September 18th, 2008 by Dr. Val Jones in Celebrity Interviews
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Methacillin resistant staphlococcus aureus (MRSA) is a deadly bacterium that is becoming more and more common inside and outside the hospital setting. No one is immune, not even babies like this one who died from an unknown exposure. Seven-time NBA All-Star Grant Hill has also experienced the ravages of MRSA. I interviewed him about his near-death experience.
Dr. Val: Tell me about your recent experience with a severe staph infection.
Grant: I got my MRSA infection in 2003, afterI had a surgery on my ankle in the hospital. I had never heard of MRSA before and it was a very scary ordeal(at certain points, I didn’t think I was going to make it)and it took me a long time to recover. Dealing with my own infection made me realize just how severe MRSA could be. I want to make sure others do not have to go through what I went through. I got lucky with my infection because the doctors recognized it and we were able to treat it. I will always have scars on my ankle from the infection, so I never really forget what I went through and how lucky I was to survive.
Dr. Val: How common are staph infections among basketball players?
Grant: I don’t know exact statistics regarding basketball players, but the scary thing is, now it’s not just in hospitals. Now you’re finding MRSA infections in community settings like gyms, schools, homes and locker rooms. So there is definitely a need for conversation about this, and also about ways to prevent it.
Dr. Val: As an insider, what kind of behaviors have you observed that might put players at higher risk for contracting MRSA?
Grant: One thing I have learned through all of my injuries is that tomorrow is never really promised. As athletes there are so many ways that we can get injured, we can’t underestimate something like MRSA, especially because there are easy ways to prevent it. It’s important for players to know that MRSA can be spread by sharing athletic equipment, towels and razors. To help stop the spread of MRSA in locker rooms and on sports teams, players need to wash their hands frequently and stick to using their own personal items. They also need to know that when working out, they should keep a towel down between them and shared equipment. When it comes to locker room surfaces, those should be disinfected with a bleach solution. I am very conscious of all these prevention methods in my life, because I realize how important the prevention side of it is.
Dr. Val: Now that you’ve had a staph infection, what precautions do you take to prevent re-infection?
Grant: All those little things my mom used to tell me to do still ring true. I make sure to wash my hands frequently and cover any of my cuts -I keep a whole stash of bandages in my locker. I also keep my towels to myself and disinfect with a bleach solution, that’s really easy to make. It only takes a few minutes out of my day to take these steps, but I know first-hand that it can make a world of difference. You know, I often find myself telling my daughters the same things because as a father, it is important that I keep my family safe and healthy.
Dr. Val: What should athletes know about MRSA and what advice do you have for them?
Grant: Athletes of all ages should be encouraged to hit the court or the field and have a good time while remembering the easy prevention steps. Because I have spent so much time not playing, due to injury, I am having so much fun just playing. Everyone should remember that theycan help prevent the spread of MRSA easily, so no one has to waste time on the sidelines.
Dr. Val: What’s the most important thing that you’d like to tell Americans about MRSA?
Grant: Wow, how much time do you have? I really want people to realize that MRSA is a serious infection. As I’ve mentioned, before I got it and I hadn’t even hear about it. My ordeal really opened my eyes to this and that it can affect anyone! The scary truth is that more deaths each year are caused by MRSA than AIDS. But, there are easy things people can do to help reduce the spread of MRSA. This includes: washing your hands frequently, not sharing your personal items like towels and disinfecting with a bleach solution. There is more information and tips about how to prevent getting MRSA, including a playbook of prevention, at stopmrsanow.org.
*This post was originally published at my other blog site – URL pending*
This post originally appeared on Dr. Val’s blog at RevolutionHealth.com.
September 18th, 2008 by Dr. Val Jones in True Stories
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I love my new blog web designer. She is incredibly talented, and has the uncanny ability to capture concepts with images. In fact, if you’d like to comment on this post to offer her a “high five” for this website design, I’m sure she’d appreciate it. Her name is Beata.
When Beata and I sat down to try to figure out how to express my “style” she asked me what kind of visuals I was drawn to. I showed her the Medi-mation website since I have a soft spot for 3-D science animation. She said she’d like to start with some microscopic images and stylize them for me so that they were suggestive of medical images, but not too literal.
Beata offered me a series of background patterns to choose from for my landing page. I did an abrupt halt over this one though: Read more »
September 18th, 2008 by Dr. Val Jones in Celebrity Interviews
No Comments »
Methacillin resistant staphlococcus aureus (MRSA) is a deadly bacterium that is becoming more and more common inside and outside the hospital setting. No one is immune, not even babies like this one who died from an unknown exposure.
Seven-time NBA All-Star Grant Hill has also experienced the ravages of MRSA. I interviewed him about his near-death experience.
Dr. Val: Tell me about your recent experience with a severe staph infection.
Read more »
September 18th, 2008 by Dr. Val Jones in Celebrity Interviews
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Many members of Phylicia Rashad’s* family have had peripheral artery disease (P.A.D.), strokes, and heart attacks. In a candid interview with me, she describes how her healthy lifestyle (regular exercise, no smoking, and a Mediterranean diet) has helped her to beat the odds and avoid the disease.
Dr. Val: I’m so sorry to hear that 8 of your relatives have suffered stokes or heart attacks. What was that like for you?
Ms. Rashad: All of these relatives of mine had diabetes. At the time of their deaths, P.A.D. was not a recognized condition. It wasn’t regularly diagnosed until the 1990s. I remember my father complaining of his legs cramping a lot. At the time we chalked it up to him being on his feet all day as a dentist, but I wish we had known that it was a sign of something much more serious. Things were different back then – people just accepted that if you had diabetes, you were going to lose toes or limbs. They accepted that as we age, we’d likely have a stroke or a heart attack. No one thought about preventing that from occurring.
Dr. Val: What do you do differently to help insure that you don’t follow in their footsteps?
Ms. Rashad: I eat differently, and have done so for decades. I also get regular exercise. Unfortunately, my hard working family was in the habit of coming home, having dinner and relaxing on the couch after work. This contributed to their diabetes and P.A.D. issues. Interestingly, my relatives who worked on a farm lived into a ripe old age with no chronic disease. Read more »
September 18th, 2008 by Dr. Val Jones in Uncategorized
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Peripheral Artery (Arterial) Disease (P.A.D.) is an under-recognized and under-diagnosed condition, yet it serves as an important warning sign for those at high risk for stroke and heart attack. Even though we have an inexpensive and non-invasive test for P.A.D. very few people have the test done. I interviewed Dr. Gary Schaer, Director of the Cardiac Cath Lab at Rush University Medical Center in Chicago, about P.A.D. and also spoke with actor Phylicia Rashad about her family’s trials and tribulations with P.A.D. This post is devoted to Dr. Schaer’s insights on the medical aspects of the disease, and the next post focuses on Ms. Rashad’s personal story.
Dr. Val: To set the stage for our listeners, Dr. Schaer, can you tell us what is peripheral artery disease exactly?
Dr. Schaer: Peripheral Arterial Disease is a condition where the blood vessels (that deliver blood to the legs) become plugged up with a mixture of fat and cholesterol, also known as plaque. This plaque sticks to the blood vessel walls and causes a decrease in oxygen delivery and blood flow to the leg muscles. Patients sometimes experience a burning, aching or tired feeling in their calf muscles (called “claudication”) when the blood supply is diminished. This discomfort is usually made worse by walking but relieved by rest. It’s a fairly common problem, particularly in people with risk factors (like smoking, diabetes, and high cholesterol) for P.A.D. It’s important to recognize when a person has P.A.D. because they could be at higher risk for stroke, heart disease, and even death.
Dr. Val: Why do you think so few people know about P.A.D.?
Dr. Schaer: It’s not as “glamorous or exciting” a disease as heart attack or stroke (as portrayed in Hollywood movies). P.A.D. is a chronic disease that is a marker for atherosclerotic plaque – which can lead to heart attacks and strokes.
Dr. Val: How does the average person know they have P.A.D.?
Dr. Schaer: You can get tested. We have a simple, non-invasive test available to diagnose this disease – it’s called the “Ankle Brachial Index.” The test basically compares the blood pressure in the arm with blood pressures in the thigh and ankle. If there’s a significant drop in the leg blood pressure, then that suggests a blockage of blood flow or P.A.D.
Dr. Val: Who would be a good candidate for the ABI test?
Dr. Schaer: People who have symptoms of P.A.D. (claudication) should definitely be tested. However, keep in mind that about half the patients who have P.A.D. are asymptomatic, so people with risk factors like long-term smoking, age over 65, diabetes, and high cholesterol should consider having the test too. The reason why we do the test is because there are some excellent treatment options that can reduce the risk of heart attack and stroke for people with P.A.D.
Dr. Val: What are the treatment options?
Dr. Schaer: First of all, people with P.A.D. should be on an anti-platelet drug – either Plavix or aspirin. Studies have shown that these drugs substantially reduce the risk of stroke and heart attack (and heart related death) in patients with P.A.D. However, Plavix is more effective than aspirin, though aspirin is cheaper. Secondly, people with P.A.D. must not smoke. Quitting smoking is a top priority. Thirdly, underlying conditions like diabetes, high blood pressure, and high cholesterol must be aggressively managed. And finally, increasing physical activity can also reduce the risk of dangerous complications from the disease.
Dr. Val: What’s the most important thing for Americans to know about P.A.D.?
Dr. Schaer: The most important thing is for Americans at risk for P.A.D. to get tested for it. Anyone over 65 with claudication symptoms or other risk factors like smoking, diabetes, or high cholesterol should get an ABI test from their doctor. If P.A.D. is diagnosed, there are therapies that clearly reduce the risk of having it progress to heart disease, stroke, and even death. Testing could save your life.
*This post was first published at my new blog site – URL pending*
This post originally appeared on Dr. Val’s blog at RevolutionHealth.com.
