Last
week Yachting Journalist Rob Mundle previewed the Sydney to Hobart Yacht
race - He predicted that Alfa Romeo would take line honours. Rob is down on
Hobart awaiting the first of the sleek vessels to arrive. 28th
DECEMBER 2002
HEART ATTACK TREATMENT
Cardiovascular disease is the western world's biggest killer. According to Australia's National Heart Foundation cardiovascular disease is responsible for more than 40% of all deaths in our country, and claims one life every ten minutes.
These days there is good evidence to show that early intervention with modern drugs and procedures like Angioplasty we can reduce the number of deaths from heart attack caused by blockage of the arteries that supply the heart muscle.
It is essential that people act promptly when they suffer serious chest pain and NOT wait to see if it will go away by itself ! Calling 000 will result in dispatch of an Emergency Ambulance. In Australia our Ambulance Paramedics are well trained to deal with initial treatment of heart attack and its complications, and can swiftly transport you to a nearby hospital emergency department - It is strongly advised that you DO NOT try to drive yourself to hospital if you suspect heart attack.
Heart attack is due to blockage of one or more of the blood vessels that supply the heart muscle itself. This blockage can be due to a slow build up over many years of cholesterol and fatty substance called plaque. The plaque gradually narrows the blood vessel so it is harder for the supply of blood to get through - eventually the passageway can become so narrow that it the muscle is not receiving enough oxygen and nutrients to function normally. When the person exerts themselves the muscle requires more oxygen but the supply vessels cannot expand to meet the demand. Like any muscle that is starved of heart muscle will under these circumstances produce a cramp like pain - we call angina. This pain is usually felt in the chest but not always only there - some people feel the pain in their jaw or arm. They describe in varying ways - usually as a heaviness or tightness and many people motion with their fist clenched towards their sternum ( breast bone). Angina is usually short lived and stops if the demand on the muscle is reduced. Medication is often used to increase blood supply to assist the opening of the narrow vessels.
Obviously if the muscle is starved of oxygen for too long it will die - this is a heart attack. In my opinion if the angina pain doesn't respond to usual medications or stopping exertion or lasts longer than around 10 minutes or what ever your doctor has advised in your case then it is vital that you call 000 and get treated.
Heart Attack may NOT be preceded by Angina so any chest pain that is severe and not relieved by simple means is worth getting immediate assessment for. Doctors and Ambulance Paramedic would prefer to see you and be able to ultimately prove it wasn't a heart attack than not be called and lost the opportunity to help you.
Early presentation to a specialised coronary care unit means that a heart attack might be averted. If treatment ,which may be clot dissolving mediation or balloon angioplasty, can be instituted before the muscle actually dies the outcome can be wonderful !
Once the only treatment for blocked coronary vessels was bypass operations .However Balloon Angioplasty has revolutionised the treatment of coronary artery disease that causes angina heart attack.
This procedure can reopen narrowed blood vessels. In the case or coronary blood vessels it has meant that heart attacks may be avoided. If coronary artery narrowing is picked up on special tests like exercise scans and angiography an angioplasty may be indicated and the person avoids the potential consequences.
A small cannula is inserted into a blood vessel in the groin and under Xray control it is fed up through the branches, into the heart and into the vessel which is causing the problems. once in position a tiny balloon is inflated which literally flattens the plaque against the wall of the vessel and widens the passage. A mesh stent may be inserted . It acts like a tiny retaining wall to keep the plaque from causing the narrowing again.
Dr Ron Dick is
the Director of Cardiology Epworth Hospital
Click HERE to visit an American site with info about Angioplasty - there is a fabulous graphic that explains Angioplasty beautifully
Click HERE to visit Epworth Hospital's cardiology unit
Click HERE to visit the National Heart Foundation
Click HERE to visit another American Site with nice info about heart attack - remember some treatments and recommendations may not apply here
Click HERE to visit the respected Mayo Clinic in America with more info on Angioplasty
Click HERE to visit the American Heart Association and read their position statement on Angioplasty
with Rob
Mundle
Last
week Yachting Journalist Rob Mundle previewed the Sydney to Hobart Yacht
race - He predicted that Alfa Romeo would take line honours. Rob is down on
Hobart awaiting the first of the sleek vessels to arrive.
Depending on the wind it could be today - or tomorrow when the race for line honours is decided. Hobart is jumping with excitement. People are pouring in and the celebrations are poised to start.
Rob will give us the latest news on the race - and of course you can find out all about the races on Southern Cross radio stations and CHANNEL 10 news when Rob will give his update .
Also you can visit the sites below
click HERE to visit the SYDNEY HOBART website
click HERE to read an article about the collision at the start of the race
Some Health topics are easy to get publicity for. Some of the more difficult ones need a high profile person to champion the cause in order to get the media to cover the story and message.
Try getting someone to champion Urinary Incontinence and try wooing the media to talk about it .
Well, we dont worry about that because nothing fazes me. I believe we especially NEED to talk about some of the topics considered less media friendly or maybe embarrassing when they are as common as incontinence.
The Federal Government has funded an initiative to assist with education and treatment of continence problems. A National Help line has been set up. Too many people suffer in silence being too embarrassed to talk even to their doctor about it.
While you can ask almost any woman who's ever had a baby and she will have, at some time experienced what it means to not be able to hold on or not willing to sneeze or jump for fear of losing urine. But some people live with this long afterwards. And its not only women who have continence problems.
Some people find themselves housebound for fear of going out in public and being unable to find a toilet in time One other fantastic initiative is a national toilet map I have a link to it below.
Bernadette Pell is a nurse educator with the national Continence line and she'll be joining me in the studio to take your calls on continence issues today
The Continence foundation has been fighting to raise awareness of Incontinence for a long time. Its an up hill battle to get people to talk about it. But be aware that you are NOT alone and there IS help avaialable. You just have to talk about it - to your doctor - or call anonymously to
NATIONAL CONTINENCE HELP
LINE 1800 33 0066
Issues being addressed by the Continence Initiative
BEDWETTING IN CHILDREN
PELVIC FLOOR EXERCISES FOR MEN
PELVIC FLOOR EXERCISES FOR WOMEN
BLADDER TRAINING
BLADDER PROBLEMS AND THE PROSTATE
GOOD BLADDER HABITS FOR EVERYONE
URINARY INCONTINENCE. WHAT IS IT?
CONSTIPATION AND URINARY INCONTINENCE
DEMENTIA AND URINARY INCONTINENCE
- faecal incontinence is another topic which is being addressed even though urinary incontinence is being highlighted - gee it was heard enough to get people talking openly about this one - but dont think I am not aware of the other issues - I just have to ease the media on slowly ;)
click HERE to visit the NATIONAL TOILET MAP
click HERE to read Information about Incontinence
Click HERE to read about the Federal Government Continence initiative
I borrowed the banner ad above from Croydon Travel's website click on the pic and it will take you there
I recall the ads for Antarctic flights on New Years Eve 1999-2000 - Be the first to herald the New Millennium- WOW ! Evidently you can catch a flight before cocktail hour fly over the magnificent Antarctic - take in the spectacle, sip champagne and be back home in time for breakfast next day !!!
The bad news is that I think the New Years Eve 2002-3 might be booked out - but the good news is that there is another flight being organissed in January and February !!
Phil Asker from Croydon Travel will
tell us all about the experience which is run together with Qantas
1800 633 449
click
HERE to find out more about
Antarctica Flights
DEALING
WITH DEHYDRATION
For most of us dealing with the hot weather is easy - after all here in Australia we are used to it. However there are some groups of people who need assistance during extended or extreme heat waves.
Our body's have a good heat regulating mechanism. Sweating allows fluid evaporation from the skin which takes heat away with the process. But sometimes the regulatory mechanisms dont work .The very young, the sick and very old especially may have problems with regulating body heat.
In the case of babies their thermostats haven't fully developed and they can run into problems in extreme temperatures. Be sure to dress your baby for the weather. Take into account protection for skin and especially face. A hat and sun screen are essential. And look to see that you baby isnt in full sun when pushing them in a pram or stroller. On hot days increasing fluids may be necessary - boiled water can be suppliment and its imperative that breast feeding mums keep their own fluid supply up to meet the demand.
Older people may also have problems with heat regulation - some sweat less- some forget to drink. it is important to check on older people during hot weather. If they become seriously dehydrated in very hit conditions it can become a vicious circle where they dont drink and it ends with heat stroke where the body no longer functions and organs start to shut down. This can be fatal. It IS a medical emergency.
There are some simple tips for extremely hot dayshere are some examples - Draw curtains early in the day, if you have air conditioning stay inside, or visit a friend you does have air conditioning. Put the gardening off for another day. Avoid too much physical exertion outsifde and drink plenty of water.
Sick babies may have a fever. It is very important to manage this appropriately in all conditions but even more so in hot weather. Young developing brains are very sensitive to temperature. A significant rise in body temperature can cause a shorting out effect sort of like a fuse temporarily malfunctioning in your home. The result can be that the baby has convulsion or seiuzure- this does not mean the baby has epilepsy. Management is about not letting the baby over heat , but still being careful no to get the babe so cool that they shiver - as this is a sign the body is trying to raise its temperature and may induce the convulsion. So give the baby an appropriate dose of paracetamol or what ever you have been recommended by a health professional to reduce fever, get the room temperature comfortable, strip the baby to minimal clothes. If the temperature hasnt come down then a supervised, luke warm bath may help. Of the temperature is STILL not coming down then it is advisable to seek medical advice.
Some parents bring their babies in to see me in my practice without dosing their baby with paracetomol because they think it may make diagnosis more difficult. The medication is important to prevent convulsions from a high fever. I can still examine the baby for causes of the fever.
Young kids should be encouraged to drink more water and play in the shade or onside if its cooler
NEVER leave a child or anyone in a closed car unattended during hot weather
Also DONT forget your pets - make sure they have water and DONT leave them in the car
Dr Tim Matthews, is the Medical
Director of the Australian Kidney
Foundation
1800 682 531 is the national number for the Australian Kidney Foundation
click HERE to visit the Australian Kidney Foundation
click HERE to read more about KIdneys
click HERE
to read more about dehydration and how to avoid or manage it ( this is
an adobe acrobat file - you will need to have adobe acrobat installed on your
computer to read it - adobe acrobat reader is a free download from
Adobe click the icon to down load the latest version 
HOLIDAY
COOKING
DOYLE'S SEAFOOD - An Australian Tradition
Chucking
another prawn on the barbie is synonymous with Australian summer eating. In fact
eating seafood is a national delight for we of the island continent. I always
thought it was strange when I was growing up when movies portrayed only the rich
and famous as eating oysters, prawns and lobster when you could by
them in abundance at our local fish shop. Seafood has come along way since I was
a kid ordering my flake and minimum chips but our traditions have been
preserved by one family in particular.
In Australia this family name is immediately linked to fine seafood The Doyle family have been in the business of seafood for 5 generations and Peter Doyle from Doyles seafood restaurants in Sydney will be joining me on the phone to chat about the great Aussie tradition of Seafood over summer !
Doyles retaurants are all situated over looking the picturesque Sydney Harbour - or as Peter calls it Doyles Riviera. They each have a sense of history about them and retain a quaintness that has to be experienced.
If you haven't eaten at Doyles then you've never really dined on seafood the way Neptune( had he been an Aussie) would have recommended it ! ( and you can get traditional fish'n chips from Doyles too )
Click HERE to find out more about DOYLE's FABULOUS restaurants ( just take a look at the menus AND the recipes !! )
COPING WITH LOSS OF AN INFANT
CHRISTMAS TIME
Last week we talked with the parents of little baby Nathan over joyed to see their little one thriving three months after the open heart surgery that he had when he was less than 2 weeks old . He's doing well but still has another operation in store before he's "out of the woods". We all love to hear the stories of survival especially when its a tiny baby who makes it against the odds.
After
the program I received an email from a couple who's only baby was not so
fortunate. In fact next Sunday will mark the one year
anniversary of the day Joanne and James they said good bye to baby
Jackson who fought so hard to be
fit enough to have surgery that might have been able to correct the defect in his heart.
Born premature, the dilemma was that James would need surgery to survive but he would also need to be a certain weight before his little body could cope with the stress of the operation. Everyone did all they could but his body couldn't make it. His parents were told there was no hope and they had to make the decision to turn off life support.......... This is their first Christmas without their baby.
They
are keen to talk about their experience as a means of helping other parents and
moreover friends and families to talk about this otherwise "taboo"
subject so we might learn the right words that give support. 
Joanne
and James will join me on the program today
These days we are not so good at dealing with the other side of life... especially when its babies that don't make it. There is no doubt that every parent's nightmare is the loss of a child . That is why it is most important that we discuss how to deal with it. Talking about it wont "mozz" a pregnancy.
I was reading the diary of a long gone relative of mine written in the 1860's when a teenager. Almost every entry mentioned, as if a normal event, that a child or baby of a friend or neighbour had "passed on". These days our improved medical management of pregnancy and childhood illnesses has meant that infant mortality is at an all time low. Naturally people don't expect to lose a child. But these days we don't seem to know what to say to someone if it happens. So too often we say nothing for fear of saying the wrong thing. Parents tell me too often that no-one rang, or worse - the well meaning family member who suggests that getting on and having another baby will fix everything.... Parents are then left to deal with their loss alone.
But they are not alone and nor should they ever feel that way - we need to talk about this taboo subject and learn what we can all do to help bereaved families.
Sharron's baby girl, Briana, was born severely disabled after lack of oxygen damaged her brain 12 years ago. Briana had difficulty swallowing and heeded to be constantly watched that she did not choke. Sharron and her husband were told there was nothing medical science could do and her outlook was grim. They took Briana home and nursed her for the next 16 months before she died. These days there are more children in the family but Briana is still part of their lives. She may be gone but she is still loved. Sharron feels strongly that silence on this topic is dangerous and people need to tell their stories. She says that people who say that families should move on and forget about the baby who died have obviously not experienced this type of loss.
Moving on is important but by trying to push the feelings down will not assist that process.
Christmas time is usually associated with families getting together and for this reason it can also be a time when pain is amplified for those who have lost someone close. Especially the first Christmas after a loss.
SIDS and KIDS is the new name for the former SIDS foundation .With the fabulous results of decreasing SIDS deaths following awareness campaigns and research the foundation has turned its energy onto grief counselling and support for parents who have lost children or babies. Petra Van Hartog from SIDS and KIDS will be joining us along with the young couple who lost their baby a year ago and another mother who, after receiving the news that no more could be done, took her severely disabled baby home from hospital 12 years ago to die with the family at home. She also talks about the need to break the silence on this topic and to talk about loss as a part of life that shouldn't be avoided in conversation.
Its
rather heavy stuff but I feel is it important that we talk about it
because I see too many people who
don't
get enough support and don't know that help is available and its OK to talk
about their feelings .
Click HERE to visit SIDS AND KIDS
Click HERE to visit the magnificent and incredibly dignified site built by Deb, who's nephew survived operations for heart defects. The site was built to highlight the need for information and indeed by providing families areas to tell their story in their own words is a living monument to their struggle . Not all the stories have happy endings but there is much to learn from the strength shown in all the parent's stories
This site is a truly beautiful example of how the internet can build caring communities. Please take the time to read some of the stories of the babies and their families.
Congratulations to Deb and all the people who contributed to possibly one of the most beautiful sites I have ever come across.
Click HERE to visit Joanne and James' beautiful memorial site ( also built with help from Deb) to baby Jackson who would have been turning 1 next Sunday