Central Carolina Health & Life Summer 2009 by Wainscot Media

Cover CCH.REV

6/29/09

9:12 AM

Page C1

Central Carolina Hospital

Summer 2009

health&life T H E G O O D

L I V I N G

M A G A Z I N E

f r o m

C E N T R A L

C A R O L I N A

H O S P I TA L

Plus QUIZ: How fit

5 tips for preventing diabetes VITAMINS: KNOW YOUR ABCS

An ally for patients with breast disease

is your brain?

002_CCH_SUMMER09.indd 2

6/25/09 12:22:21 PM

TOC_CCH_109_v6.jcREV

6/25/09

3:00 PM

Page 2

health&life

Contents

THE GOOD LIVING MAGAZINE from CENTRAL CAROLINA HOSPITAL

Central Carolina Hospital Staff CEO DOUG DORIS CFO

KERRY TOLLESON COO

KEVIN ZACHARY CNO

URSULA LAWRENCE CMO

RICK EBKEN, M.D. CHRO

TOM MACKLIN compliance & privacy officer

MISHELLE FRIAS director of business development

DANYL BUTLER director of marketing & public relations

MARGARET MINUTH

Central Carolina Hospital 1135 Carthage Street Sanford, NC 27330 Main Phone: 919-774-2100 Physician Referrals: 1-800-483-6385 www.centralcarolinahospital.com www.breastnavigator.com

WAINSCOT STAFF

Central Carolina Hospital

health&life 4

A fine pairing

Spotlight on: Vitamins

Preventing diabetes!

editor in chief RITA GUARNA

Summer 2009

For breast-disease patients, one Central Carolina Hospital nurse offers a cup of compassion—along with a hefty dose of information—during a trying time.

art director SARAH LECKIE

How well do you know your ABCs?

senior editor TIMOTHY KELLEY

5 ways to keep from developing this dangerous condition

managing editor JENNIFER CENICOLA

assistant editor

11 In the news

What science says

KRISTIN COLELLA

Reports from the research front that can help you guard your health. Central Carolina Hospital Health & Life is published by Wainscot Media, 110 Summit Avenue, Montvale, NJ 07645, in association with Central Carolina Hospital. This is Volume 1, Issue 1. © 2009 by Central Carolina Hospital. All rights reserved. Material contained herein is intended for informational purposes only. If you have medical concerns, seek the guidance of a healthcare professional.

How fit is your brain?

For the record

Take our quiz to find out how well you’re keeping that gray matter in shape.

By the numbers Notable health-related facts and figures COVER IMAGE : JUPITER IMAGES

BREAST_CCH_109_v10.jc

6/24/09

9:56 AM

Page 16

A FINE PAIRING FOR BREAST-DISEASE PATIENTS, ONE CENTRAL CAROLINA HOSPITAL NURSE OFFERS A CUP OF COMPASSION—ALONG WITH A HEFTY DOSE OF INFORMATION—DURING A TRYING TIME

PEOPLE OFTEN SAY THAT YOU “LOSE YOUR HEARING” when the doctor is telling you bad news—and 62-year-old Ida Jean Douglas can relate. In the fall of 2008, when her physician informed her she had breast cancer, she didn’t know what “I’m here to to expect from the journey ahead. Luckily, Ida also had an unexpected ally in her corner to guide her through those help them uncertain months—a knowledgeable partner to act as a understand “second set of ears.” Ida’s story starts routinely enough, with an annual what is digital mammogram at Central Carolina Hospital. But happening ... when she was called back shortly thereafter to undergo and to just hold more tests, “I knew something was up,” she says. “I’d never been called back before.” their hand, if Ida returned to the hospital for a second mammoneeded.” gram and an ultrasound-guided breast biopsy—a minimally invasive procedure in which sound waves help guide —Gwyn Sandlin, R.N. the radiologist’s instruments to the suspicious areas in the breast, so that tissue samples may be withdrawn with a needle. The results showed a malignant tumor. continued 4

SUMMER 2009

BREAST_CCH_109_v10.jc

6/24/09

9:57 AM

Page 17

With surgery, chemotherapy and radiation behind her, patient Ida Jean Douglas is doing well nine months after learning she had a malignant breast tumor.

BREAST_CCH_109_v10.jcREV

6/25/09

12:11 PM

Page 18

Ida (left) developed a special bond with nurse and Breast Health Navigator Gwyn Sandlin (right).

ment. Before Ida underwent surgery in It was then that Ida met regis“I’m thankful November, for example, Gwyn helped tered nurse Gwyn Sandlin, a certified Gwyn has been her understand what to expect, providing Breast Health Navigator at Central her with an educational tool called Your Carolina Hospital. there for me. Breast Cancer Treatment Handbook and “My role is to provide support to She’s my spending an hour talking with her and patients who have been diagnosed with answering questions. Gwyn presented a breast disease,” Gwyn says. “Many guardian Ida with a pillow made by a hospital voltimes, I’ve had patients tell me they angel.” unteer. This special pillow was designed don’t remember a thing their doctor —Ida Jean Douglas for breast surgery patients to help ease has said. They only hear, ‘You have the discomfort after surgery. She was breast cancer’—and not much beyond even there with Ida in the recovery room when the that. I’m here to help them understand what is happenprocedure was complete. ing, what tests and treatments are scheduled, to answer “I don’t know what I would have done without as many questions as possible, and to just hold their her,” Ida says. hand, if needed.” The good news for Ida was that the cancer had Gwyn stood by Ida’s side throughout her treatIf you would like more information on Central Carolina Hospital’s Breast Health Navigator program or want to learn how to perform a quality breast self exam, visit us online at www.breastnavigator.com.

SUMMER 2009

BREAST_CCH_109_v10.jcREV

6/25/09

1:51 PM

Page 19

CENTRAL CAROLINA HOSPITAL OFFERS THESE SERVICES TO DIAGNOSE BREAST CANCER:

• Breast MRI • Breast ultrasound • Core needle biopsy (with ultrasound) • Digital mammography • Fine needle aspiration (with ultrasound) • Needle localizations • Stereotactic breast biopsy • A Breast Health Navigator to help you with your care plan

by another cancer patient.” In addition, Gwyn provided her with a variety of turbans to wear. During that time, Ida would wonder what color hair might grow back, and whether it would be curly or straight. And now that the regrowth has begun, “I look like Alfalfa from The Little Rascals!” she says. Now, nine months after her initial diagnosis, Ida’s chemotherapy and radiation are complete. Though additional treatments still lie ahead, both her prognosis and her spirits are good. “Having breast cancer can change you—it makes you appreciate life more,” Ida says. “You have to take one day at a time.” Though her recovery process has been tiring, Ida has strengthened her faith in God and found many new friends. And while she wasn’t strong enough to participate in this year’s Lee County Relay for Life, she’s thankful that family members chose to walk in her honor. “All my friends gave me faith and were praying for me—I believe in prayer,” she says. “I’m thankful Gwyn has been there for me,” Ida quickly adds. “She gives me strength when she talks to me. She’s my guardian angel.” ■

not spread to her lymph nodes. Her next course of action would be the insertion of a “port-a-cath” (a port through which chemotherapy is delivered), then the chemotherapy itself, followed by radiation therapy. These treatments would consume most of the following months, during which time Ida and Gwyn became increasingly close. “Ida is very inspirational,” Gwyn says. “She has used this experience as a learning process. She’s gained strength, courage, and confidence. Download our free song, “Fight Like She’s taught me that you do a Girl,” at www.breastnavigator.com. what you have to do—and I can share that inspiration with other patients.” Indeed, even when Ida began losing her hair, she kept her sense of humor. “I had my beautician shave my head, and I looked like Kojak! It was a shock to see a bald head,” she admits. “Friends gave me wigs: I have a reddish one, a blonde one, and one that is a more natural color. I even had one given to me

The staff of Central Carolina Hospital raised more than $5,000 in donations for the Lee County Relay for Life, held in May.

C E N T R A L C A R O L I N A H O S P I TA L

H E A LT H & L I F E

Vitamin_CC_109_v3rev

6/25/09

12:10 PM

Page 16

Spotlight on: VITAMINS “Consuming a multivitamin supplement is no substitute for a healthy diet,” says Seattle-based researcher Marian Neuhouser, lead author of a recent study of multivitamin use in postmenopausal women. “The old adage ‘Eat

your vegetables’ still rings true.” Still, Americans spend $20 billion a year on vitamin supplements. But how many of us really know how these nutrients help? Here, a rundown of what various vitamins do, and how much is too much.

VITAMIN

HOW IT HELPS

SAFE UPPER LIMIT FOR ADULTS*

Helps night vision; promotes growth and repair of bones, skin and hair; may prevent acne breakouts and dry eyes

3,000 micrograms

B-6

Helps build red blood cells and fight infections, alleviates hormone-related fluid retention

100 milligrams

Helps build DNA, prevents birth defects

1,000 micrograms

B-9

B-12

(synthetic)

Protects the nervous system, helps build red blood cells

not determined

Promotes healthy skin, bones, muscles and blood vessels; regulates metabolism; aids in wound healing and iron absorption

2,000 milligrams

Helps build strong bones and teeth, aids the nervous system (also, see below)

50 micrograms

Helps protect eyes, skin, liver and lungs; protects against free radicals

1,000 milligrams

Helps blood clot and helps keep bones healthy

not determined

(do not take if using blood thinners)

*Maximums are often lower for children. SOURCES: National Institutes of Health’s Office of Dietary Supplements, Harvard School of Public Health, Institute of Medicine.

DID YOU KNOW?

SUMMER 2009

Don’t be D-ficient! Recent studies point to a surprising array of benefits we may all get from vitamin D, already known for building bones and regulating calcium in the blood: PROTECTION AGAINST COLDS. In a study of nearly 19,000 American adults and teens, those with low blood levels of vitamin D were 40 percent more likely to have respiratory infections. MUSCLE POWER. In a British study of 99 girls ages 12 to 14, the ones with lower D levels—even if not deficient—had weaker legs than others and couldn’t jump as high. A BRAIN BOOST. Another British investigation tested 1,766 adults over 65 and found that those with lower levels of vitamin D were more likely to be cognitively impaired. FAT-FIGHTING. In a study of 90 Southern California women ages 16 to 22, 53 had vitamin D insufficiency—and were also heavier, with more body fat.

ELANA ELISSEEVA

You should take supplement tablets with roomtemperature water, as vitamins’ benefit can be compromised by hot or cold drinks. Also, avoid coffee or tea for 15 minutes before and after, as caffeine is believed to inhibit the absorption of some vitamins.

Diabetes_CC_1-09_v8.jc

6/24/09

10:01 AM

Page 2

Preventing diabetes! 5 WAYS TO KEEP FROM DEVELOPING THIS DANGEROUS CONDITION NEARLY 24 MILLION AMERICANS HAVE DIABETES, AND more than 6 million people have type 2 diabetes (diabetes mellitus) and don’t know it. Some 57 million more are considered prediabetic—that is, their blood-sugar levels are borderline high. You could be in this group without being aware of it, but there are things you can do to protect yourself, says Erik Butler, D.O., Family Practice, boardcertified, at Central Carolina Hospital. Here’s the danger: Cells need glucose (sugar) for energy. When we eat, most carbohydrates are converted into glucose and rapidly absorbed by the bloodstream. A rise in Erik Butler, D.O. blood sugar triggers the pancreas to release insulin, which transports glucose to cells. When there is too much sugar and the pancreas can’t make enough insulin to control it, the result is prediabetes, or insulin resistance. The pancreas eventually becomes exhausted, and if the progression is not halted, diabetes develops. Although diabetes symptoms include increased thirst, increased urination, weight loss and blurred vision, many continued

How much do you know about type 2 diabetes? Mark each of these 10 statements “true” or “false”—then check your responses against the correct answers printed upside-down on the next page.

Cardiovascular disease is the leading cause of death in people with diabetes.

True

False

Blindness is a common complication of poorly controlled diabetes.

True

False

3. A person at risk for diabetes should avoid eating nuts.

True

False

4. Almost everyone with

BLEND IMAGES/ALAMY

diabetes has some noticeable symptom.

True

Type 2 diabetes is now a threat to children as well as adults.

True

False

7. Due to advances in medicine, our children can be confident of living longer lives than those of today’s adults.

True

False

8. Cinnamon can raise blood sugar levels. True

False

9. It’s impossible to have type 1 and type 2 diabetes at once.

True

False

5. A half-hour a day of aerobic exercise, with moderate weight loss, can halve your risk of developing type 2 diabetes.

True

10. It can be OK for a person with diabetes to enjoy an occasional sweet treat, such as cookies or cake.

True

False

C E N T R A L C A R O L I N A H O S P I TA L

H E A LT H & L I F E

False /

Diabetes_CC_1-09_REV

6/25/09

1:52 PM

Page 3

people in the early stages of the disease have no symptoms. If the condition isn’t properly controlled, it can result in kidney failure, vision loss, cardiovascular disease and lowerextremity amputations. Family history affects who develops diabetes, Dr. Butler says. So does ethnicity; the condition is more prevalent among African-Americans, Hispanics, Asian-Americans and Native Americans. Other risk factors include obesity, an age of 65 or older and a sedentary lifestyle. Dr. Butler suggests these steps to cut your risk:

weight and get more exercise. 1Lose

A study by the National Institutes of Health showed that just 30 minutes a day of moderate physical activity, coupled with a 5 percent to 10 percent reduction in body weight, can lower your risk of developing type 2 diabetes by nearly 60 percent. Lifestyle changes worked especially well for participants in the 60-or-older range, who reduced their risk by 70 percent. If you’ve been sedentary, check with your doctor before you begin an exercise regimen. “You might begin with something simple: taking regular walks,” says Dr. Butler. To give youreself extra motivation, con-

2Choose high-quality carbs.

Cakes, donuts and bagels are tempting, but such processed carbohydrates, made from refined flours, convert to blood sugar too quickly. This causes a spike and crash that can trigger more hunger and increased caloric intake. Better options are high-quality carbohydrates such as fruit, veggies and whole grains—especially those with a fiber content of 3 grams or more per serving. They are slower to metabolize and help stabilize blood sugar, causing you to feel fuller longer. (Another way to feel full: Drink lots of water.)

your fats—they’re not all equal. 3Know

Pass up artery-clogging saturated fats and trans fats in favor of fats that are high in monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fatty acids, advises Dr. Butler. Good sources of these healthy fats are fish, nuts and oils such as olive, flaxseed and canola. But indulge sparingly, as they can raise your calorie count quickly.

4Get your blood checked.

Your doctor can tell you whether you have a normal metabolism, prediabetes or diabetes. With a simple fasting plasma glucose test (FPG), a person with prediabetes has a fasting blood glucose level between 100 and 125 mg/dL; above that, it’s diabetes.

6. TRUE. What used to be called adult-onset diabetes is now developing at younger ages 5. TRUE. One study showed that 30 minutes a day of moderate physical activity such as walking, along with a 5 percent to 10 percent reduction in body weight, reduced the risk of type 2 diabetes by 58 percent. 4. FALSE. Some 30 percent to 50 percent of individuals with type 2 diabetes have no noticeable symptoms, according to Robert Rushakoff, M.D., an associate clinical professor of medicine at the University of California, San Francisco.

3. FALSE. A study in the Journal of the American Medical Association in 2002 showed that people who ate tree nuts and peanuts at least five times a week had a lower diabetes risk (and lower weight) than those who didn’t.

about 5Ask medications. People who are at very high risk of type 2 diabetes may benefit from metformin, which—together with changes in diet and exercise—has been shown to decrease risk, especially for obese people. ■ For a physician referral, please call 1-800-483-6385 or visit us online at www.centralcarolinahospital.com.

AMANDA FLAGG

2. TRUE. Diabetic retinopathy, a degeneration of the blood vessels in the retina, is a leading cause of blindness in adults. 1. TRUE. Diabetes that is not properly controlled can result in high blood pressure and hardening of the arteries, which can lead to heart disease.

Quiz

sider combining exercise with social activity by joining an organized walking group that meets regularly.

10. TRUE. An occasional indulgence is fine, doctors say, as long as it’s small and you control overall consumption of foods that cause levels of blood sugar to spike. 9. FALSE. Studies suggest that a growing number of persons actually have this “double diabetes.” Doctors say that when some type 1 diabetics become overweight, they develop type 2 as well. 8. FALSE. Cinnamon sugar may indeed elevate levels of glucose in the blood, but Pakistani researchers have found that cinnamon alone can actually reduce them. 7. FALSE. Because childhood obesity is sharply on the rise, our children may have shorter life spans than we do. By midcentury, say researchers in the New England Journal of Medicine, complications such as type 2 diabetes, heart disease and cancer could lower by two to five years today’s U.S. average life expectancy of 77.6 years—the first reversal since tracking of that statistic began in 1900. because of the obesity epidemic. It is now expected that one in three children in the U.S. will eventually become diabetic.

InTheNews_CC_109_v5.jcREV

6/25/09

1:49 PM

Page 6

In the news

What science says REPORTS FROM THE RESEARCH FRONT THAT CAN HELP YOU GUARD YOUR HEALTH

Should your child be freer to travel? Parents mean well when they limit where their children can go alone, fearing

traffic

haz-

ards, abductors and other dangers, but a U.K. they’re

study

suggests

overdoing

it.

Researchers charted the activity levels of 1,307 10-

and

11-year-old

boys and girls attending 23 schools in a large city. The

kids

wore

accelero-

meters to measure their activity and were asked how often their parCLOCKWISE FROM TOP LEFT: MASTERFILE; SHUTTERSTOCK

ents let them go places alone or with friends. According to the study report in the International Journal of Behavioral

Nutrition and Physical Activity, the more independent mobility a child was permitted, the more active he or she was on weekdays. Too-strict limits on kids’ unsupervised travel, investigators warn, may be cutting down on their physical activity—and contributing to the growing problem of childhood obesity.

Flex those ankles for better BALANCE Falls are a key danger to older people’s health. Now a Portuguese study reported in the journal Geriatrics & Gerontology International suggests an easy, inexpensive way to become more sure-footed and avoid falls—without spending lots of time. The key: exercising your ankles. Researchers divided 48 randomly assigned elderly individuals into two groups. One didn’t exercise; the other did three 15-minute periods of ankle flexion and extension weekly for six weeks, using progressively tougher elastic bands for resistance. While the idle folk didn’t improve, the exercisers strengthened their ankles’ dorsiflexors (which move the foot up and down) and plantar flexors (which extend it) and did better on tests of mobility and balance. Check with your physician, of course, before beginning any new exercise program.

Meditation gets an A The use of meditation to beat stress is on the rise, a national survey shows, with 7.6 percent using it in 2002 and 9.4 percent in 2007. And a study in the International Journal of Psychophysiology suggests the technique may even help college students think better. Students were assigned to two groups, one of which did transcendental meditation. Meditators were better at organized thinking.

How smoking hurts your pancreas Add one more to the long list of smoking’s dangers: New Danish research says cigarettes can cause pancreatitis— inflammation of the pancreas, a large gland behind the stomach and near the top of the small intestine. The painful illness may be acute or chronic, and at its worst can be life-threatening. Gallstones and alcohol abuse have long been known as culprits, and while many heavy drinkers smoke it hasn’t been clear till now that smoking is an independent cause of pancreatitis. Now the jury is in, say investigators in Archives of Internal Medicine after reviewing more than a decade’s data for nearly 18,000 Danes who developed 235 cases of the disease. Says the American College of Physicians: “Physicians should treat smoking as a chronic disease.” C E N T R A L C A R O L I N A H O S P I TA L H E A LT H & L I F E

FitBrain_CC_109_v7.jcREV

6/25/09

12:09 PM

Page 16

How fit is your

BRAIN? TAKE OUR QUIZ TO FIND OUT HOW WELL YOU’RE KEEPING THAT GRAY MATTER IN SHAPE

“YOU KNOW THEY SAY TV WILL ROT YOUR BRAIN? That’s absurd. TV only softens the brain like a ripe banana.” So declared actor Alec Baldwin in a TV spot for web video hub Hulu. And it turns out he’s more or less right. “The brain is an organ of adaptation,” says Louis Cozolino, a professor of clinical psychology at Pepperdine University and author of The Healthy Aging Brain. “You constantly have to give it something to adapt to.” “Challenging yourself mentally and physically helps keep your brain healthy,” agrees Mohan Deochand, M.D., Neurology, board-certified, Central Carolina Hospital. Mohan Deochand, M.D. Neural plasticity—the idea that your brain is continuously changing—is a relatively new concept. It explains why people get wiser with age and why seniors who stay active maintain their mental acuity longer. Research has shown that, contrary to a longtime belief, our brains do not lose a large number of neurons as we age. Instead, the synapses that connect these neurons often slow from disuse. By stimulating the synapses, we can help ourselves stay sharp. The quiz at right tests your memory, thinking and social stimulation. Answer the questions and tally your score to see how your brain fares. Need a neurologist? Call 1-800-483-6385 for a free physician referral.

Train your brain! Follow these 9 tips from Mohan Deochand,

3. Eat well. Your brain needs a sound, bal-

M.D., Neurology, board-certified, Central

anced diet. (“Smart” stars include walnuts,

the ability to coordinate different activities

Carolina Hospital, to keep your mind sharp:

blueberries, spinach and wild salmon.)

and remember schedules—by planning a

1. Get lots of sleep. “High-quality slumber

meal that involves a recipe with many steps.

is important in helping the brain to store and

a musical instrument, a demanding hobby.

consolidate what it learns each day,” says

“You’d think memorizing might threaten to

store. This snaps you out of the “autopilot”

Dr. Deochand. Sleep at least seven hours

overload the brain, but it actually expands

of driving to familiar locations.

each night, and avoid frequent use of alco-

its capacity,” says Dr. Deochand. In studies,

hol, Benadryl, cold medicines labeled “P.M.”

seniors who learned a new language

with good social lives tend to stay sharper.

or benzodiazapene drugs—those with

improved mentally in other areas too.

chemical names ending in “pam”—because

5. Fill the unused time in your day. Bring a

percent of the heart’s output, so brain

they can damage sleep, cheating the brain.

Learn new things—a foreign language,

Challenge your “executive function”—

Vary your route to work or the grocery

Find social activities you enjoy. People Exercise regularly. The brain uses 20

health naturally depends on cardiovascular

room or in line. Sign up for an adult educa-

health. But research hints that exercise may

with different age groups keeps you alert.

tion class on evenings when you’re not busy.

pay mental dividends even beyond that.

SUMMER 2009

ISTOCKPHOTO

book to read while you’re in the waiting

2. Play with kids when you can. Interacting

FitBrain_CC_109_v7.jc

6/24/09

12:11 PM

Page 17

section1

section 2

Cognitive

Social/emotional

Before you begin, think of three words. Remember them for later.

a. almost never b. sometimes

1 1, 3, 6, 10, 15, ___

Name the next number in this pattern: Give yourself one point if you are correct (see the key below for answers when you’ve finished this section).

How often do you feel lonely while in crowds?

c. frequently often do you interact with new people? 11 How a. regularly

a. 18

b. sometimes

b. 20

c. rarely

c. 21 d. 25

2 3

What did you have for breakfast yesterday?

a. several

If you can remember in less than 15 seconds, give yourself one point.

b. one to two

Did you have trouble executing all the steps involved in the last recipe you followed? If you did not, give yourself one point.

many good friends have you made in 12 How the last three years?

c. none

How often do you get enough sleep at night? a. always b. sometimes c. never

Take 100 and subtract 7 from it in your head, then subtract 7 from the difference. Give yourself one point if you can continue this pattern five more times (see key below).

are happy with your day-to-day life: 14 You a. most of the time b. sometimes c. rarely

Are you able to balance your checkbook

Who is the current governor of North Carolina?

without difficulty? If yes, give yourself one point.

SCORING: Give yourself two points for every a, one point for every b and zero points for every c in section 2.

If you can remember in less than 15 seconds, give

Add your total with our score from section 1 for your final tally.

yourself one point (see key below).

17–21 POINTS: A beautiful mind. Good job! You’ve

Do you ever forget your intended destina-

kept your life chock-full of brain-stimulating activities,

tion while you’re driving? If you never do,

but a little extra exertion never hurts. Exercise both your

give yourself one point.

cognitive and social sides by chatting with someone new, and then perhaps inviting him or her over for a

What is 1 + 2 – 3 + 4 – 5 + 6? Give yourself

one point if you are correct (see key below).

game of chess or cards. 11–16 POINTS: Second thoughts. Luckily you’re not

a. 1

staring blankly at the television all the time, but you

b. 5

could certainly stand more stimuli. Cognitively, try tack-

c. 7

ling a crossword puzzle or a game of Scrabble. Socially,

d. 10

try volunteering with a group or joining a book club.

What were the three words you selected at

0–10 POINTS: Brain freeze. Your mind could use a

the beginning of the quiz? Give yourself one

variety of different challenges. One idea: Signing up

point for each word you can remember.

for an adult-education class in a subject that interests you will exercise both parts of your brain—cognitively

SELECTED ANSWERS: 1. c; 4. the sequence is: 93, 86, 79, 72, 65, 58, 51; 6. Beverly Perdue; 8. b

through the instruction itself, and socially through interaction with your fellow students. ■

C E N T R A L C A R O L I N A H E A LT H & L I F E

Numbers_CC_109_v3.SL

6/24/09

10:04 AM

Page 18

For the record

By the numbers NOTABLE HEALTH-RELATED FACTS AND FIGURES

Top 6 causes of death

The quest for health—online

in the United States, 2005:

information by computer on an average day, and 58% of them say online guidance has affected their treatment decisions. Here’s what they’re looking to learn about: • 64% a specific disease or medical problem • 51% a medical treatment or procedure • 49% diet, nutrition or vitamins • 44% exercise or fitness • 22% depression, anxiety, stress or mental health issues • 9% smoking cessation • 8% drug or alcohol problems

1. Heart disease 2. Cancer 3. Stroke 4. Chronic lower respiratory diseases 5. Accidents or unintentional injuries 6. Diabetes Source: The National Center for Health Statistics

16% of Americans under the age of 65 did not have health insurance in 2006. Source: The National Center for Health Statistics

10.3 million cosmetic procedures were done in the U.S. in 2008. Source: American Society for Aesthetic Plastic Surgery

8 million adults search for health

The top 10 most prescribed medications, 2007: 1. Lipitor (cholesterol-lowering agent) 2. Singulair (used for the long-term treatment of asthma) 3. Lexapro (antidepressant drug) 4. Nexium (used to treat acid reflux disease) 5. Synthroid (thyroid medication) 6. Plavix (prevents blood clots after a recent heart attack or stroke) 7. Toprol XL (used to treat hypertension) 8. Prevacid (used to treat acid reflux disease) 9. Vytorin (cholesterollowering agent) In 2007, 10. Advair Diskus (used for the long-term of U.S. adults smoked, treatment down from 22.5% in 2002 of asthma)

Source: PEW Internet and American Life Project

20% Source: The National Center for Health Statistics

Source: RxList

Gender and lifespan

Find out where you fit in by comparing your numbers to these ranges: BODY MASS INDEX: • 18.5 to 24.9 is normal body mass index (BMI) for adults. (142 million adults are considered overweight or obese. Calculate your BMI at www.nhlbisupport.bmi.) TOTAL CHOLESTEROL: • Under 200 mg/dl is a desirable level for adults. (48.4% of adults have cholesterol levels that are too high.) BLOOD PRESSURE: • Normal for adults is 120 mmHg or less over 80 mmHg or less. (1 in 3 adults has high blood pressure.)

Is it men or women who are really tough? Here’s the life expectancy at birth for each gender for kids born in 2005.

Sources: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention; American Heart Association; National Heart, Blood and Lung Institute

32 million Source: American Heart Association

80.4

75.2

FEMALES

MALES

YEARS

Source: The National Center for Health Statistics

Americans take three or more medications daily.

CLOCKWISE FROM TOP LEFT: STEPHEN VANHORN; ALEXEY AVDEEV; JENNIFER FABELA; D. HURST/ALAMY

What’s normal

015_CCH_SUMMER09.indd 15

6/25/09 12:23:34 PM

Analog

Digital

Central Carolina Hospital now oﬀers self-referrals for Mammography. If you need a mammogram and don’t have a physician’s referral, you may now schedule your mammogram by calling us at (919) 774-2157.

016_CCH_SUMMER09.indd 16

6/26/09 1:06:34 PM