“If you can catch it early like I did then why wouldn’t you have a colonoscopy?” said Kurt. “It’s a simple procedure and it could possibly save your life.”

Kurt Meyer on his farm in Willamsburg.

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Understanding your family history is a powerful tool for making healthcare decisions. St. Luke’s Cancer Risk Assessment Services provides counseling, genetic testing and surveillance to help you determine if you are at risk for breast, colon, ovarian or endometrial cancer.

For more information on St. Luke’s Cancer Risk Assessment Services call 319/369-7816.

Who’s at risk for colorectal cancer?

Every man and woman is at risk, however, there are some factors that increase your risk: • Race - African Americans have the highest death rate from colorectal cancer of any racial or ethnic group.

• Family history - a personal or family history of colorectal cancer or polyps increases the risk of cancer. Those with a history of inflammatory bowel disease may also be at a greater risk.

• Diet - a diet high in fat, especially from animal sources such as red meat, can increase your risk.

• Lifestyle - use of cigarettes or other tobacco products, physical inactivity and alcohol consumption can increase your risk.

If you are between the ages of 50 and 64, are without insurance or are underinsured, and meet established income guidelines, you may qualify for a free colorectal cancer screening. St. Luke’s Colorectal Cancer Awareness and Screening Project is made possible through a grant awarded to St. Luke’s Health Care Foundation by the Iowa Department of Public Health.

For more information or to see if you qualify contact St. Luke’s Cancer Care at 319/558-4867.

St. Luke’s healthbeat | spring 2011 |

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Long-term care hospital

aids recovery

B

case that landed her in the Intensive Care Unit (ICU).

“Then clear out of the blue sky I got this cough,” said Sylvester. “At first it was just a nagging cough that seemed to linger.

Then it went in my chest and I put off going to the doctor thinking it would eventually go away.”

“The last thing I remember was going to the Emergency Room with my husband and after that it’s a little fuzzy,” said Sylvester. “I don’t remember my time in the ICU. I just remember waking up in the Continuing Care Hospital at St. Luke’s.

I had been there for several weeks.”

ethel Sylvester has always been healthy. The Marion woman had never spent a day in the hospital.

That cough turned out to be pneumonia – a particularly severe and aggressive

Continuing Care Hospital The Continuing Care Hospital (CCH) at St. Luke’s opened in October 2008. It’s located on the sixth floor of St. Luke’s and is Iowa’s first and only hospitalwithin-a-hospital. The long-term acute care hospital (LTACH) provides care for acutely ill patients who require a longer hospital stay, on the average of 21 to 25 days.

“The capabilities of the LTACH are just a step down from the ICU,” said Donald Paynter, MD, pulmonologist, Internists, P.C. and Continuing Care Hospital at St. Luke’s medical director. “We are able

to take patients like Bethel who are on ventilators but are stable and we work to gradually wean them of this breathing support.”

The CCH at St. Luke’s offers specialized staff and full service support teams to provide care to patients who have infectious diseases, sepsis, cancer, renal disorders and congestive heart failure to name a few.

“Many of these patients require daily monitoring and intervention by multiple healthcare professionals and we provide the specialized care they need,” said Dr. Paynter. “This hospital is a good option for individuals who are expected to improve, but just need additional time to fully recover – like Bethel Sylvester.”

The facility has 24 beds and is operated under a management agreement with Dubuis Health System, a non-profit LTACH system based in Houston, Texas.

Dubuis owns or manages 15 LTACHs, mostly in the south. Because Medicare requires a clear separation between

“It’s a regional resource, drawing patients from all over eastern Iowa and the Midwest.”

St. Luke’s Hospital and Continuing Care, Dubuis employs CCH’s core administrative and clinical staff, but contracts with St. Luke’s for a variety of services.

also had patients from Rochester, MN; Omaha, NE; Fort Dodge, Des Moines, Mason City, Waterloo and Mercy, Cedar Rapids.”

Sylvester was transferred from the ICU to CCH once she was considered stable.

She remained on a ventilator to help her breathe and was eventually weaned.

Once she was feeling better Sylvester was able to participate in physical therapy to regain her strength.

As for Sylvester, she is back to normal and working once again.

“I am so grateful to all of the nurses and staff at CCH,” said Sylvester. “They helped me recover and get back to my life.”

For more information on the Continuing Care Hospital at St. Luke’s call 319/369-8142.

Exceptional care “The staff at CCH was wonderful,” said Sylvester. “They were all so positive and went above and beyond. They are really just something else. I remember one night, it was 2 a.m., and I mentioned I wanted a bath – they didn’t bat an eye, they took care of my need – it didn’t matter what time it was. The care was exceptional.”

The Continuing Care Hospital at St. Luke’s is not just for St. Luke’s patients.

“It’s a regional resource, drawing patients from all over eastern Iowa and the Midwest,” said Dr. Paynter.

“Most of our patients come from St. Luke’s and the University of Iowa Hospitals and Clinics, but we’ve

Bethel Sylvester enjoys playing the organ at her Toddville church.

Donald Paynter, MD, pulmonologist, Internists, P.C. and Continuing Care Hospital at St. Luke’s medical director

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St. Luke’s healthbeat | spring 2011 |

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Ackley man travels to St. Luke’s

for cancer treatment W

hen Corky Feuerbach was diagnosed with prostate cancer last year the 60-year-old researched his options.

Corky Feuerbach is back to calling on clients after prostate cancer surgery.

“I have several friends who have had prostate cancer,” said Feuerbach. “I spoke with them about what they went through and how they treated their cancer. Two of them had robotic surgery to remove the cancer.”

“Prostate cancer is the most common cancer in men and the second most common cause of death in men from cancer,” said Jon Rippentrop, MD, Physicians’ Clinic of Iowa, P.C., Department of Urology and St. Luke’s medical director of Minimally Invasive Surgery. “One in six men can expect to be diagnosed with prostate cancer in their lifetime.”

Early detection Fortunately Feuerbach’s cancer was caught early. The Ackley man is diligent about getting an annual physical, which includes a prostate-specific antigen (PSA) test.

According to the National Cancer Institute PSA is a protein produced by cells of the prostate gland. The PSA test measures the level of PSA in the blood.

If a man’s PSA is elevated for a period of time and if cancer is suspected, a biopsy may be performed to determine whether cancer is present in the prostate.

“Prostate cancer is a disease that doesn’t have any symptoms,” said Dr. Rippentrop. “When we treat someone for prostate cancer we are not improving any symptoms instead we are giving them symptoms. Removing the prostate through robotic surgery lessens those symptoms because it’s minimally invasive and patients are able to get back to their normal routines quicker.”

Iowa’s robotic leader Feuerbach’s research about prostate cancer treatment led him to Dr. Rippentrop and St. Luke’s Hospital. St. Luke’s is Iowa’s Robotic Surgery Leader, performing more robotic surgeries than any other hospital in the state.

“It’s a bit of a drive to Cedar Rapids from where I live but Dr. Rippentrop came highly recommended by one of my friends and also by my urologist in Waterloo,” said Feuerbach. “Dr. Rippentrop is a positive person and a very good surgeon.

I was confident with my choice and robotic surgery.”

Feuerbach investigated treating his prostate cancer with traditional prostate surgery, which uses a larger incision and also radiation treatment.

“I didn’t want the long recovery with traditional surgery,” Feuerbach said. “I also felt there would be too many side effects with radiation and it just seemed robotic surgery using the da Vinci was the way to go. I made that decision and stuck with it and I’m very glad I did.”

Minimally invasive surgery “Minimally invasive surgery with the da Vinci surgical robot is a great option for prostate cancer patients,” said Dr. Rippentrop. “Patients are in the hospital for a shorter amount of time, the recovery is faster and most importantly they are cancer-free. The outcomes for traditional open surgery versus robotic surgery are at least equivalent in terms of cancer control, which is the most important thing.”

Feuerbach stayed in a private room at St. Luke’s one night following his surgery. He is now back working in sales and thankful to report he is cancer-free.

“Robotic surgery is awesome,” Feuerbach said. “It’s unbelievable. I am amazed at the miracle of science. The people at St. Luke’s, the doctors and nurses were fantastic. I had a very positive experience and would recommend robotic surgery to other men facing prostate cancer. I was back to work and all my activities in just a matter of days.”

Benefits of da Vinci robotic surgery For the patient, benefits of robotic surgery may include: •Significantly less pain •Less blood loss •Less scarring •Shorter recovery time •A faster return to normal daily activities •And in many cases, better clinical outcomes Log on to stlukescr.org to watch a robotic surgery.

If you have prostate cancer get a second opinion with St. Luke’s Web consult. A specialist from Physicians’ Clinic of Iowa, P.C. Urology will provide you with a web consultation. Log on to stlukescr.org and click on the robotic surgery page and fill out the form or call 319/369-7224.

“One in six men can expect to be diagnosed with prostate cancer in their lifetime.”

Jon Rippentrop, MD, Physicians’ Clinic of Iowa, P.C., Department of Urology and St. Luke’s medical director of Minimally Invasive Surgery

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St. Luke’s healthbeat | spring 2011 | 11

For your health

Ask the expert

St. Luke’s Yog-atta...survive it!

Are heart attack symptoms different in women?

H

eart disease isn’t just a man’s disease.

Heart attacks are the number one cause of death in both women and men, but symptoms of this killer are not gender neutral.

“The symptoms experienced by women can be different than those of men,” said Keith Kopec, MD, cardiologist, Cardiologists, L.C. “The classic symptom men typically feel is heaviness or weight in the upper chest but this is not always felt by women. A lot of women will present with fatigue, they can be short of breath or they can just have vague aches and pains in the chest.”

According to the American Heart Association (AHA) many women believe cancer is more of a health threat, but that’s not the case. Nearly twice as many women in the United States die of heart disease, stroke and other cardiovascular diseases than all forms of cancer, including breast cancer.

“There are several factors that increase the risk of heart disease and stroke,” said Dr. Kopec. “The more risk factors a woman has, the greater her chances of having a heart attack or stroke. Some of these risk factors you can’t control, such as increasing age, family health history, and race and gender. But you can modify, treat or control most risk factors to lower your risk.”

One of the best things a woman can do to reduce her heart attack risk is to stop smoking. Other areas she can improve

Join us for a yoga fundraiser for St. Luke’s Cook Cancer Wellness Program. The program helps cancer patients improve their quality of life by providing physical, nutritional and psychosocial support.

include: reducing blood pressure, lowering cholesterol, maintaining a healthy weight, exercising and minimizing stress.

Saturday, May 7

Fusion Studio 600 3rd St. SE, Cedar Rapids

9 - 10:45 a.m. Hippapalooza Hip opener class for experienced beginners and intermediate students.

11 a.m. - 12:30 p.m. Inner Peace - Outer Glow Relaxing, restorative, all-levels class with simple meditation and breath work.

1 - 2:30 p.m. Yoga 101 For those interested in experiencing their first Anusara Yoga class.

3 - 4:30 p.m. Inner Peace - Outer Glow Relaxing, restorative, all-levels class with simple meditation and breath work.

“Women tend to put their issues behind those of their family,” said Dr. Kopec.

“Unfortunately it can hurt them and they need to pay attention to and take care of their own health issues.”

Sick?

St. Luke’s has an app for that

If you or someone you know is experiencing chest discomfort that is lasting and not going away seek medical attention immediately.

Class schedule:

Stomach pain? Back ache?

Ankle sprain? With the free iTriage smartphone app, you can access medical information for thousands of symptoms, diseases and medical procedures, right from your phone.

You can also search for the closest ER, urgent care clinics, doctor’s offices and pharmacies in your area, or anywhere in the country.

Cardiologists, L.C. now offers evening appointments at its St. Luke’s Hospital location.

Call 1-855/CLC HEART to schedule an appointment.

Keith Kopec, MD, cardiologist, Cardiologists, L.C.

To learn more about iTriage, log on to stlukescr.org or go to iTriageHealth.com.

• Pain that runs along the neck, jaw or upper back

• Sudden or overwhelming fatigue • Dizziness

Special thanks to Fusion Studio for supporting this event.

Secrets of a long and happy life National Geographic explorer and writer, Dan Buettner has traveled across the globe to discover “Blue Zones” – hotspots of human health, vitality and happiness. A regular guest on the Oprah show, Dan will give you the steps to get more life from your years and more years from your life. A book signing will follow, bring your own copy or buy one at the event.

Cedar Rapids Marriott 1200 Collins Road NE

Like in men, the most common heart attack symptom for women is pain or discomfort in the chest. However, women can also have a heart attack without having any chest pain. Some of the other symptoms women might experience include: • Unexplained sweating

To register, go to stlukescr.org, click on Classes & Events or call 319/369-7395. Space is limited.

Cost is $30 a class.

Thursday, June 16 • 7 – 8 p.m.

What are the symptoms of a heart attack in women?

• Feeling out of breath

To register, for this free event, go to stlukescr.org or call 319/369-7395.

Scan with your cell phone QR reader. iTriage is a free app available for iPhone®, iPod touch®, iPad™, Android™, BlackBerry® and Palm®.

• Nausea, vomiting or indigestion 12 | stlukescr.org

St. Luke’s healthbeat | spring 2011 | 13

1026 A Avenue NE P.O. Box 3026 Cedar Rapids, IA 52406-3026

healthbeat St. Luke’s

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We apologize for mailing problems such as duplicate copies. If you have questions or concerns about healthbeat magazine, please call us at 319/369-7395 or e-mail stlukes@crstlukes.com. © 2011 by St. Luke’s Hospital, Cedar Rapids, IA

Real life stories. Real life surgeries.

See what goes on inside the operating room as we follow two patients during their life-changing surgeries.

April 19 6:30 p.m. and April 23 1 p.m. on KCRG TV-9

Dr. Hlavin removes a tumor from the spine of a young woman suffering from arm pain.

Heather, spine surgery

Bob, robotic surgery

Robotic surgery performed by Dr. Rippentrop gives a central Iowa man a chance to beat prostate cancer.