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1-800-4BAYLOR ● November 2009 Time toTest Tino Garcia is living proof that regular screenings are key to good health page 6 Solutions for your sleep problems page 2 New remote system helps deliver specialized care page 3 Treatments for overactive bladder page 4 Comparing therapies for AFIB page 5 Visit BaylorHealth.com for informative videos, interactive quizzes, online event registration, and much more. FdBL110909_Waxahachie.indd 1 9/8/09 8:40:33 AM Treating Sleep Troubles The Sleep Center at Baylor Waxahachie helps patients get a good night’s sleep D eWayne Volentine’s wife, Christian, is a nurse for HealthTexas, and she had been pestering him for several years to get tested for sleep apnea. But because he was waking for work at 5:30 a.m. every day, he chalked up his sleepiness and fatigue to his early mornings. “I was hardheaded and put off getting checked. She finally talked me into it,” he says. The 41-year-old from Waxahachie reports that his sleep study showed severe sleep apnea. He was aware of waking several times during the night, but with sleep apnea, many times people wake so briefly they aren’t aware of it. “I stopped breathing 125 to 130 times during the night,” he says. He also had quite a few leg movements throughout the test that added to his interrupted sleep. Following the study, his doctor prescribed a CPAP machine— a device that uses pressurized air to keep the airways open. Six months later, Volentine reports that it is working great. “I get better, more restful sleep,” he says. “I don’t notice the difference so much in the morning, but later in the evening I’m not getting tired anymore.” He also has noticed a decrease in headaches. Volentine works as a teacher and To learn more about junior high athletic director for sleep studies at Baylor Waxahachie Independent School Medical Center at District, and in the afternoons and Waxahachie, call evenings he coaches for his 4-year972-923-7090 or visit old and 8-year-old sons’ teams. BaylorHealth.com/ Treating his sleep apnea has given waxsleep. him more energy for all his coaching responsibilities, he says. The treatment has benefited his wife, too. “Before, she would not sleep well. She was nudging me and listening for me to stop breathing. She’s started to get more sleep now,” he adds. His advice to others who might have sleep apnea? “If you think you have it, don’t put it off. Go get the testing done. It’s painless, quick and easy. It’s not a scary thing. I’m glad I did it.” l By Stephanie Thurrott Counting Sheep? Baylor Medical Center at Waxahachie 1405 W. Jefferson, Waxahachie, TX 75165 President: Jay Fox Director of Development, Baylor Health Care System Foundation: Ellen Dearman Baylor Medical Center at Waxahachie Board of Trustees: Linda Alvarez; Jack Curlin; Bobby D. Dyess, Chair; Jay Fox; Todd Fuller; Valerie Gorman, M.D.; Nancy Hightower; Mackey Morgan, DDS; Cindy Murray; Winnie O’Donnell; Jim Pitts; Paul Stevens Patient Information and Volunteer Opportunities: 972-923-7000 or 972-935-9095 2 Giving Opportunities/Baylor Health Care Foundation: 214-820-3136 Baylor Health Care System Mission: Founded as a Christian ministry of healing, Baylor Health Care System exists to serve all people through exemplary health care, education, research and community service. Visit BaylorHealth.com or call 1-800-4BAYLOR for information about Baylor Medical Center at Waxahachie services, upcoming events, physician referrals, career opportunities and more. BaylorHealth is published six times a year for friends and supporters of Baylor Medical Center at Waxahachie. BaylorHealth is published by McMurry. © 2009 Baylor Health Care System. The material in BaylorHealth is not intended for diagnosing or prescribing. Consult your physician before undertaking any form of medical treatment or adopting any exercise program or dietary guidelines. Physicians are members of the medical staff at one of Baylor Health Care System’s subsidiary, community or affiliated medical centers and are neither employees nor agents of those medical centers, Baylor Medical Center at Waxahachie or Baylor Health Care System. Photographs may include models or actors and may not represent actual patients. BaylorHealth November 2009 l For a physician referral, visit BaylorHealth.com FdBL110909_Waxahachie.indd 2 If you are receiving multiple copies, need to change your mailing address or do not wish to receive this publication, please send your mailing label(s) and the updated information to Robin Vogel, Baylor Health Care System, 2001 Bryan St., Suite 750, Marketing Department, Dallas, TX 75201, or e-mail the information to [email protected]. Cover photograph by Tadd Myers; hair and makeup by Dane Nelson 9/8/09 8:40:55 AM Technologically Advanced New system brings remote specialists to Baylor Waxahachie bedsides D octors in the intensive care unit at Baylor Medical Center at Waxahachie have a new tool that can help them care for their critically ill patients. It’s a robot that can accompany them on rounds, bringing the skills of a specialist to the bedside. The robot is named BESSY—Baylor’s Extra Specialist Seeing You. BESSY rolls around on the hospital floor, navigated by a doctor at Baylor University Medical Center at Dallas at a control station in the ICU assisted by a joystick and Internet connection. The robot’s “head,” a computer monitor, uses videoconferencing technology to display the remote doctor’s face. A patient can talk to the doctor as if he or she were in the room. Along with talking to the patient, the doctor at Baylor Dallas can listen to the heartbeat, examine the pupils and review X-rays and test results. Baylor Waxahachie began testing the system in May. While patients are sometimes a bit self-conscious speaking to the robot at first, they quickly get comfortable with the arrangement. “The chief benefit for patients here in the ICU is that it allows us to bring additional specialty coverage directly to the bedside. A doctor at another Baylor facility, particularly Baylor Dallas, can actually examine and talk with the patient via the robot,” explains Cindy Murray, vice president for patient care services at Baylor Waxahachie. “An intensivist from the Baylor Dallas campus can do rounds on our ICU patients with the patient-care team in Waxahachie.” The technology is new and may allow more people to be treated close to home in Waxahachie rather than in Dallas. For people with complex conditions, the robot could be used in the future to bring multiple remote doctors together to consult on the case as well as offer a learning opportunity for the patient care team accompanying the robot on rounds. l By Stephanie Thurrott Quality Care Close to Home For a referral to a physician on the medical staff at Baylor Waxahachie, visit BaylorHealth.com/physicianfinder or call 1-800-4BAYLOR. To make a donation, visit BaylorHealth.com l November 2009 BaylorHealth FdBL110909_Waxahachie.indd 3 3 9/21/09 9:06:59 AM When You Really Gotta Go Baylor Waxahachie offers three treatments to help those with overactive bladder S ome people feel a sudden, compelling desire to urinate. The sensation is so strong that they rush to the nearest bathroom, afraid of leakage if they don’t make it in time. The condition is called “overactive bladder,” and it’s not the same as incontinence—only about one-third of people with overactive bladder have incontinence along with it. If you find yourself rushing to the bathroom, talk to your doctor. “A lot of people are too embarrassed to seek help. But there are a lot of different treatment options. You don’t have to live with this,” explains Kristin Williams, M.D., an obstetrician/ gynecologist on the medical staff at Baylor Medical Center at Waxahachie. If you have symptoms of overactive bladder, your doctor will first rule out other conditions such as urinary tract infections, bladder cancer or, in men, obstructions. Then, there are three courses of treatment that can help get the condition under control. For a referral to a urolo1. Behavioral therapy. gist or OB/GYN on the “These treatments are not invaBaylor Waxahachie sive, not toxic and you can pracmedical staff, call tice them at home,” Dr. Williams 1-800-4BAYLOR or visit says. Kegel exercises can help BaylorHealth.com/ strengthen pelvic floor muscles, physicianfinder. and performing Kegels when an urge comes on can help give you a sense of control —the urge can pass and you don’t have to rush. Bring in the Experts 4 Keeping a voiding diary can help, especially in older people with chronic disease who have decreased sensation as the bladder is filling and then urgency as the bladder becomes full. Timed voiding every three to four hours can help avoid urgency. With biofeedback, you work with a specialist who can help you isolate the pelvic floor muscles and measure contraction strength. “It’s like having a personal trainer at the gym,” Dr. Williams says. 2. Medication. If behavioral methods don’t work, often medication can help. There are several types of medication doctors can prescribe. Many have side effects such as dry mouth, mild sedation and constipation, so your doctor will tailor the medication and dosage to minimize side effects and maximize the benefit. 3. Injections and implants. For people who have tried several medications without success, Botox® injections might work. They can provide relief for six to nine months. Another option is an electrode implanted in the back to stimulate the nerves that are involved in bladder sensation and function. l By Stephanie Thurrott BaylorHealth November 2009 l For the career of a lifetime, go to BaylorHealth.com FdBL110909_Waxahachie.indd 4 9/23/09 1:36:44 PM Different Drummers Baylor evaluates options for regulating heart rhythm problems Between 2 and 5 million Americans experience atrial fibrillation, the most common type of heart rhythm problem. The small upper chambers of the heart quiver instead of beating effectively, which can lead to stroke, serious heart issues and even death. Treatments for atrial fibrillation already exist, and Baylor Health Care System is participating in a For information about study sponsored by participating in the the National Institutes CABANA trial, call of Health (NIH) to 1-800-4BAYLOR or visit determine whether BaylorHealth.com/ one approach might be advancingmedicine. better than another. THE HEART HOSPITAL Baylor Plano is Baylor’s lead site for the multi-center CABANA trial, which will randomly assign 3,000 participants to one of two groups to compare established treatments. One is medications that can regulate the heartbeat and the other is catheter ablation, a minimally invasive procedure. Catheter ablation uses a tiny tube to send energy to the heart and destroy small areas of tissue where abnormal heartbeats may cause an irregular rhythm, also known as an arrhythmia. “Traditionally, the primary treatment has been medication to suppress the arrhythmia, but some of the side effects are significant,” says J. Brian DeVille, M.D., FACC, a cardiac electrophysiologist Join the Trial Illustration by Stephanie Dalton Cowan FdBL110901_BUMC.indd 5 and medical director for electrophysiology for the Heart Rhythm Institute at THE HEART HOSPITAL Baylor Plano. Catheter ablation is typically only used in patients who don’t respond well to medication, which works well in about 50 percent of patients to control atrial fibrillation. However, the success rate with catheter ablation is about 70 percent to 80 percent, Dr. DeVille explains, although, up to one-third of patients need to have the procedure performed twice. Participants will be followed for a minimum of two years over the course of the five-year study, which also will be conducted at the Baylor Jack and Jane Hamilton Heart and Vascular Hospital. Other Baylor sites are likely to participate in the CABANA trial, too. Ultimately, the study is designed to determine which of the two treatments provides the best standard of care. Or, according to Dr. DeVille, perhaps the results will show that there are applications for both approaches to addressing atrial fibrillation. “This has been a highly anticipated trial,” he says, “and I think this study really has the potential to shape how we treat atrial fibrillation in the years to come.” ● By Amy Lynn Smith 2 and 5 million Between Americans experience atrial fibrillation, the most common type of heart rhythm problem, which can lead to stroke, serious heart issues and even death. Visit us at BaylorHealth.com ● November 2009 BaylorHealth 5 9/18/09 8:55:58 AM Behind the Screens T By Stephanie Thurrott Stay on top of medical tests and stay a step ahead of trouble Tino Garcia of Garland had little reason Start Screening Early to suspect heart disease. He was just While Garcia’s routine tests 43 years old and at a healthy weight, and didn’t show worrisome signs, a recent EKG required for a life insurthat’s not often the case. Some ance policy didn’t turn up any concerns. screenings can help detect early Neither his parents nor any of his five warning signs of heart disease. brothers had heart problems. But he had Doctors on the medical staff a pain in his chest that, while mild, felt at Baylor recommend blood unfamiliar and wouldn’t subside. pressure screenings starting at After several weeks, he visited his age 18, repeated every two years doctor, who at first suspected acid reflux. if levels are normal. Cholesterol But when medication didn’t relieve the screenings should start at age 20, symptoms, his doctor sent him to a with follow-up tests every five cardiologist. A battery of tests discovered years if results are normal. blockages in his heart’s vessels. Skin cancer also can show signs Garcia was able to have the stents he early, so from age 20 on, check your needed placed with a new procedure skin for suspicious changes once a called radial artery catheterization. month and have your doctor examine He was soon back to work and able to your skin every three years. spend his free time with his wife, son If you’re at high risk for diabetes,, have and daughter. a fasting blood glucose test once a year. Biren Parikh, M.D., a cardiologist on the medical staff at Baylor Medical See Your Doctor on Schedule Center at Garland, says that the In fall 2008, Richard Hearne, 66, of Dallas, catheterization procedure uses a blood began to notice blood in his urine, but vessel in the arm to thread the stent suspected it was a symptom of his type 2 to the heart, instead of the traditional access via the groin. Some complications, such as bleeding, are less likely with access through the As tailor and heart patient Tino Garcia (right) arm, and patients typically discovered, everyone’s heart health is different. don’t require bedrest after Hear about his unique experience firsthand at the procedure. BaylorHealth.com/mystory. Tailored Care 6 BaylorHealth November 2009 FdBL110909_Waxahachie.indd 6 ● Sick? Click. Visit BaylorHealth.com 9/8/09 8:41:19 AM 5 TIPS FOR DODGING DISEASE All in the Family diabetes. So, he waited Especially for Men until his annual physical Young men should get Your family’s health in December to mention it in the habit of checking history can influence to his doctor. His lab tests for testicular lumps your risk for certain confirmed the presence monthly, which can diseases and might change your doctor’s of blood, and his doctor be signs of testicular recommendation for recommended a CT scan, cancer. Talk to your certain screenings. which showed a mass on doctor to see if he or Read more about it at his bladder. The mass she recommends prosBaylorHealth.com/ turned out to be cancerous, tate cancer screenings healthcast. and Hearne had surgery to after age 40, advises remove it in January. He W. Scott Webster, M.D., recovered and regained his strength, a urologist on the medical staff at Baylor getting back into shape for a trip University Medical Center at Dallas. to Africa in July. Checking in with your For Women Only doctor regularly—even Women should check monthly for breast when you’re not feeling abnormalities that might signal breast sick—gives him or her cancer and have a screening mammoa chance to monitor gram between age 35 and 40, then annual your health and look mammograms after age 40, says Nirmala for signs of trouble Vallurupalli, M.D., a gynecologist on the early, when medical staff at Baylor Regional Medical diseases are Center at Plano. Pap smears to check for generally more cervical cancer should start at age 21 treatable. (or three years after the onset of sexual activity) and be repeated annually. Start checking for HPV, a virus linked to cancerous changes, at age 30. Once you’re through menopause, talk to your doctor about having your bone density tested for signs of osteoporosis. Most women should have this test done by age 65. Dr. Vallurupalli says many women also should have their vitamin D levels tested. This vitamin, which helps keep bones strong, gets generated when your skin is exposed to sunlight, and most people work indoors during most daylight hours. As You Age Bump up skin cancer checks to yearly after age 40. Screenings for polyps in the colon, colorectal cancer and other digestive tract disorders should start at age 50. Is tracking all these screenings making you crazy? Visit your doctor for a physical exam as often as he or she recommends. For most adults, that will be once a year. Your records will show what tests you need and when, and your doctor can help you stay on track and in good health. ● Photo by Tadd Myers; hair and makeup by Dane Nelson FdBL110909_Waxahachie.indd 7 Screenings are essential for catching diseases early enough to treat. But what if you could prevent them in the first place? While some risk factors for disease— such as age, gender, family history, personal history and ethnicity— are uncontrollable, others can be controlled. Here are five tips from Glenn Ledbetter, M.D., a family medicine physician on the medical staff at Baylor Medical Center at Waxahachie, to help reduce your risk for conditions such as cancer, diabetes, heart disease and stroke: 1. Know your risk factors. Talk to your doctor about your risks for disease. Ask about your weight, and your blood pressure, cholesterol and glucose numbers, and what they mean. 2. Get regular checkups. Screenings and physicals are key. After all, most diseases are treatable—but they have to be found first. 3. Watch your weight. Eat a diet rich in whole grains, fruits, vegetables and low-fat dairy, and be active. Exercise at least 30 minutes a day three or more days per week. Just be sure to get clearance from your doctor first. 4. Don’t smoke. If you need help quitting, ask. There are plenty of resources available. 5. Cover up. Skin cancer is prevalent in our state. When out in the sun, wear protective clothing, hats and sunglasses and slather on the sunscreen—no matter what season. ● By Shelley Flannery Know Your Numbers Sometimes test results can be hard to interpret. Take our interactive quiz at BaylorHealth.com/healthcast to see how much you know about a few common health screenings. Find Dr. Right. Visit BaylorHealth.com ● November 2009 BaylorHealth 7 9/8/09 8:41:59 AM Baylor Health Care System 2001 Bryan Street, Suite 750 Marketing Department Dallas, TX 75201 NON-PROFIT ORG. US POSTAGE PAID BAYLOR HEALTH “Recognize me?” “The biggest change is how I look at the world,” says Fercina Fudge, who had gastric bypass surgery at Baylor. “I walk into a room now, and I don’t have to look around to see if I’m the fattest person there,” she says. After struggling with weight most of her life, Fercina says. “I knew I had to make a change…it was affecting my blood pressure, my joints. There were so many things I couldn’t do.“ Now, Fercina says, “not being recognized is a fabulous thing.” For a physician referral or for more information about weight loss services at Baylor Waxahachie, call 1.800.4BAYLOR or visit us online at BaylorHealth.com. 1405 West Jefferson, Waxahachie, Texas 75165 Physicians are members of the medical staff at one of Baylor Health Care System’s subsidiary, community or affiliated medical centers and are neither employees nor agents of those medical centers, Baylor Medical Center at Waxahachie or Baylor Health Care System. ©2009 Baylor Health Care System BMCW BHM CE 9.09 FdBL110909_Waxahachie.indd 8 9/8/09 8:42:39 AM