Twice the Trouble

When high cholesterol and blood pressure caused

a heart attack for FRED CURRY, Baylor

was there to helppage 6

Real PatiEnts. Real stoRiEs.

Health

hand in handspecial care for premature babies in Garland page 3

a plan foR paina new option for patients in pain opens in Wylie page 4

BaylorJ a n u a r y 2 0 1 1

Visit Baylorhealth.com/ Garland for informative videos, an interactive symptom checker, event registration and more.

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Find out more about nutrition therapy

discover a healthier youBaylor Garland offers medical nutrition therapy by referral through the Diabetes Education Center. For more information, call 972-487-5483.

baylor medical Center at Garland 2300 Marie Curie Blvd., Garland, TX 75042

president: Tom Trenary

marketing/public relations director: Kelly Maier

editor: Eva Hummel

baylor Garland main number: 972-487-5000

parent education Classes: 1-800-4BAYLOR (1-800-422-9567)

baylor Senior health Center-Garland: 972-487-5444

baylor Garland team diabetes program: 972-487-5483

baylor breast Center: 972-487-5293

baylor Garland physician referral: 1-800-4BAYLOR (1-800-422-9567)

baylor Garland Volunteer Services/auxiliary: 972-487-5520

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 Garland 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 Garland and is distributed by the

Marketing Department of Baylor Medical Center at Garland.

BaylorHealth is published by McMurry, 1010 E. Missouri Ave., Phoenix, AZ 85014. © 2011 Baylor Health Care System.

The material in BaylorHealth is not intended for diagnosing or prescribing. Consult your physician before under taking 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 Garland or Baylor Health Care System.

Photographs may include models or actors and may not represent actual patients.

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 robinv@baylorhealth.edu.

your FiSt. About as low-tech as it gets, your clenched fist is always right there with you when you’re making a meal. “Why not use it?” asks Kimberly McMillin, M.D., a fam-ily practice physician on the medical staff at Baylor Medical Center at Garland. A tight fist equals a one-cup portion of mashed potatoes or a serving of protein.

This can also help when eating out. “Restaurants are giving you more than a fistful of food. ‘Bigger is better.’ But look at what big-ger and better has done for us,” Dr. McMillin says.

Low-tech tools for Weight LossHow going ‘unplugged’ can lead to a fitter, trimmer you

Everyone can use a little help when it comes to being healthy. But you might be surprised to learn how helpful everyday items can be when it comes to reaching weight

loss goals.In fact, if your smart phone apps or other gadgets haven’t

gotten you in shape, maybe it’s time to unplug with these low-tech weight loss tools.

Water bottLe. Drinking more water can help with weight loss, Dr. McMillin says. “Number 1, it fills you up. Number 2, it’s good for you and it doesn’t interfere with any medications you take!” l

By Laurie Davies

FootbaLL. Weekends in January were made for watching football. “That’s great. But get a balance ball or yoga ball and sit on that instead of lying in a recliner. Better yet, find the football at the bottom of the closet, bundle up, and toss it with your kids during halftime,” Dr. McMillin suggests.

pen and paper. Keeping a jour-nal is eye-opening for many people. “People don’t realize what they eat,” she says. Even if just for a week, writing down everything you eat can help you develop a more realis-tic picture of calorie intake.

LunChbox. Not only is a lunch-box good for portion control, but Dr. McMillin also likes it for con-tent control. “You will know what you’re eating. You’re going to save money. And if you can convince co-workers to meal plan and bring lunchboxes too, you’ll all save calo-ries,” she says.

2 BaylorHealth January 2011 l For a physician referral, visit FindDrRight.com

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Some babies have a rocky start in life. What happens when everything doesn’t go as expected and your

newborn requires medical intervention? “Parents are often overwhelmed, but

we try to make them comfortable and explain everything that is going on,” says Cindy Heard, RNC-NIC, in the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) at

Baylor Medical Center at Garland. The NICU cares for premature babies from 28 weeks gestation, as well as full-term babies requiring some extra attention after they’re born.

Tender TreatmentAmid the moms and dads holding their babies in recliners and rocking chairs, there’s a continual quiet hum of activ-ity as nurses and doctors care for the littlest patients. Infants weighing less than 4 pounds are placed in warm iso-lettes, since they can’t yet regulate their own body temperature. Little round discs attached to their chests monitor heart rate and respiration. Often, a tiny intravenous umbilical line is slipped into the belly button so nurses can col-lect blood samples and monitor blood pressure without too much distur-bance to the baby.

Babies weighing less than 2 pounds also may receive breast milk or for-mula through a nasogastric tube if they’re not ready for bottle or breast-feeding. Sometimes a ventilator is required to help them breathe.

“We provide what’s called devel-opmental care, which means we

try to simulate the environment in the womb,” Heard says. Blankets on top of the isolettes keep them dark, and moni-tors and phones are kept on a low setting. To re-create the boundaries of the womb, nurses place “snugglies” around the baby so that every time it stretches or moves, it touches something.

Convenient CareBigger babies who have fewer complica-tions follow a more typical schedule of waking to eat every few hours, which allows parents to hold and feed them, change diapers and take temperatures. “We spend a lot of time educating par-ents about the babies’ care and develop-ment,” Heard says.

Parents can visit almost any time, day or night, and a nurse practitioner is always present to answer questions. Siblings over the age of 2 can visit briefly, except during the RSV (respiratory syncy-tial virus) season from October to April.

“We help these babies get a healthy start, and we know we make a differ-ence,” says Cathy Johnson, director of the Women’s Center at Baylor Garland. l  By Deborah Paddison

KNOW YOUR RESOURCES

Be PreparedFor more information about the neona-tal intensive care unit or the Women’s & Children’s Services at Baylor Garland, call 1-800-4BAYLOR or visit BaylorHealth.com/GarlandWomen.

Caring for the Smallest BabiesBaylor Garland NICU offers special care

To make a donation, visit BaylorHealth.com/WaystoGive l January 2011 BaylorHealth 3

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In life, sometimes pain grabs hold and just won’t let go—for weeks, months, even years. That’s when you need a pain specialist. But how do you fi nd one?

Program your GPS for 600 Cooper Drive—the location of the new Baylor Center for Pain Management in Wylie. An out-patient department of Baylor Medical Center at Garland, the center opened in November and is dedicated to the prevention, evaluation, diagnosis and treatment of pain disorders.

“We’ve been working to open a Center for Pain Management in Wylie for a while now, and we’re very excited that the time has fi nally arrived,” says Jeannene Ingram, director of market development/pain management for Baylor Health Care System.

Map Out a RouteWhen patients come to the Baylor Center for Pain Management in Wylie, they meet with the physician to design a personalized treatment plan to:● Identify and eliminate the source of pain, when possible● Minimize physical symptoms● Decrease disability caused by pain● Help resume a more productive role at home and work

Like all Baylor Centers for Pain Management, the Wylie location has clinicians highly skilled in advanced pain management techniques, and the physicans on our medical staff are board-certifi ed.

Begin the Journey“Our focus at the Baylor Center for Pain Management in Wylie is on interventional procedures to relieve chronic neck and back pain,” says Michael Smith, director of business development for Baylor Garland. These procedures include:● Nerve blocks● Joint injections● Radio-frequency lesioning (rhizotomy)—a procedure that sends radio waves (heat) through a needle to damage nerve endings and interrupt pain signals● Spinal cord stimulatorsThe No. 1 goal is to alleviate pain, restore function, and return patients back to doing the things they love.

Your Path to Pain-Free LivingNew Baylor Center for Pain Management opens in Wylie

The Baylor Center for Pain Management in Wylie is next door to the Baylor Family Medicine Center, and in Richardson it is off of North Central Expressway. Patients are welcome with

a physician referral, or you can self-refer with help from a Pain Management Navigator at Baylor Garland (see “Navigate Your Pain”). ● By Deborah Paddison

FIND A PHYSICIAN

Put an End to PainVisit BaylorHealth.com/GarlandPain to fi nd out more about your pain management options and get a physician referral.

Pain-Free Living

NAVIGATE YOUR PAINAttention, pain suff erers: Know your treatment options! The Pain Management Navigators at Baylor Garland are specially trained to steer you in the right direction. Just follow these steps anytime, 24/7:

1. Call 1-800-4-BAYLOR.

2. Ask for a Pain Management Navigator.

3. Answer some quick questions about your pain, such as how long it has been bothering you and what part of the body is aff ected.

4. The Pain Management Navigator will explain your options and set up a convenient appointment so you can get on the road to relief!

4 BaylorHealth January 2011 ● Be a healthier you. Visit BaylorHealth.com/Garland

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Take a look at our research at BaylorHealth.com/AdvancingMedicine ● January 2011 BaylorHealth 5

Tackling TuberculosisBaylor researchers identify the genetic signature of TB

Baylor researchers have discovered a pattern of gene activity that shows up in people with an active

tuberculosis (TB) infection. This genetic signature could help improve diagnosis and treatment of TB, which is one of the world’s 10 leading causes of death, killing nearly 2 million people annually.

“Millions of people are exposed to the bacteria that causes TB, yet only a small percentage go on to actually get sick,” says Damien Chaussabel, Ph.D., associate investigator, Baylor Institute for Immunology Research, a component of Baylor Research Institute.

While about one-third of the world’s population is infected, only 10 percent develop symptoms. “It is diffi cult to identify an active versus a dormant infection,” Dr. Chaussabel says. Current skin and blood tests for TB identify anyone who has been exposed, but they can’t predict who will develop the active disease.

The Power of PredictionThe telltale genetic signature Baylor researchers have identifi ed could change the way tuberculosis is managed and treated. This pattern of gene activity showed up in patients with active disease, refl ecting the extent of the disease in the lungs and disappearing after successful treatment.

This genome activity was also present in 10 percent of people with latent TB. “As of now, we have no way of knowing

if that 10 percent of people will ever develop TB, but we are planning additional studies to try and determine that,” Dr. Chaussabel says.

If research demonstrates that the genetic signature can predict who will become sick from TB, it could have a big impact on preventing the spread of tuberculosis. “If we could treat people before their disease is clinically active, it would mean people would not become contagious,” Dr. Chaussabel says.

The distinctive pattern of gene activity in aff ected people also gives researchers

new information about how the body reacts to the infection, particularly the response of a certain type of white blood cell. Follow-up research could lead to more eff ective vaccines and treatments.

Baylor researchers made this discovery in collaboration with researchers at MRC National Institute for Medical Research in England. They published their fi ndings in the journal Nature in August 2010. ● By Teresa Caldwell Board

The telltale genetic signature Baylor researchers have identifi ed could change the way tuberculosis is managed and treated.

LEARN MORE

Study UpVisit BaylorHealth.com/AdvancingMedicine to learn more about research at Baylor.

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DangersHidden

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Dangers

6 BaylorHealth January 2011 � Learn more at BaylorHealth.com/GarlandHeart

WBy Teresa Caldwell Board

High cholesterol and high blood pressure spell double trouble for your heart

When you think of a heart attack waiting to happen, these two men weren’t the usual suspects: in their mid-40s with reasonably active, healthy lifestyles. No obvious risk factors like smoking, obesity or diabetes. Just a little past history of cholesterol and blood pressure problems, along with some uncles with a history of heart disease.

So when 45-year-old Eddie Hernandez of Flower Mound woke up at 1:30 a.m. this past August not feeling quite right, the possibility of a heart attack didn’t even enter his mind. He went running regularly, frequented the gym and ate right. To him, it felt like indigestion.

“I had been wakeboarding two weeks before and had trouble catching my breath when I got back in the boat,” says Hernandez. “I felt like that again when I woke up that night. My wife convinced me to go get checked.” The trip to Baylor Regional Medical Center at Grapevine helped save his life.

It was his fellow offi cers who got 48-year-old police offi cer Fred Curry to Baylor Medical Center at Garland last June when he developed nausea, sweating and shortness of breath after boxing practice. He was training for an annual fundraiser in which police offi cers spar against fi refi ghters.

“I felt like I was dehydrated,” Curry says. “I thought I’d just pushed myself a little too hard in my training.”

Both men were surprised to be diagnosed with a heart attack. Each received several stents to open blocked arteries. Because they acted fast, they avoided heart damage.

GET HEART SMART

The Heart Truth

To learn more about heart disease—from risks and prevention to diagnosis and treatment—visit BaylorHealth.com/Heart.

Eddie Hernandez is glad his wife, Amy, persuaded him to get his

symptoms checked out at Baylor.

Fred Curry didn’t see

heart trouble coming.

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Get heart smart at BaylorHealth.com/GarlandHeart ● January 2011 BaylorHealth 7

KNOW THE ENEMYIt’s natural to fear the unknown, but that shouldn’t keep you from talking with your physician about heart disease. As the adage says, “know thy enemy”—and heart disease is the No. 1 enemy of your good health.

If you have not been diagnosed with heart disease before, the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute suggests asking your physi-cian these questions:

Q: What is my blood pressure?“Blood pressure higher than 140/90

mmHg should be treated with medi-cation,” says Brent Patterson, M.D., a cardiologist on the medical staff at Baylor Medical Center at Garland. Blood pressure that falls between the normal reading of 120/80 and

hypertension at 140/90 mmHg may benefi t from lifestyle modifi cations.

Q: What are my cholesterol numbers?

A lipid screening will measure total cholesterol, LDL (“bad”) cholesterol, HDL (“good”) cholesterol and trig-lycerides. Total cholesterol should be lower than 200 mg/dL, with LDL lower than 130 mg/dL, HDL higher than 60 mg/dL and triglycerides lower than 150 mg/dL.

Q: What is my blood sugar level?

You are at increased risk for diabe-tes and heart disease if it’s between 100 and 126 mg/dL.

To lower your risk of heart disease, take these steps:

● Stop smoking.

● Lose weight.● Exercise daily (elevated heart

rate for 40 continuous minutes).● Pitch packaged foods in favor

of fresh fruits and vegetables, lean meats and low-fat dairy, and high-fi ber breads and cereals. This will pay big dividends, because you’ll con-sume less sodium, sugar, saturated fat and trans fats. Dr. Patterson says, “Following a heart-healthy diet can decrease the risk of cardiovascular disease by about 30 percent.”

Finally, early heart disease may manifest itself through excess fatigue, shortness of breath, chest pains or dizziness during physi-cal activity. If you experience these symptoms, see your physician. ● By Deborah Paddison

Double TroubleOn its own, high cholesterol raises your risk of heart disease, and so does high blood pressure. When you have both risk factors, it takes a double toll on the health of your blood vessels. “The higher they are, the worse it is,” says Stuart R. Lander, M.D., a cardiologist on the medical staff at Baylor All Saints Medical Center at Fort Worth.

Blood pressure measures the force on the walls of your arteries when your heart pumps blood. It’s aff ected by the size and fl exibility of the arteries. When there is too much cholesterol

in the blood, it can build up on blood vessel walls, causing artery-narrowing deposits called plaque.

“Plaque in the arteries is usually stable, but sometimes it ruptures—the ‘roof ’ of the plaque breaks off ,” says Biren H. Parikh, M.D., a cardiologist on the medical staff at Baylor Garland. “When the plaque ruptures,

it triggers a cascade of events which clog blood vessels and lead to an acute heart attack.” High blood pressure, as well as other cardiac risk factors, can cause plaque to rupture.

Protect Your HeartTo prevent heart disease, it’s important to have a

healthy lifestyle—eat right, stay active, manage your weight and don’t smoke. Still, it may take medication to get

your blood pressure and cholesterol numbers in a healthy range. “The vast majority of individuals will fall short of meeting their goals through lifestyle alone,” says David Scherer, M.D., a cardiologist on the medical staff at Baylor Grapevine.

“Unfortunately, a lot of cardiac risk factors can be hereditary,” Dr. Parikh says. Genetics have an especially strong infl uence on cholesterol levels.

“If you’re born with blond hair and you want red, you have to do something and keep doing it to change it,” Dr. Scherer says. It’s the same with an inherited tendency to high cholesterol, he explains. “You have to alter your metabolism of cholesterol through medication.”

In general, healthy adults should have a blood pressure of less than 120 over 80. Total cholesterol should be under 200, with LDL (“bad”) cholesterol of less than 130. However, “the more risk factors you have, the more aggressively you need to treat each one,” Dr. Lander says. So your doctor may set lower goals to protect your cardiovascular health.

“I would have been on medication years ago if I knew what I know now,” Hernandez says.

After Curry’s heart attack, there was a big spike in the number of area police offi cers taking advantage of the city’s free physicals. “You always think it will happen to somebody else,” Curry says, “until it happens to you.” ●

WATCH FRED’S VIDEO

Heart to Heart

Hear more about how Fred Curry gave his heart disease risk factors a 1-2 punch.

Watch his video at BaylorHealth.com/

MyStory.

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Baylor Health Care System 2001 Bryan Street, Suite 750 Marketing Department Dallas, TX 75201

NON-PROFIT ORG.US POSTAGE

PAIDBAYLOR HEALTH

Community CalendarJanuary & February 2011Sibling ClassFeb. 5, 10 to 11 a.m., at Baylor Medical Center at Garland, Women’s Center, 2300 Marie Curie, in Garland. Help prepare your child for the new baby. Tour the hospital and learn what to expect when the new baby arrives. Children ages 3–10 are invited to attend. Sign up for this class during the eighth or ninth month of the mother’s pregnancy. Parents should attend with their child. The class includes a big brother or big sister T-shirt for each child enrolled. The class fee is $15 for the first child and $10 for each additional child. To register, call 1-800-4BAYLOR or register at BaylorHealth.com/Garland.

Senior Health Education SeminarFeb. 23, 2 to 3 p.m., at Sachse Senior Activity Center, 3815 Sachse Road., Suite A, in Sachse. Jennifer Laska, a social worker, will give a seminar sponsored by Baylor Senior Health Center called, “When More Help Is Needed—Options for Care.” For more information or to register, call 972-487-5444.

SUPPORT GROUPSStroke Support Group—First Tuesday of the month, 6 to 8 p.m. Baylor Garland, Baylor Medical Plaza I, Suite 201. Call Linda Offutt at 972-487-5315.

Breast Cancer Survivor Group—First Tuesday of the month, 7 to 8 p.m. First United Methodist Church, 801 W. Ave. B, Garland. Call 972-272-3471.

ORTHOPAEDIC PRE-OP EDUCATIONThose planning to undergo total knee replacement surgery are encouraged to sign up for the free pre-op education class. Doctor’s referral is required. For more information or to sign up, please call 972-487-5570.

SATURDAY MAMMOGRAPHY APPOINTMENTSCan’t find time during your busy week for a lifesaving screen-ing? Baylor Breast Center is offering Saturday mammography appointments. Appointments are available beginning at 7:30 a.m. Call 972-487-5293 to schedule your mammogram!

FOCUS ON YOU.

JAN.22

SAT., JAN. 22, 2011 - 7:30 A.M. TO NOON Take care of your health, inside and out, at Baylor Medical Center at Garland’s annual women’s health event, For Women For Life.TM

Receive free health screenings*, visit informational booths and attend health presentations by physicians and allied health professionals. Women attending the education presentations will be entered in a special door prize drawing. A complimentary buffet breakfast also will be provided. There is no charge for admission, so get your girlfriends together and register today!

• Event Location: Atrium at the Granville Arts Center, 300 N. 5th Street, Garland, TX 75040

• Breakfast buffet 7:30 a.m. to 10 a.m.

• Screenings and booths open from 7:30 a.m. to Noon

• Health presentations start at 8:30 a.m.

• Total Cholesterol and Glucose Screening

• Blood Pressure Screening

• Glaucoma Screening

• And much more!

*For a more accurate reading, do not eat or drink anything after midnight before the cholesterol screening. You may take your regular medications as directed.

Go online to learn more, & watch the event video at BaylorHealth.com/FWFL.

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Physicians are members of the medical staff at one of Baylor Health Care System’s subsidiary, community or affi liated medical centers and are neither employees nor agents of those medical centers, Baylor Medical Center at

Garland or Baylor Health Care System. ©2010 Baylor Health Care System BMCGar_449 CE 11.10

Free. Online. All the time.

At BaylorHealth.com/Exclusive you’ll find health information for you and your family you can’t get anywhere else, including:

Articles l Videos l Recipes l Quizzes l Tips

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