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Berwick Area Heart Support Group
June 2006 newsletter
Next meeting May 3rd at the Day Hospital, Berwick Infirmary from 6.00pm 7.00pm – AGM 7.00pm 9.00pm Guest speaker is Alex Spence Buteyko Breathing Therapist.
Please try and attend the AGM, new officers could introduce new ideas, and now is your chance to elect them
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Our speaker on May 3rd. was Sally Scott who is one of three Primary Care Heart Failure Specialist Nurses, who cover the whole of Northumberland. She has been in post 18 months. Sally gave quite a detailed explanation of her duties, with the help of a Power Point display. (Slides)
As a result of a question asked later in the evening, Sally explained the difference between a Heart Attack and Heart Failure as:-
Heart Attack, This is when, a blockage in the blood supply to the heart muscle, causes part of the heart muscle to die.
Heart FailureIs when the heart is not functioning properly.
I have put that in now because it helps explain Sally’s role a lot easier, because the official definition is:-
A clinical syndrome that results from any structural or functional Cardiac Disorder, which impairs the ability of the heart to function as a pump.
Anything, either medical or self inflicted, that puts the heart under pressure, and causes the left ventricle to enlarge in order for it to try and keep the body functioning as normal as possible comes into this category.
Nationally, 2% of a G.Ps. patient list contains patients in this category, but good news here in Berwick it’s only 1%.An ongoing task for Sally and her colleagues is a general clean up and clarification of patients records to establish those who do have heart failure.
Sally’s aim is to be there for her patients that have been diagnosed with heart failure. Not just dealing with referrals from Doctors and Consultants etc. as Sally and her colleagues hold surgeries of their own, as well as home visits, and can make some changes as necessary. They also provide access to Specialist help, liaise with
Multi Disciplinary Teams, including the Cardiac Nurse at the Borders General, and are a point of contact between patient and Professionals to promote the best possible care in the management of a patient’s heart condition. Each patient has a booklet which is completed on each visit. It lists details of the patient’s personal details, allocated nurse’s details with contact numbers, brief heart history, record of weight, blood pressure etc and all prescribed drugs and any new advice or changes to medication made on any visit.
She also gives practical advice on the management of Pharmacological, and Non Pharmacological aspects of the illness.Pharmacological is the management of any prescribed drugs including Ace Inhibitors, Reception Blockers, Beta Blockers, and others.
Non Pharmacological is life style changes.
This includes Patient advice/Information, Social Support, Psychological Support and advice on diet and exercise.Patient Advice would include use of prescribed drugs, physical activity (3 X 20 mins per. week if possible) Alcohol intake, salt intake, smoking cessation, and avoiding any of the fizzy versions of ibrobrufen, paracetamol etc. as these contain almost 2 grams of salt per tablet, and also to weigh themselves each day at a regular time, and to report any increase in breathlessness, any sudden, unexplained increase in weight that continues to rise daily even relatively small amounts, as either of these could suggest water retention.
Clinics are held at Berwick on 1st and 3rd. Thursdays, Alnwick on 2nd and 4th. Mondays, Blyth Hospital alternate Wednesdays,, Morpeth on 2nd. Friday and at Wansbeck on 2nd. and 4th Fridays.
Thank you Sally for your time.
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Wally’s Yarn
Recently I was at the Doctors and I have now been diagnosed with A.A.A.D.D. If you have never heard if it, don’t worry, you will. These are the symptoms.
The other day I decided to water my garden (whilst we still can).
As I got the hose from the garage, I looked across at my car, which was parked outside and noticed that it could do with a wash as well, whilst I had the hose out.
I went indoors for the keys, that was when I noticed the postman had left some letters on the porch table, as I was expecting an important letter, I decided to check the post first before washing the car, I laid my car keys on the table, and picked up the post. There was a bit of junk mail, and some bills. I put the bills to one side to pay later, and was about to put the junk mail in the bin which was under the table, when I noticed this bin was full and so I went to empty it in the blue recycling bin. This was also fairly full and as there were still a few days before it was due to be emptied I decided to take some of it to the skips. (Recycling Centre)
But then, I thought to myself, as I’m going to the skips I might just as well pay the bills at the bank on the way.
So I went to fetch my cheque book but when I picked it up I discovered there was only one cheque left. My new cheque book was in my computer desk drawer. When I get to my desk I found half a mug of coffee which I had been drinking earlier.
As I pushed the coffee to one side to avoid spilling it whilst I went into the drawers to look for cheques, I noticed that it was still a little warm and so decided to reheat it in the microwave, so as not to waste it.
As I went to the kitchen I noticed the potted plant in the hall needed watering.
I put my coffee mug down to go for water, and then I saw my reading glasses, which I had been looking for all morning, were on the table, next to the pot.
I decided to take them back and put the on the desk so that I knew where they were, but first I had better water the flowers. As I laid my glasses down to fill a jug with water, I noticed the TV remote had been left on the kitchen table.
Knowing that we would be looking for it later, I decided to put it back in the living room, but thought, I must water the flowers on the way.
As I began to water the plant some water ran off the leaves, across the table and onto the floor. So I put the jug of water and the remote down on the table, and went to fetch paper towels to mop up the water. When I got to the kitchen I realised that it would soon be tea time, and started to get things ready.
After tea, I sat down and had five minutes to my self. Sitting there feeling nice and comfy I began to think about the day, it had been quiet a busy one and I had been on the go most of the time and I was feeling pleasantly tired, but I was also a little baffled as well because when I really thought about what I had done,
The garden didn’t get watered,
The car didn’t get washed
The bills didn’t get paid
The potted plant didn’t get enough water
The waste bin didn’t get emptied, as is not under the porch table
The blue bin is still nearly full
There is still only one cheque in my book
There is a mug of very cold coffee somewhere
I don’t know where the TV remote is
I don’tknow where my glasses are
I can’t remember what I did with the car keys.
And I didn’t mop up the water on the floor.
In case you are wondering A.A.A.D.D. stands for, Age Affected Attention Deficit Disorder and is quite fictitious, but is anyone else going to admit similar forgetfulness.
If you do, KEEP SMILING.
and remember:-
Growing older is MANDATORY
Growing up is OPTIONAL
Laughing at yourself is THERAPUTIC.
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Recipe of the Month
Northumbrian Goose
Ingredients
Medium sized goose (must be bred in Northumberland)
One medium sized onion
Method
Pluck and clean the goose (optional)
Insert the onion in the vent
Dig a hole in garden and bury the goose
Leave for 28 days or four weeks
Dig up goose
Remove onion and eat
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 Rosehip extract can help lessen the joint pain of knee, hip and hand osteoarthritis, say scientists
Rosehipcan help lessen the joint pain of knee, hip, and hand osteoarthritis, say scientists.
A study by Danish scientists found that a supplement made from rosehips reduced pain in 82 percent of patients after three weeks of treatment with GOPO – the active compound extracted from Rose canina, a type of rosehip.
The study, a randomised, double-blind, placebo-controlled clinical trial, published in the Scandinavian Journal of Rheumatology , also found that those taking GOPO reduced their use of painkillers like paracetamol, ibuprofen and non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs).
“I was very interested to see the results of this research, which show rosehip extract to have a very quick effect in reducing osteoarthritic pain in the hip, knee and hand. This study suggests that rosehip extract offers potential relief from pain for osteoarthritis sufferers, without the side effects that are often found with conventional anti-inflammatory drugs or pain killers”, says Dr Rod Hughes, Consultant Rheumatologist at St Peter's Hospital in Surrey.
Unfortunately due to the drying process that is needed to isolate the active anti-inflammatory compound from the sub-species of rosehip, GOPO is not available in a normal diet and can only be taken in the form of a food supplement.
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