Living Well February 20, 2008

Monday, February 25, 2008

By Teresa Griswold

Wellness and circulation
Jackson Hole, Wyo.-Deep vein thrombosis (DVT) is a medical condition where blood clots form in the deep veins inside a person’s body, leading to partially or completely blocked circulation. If left untreated, the condition has the potential to create a life-threatening condition known as pulmonary embolism which requires immediate medical attention.

Melanie Bloom will give a presentation about the disease at noon on Thursday at St. John’s Medical Center. Ms. Bloom is the national spokeswoman for the Coalition to Prevent DVT.

Up to 600,000 Americans are hospitalized each year for DVT and its primary complication, pulmonary embolism. Fatal pulmonary embolism may be the most common preventable cause of hospital death in the U.S.

According to the Vascular Disease Foundation’s website (www.vdf.org), DVT is caused by a combination of two or three underlying conditions: slow or sluggish blood flow through a deep vein; a tendency for a person’s blood to clot quickly; or irritation or inflammation of the inner lining of the vein.

By identifying the symptoms and risk factors, doctors can prevent or treat DVT with blood-thinning drugs. There are a variety of settings in which blood clots can occur, including cancer, immobility from an acute illness or surgery or long-distance travel, obesity, pregnancy and post-menopausal hormone replacement therapy.

Tom Peterson, Chief Nursing Officer at SJMC, will open the presentation with brief remarks on the DVT prevention and treatment initiatives in place at St. John’s Medical Center, and Dr. Mike Menolascino, physician of internal medicine on the SJMC medical staff, will discuss DVT symptoms, complications, causes, treatment and prevention.
The free community presentation will be held in the Moose-Wapiti Classroom of St. John’s Medical Center. Call 739-7380 to RSVP for lunch.

Through with chew
Teton County amended their county-wide smoke free policy to make it “tobacco free” at a meeting on Feb. 12 as a precursor to “Through with Chew Week” which began Sunday. The amendment forbids tobacco use, not just smoking, in all county buildings and vehicles, as well as prohibits all county employees from using tobacco products while on the job.

Throughout the week, local businesses will help support “Through with Chew Week.” Teton Motors, St. John’s Medical Center, Jackson Hole Mountain Resort’s Village Café, Quiznos and Dominoes Pizza will distribute information about the dangers of spit tobacco and will provide cessation resources to their staffs, patients and public.

“Quit Spit Kits” will be available at St. John’s Medical Center, Teton County Public Health and the Village Café throughout the week. Acupuncturist Marcia Male will offer discounted community acupuncture treatments for $30 at Wilson Acupuncture and Healing Arts Center in the Aspens, on Thursday only.

Rx for preventing teen medication misuse
Parents are invited from 6:30 p.m. to 8 p.m. on Thursday to join in a free, facilitated discussion at Jackson Hole High School about “Prescription Drug Misuse and Abuse.”
Topics covered will be the signs and symptoms of prescription and over-the-counter medication misuse; the physical and emotional risks of abusing medications; and proactive methods to take ito discourage medication misuse.

Food and refreshments will be provided. For more information contact Mark Lazich, Student Assistance Counselor at mlazich@teton1.k12.wy.us or 413-4650.
PERMALINK:
Living Well February 20, 2008 | Planet JH News Article: General News

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