Christian Co. Health Dept. to stop providing cancer screens, contraceptives to residents of other counties

As of Jan. 1, the Christian County Health Department will not provide contraceptives or cancer screening to indigent patients if they do not reside in the county. Nick Tabor of the Kentucky New Era reports the department will provide those services to other counties' residents if the county in which they reside has signed a contract with Christian County before the Jan. 1 deadline agreeing to repay Christian County for those services. Tabor writes that the policy is not applicable to those services that are covered by state or federal government reimbursements.

The health department's move was prompted by a budget deficit that is close to $200,000, some of it traceable to a lack of reimbursement for contraceptive care. Mark Pyle, director of the department, told Tabor that residents of both Todd and Trigg counties often seek services in Christian County and Christian county taxpayers foot that bill. Pyle explained that there’s nothing in state law saying the health departments have to serve anyone who comes in, regardless of residence.

The New Era is behind a paywall. To obtain a subscription, go here.

As of Jan. 1, the Christian County Health Department will not provide contraceptives or cancer screening to indigent patients if they do not reside in the county. Nick Tabor of the Kentucky New Era reports the department will provide those services to other counties' residents if the county in which they reside has signed a contract with Christian County before the Jan. 1 deadline agreeing to repay Christian County for those services. Tabor writes that the policy is not applicable to those services that are covered by state or federal government reimbursements.

The health department's move was prompted by a budget deficit that is close to $200,000, some of it traceable to a lack of reimbursement for contraceptive care. Mark Pyle, director of the department, told Tabor that residents of both Todd and Trigg counties often seek services in Christian County and Christian county taxpayers foot that bill. Pyle explained that there’s nothing in state law saying the health departments have to serve anyone who comes in, regardless of residence.

The New Era is behind a paywall. To obtain a subscription, go here.

Read More

UK, ARH planning efforts against high rate of heart-disease deaths and limited availability of proper food in Perry County

The death rate from heart disease is nearly twice as high in Perry County (Wikipedia map) as in Kentucky as a whole, so there's no better time than now to announce that the University of Kentucky Medical Center is close to finalizing a three-year agreement with Hazard Appalachian Regional Healthcare Medical Center to provide continuing care, outreach and education to local physicians and county residents, including more and better information about heart-healthy food choices. Bailey Richards of the Hazard Herald reports that this last task is daunting, particularly since availability of good food is an issue in remote parts of the county.

Richards writes that a 2011 study of the heart-healthy food options in Perry County "showed that the area severely lacks low-fat and low-sodium options." Kevin Luley, a registered nurse at the UK Medical Center and winner of the "Heart Health in Rural Kentucky" grant, surveyed all of the restaurants and grocery stores in Perry County and found that most do not have many off-the-shelf options for a healthy diet. Of all of the items available at the restaurants in Perry County, fewer than 6 percent were considered healthy. (Residents can consult their own smartphones for that information. It should also be posted or available upon request.) Of a standard list of produce items, on average only 60 percent were found at the local grocery stores, Luley found. (Read more)

The death rate from heart disease is nearly twice as high in Perry County (Wikipedia map) as in Kentucky as a whole, so there's no better time than now to announce that the University of Kentucky Medical Center is close to finalizing a three-year agreement with Hazard Appalachian Regional Healthcare Medical Center to provide continuing care, outreach and education to local physicians and county residents, including more and better information about heart-healthy food choices. Bailey Richards of the Hazard Herald reports that this last task is daunting, particularly since availability of good food is an issue in remote parts of the county.

Richards writes that a 2011 study of the heart-healthy food options in Perry County "showed that the area severely lacks low-fat and low-sodium options." Kevin Luley, a registered nurse at the UK Medical Center and winner of the "Heart Health in Rural Kentucky" grant, surveyed all of the restaurants and grocery stores in Perry County and found that most do not have many off-the-shelf options for a healthy diet. Of all of the items available at the restaurants in Perry County, fewer than 6 percent were considered healthy. (Residents can consult their own smartphones for that information. It should also be posted or available upon request.) Of a standard list of produce items, on average only 60 percent were found at the local grocery stores, Luley found. (Read more)

Read More

UK music therapy helps manage surgical anxiety, pain, recovery

A University of Kentucky study has found that music therapy can reduce pain before, during and after a surgical procedure, and shorten recovery time. The study report, published in the Southern Medical Journal, showed music was also useful in managing surgical anxiety. According to Lori Gooding, UK director of music therapy and lead author of the report, the music should be selected by trained personnel with a mind toward specific guidelines for music selection in order to maximize its positive effect on patients, though the patient's musical tastes should still be considered. Gooding suggests patients be offered several playlists from which to choose so they can have something to suit their tastes as well as the medical protocol. (UK video)



Gooding writes that the tempo, rhythm and volume of the music should be carefully controlled to maximize its effect. Calm, slow, gentle music was shown to produce the most positive results and facilitate relaxation and pain reduction in patients. UK began providing music therapy for patients in Kentucky Children’s Hospital, UK Chandler Hospital and UK Good Samaritan Behavioral Health in October 2010. The UK Music Therapy program was established as part of the Lucille Caudill Little Performing Arts in HealthCare Program, a unique partnership between the UK School of Music and UK HealthCare. (Read more)

A University of Kentucky study has found that music therapy can reduce pain before, during and after a surgical procedure, and shorten recovery time. The study report, published in the Southern Medical Journal, showed music was also useful in managing surgical anxiety. According to Lori Gooding, UK director of music therapy and lead author of the report, the music should be selected by trained personnel with a mind toward specific guidelines for music selection in order to maximize its positive effect on patients, though the patient's musical tastes should still be considered. Gooding suggests patients be offered several playlists from which to choose so they can have something to suit their tastes as well as the medical protocol. (UK video)



Gooding writes that the tempo, rhythm and volume of the music should be carefully controlled to maximize its effect. Calm, slow, gentle music was shown to produce the most positive results and facilitate relaxation and pain reduction in patients. UK began providing music therapy for patients in Kentucky Children’s Hospital, UK Chandler Hospital and UK Good Samaritan Behavioral Health in October 2010. The UK Music Therapy program was established as part of the Lucille Caudill Little Performing Arts in HealthCare Program, a unique partnership between the UK School of Music and UK HealthCare. (Read more)

Read More

High Levels Of LDL Cholesterol Better For Living Healthy Lives!

High Levels Of LDL Cholesterol Better For Living Longer, Healthier Lives!

The Japan Society for Lipid Nutrition has drawn up new guidelines stating that high cholesterol levels are better for living longer, defying conventional wisdom.

Research is now disproving those that state the LDL Cholesterol is BAD Cholesterol Myth!

In 2007, the Japan society set diagnostic criteria for hyperlipemia, or elevated levels of lipids in the bloodstream, flagging LDL cholesterol levels of at least 140 mg/dl and HDL levels less than 40 mg/dl as dangerous for both men and women. To explain why they set the levels as they did they stated:

"According to domestic and foreign research, the higher LDL levels become, the more arterial stiffening advances. Correspondingly, incidence of heart disease also rises. We concluded that LDL cholesterol levels more than 140 mg/dl could easily cause heart disease," said Hirotsugu Ueshima, professor emeritus at Shiga University of Medical Science, who devised the atherosclerosis society's criteria.

However, Tomohito Hamazaki, a professor at Toyama University's Institute of Natural Medicine, who, in fact, compiled the new cholesterol levels guidelines for the Japan Society for Lipid Nutrition, countered Ueshima's argument.

"When examining all causes of death, such as cancer, pneumonia and heart disease, the number of deaths attributable to LDL cholesterol levels exceeding 140 mg/dl is less than people with lower LDL cholesterol levels." –Prof. Tomohito Hamazaki

The lipid nutrition society guidelines do not posit new criteria, but Hamazaki cited some study results to prove his thesis.

According to a eight-year study of about 26,000 men and women in Isehara, Kanagawa Prefecture, the death rate of men whose LDL cholesterol levels were between 100 mg/dl and 160 mg/dl was low, while the rate rose for those with LDL cholesterol levels of less than 100 mg/dl!

The LDL figures exhibited less influence on women, but the death rate still rose for women with LDL cholesterol levels less than 120 mg/dl.

A separate study of 16,850 patients nationwide who had suffered a cerebral stroke showed the death rate for people with hyperlipemia (high blood fatty acid levels) from a cerebral stroke was lower, and their symptoms more slight than those whom had lower lipid levels.

"Cholesterolis an essential component for the creation of cell membranes and hormones. It's not recommended to lower LDL figures by means of dietary intake and medication," stated Hamazaki.

Additional differences exist between men and women's LDL figures.

"When women reach menopause, their cholesterol figures rise sharply, yet do not affect the arteriosclerosis process or development of heart diseases. At the very least, cholesterol criteria is not necessary for women,"-Hiroyuki Tanaka, director of Niko Clinic in Takeo, Saga Prefecture.

This study, along with other studies, leads one to the conclusion that optimal LDL levels are within the 120-160 mg/dl range.

The body needs LDL in the healing process for things such as Autoimmune Diseases, Heart Attacks and Strokes. Why would you ever want to hinder the healing processes of the human body?

-Dr. Walter K. Crooks    

High Levels Of LDL Cholesterol Better For Living Longer, Healthier Lives!

The Japan Society for Lipid Nutrition has drawn up new guidelines stating that high cholesterol levels are better for living longer, defying conventional wisdom.

Research is now disproving those that state the LDL Cholesterol is BAD Cholesterol Myth!

In 2007, the Japan society set diagnostic criteria for hyperlipemia, or elevated levels of lipids in the bloodstream, flagging LDL cholesterol levels of at least 140 mg/dl and HDL levels less than 40 mg/dl as dangerous for both men and women. To explain why they set the levels as they did they stated:

"According to domestic and foreign research, the higher LDL levels become, the more arterial stiffening advances. Correspondingly, incidence of heart disease also rises. We concluded that LDL cholesterol levels more than 140 mg/dl could easily cause heart disease," said Hirotsugu Ueshima, professor emeritus at Shiga University of Medical Science, who devised the atherosclerosis society's criteria.

However, Tomohito Hamazaki, a professor at Toyama University's Institute of Natural Medicine, who, in fact, compiled the new cholesterol levels guidelines for the Japan Society for Lipid Nutrition, countered Ueshima's argument.

"When examining all causes of death, such as cancer, pneumonia and heart disease, the number of deaths attributable to LDL cholesterol levels exceeding 140 mg/dl is less than people with lower LDL cholesterol levels." –Prof. Tomohito Hamazaki

The lipid nutrition society guidelines do not posit new criteria, but Hamazaki cited some study results to prove his thesis.

According to a eight-year study of about 26,000 men and women in Isehara, Kanagawa Prefecture, the death rate of men whose LDL cholesterol levels were between 100 mg/dl and 160 mg/dl was low, while the rate rose for those with LDL cholesterol levels of less than 100 mg/dl!

The LDL figures exhibited less influence on women, but the death rate still rose for women with LDL cholesterol levels less than 120 mg/dl.

A separate study of 16,850 patients nationwide who had suffered a cerebral stroke showed the death rate for people with hyperlipemia (high blood fatty acid levels) from a cerebral stroke was lower, and their symptoms more slight than those whom had lower lipid levels.

"Cholesterolis an essential component for the creation of cell membranes and hormones. It's not recommended to lower LDL figures by means of dietary intake and medication," stated Hamazaki.

Additional differences exist between men and women's LDL figures.

"When women reach menopause, their cholesterol figures rise sharply, yet do not affect the arteriosclerosis process or development of heart diseases. At the very least, cholesterol criteria is not necessary for women,"-Hiroyuki Tanaka, director of Niko Clinic in Takeo, Saga Prefecture.

This study, along with other studies, leads one to the conclusion that optimal LDL levels are within the 120-160 mg/dl range.

The body needs LDL in the healing process for things such as Autoimmune Diseases, Heart Attacks and Strokes. Why would you ever want to hinder the healing processes of the human body?

-Dr. Walter K. Crooks    

Read More

U of L doctors wary of KentuckyOne's promise of autonomy

Doctors at Louisville's University Hospital are expressing concerns that the partnership with KentuckyOne Health and the Catholic health rules that come with that merger might affect patient care. Assurances that their concerns are unfounded have been coming from KentuckyOne's majority owner, Denver-based Catholic Health Initiatives. Anxiety over doctors' medical freedom to treat patients as they feel is necessary is being fueled as staff and physicians are being asked to "respect" Catholic health directives, The Courier-Journal reports.

Sheila Reynertson, advocacy coordinator for the New York-based MergerWatch Project, who tracks secular-religious hospital mergers, told The C-J's Laura Ungar that such language puts doctors in "a difficult position." For instance, she explains, "cancer doctors may wonder about prescribing birth control to prevent pregnancy, she said. Catholic directives include a ban on sterilization, abortions, and euthanasia and say Catholic health institutions can't "promote or condone contraceptive practices." Gary Mans, spokesman for the U of L Health Sciences Center, said he doesn't believe doctors and staff will feel constrained by the directives. (Read more)

Doctors at Louisville's University Hospital are expressing concerns that the partnership with KentuckyOne Health and the Catholic health rules that come with that merger might affect patient care. Assurances that their concerns are unfounded have been coming from KentuckyOne's majority owner, Denver-based Catholic Health Initiatives. Anxiety over doctors' medical freedom to treat patients as they feel is necessary is being fueled as staff and physicians are being asked to "respect" Catholic health directives, The Courier-Journal reports.

Sheila Reynertson, advocacy coordinator for the New York-based MergerWatch Project, who tracks secular-religious hospital mergers, told The C-J's Laura Ungar that such language puts doctors in "a difficult position." For instance, she explains, "cancer doctors may wonder about prescribing birth control to prevent pregnancy, she said. Catholic directives include a ban on sterilization, abortions, and euthanasia and say Catholic health institutions can't "promote or condone contraceptive practices." Gary Mans, spokesman for the U of L Health Sciences Center, said he doesn't believe doctors and staff will feel constrained by the directives. (Read more)

Read More

Over-the-counter drug makers start campaign to educate potential meth 'smurfers' about consequences of their actions

By Al Cross
Kentucky Health News

The lobby for makers of over-the-counter drugs, which has fought laws to tighten controls on sale of cold medicine that is used to make methamphetamine, is starting a public-education campaign to discourage evasion of the system that tracks purchases of pseudoephedrine. The targeted states are Kentucky and Alabama, which could be key to preventing passage of laws like the one in Mississippi, which requires a prescription for pseudoephedrine. UPDATE, 4/19/13: Missouri has been added.

The Consumer Products Healthcare Association rolled out the campaign in Alabama last month. It joined with the Kentucky Pharmacists Association and the Kentucky Retail Federation yesterday to announce the program in Kentucky, and won the blessing of its primary adversary in the state's legislative battle, Senate Republican Leader Robert Stivers of Manchester. Also on hand at Wheeler's Pharmacy in Lexington was Democratic Gov. Steve Beshear, who had stayed out of the fight until he signed the bill.

Stivers, who is in line to become Senate president, was asked if the drug makers' move signaled a truce in the battle. He indicated that he would wait to see the impact of this year's law, which reduced the amount of pseudoephedrine that can be bought during one a month, before trying to tighten it. "Let's look at the history and see what happens," he said. Earlier, he said: "I appreciate the fact that they're coming here in a very conciliatory way, a very open way, to say we all know there is a problem."

Beshear noted that fewer meth labs have been found in Kentucky this year, but said the success of the law depends on educating the public: "As laws are passed, criminals adapt and find new ways of getting around them."

Preventing that is the goal of CHPA's "Anti-Smurfing Campaign," named for the practice of meth makers using others, "smurfs," to buy pseudoephedrine for them. Beshear noted that the new law makes smurfing a felony, and said the posters are "designed to make smurfers think twice" and "think of the moral and criminal consequences of their actions." He told cn|2 Politics, "I think will be a good deterrent in this situation."

CHPA's director of state government affairs, Carlos Gutiérrez, said the posters were tested in 2011 with focus groups of Kentuckians and strike a balance of educating potential smurfers without alarming law-abiding buyers of pseudoephedrine.

In its efforts to kill Stivers' prescription bill during the 2012 legislative session, CHPA spent more than any other lobbying group has ever reported spending on a legislative session, and that did not include hundreds of thousands of dollars it spent on radio commercials urging listeners to lobby legislators about the bill. Lobbies in Kentucky do not have to report what they spend on such indirect lobbying. Guiterrez was asked if CHPA would do that, and he said he would look into it.

By Al Cross
Kentucky Health News

The lobby for makers of over-the-counter drugs, which has fought laws to tighten controls on sale of cold medicine that is used to make methamphetamine, is starting a public-education campaign to discourage evasion of the system that tracks purchases of pseudoephedrine. The targeted states are Kentucky and Alabama, which could be key to preventing passage of laws like the one in Mississippi, which requires a prescription for pseudoephedrine. UPDATE, 4/19/13: Missouri has been added.

The Consumer Products Healthcare Association rolled out the campaign in Alabama last month. It joined with the Kentucky Pharmacists Association and the Kentucky Retail Federation yesterday to announce the program in Kentucky, and won the blessing of its primary adversary in the state's legislative battle, Senate Republican Leader Robert Stivers of Manchester. Also on hand at Wheeler's Pharmacy in Lexington was Democratic Gov. Steve Beshear, who had stayed out of the fight until he signed the bill.

Stivers, who is in line to become Senate president, was asked if the drug makers' move signaled a truce in the battle. He indicated that he would wait to see the impact of this year's law, which reduced the amount of pseudoephedrine that can be bought during one a month, before trying to tighten it. "Let's look at the history and see what happens," he said. Earlier, he said: "I appreciate the fact that they're coming here in a very conciliatory way, a very open way, to say we all know there is a problem."

Beshear noted that fewer meth labs have been found in Kentucky this year, but said the success of the law depends on educating the public: "As laws are passed, criminals adapt and find new ways of getting around them."

Preventing that is the goal of CHPA's "Anti-Smurfing Campaign," named for the practice of meth makers using others, "smurfs," to buy pseudoephedrine for them. Beshear noted that the new law makes smurfing a felony, and said the posters are "designed to make smurfers think twice" and "think of the moral and criminal consequences of their actions." He told cn|2 Politics, "I think will be a good deterrent in this situation."

CHPA's director of state government affairs, Carlos Gutiérrez, said the posters were tested in 2011 with focus groups of Kentuckians and strike a balance of educating potential smurfers without alarming law-abiding buyers of pseudoephedrine.

In its efforts to kill Stivers' prescription bill during the 2012 legislative session, CHPA spent more than any other lobbying group has ever reported spending on a legislative session, and that did not include hundreds of thousands of dollars it spent on radio commercials urging listeners to lobby legislators about the bill. Lobbies in Kentucky do not have to report what they spend on such indirect lobbying. Guiterrez was asked if CHPA would do that, and he said he would look into it.

Read More

First heart-lung transplant in Ky. in 15 years performed at UK

University of Kentucky surgeons performed Kentucky's first combined heart-lung transplant in 15 years this summer, UK announced today.

Dawn Nelson, 29, of Louisville, received two lungs and a heart from the same donor in one procedure at the Albert B. Chandler Medical Center on July 7. She and her parents discussed it with Courier-Journal reporter Laura Ungar in this video by The C-J's Kylene White:


For Ungar's story, click here. Combined heart-lung transplants are rare; only 27 were performed nationwide in 2011. They are generally performed on younger patients who have a fatal disease and cannot be treated with medication or other interventions.

Nelson was diagnosed with systemic lupus erythematosus at 17 and rheumatoid arthritis at 22. Four years ago, she developed pulmonary hypertension, fatal without timely treatment. The disease destroyed her lungs, and her heart began to fail when it could no longer push blood into them.

Dr. Wesley McConnell, a transplant pulmonologist with Kentuckiana Pulmonary Associates in Louisville, began caring for Dawn two and a half years ago at KPA's Pulmonary Hypertension Center. After she didn't respond to drug therapies, McConnell referred Dawn to UK May 11 for a transplant evaluation. "Dawn was extremely ill and it became clear that her only chance for survival would be a heart-lung transplant," he said. "I knew that UK was her best option because they had the most experienced team in the state."

Dr. Charles Hoopes, director of the UK Transplant Center, performed the surgery, only the seventh such procedure to be performed at UK since it began transplantation in 1964. The last time UK performed this surgery was 1996. "Although the surgery itself is relatively simple, combined heart-lung transplants are rare because they require three donor organs and are reserved for patients who are extremely ill with heart and lung failure," said Dr. Jay Zwischenberger, chair of the UK Department of Surgery. "They also require a great deal of infrastructure and support to perform successfully. At UK, we have that team in place, and moving forward we expect to perform one or two of these combined transplants per year."

More than four months after her surgery, Nelson continues to improve and grow stronger. Dr. Enrique Diaz, medical director for lung transplantation, and Dr. Navin Rajagopalan, medical director of cardiac transplantation, both provide followup care for her at UK, and she continues to see McConnell in Louisville. "Dawn is doing quite well. At the time of transplant, she was so sick she only weighed about 80 pounds," Rajagopalan said. "Now, she feels well, is gaining weight, and is able to do things that she had not been able to do for years.”

Nelson's collaborative treatment is a prime example of the partnership UK is trying to cultivate among Louisville and Lexington doctors, said Dr. Michael Karpf, UK executive vice president for health affairs: “Our goal is to continue to provide highly advanced subspecialty care such as Ms. Nelson’s complex transplant to patients like her who otherwise would either have to leave the commonwealth or, worse, not receive the treatment needed.”

In November 2010, UK in collaboration with Norton HealthCare opened up an outreach Transplant and Specialty Clinic at Norton Audubon Hospital to provide comprehensive pre- and post-transplant care for patients. The partnership ensures that patients like Nelson will not have to leave the state to receive complex acute care or followup treatment, a UK press release said.

University of Kentucky surgeons performed Kentucky's first combined heart-lung transplant in 15 years this summer, UK announced today.

Dawn Nelson, 29, of Louisville, received two lungs and a heart from the same donor in one procedure at the Albert B. Chandler Medical Center on July 7. She and her parents discussed it with Courier-Journal reporter Laura Ungar in this video by The C-J's Kylene White:


For Ungar's story, click here. Combined heart-lung transplants are rare; only 27 were performed nationwide in 2011. They are generally performed on younger patients who have a fatal disease and cannot be treated with medication or other interventions.

Nelson was diagnosed with systemic lupus erythematosus at 17 and rheumatoid arthritis at 22. Four years ago, she developed pulmonary hypertension, fatal without timely treatment. The disease destroyed her lungs, and her heart began to fail when it could no longer push blood into them.

Dr. Wesley McConnell, a transplant pulmonologist with Kentuckiana Pulmonary Associates in Louisville, began caring for Dawn two and a half years ago at KPA's Pulmonary Hypertension Center. After she didn't respond to drug therapies, McConnell referred Dawn to UK May 11 for a transplant evaluation. "Dawn was extremely ill and it became clear that her only chance for survival would be a heart-lung transplant," he said. "I knew that UK was her best option because they had the most experienced team in the state."

Dr. Charles Hoopes, director of the UK Transplant Center, performed the surgery, only the seventh such procedure to be performed at UK since it began transplantation in 1964. The last time UK performed this surgery was 1996. "Although the surgery itself is relatively simple, combined heart-lung transplants are rare because they require three donor organs and are reserved for patients who are extremely ill with heart and lung failure," said Dr. Jay Zwischenberger, chair of the UK Department of Surgery. "They also require a great deal of infrastructure and support to perform successfully. At UK, we have that team in place, and moving forward we expect to perform one or two of these combined transplants per year."

More than four months after her surgery, Nelson continues to improve and grow stronger. Dr. Enrique Diaz, medical director for lung transplantation, and Dr. Navin Rajagopalan, medical director of cardiac transplantation, both provide followup care for her at UK, and she continues to see McConnell in Louisville. "Dawn is doing quite well. At the time of transplant, she was so sick she only weighed about 80 pounds," Rajagopalan said. "Now, she feels well, is gaining weight, and is able to do things that she had not been able to do for years.”

Nelson's collaborative treatment is a prime example of the partnership UK is trying to cultivate among Louisville and Lexington doctors, said Dr. Michael Karpf, UK executive vice president for health affairs: “Our goal is to continue to provide highly advanced subspecialty care such as Ms. Nelson’s complex transplant to patients like her who otherwise would either have to leave the commonwealth or, worse, not receive the treatment needed.”

In November 2010, UK in collaboration with Norton HealthCare opened up an outreach Transplant and Specialty Clinic at Norton Audubon Hospital to provide comprehensive pre- and post-transplant care for patients. The partnership ensures that patients like Nelson will not have to leave the state to receive complex acute care or followup treatment, a UK press release said.

Read More