CAPE GAZETTE, Friday, Apl 2 e -may , lmm, 35
Beebe offering screenings for anxiety disorders on00May00l •
Do you persistently fear social With more than 28 million and receive information about day: to help those who have an Health at 645-3760.
situations? Do you have repeated
bouts of escalating fear, incidents
that might have seemed like a
heart attack? Have you experi-
enced a traumatic event, only to
find that your symptoms of stress
following it have continued for a
long time?
If you answered 'yes' to any of
those questions, you may be suf-
fering from an anxiety disorder.
Anxiety disorders are often char-
acterized by feelings of fear and
anxiety that appear for no appar-
ent reason and often reach over-
whelming levels. They dramati-
cally reduce or eliminate one's
ability to function.
Americans affected each year,
anxiety disorders are the largest,
most common mental health prob-
lem in the United States. In par-
ticipation with National Anxiety
Disorders Screening Day in 1996,
Oceanside will offer free screen-
ings on May 1 at 2:30 p.m. in the
South Conference Room of Beebe
Medical Center, 424 Savannah
Road in Lewes.
Participants are asked to arrive
promptly for the beginning pre-
sentation, as instruction for com-
pletion of the questionnaire will
be presented by video. At the
screenings, participants will see a
video, complete a questionnaire
Asthma
Continued from page 33
side-effects by being inhaled
rather than taken as a pill.
Theophyllines are oral medica-
tions which come in twice-a-day
formulations such as Theodur,
Slobid and generic preparations or
once a day products, Theo-24,
uniphyl and unidur. They are
used as a third line drug in combi-
nation with anti-inflammatory
drugs and beta-agonists. They are
especially useful in preventing
nocturnal symptoms.
To be effective, medications
need to be used properly. Oral
medications must be taken as pre
scribed and inhaled medications
must be used with proper tech-
niques. Improper use of inhalers
is common and renders them use-
less. There are iseVeral ways tO
use inhalers; it ia important t6
carefully learn one and use faith-
fully. An effective regimen for
treating asthma is usually com-
prised of an inhaled anti-inflam-
matory drug, usually a steroid,
plus an inhaled short or long act-
ing bronchodilator. Spacer
devices are useful in administer-
ing inhaled medications.
Some patients will require a
theophylline or an oral beta-ago-
nist product to supplement these
drugs. Self-monitoring using a
peak flow meter which gives an
objective measurement of lung
function helps to forewarn of
worsening asthma. Patients using
peak flow meters can often avoid
an asthma attack by self-medicat-
ing themselves with presribed res-
cue medications.
For patients whose asthma is
unresponsive to aggressive thera-
py with commonly prescribed
drugs, unusual therapies are avail-
able. These therapies are utilized
as a last resort only when patients
fail normal therapy and require
continuos doses of oral corticos-
teroids. Called "steroid-sparing",
these treatment regimens utilize
various anti-inflammatory drugs
such as methotrexate (also usod to
treat rheumatoid arthritis)and
ch01chicine (also used to treat
gout) in an attempt to reduce 0ral
steroids and their severe side
effects. In the near future, a new
class Ofagthma drugs, leukotdene
receptor antagonists, will be avail-
able. Leukotienes contribute to
development and continuation of
inflammation in the lung. Zileu-
ton (Leutrol) should be available
soon as a new anti-inflammatory
drug for the treatment of acute
asthma and may have a role in
chronic asthma.
Editor's Note: Michael A. Sal-
vatore, M.D., F.A.C.P., special-
izes in pulmonary disease. His
office is located at 105 West
Fourth Street in Lewes. For more
information, call 645-8200.
UNBELIEVABLY LOW PRI( ;ED
ASSOCIATES IN MEDICINE, P.A.
"Quality Internal Medicine"
NANCY A. UNION, M.D.
LISA O'CONNELL, M.D.
PHIL STEIN, M.D., Ph.D.
• Dr. Union *
Office Hours lO/hrs Week and Hospital Coverage
• Dr. O'Connell *
Formerly of Baylor and UCLA Medical Centers
Office Hours 9-5 Mon-Fri
• Dr. Stein •
From Johns Hopkins - Will join the practice
August I on a full-time, permanent basis
Office Hours by Appointment 645-6644
119 W. Third Street
Lewes, DE 19958
anxiety disorders. No registration
or appointment is necessary.
Family members who are con-
cerned about someone or people
who may be suffering from a dis-
order are welcome to attend.
Jose Capiro, M.D., acting chief
of psychiatric services and Ocean-
side screening site director at
Beebe Medical Center, said the
event is modeled after the suc-
cessful National Depression
Screening Day, which has been
promoted for two or three years
by the facility in mid-October.
Like those on depression screen-
ing day, screenings will be free
and anonymous.
"It's for people to learn more
about [anxiety disorders] and to
the degree they feel they fit the
patterns described," said Capiro.
"Then they can decide whether to
seek treatment."
Capiro hopes three goals will be
achieved through the screening
anxiety disorder find appropriate
treatment, to de-stigmatize psy-
chiatric illnesses - particularly
anxiety disorders, and to educate
people about anxiety disorders.
Capiro said nine to 15 percent
of the U.S. population is suffering
from anxiety disorders at any giv-
en moment. The disorders are
highly treatable, he said, but many
of those suffering may not seek
help. For instance, those with
obsessive-compulsive disorder
(OCD) may try to hide their disor-
der.
The five disorders that will be
discussed in the video presenta-
tion at the screening are as fol-
lows: OCD, social phobia, panic
disorder, generalized anxiety dis-
order and post-traumatic stress
disorder•
For more information about
National Anxiety Disorders
Screening Day, contact the
Oceanside Center for Mental
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LOCATION: Epworth Methodist Church
20 Baltimore Avenue, Rehoboth Beach
TIME: 6:30 - 8:00 p.m.
B
Beebe
Medical
Center
This is a flee seminar.
Please call 645-3332 to register.
424 Savannah Rd., Lewes, DE
A A A A
I
MONDAY, MAY 6, 1996
SPEAKER: Dr. Michael Salvatore, M.D.
Pulmonologtst
"Sleep Study Lab
at Beebe Medical Center"
FREE Health Seminar from Beebe Medical Center
o SALE s999 °°
Unconditional Satisfaction Guaranteed I 645-9431 ]
HEARING AID ASSOCIATES I Come in toch.¥ for a free I
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Millsboro - 2 miles north of Rt. 24 on Rt. 30
