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Colorado Springs Medical Briefs: Aug. 5, 2005

Posted on: Monday, 8 August 2005, 03:01 CDT

Two cardiovascular diseases caused by a buildup of fat and cholesterol deposits can be alternatively treated through new technology at Memorial Hospital.

The FDA has approved the Silver-Hawk Plaque Excision System device that removes plaque from blocked arteries in the legs. The device assists patients with Peripheral Vascular Disease, which disrupts the normal flow of blood to arteries in the vascular system.

Other treatments for PVD include angioplasty, stenting and open bypass surgeries - and all required larger incisions that the Silver Hawk procedure, which shaves away large quantities of plaque from inside the artery through minimally invasive procedures performed through a tiny puncture site, according to a Memorial news release.

PVD affects almost 12 million people in the U.S.

With this new technology, we can actually extract harmful plaque rather than compressing it against the vessel wall and hoping for a positive outcome, said Dr. Scott Hurlbert, a vascular surgeon with Memorial Hospital.

Memorial Hospital and Dr. Chad Schooley, a cardiologist, are the first in the county to offer a technologically advanced procedure for surgically at-risk patients diagnosed with carotid artery disease.

The Carotid Artery Stenting is a minimally invasive treatment using a combination of balloon angioplasty and a stent implant to unblock and reopen the carotid artery.

Schooley is the only Carotid Artery Stenting-certified physician in the region, according to Memorial Hospital.

The CAS procedure is a safe and proven option for patients with severe arterial blockage, who are higher risk for the standard surgical procedure known as an endarterectomy, Schooley said. Hospital recovery time is typically just 24 hours, and many patients can resume their normal activities within a week.

FYI: About strokes (from Memorial Hospital)

* Stroke is the third leading cause of death in the United States, with more than 500,000 cases annually

* In 2004, the estimated costs for treating strokes in the United States was $53.6 billion

* Risk factors: high blood pressure, carotid artery disease, diabetes, smoking or tobacco use, heart disease and high cholesterol

Go Red for Women Education Day

It's not too early to set aside Oct. 14 as a day to educate yourself about how to be heart healthy.

The Pikes Peak Division of the American Heart Association has announced the third Go Red for Women Education Day will be held from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. at the Antlers Hilton Hotel in downtown Colorado Springs.

There are opportunities available for business sponsorships. Memorial Hospital and Daniels Chevyland have already jumped on board as presenting sponsors, and there is room for more. Gold, silver, bronze and individual program sponsorships also are available.

For information on how to get involved, contact Elizabeth Robirds, the special events manager for the American Heart Association, at 635-7688 or e-mail her at Elizabeth.robirds@heart.org.

From the AHA

Heart disease is the No. 1 killer of women in America.

More women than men die of heart disease in America.

Kaiser Permanente tidbit

Kaiser has launched its second advertising campaign promoting healthy lifestyles. The Thrive campaign focuses on doing specific things to establish and maintain good health, like eating fruits and veggies.

Kaiser is practicing what it's preaching by incorporating its own preventive initiatives. Just a few:

* Kaiser facilities throughout the United States, including Colorado, have welcomed farmer's markets. In Colorado Springs, Kaiser sponsors the Colorado Farm and Art Market, adjacent to America the Beautiful Park, on Saturday mornings.

* Kaiser's education theatre has produced The Amazing Food Detective, which is about teaching healthy eating habits to elementary school children.

* Kaiser has pledged $2.4 million from its Garfield Memorial Fund to eight weight management programs

C.J. Moore, public affairs director for Kaiser Permanente, had this to say about the Thrive campaign:

We love the Thrive campaign. Finally, commercials that talk about what we have been telling members for years. Staying healthy is much, much more than just going to the doctor - it is taking care of you. It is taking that difficult first step on a good exercise program, a good diet, getting enough sleep, managing your stress levels, taking care of your emotional health. For too many years, we all thought our ills could be cured by just taking a pill, and now we know that it is an individual responsibility. - We need to turn off the television more, get out and enjoy our spectacular mountains, walk the dog, take a hike or read a book.

Learn how to be preventive

The Springs Health and Wellness Center is sponsoring the third Many Paths to Healing Fair from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Aug. 20 and 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Aug. 21 at 7834 N. Academy Blvd.

Browse the booths and learn more about acupuncture, chiropractic, herbs and nutritional products, osteopathic medicine, massage and much more. There will be a silent auction as well, and at 7 p.m. a lecture by Apache Medicine Man, Bear Paw, from El Paso, Texas.

Admission is free, including the lecture. For more information, call 598-9200 or 592-0800.\

(Copyright 2005 Dolan Media Newswires)

Source: Colorado Springs Business Journal, The

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