Community News

 

UNITED STATES – October 22, 2024 – The American Stroke Association (ASA), a division of the American Heart Association, has recently updated its guidelines for the prevention of stroke for the first time in 10 years. There are new recommendations for screening and prevention, for medication to reduce risk factors, for diet (the Mediterranean diet) and for screening people at-risk due to sex, race, economic instability, poor health care access, unstable housing and racism.

According to the CDC, stroke was the #4 cause of death in 2023 and a leading cause of disability in the United States. More than 600 hundred thousand Americans have their first stroke every year. The leading risk factors are high blood pressure, high cholesterol, smoking, obesity and diabetes. The ASA feels that as many as 80% of strokes can be prevented with a program of adequate exercise, proper diet and identification and treatment of risk factors.

A stroke is a brain injury that may result in permanent damage, disability or death. The brain can be deprived of blood when a blood clot or an atherosclerotic plaque blocks the flow or when a blood vessel within the brain ruptures or leaks. Oxygen-deprived brain cells may die within minutes. Our brain is divided into regions that are responsible for specific functions like motor activity, memory, thinking, emotions, speaking and breathing. If one of these regions is deprived of blood, then the body may be unable to function as it should.

A stroke is a medical emergency that requires prompt treatment to reduce the risk of permanent damage. The pneumonic BE FAST can help you recognize the signs of stroke: B for loss of balance, E for eye changes, F for face drooping, A for arm weakness, S for speech difficulty, and T for time to call 911 to get medical help.

You can reduce the risk of having a major stroke by following these recommendations from the American Stroke Association:

• Manage high blood pressure including women at-risk due to pregnancy, early menopause or on birth control medicine
• Control cholesterol level, blood sugar and body weight
• Be active
• Eat the proper foods
• Don’t smoke
• Take your medicine

 

Listen to the full report below:

 

 

Contact: Dr. Dick Needleman, Health reporter, 103.3 AshevilleFM, [email protected]

More Posts for Show: Asheville FM News Hour

 

UNITED STATES – November 5, 2024 – You had an impact on keeping Asheville healthy by casting your vote on November 5^th, because our two-party political system was strongly divided on health-related issues in 2024. The winners will become the drivers of health-related legislation and policies for the coming years. The losers will be able to voice their concerns.

A good example of the power of the vote was when our elected state officials proposed Medicaid expansion bills in 2022 to increase access to health care for more North Carolinians. The bill was ratified in 2023. This was due to the grassroots efforts of many North Carolinians. Voters in 2020 and 2022 had a strong role in choosing state legislators that overturned years of avoiding Medicaid expansion, the federal program for health insurance for low-resource individuals. 75% of North Carolinians (including most Republicans and Democrats) wanted to improve the health of low-income persons and expand Medicaid. They voted for representatives to enact their wishes. On December 1, 2023, North Carolina officially became the 40^th state to expand Medicaid.

The latest political candidates took sides on many health-related issues during the 2024 election, including:

• Climate change
• Woman’s reproductive health
• Health care access
• Vaccination
• Gun violence

Everyone needs their health to live. Therefore, it is now up to our newly elected officials to enact legislation and health-related policies to keep us healthy. Timely assessment will show us how our legislators did. Our democracy’s strength lies with the ability of its citizens to chart their future course and keep Asheville healthy!

 

Listen to the full report below:

 

 

Contact: Dr. Dick Needleman, Health reporter, 103.3 AshevilleFM, [email protected]

More Posts for Show: Asheville FM News Hour

 

ASHEVILLE, NC – November 13, 2024 – The CDC’s COVID Dashboard for the week ending on November 2^nd shows:  

• There were fewer than 10 deaths due to COVID in North Carolina, the lowest level of 6 groups.
• Emergency department visits for COVID-19 are minimal in North Carolina, less than 1% of all visits and a moderate decrease since last week.

Wastewater monitoring can be used to provide early warning for COVID outbreaks. The Buncombe & Henderson counties wastewater data on the North Carolina COVID Dashboard for the week ending on October 30^th shows:

• The number of viral gene copies in each water sample is between 0-20%, the lowest level of 5 groups.
• The 15-day rate of change of the number of viral gene copies in each water sample was not reported.

Vaccine protection wanes over time and newer variants evolve to evade the body’s defenses. Persons in high-risk groups, ages 65 and older, with chronic health conditions or weakened immune systems, are more likely to develop severe illness. At-risk people can be protected, by staying home when not feeling well and keeping current with vaccination.

Americans can order up to 4 free COVID tests at COVIDtest.gov. I just did.

A new COVID vaccine is available for currently circulating strains. It is recommended for everyone 6 months and older. The timing is optimal to protect against getting severely ill during the winter surge of respiratory infections. Check with local pharmacies for availability.

 

Listen to the full report below:

 

 

Contact: Dr. Dick Needleman, Health reporter, 103.3 AshevilleFM, [email protected]

More Posts for Show: Asheville FM News Hour

 

MARION, NC – October 22, 2024 – One of the largest intravenous fluids suppliers in the U.S. has shut down because of damage from flooding due to Hurricane Helene. The Baxter International factory in Marion, NC, about 35 miles east of Asheville, is covered by mud that was left behind from the flood. A bridge to the factory was also damaged. The Baxter factory was making 60% of the total amount of intravenous fluids used in the U.S.

Intravenous fluids contain sterile water, sodium chloride, and carbohydrates. It is frequently used in hospitals including intensive care units, operating rooms and emergency rooms, surgery centers, nursing homes and dialysis centers for hydration and for the administration of drugs and nutrients.

There has been a great effort to increase the intravenous fluid supply. Baxter has already brought in 500 people to restore the factory to working order. They will quickly increase this number to one thousand in the next week. The federal government has invoked the Defense Production Act to assist Baxter to get the material that it needs to rebuild. FEMA is fixing the damaged bridge. The FDA has allowed the temporary importation of intravenous fluids. The Marion facility will resume some production this week. It is estimated that full capacity will be reached in a few months.

Other temporary solutions include postponing elective surgeries and asking health care providers to be judicious in intravenous fluid use. Massachusetts General Hospital in Boston has had to reduce its intravenous use by 50% for weeks. Dr Paul Biddinger, the chief preparedness and continuity officer at Massachusetts General Hospital, has described this as a crisis.

“This shortage is still touching nearly every hospital in the country,” says Dr. Chris DeRienzo, chief physician executive of the American Hospital Association.

 

Listen to the full report below:

 

 

Contact: Dr. Dick Needleman, Health reporter, 103.3 AshevilleFM, [email protected]

More Posts for Show: Asheville FM News Hour

 

BUNCOMBE COUNTY, NC – October 29, 2024 – After a major flood, the risk of becoming ill with gastroenteritis – an ailment of the stomach and intestines – is higher. Gastroenteritis is characterized by abdominal pain, vomiting, diarrhea, fever, headache and muscle aches. The illness can occur from eating spoiled and contaminated food. Hurricane Helene was instrumental in knocking out power lines and damaging the public water supply including the transport system of pipes and its water reservoir. Food spoilage is due to inadequate refrigeration and contamination is from inappropriate hand hygiene, food handling, and cleaning and preparing food.

The city of Asheville has been on a boil water notice because of the damage to the public water supply. Although running water has been restored to 99% of its customers, it is not safe for drinking, washing hands before preparing food, and washing dishes in a dishwasher that doesn’t heat its water to at least 170 degrees. There is no evidence of any contamination of the water with the commonly tested bacteria associated with disease, but there is an abnormally high level of particles in the water that cause it to appear cloudy. Additional chlorine has been added to reduce the amount of potential disease-causing organisms. Water customers who obtain their public water from the city of Asheville will probably have to wait more than a month before having drinkable running water again.

On October 29, Dr Jennifer Mullendore, the Buncombe County Medical Director, spoke at a public briefing and issued a press release about the abrupt rise in the number of people coming down with gastroenteritis here since Hurricane Helene.

To reduce illness and protect health, Dr. Mullendore recommends:

• Use clean water like bottled or boiled water for drinking, cooking, and brushing teeth. Water must be brought to a rolling boil for at least 1 minute. Avoid well water until disinfected and tested.
• Clean your hands before eating or preparing food, after bathroom use, and after contact with animals. Wash hands with soap and clean water or use sanitizer with at least 60% alcohol.
• Clean food prep areas with soap and clean water or use a bleach solution (1 tbsp bleach per gallon of water).
• Keep food safe to eat by discarding unrefrigerated meat and dairy products, cooking food thoroughly and eating it while hot, and avoiding raw foods unless you’ve peeled them yourself.

 

Listen to the full report below:

 

 

Contact: Dr. Dick Needleman, Health reporter, 103.3 AshevilleFM, [email protected]

More Posts for Show: Asheville FM News Hour

 

ASHEVILLE, NC – November 6, 2024 – The CDC’s COVID Dashboard for the week ending on October 26^th shows:  

• 1% of the deaths in North Carolina were due to COVID, the 2^nd lowest level of 6 groups and decreased since last week.
• Emergency department visits for COVID-19 are minimal in North Carolina, less than 1% of all visits and a moderate decrease since last week.

Wastewater monitoring can be used to provide early warning for COVID outbreaks. The Buncombe & Henderson counties wastewater data on the North Carolina COVID Dashboard for the week ending on October 23^rd was not reported.

Vaccine protection wanes over time and newer variants evolve to evade the body’s defenses. Persons in high-risk groups, ages 65 and older, with chronic health conditions or weakened immune systems, are more likely to develop severe illness. At-risk people can be protected, by staying home when not feeling well and keeping current with vaccination.

Americans can order up to 4 free COVID tests at COVIDtest.gov. I just did.

A new COVID vaccine is available for currently circulating strains. It is recommended for everyone 6 months and older. The timing is optimal to protect against getting severely ill during the winter surge of respiratory infections. Check with local pharmacies for availability.

 

Listen to the full report below:

 

 

Contact: Dr. Dick Needleman, Health reporter, 103.3 AshevilleFM, [email protected]

More Posts for Show: Asheville FM News Hour