PrimeCare of Novi
Newsletter

Volume 2, Issue 2             February 2012

The Month of Hearts and Love/ February is National Women’s heart Month

Positive Thinking is Good for the Heart

By Robert R. Zaid, DO

     Each new year causes us to reflect on the things that were good and to think forward about what we would like to change.  I am not in favor of making New Year resolutions and in fact believe that they usually are short lived. 

     Instead I believe it is much more effective to find out what obstacles keep us from making change and working on improving those behaviors to change lifestyle.   Part of that thought process is trying to figure out what you can do in a positive way to make life-long change.  The other part is focusing on why you want to make the change and how it would impact your life.

     The best way to move forward and create lasting change is to do it with a positive attitude.  This involves not thinking negatively and surrounding yourself with people around you.  You will be surprised what good things will come your way when you think positively and act positively. 

Changes Coming in  Prostate Cancer Screening  
Submitted by Theodore W. Shively, DO

A new study published in the January 2012 issue of the Journal of the National Cancer Institute (JNCI)  questions the ability of the serum prostate-specific antigen (PSA test) to reduce death rates from prostate cancer.

The study involved 76,685 men aged 55 to 74 years who were enrolled at 10 US screening centers between November, 1993 and July, 2001. The men were randomly assigned to have either an annual PSA test for 6 years or usual care, which sometimes included “opportunistic” screening advised by a participant’s primary care physician.

At 13 years of follow-up, the death rates from prostate cancer were 3.7 per 10,000 men in the PSA testing group and 3.4 deaths per 10,000 in the usual care group, an insignificant difference.

Prostate cancer is the second leading cause of cancer deaths (after lung cancer) in US men. In 2010, an estimated 217,730 men were diagnosed with the disease and 32,050 died from it. Last year the US Preventive Services Task Force (USPSTF) stated that PSA screening results in little or no reduction in prostate cancer mortality and that it is associated with harms related to subsequent evaluation and treatments, some of which may be unnecessary. The USPSTF also advises against screening for prostate cancer in men 75 years and older because of the slow-growing nature of prostate cancer.

Gerald Andriole, MD, lead author and principal investigator of the JNCI study, said “there may well be subsets of men who are at a higher risk of dying from prostate cancer, such as African Americans and those with a family history of prostate cancer. So let’s focus on these men.”

Exercise and Mental Health 

By Karen Satawa, RN, Nurse Practitioner student

Did you know that physical exercise can improve your mental health? You guessed it, the answer is a resounding yes! Not only is aerobic exercise and resistance training important for lowering your risk of heart attack, stroke, diabetes, high blood pressure, high cholesterol, certain cancers, and other health conditions, it can also improve mental health. This can result in a better quality of life. There is strong evidence that exercise improves mood, reduces symptoms of depression and anxiety, increases self-esteem, and improves cognitive function. Healthy People 2020 defines mental health as “a state of successful performance of mental function, resulting in productive activities, fulfilling relationships with other people, and the ability to adapt to change and to cope with challenges. Mental health is essential to personal well-being, family and interpersonal relationships, and the ability to contribute to community or society.” If your type of regular exercise includes going for a brisk walk, running on a beautiful Michigan day, having fun dancing with your friends at Jazzercise, or strength training with a home gym, then keep up the great work! If you haven’t been exercising, what are you waiting for? Join others from young to old, who continue to keep their minds emotionally fit and strong through regular exercise.

 Medscape News acquired from: Penedo, F.J. & Dahn, J.R. (2005). Exercise and well-being: A review of mental and physical health benefits associated with physical activity. Current Opinion in Psychiatry, 18(2), 189-193.

 Healthy People 2020. Available from http://healthypeople.gov

PrimeCare of Novi

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Editor: Maria McCuean

Nancy’s Quote

The greatest wealth is health!    "Virgil"

Krueger's Corner

Kelly Krueger D.O.

Chocolate

By Kelly Krueger DO

With February boasting a heart and chocolate theme, overshadowing the all but forgotten New Years' resolutions, one might find themselves in a dilemma. 

 When the situation calls for chocolate, is there a healthier choice?  Darker, less processed chocolate, has higher levels of flavonoids, which are anti-oxidants that help protect the body's cells from damage. 

 Flavonoids also help to lower blood pressure. Dark chocolate may lower the LDL (or "bad") cholesterol, and enhance blood flow, which can lower the risk of stroke.  But remember moderation!  A reasonable goal suggested is an ounce of dark chocolate no more than 2-3 times per week.  What better way to celebrate American Heart Month?!

Special points of interest:

* Make sure you are keeping up with your routine visits.
* Don’t forget to give at least 24 hour notice if you are unable to keep your appointment.
* Just a reminder that Co-pays are due at check-in the day of service.
* It is helpful if you can bring in your medications during your physical.

Lo/Ovral Recall
Submitted by Theodore W. Shively, DO

Within an hour of the announcement on February 1, that Pfizer withdrew a reported 1 million packets of birth control pills because errors in how the pills were packaged may put women at risk for unintended pregnancy, all of the patients of this practice who had ever been prescribed this medication were identified by our electronic record search and attempted to be contacted.

The company is recalling 14 lots each of Lo/Ovral-28 (norgestrel and ethinyl estradiol) Tablets and Norgestrel and Ethinyl Estradiol Tablets (generic), intended for customers in the US market. The tablets were manufactured and packaged by Pfizer and marketed by Akrimax Rx Products under the Akrimax Pharmaceuticals brand. These products are packaged in blister packs containing 21 tablets of active ingredients and 7 tablets of inert ingredients. Adequate contraception depends on a woman taking the proper pills in a designated sequence.

In an investigation, Pfizer found that some blister packs may not contain the proper number of inert or active ingredient tablets and that some of the tablets might be out of sequence. As a result, the daily regimen for these oral contraceptives may be incorrect and could leave women without adequate contraception and at risk for unintended pregnancy. Pfizer said that women who took the recalled pills should begin using a nonhormonal form of contraception immediately

and urged patients who have taken the recalled medications to notify their physicians and return any unused tablets to the pharmacy.

Any adverse events that may be related to the use of these products should be reported to Akrimax Medical Information at 1-877-509-3935 (8 AM to 7 PM Central standard time, Monday through Friday) or to the US Food and Drug Administration’s MedWatch Program either online, at https://www.accessdata.fda.gov/scripts/medwatch/ or  by regular mail, or by fax. For regular mail, use the postage-paid, preaddressed Form FDA 3500; to fax, dial 1-800-FDA-0178 (1-800-332-0178).

Marathon Runners Are at Low Risk of Cardiac Arrest

Marathon runners’ risk of cardiac arrest is relatively low – equivalent to or lower than that of other athletes engaged in vigorous activity, according to a report in the Jan. 12 issue of the New England Journal of Medicine.

The number of cardiac arrests related to marathon (26.2-mile) and half-marathon (13.1-mile) races has increased in recent years, but that is largely explained by the increase in the number of people who have taken up the sport, said Dr. Jonathan H. Kim of the division of cardiology, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, and his associates.

While it may appear that cardiac arrests related to marathon running have increased, researchers say it’s because more people are participating in the sport. The incidence of cardiac arrests remained stable over the study period. Until now, no large studies have examined the incidence, clinical profiles, and outcomes of cardiac arrests that occur during or immediately after long-distances races. The Race Associated Cardiac Arrest Event Registry (RACER) collected data to facilitate such studies. It included information on all marathon or half-marathon races held in the United States between 2000 and May 2010.

Next time you leave the country, schedule an appointment to make sure your immunizations are up to date.

We encourage you to call our office and ask about webview!  We are now allowing all patients to review their records online and to communicate with staff.  This will be our preferred mode of communication in that it provides a secure e-mail and way to contact us.  You can request appointments, review labs, speak with staff and physicians.  This allows us to be more efficient in the office and allows us to respond to you immediately.  Please call us if you would like to try it out!