In the US, the national resuscitation rate of a person suffering a cardiac arrest is a very low 3-5%, primarily because a cardiac defibrillator is not available in the first critical four minutes. A defibrillator is used to "shock" a victim's heart back to life and can be successful in over 60% of cases if used in those critical four minutes. According to a recent article in Consumer Reports, the new defibrillators weigh just 4-7 pounds and voice prompts will guide a non-medical person through the process. An automatic sensor will only deliver the "back to life" shock if it detects ventricular fibrillation and risk to both victim and rescuer is negligible. At a cost of $3-4000, this sounds like an ideal addition for any retirement community, condo complex, trailer park, community center or any location where there is a large component of people, especially seniors. Tests at airports and casinos have had dramatic results and perhaps you could arrange to have one close at hand in your environment.
HERBS AND DRUGS A RISKY MIX
One of the most serious herb-drug complications occurs when warfarin an anticoagulant with a narrow dosage range that is often prescribed to prevent blood clots in people with atrial fibrillation (a heart rhythm disturbance) is taken with gingko (said to improve memory) or garlic tablets or powders (said to improve glucose, cholesterol, and blood pressure control). Either combination can prompt internal bleeding that may trigger a stroke.
Potential herb-drug problems are a special concern when patients are compromised, perhaps owing to chronic medical problems (especially kidney or liver impairment), frailty, poor nutrition, or surgery. A Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA) study found that, when taken near the time of surgery, eight commonly used herbs increased the risk of stroke, excessive bleeding, hypoglycaemia (low blood glucose), allergic reactions, or the sedative effects of anesthesia. Some of the most popular herbs including gingko, garlic, and St. John's wort were among the offenders.
Please, please tell your doctor of any herbal remedies you are taking.
Reprinted from Health After 50, the Johns Hopkins Medical Letter
NITRATES AND VIAGRA CAN BE A DEADLY COMBINATION
A new study confirms that you shouldn't take nitrate medications, such as the heart drug nitroglycerin, in combination with the impotence drug sildenafil (Viagra). Combining the two could cause a dangerous drop in your blood pressure, insufficient coronary artery circulation and perhaps even death.
Results of the study appeared in the Nov. 14, 2000, issue of the journal Circulation.
Nitrates work by relaxing (dilating) blood vessels in the heart. Viagra relaxes muscles that line blood vessels. This could compound the effects of nitrates and produce a sudden drop in blood pressure.
Doctors say the caution about combining nitrate medications and Viagra applies not only to nitroglycerin pills that are placed under the tongue but also to other forms of nitrates. These may include nitrate medications delivered as sprays, skin patches, ointments or long-acting tablets and capsules.
Some commonly used nitrates are Nitrostat, Nito-BID, Nitro-Dur, isosorbide dinitrate (Isordil, Sorbitrate), isosorbide mononitrate (Imdur, ISMO, Monoket), amyl nitrite, Nitrong and Nitrogard.
Reprinted courtesy of Mayo Clinic Health Letter
QUEBEC PASSPORT CHANGES
Effective immediately, the province of Quebec will no longer accept birth certificates, issued prior to 1994, as valid proof of identity to obtain a passport. Baptismal certificates will also not be accepted. A certificate of Canadian citizenship will remain as part of the identification process, however. It is our guess that US Immigration officials will also not be recognizing the pre-1994 birth certificates and baptismal certificates at border crossing points.