UAI=K tiAZ, K1"1.,', Ylaay9 May z3 - z-d,lmCr- -r
HEAL00I-I & FITNESS
Locals spearheading r lief project for flood victims
By Kerry Kester
Jeff Konin, certified athletic
trainer and instructor at Delaware
Technical & Community College,
along with Tim Kavel, Del Tech
campus director, are spearheading
a program to provide relief to
those affiliated with athletic train-
ing in the states suffering from re-
cent flooding.
"Athletic Training Flood Re-
lief' (ATFR) is "basically a fund
designed to assist the folks in this
profession who have been hit hard
because of the flood," said Konin.
"It's really neat because it's start-
ing here locally...and it's had a na-
tional effect."
Konin expects to raise at least
$20,000 for victims of the recent
flooding in North Dakota and
Minnesota.
One school that provides an ath-
letic trainer degree program was • '
shut down completely, he said. tabli
"They didn't get to graduate on • t
time," said Konin. Another stu- rece
dent lost his home. •
Funds, he said, will be released whi
to the presidents of each of the fund
two states' athletic trainers associ- Aq
ations, to be used as they see fit. tiom
"It could go to a school that has tion
lost a piece of equipment or to a ing
student who has lost a home," said new:
Konin.
"That's up to them. They will
know how best to distribute the
money," he said.
Konin said the following are as- A
sisting with getting ATFR started cont
on a local level: abot
• Del Tech, which is supporting victil
Konin by allowing him to use ATF
some of his work time for the pro- 1995
Vilmington Trust, which es-
hed a money market fund;
dlantic Litho, which provided
pt stationery for contributors;
Lewes Physical Therapy,
:h is assisting with the
raising.
Iditionally, he said, the Na-
tl Athletic Trainers Associa-
is assisting through publiciz-
the project through its
;letters and journals.
K, min said the next step is to
seek !assistance from national cor-
porations and those in the health-
care Field.
yone interested in sending a
ibution or in learning more
I how to help the flood relief
ns, may write to Jeff Konin,
., P.O. Box 629, Lewes DE
8, or call him at 856-5400,
Jeff Konin, certified athletic trainer and instructor at
Delaware Technical & Community College, along with Tim
Kavel, Del Tech campus director, are working together to
provide relief to flood victims in North Dakota and Minneso-
ta. The funds raised from the grassroots projects gaining na-
tional momentum will benefit those in the field of athletic
ject; Ext.
Strokes are an emergency:
Strokes are the third leading cause of artery that carries blood to part {f the brain
death in the United States, behind heart dis-
ease and cancer. Each year, 500,000 Amer-
icans suffer from stroke, and of those about
150,000 will die from them.
(ischemic strokes), and those aused by
bleeding (hemorrhagic strokes), i
Early recognition of the warning signs of
stroke and acting quickly to cal ! 911, acti-
vating the Emergency Medical Services
(EMS) system an d getting the pson to the
emergency room for care can damatically
improve recovery for stroke victims.
"It's more critical than ever to educate
Americans about the warning signs of
stroke, to encourage them to sek emer-
gency treatment at the first sigr, of symp-
toms, and to eliminate delays n prompt
evaluation," said Gregory L. Henry, past
president of the American College of Emer-
gency Physicians. !
What is a stroke?
A stroke, also known as a brain attack, is
a loss of blood flow to an area of the brain
and may cause disorientation which might
lead to injury or death.
When blood flow fails, brain cells are
robbed of vital supplies of oxygen and nu-
trients. Some strokes have very little recog-
nizable effect, while others can quickly
cause death.
There are two major types of stroke;
those caused by blood clots that block an
5525. training.
learn to identify the warning signs
your EMS team must respond quickly for
treatment to be most effective.
Warning signs of a stroke:
• Numbness or weakness, or paralysis of
the face, arm or leg, especially on one side
of the body;
• Sudden blurred or loss of vision in one
side or in one eye;
• Slurred speech or difficulty in under-
standing simple statements; .....
• Loss of balance or coordination when
combined with another warning sign.
If you think you are having a
stroke:
• Call 911 immediately and request EMS
if you are showing any of the stroke warn-
ing signs;
• Get to the hospital quickly;
• Make sure you receive treatment fast -
If you are with someone who is
having a stroke:
• If you recognize any of the above warn-
ing signs, call 911 and request EMS imme-
diately;
• Stay with the person and remain calm;
• Make sure the person continues breath-
ing while waiting for EMS personnel to ar-
rive.
The EMS providers of Sussex County
have emphasized that in spite of their sud-
den occurrence, the long-term effect of
strokes can be reduced through the early
recognition of warning signs and acting
quickly to get the victim to the hospital.
is asthma treated?
The goal of asthma therapy is to
improve airflow by relieving air-
way obstruction which is caused
by the three major pathologic
processes: airway edema
(swelling), mucus plugging, and
bronchospasm.
These abnormalities result in
airway narrowing, which causes
an increased resistance to airflow,
causing an increased work of
breathing. This increased work is
perceived by patients as shortness
of breath. Effective asthma thera-
py both reverses and prevents the
development of airflow obstruc-
tion.
The processes which narrow the
airway are caused by airway in-
flammation, which is a complex
cascade of events starting with an
asthma trigger.
This inflammatory state is a se-
ries of physiologic events involv-
ing cells and mediators very simi-
lar to that seen in response to an
injury, such as a burn. Once initi-
ated, the process is self-perpetuat-
ing unless interrupted by therapy.
One ann of therapy is directed
against this process using drugs
called anti-inflammatory medica-
tions, if
The other major class of drugs can!
treat the bronchospasm caused by Th
this inflammatory process and are oral
called bronchodilators. (Del
The effective treatment of asth- lypn
ma involves the combination ap- are v
proach: anti-inflammatory drugs tion
form the cornerstone in treating time
the cause of asthma and bron-
chodilators reverse the.bron-
chospasm resulting from the in-
flammatory process.
Steroids and non-steroids
Anti-inflammatory drugs elimi-
nate the cause of asthma. There
are two major classes of anti-in-
flammatory agents: steroids and
non-steroids.
Steroids or corticosteroids are
the most effective anti-asthma
drugs. Given in sufficient doses,
they can suppress the inflammato-
ry asthmatic state. Unfortunately,
oral steroids can have unpleasant
avoid these side effects, in-
l steroids were developed and
in high enough dosages
e very effective.
most commonly prescribed
steroids are prednisone
iasone, Steripred) and meth-
dnisolone (Medrol). These
;ually used as rescue medica-
for an acute attack but some-
are required for the treat-
men of severe chronic asthma.
Side,effects can be minimized by
usin[[ short courses with a rapid
tapenng.
Inhaled cortic0steroids are the
founiation of any anti-asthma
therapy. Multiple drugs are avail-
able9 beclomethasone (Beclovent,
Vaneril), flunisolide (Aerobid),
dexalnethasone (Dexacort), triam-
cinolne (Azmacort), and soon to
be rleased budesonide (Pulmo-
cort) t
Wile these medications vary in
ad .mi." istration and price all are ef-
fectiectqe anti-inflammatory. . agents
and When used m appropriate dos-
es can reverse and prevent the
symptoms of asthma.
Side effects can be reduced
The onset of action is slow - of-
ten six to eight hours. Side-effects
of these medications most com-
monly involve mouth soreness
and hoarseness.
These can be minimized or
avoided by rinsing the mouth after
inhalation and by using a spacer.
A spacer is a tube or a bag into
which the inhaler is puffed, then
the medication is inhaled out of
the spacer.
This prevents deposition of the
inhaled steroid in the mouth and
allows for easier administration.
Doses of these medications vary
with the severity of asthma.
Some patients require as little as
two puffs twice daily, while oth-
ers may require up to eight to 12
puffs four times a day (32 to 40
puffs daily).
There are two non-steroidal in-
halers on the market: cromolyn
(Intall and nedocromil (Tilade).
These medications are used in
mild to moderate asthma. Patients
should use a single steroid or non-
steroid inhaler since they all are
anti-inflammatory medications.
Severe asthmatics require inhaled
steroids.
Nedocromil is purported to
have a greater anti-tussive effect
Continued on page 34
HEALTH TOPICS
Michael A. Salvatore, M.D.,
F.A.C.P., specializes in pul-
monary disease.
