- Behavioral Health, Senior CareGeneral Page Tier 3BlogStudies show four out of five adults take over-the-counter (OTC) medications to treat pain, fever, allergies, heartburn and other problems. Most of the thousands of OTC medications on the market are safe when taken as directed, as long as they do not interfere with other medications or health conditions. Many people who take OTC supplements may not realize the Food and Drug Administration does not directly monitor or approve these non-prescription drugs. It is important to do your own research to know what you are taking and why. Taking more than the recommended dose of an OTC medication can be dangerous. For example, taking too much acetaminophen, which can be found in pain relievers, can cause severe liver damage or acute liver failure. Read the labels on your OTC medications carefully to prevent accidental overdose. This is especially important if you take more than one medication at a time to relieve multiple symptoms. Know the ingredients, dosages, timing and other instructions. Along with carefully reading labels, you may want to consult with your doctor or pharmacist before starting a new OTC medication. Sometimes OTC drugs interact with medications you’ve been prescribed. Those with chronic health conditions are at greater risk of serious adverse reactions while taking OTC medications. Adults age 65 and older are likely to have additional health issues, and take roughly 40 percent of OTC medications consumed. Because of this, seniors should take extra precaution. In general, do not take OTC medications longer than 10 days for pain or longer than three days for fever without consulting your physician. If you have concerns about medications, it’s important to talk to your doctor. To find a primary care doctor near you, visit findadoc.aahs.org or call 443-481-5555. Originally published Jan. 28, 2016. Last updated April 25, 2018.0
- Employee SpotlightGeneral Page Tier 3BlogWhen Lyndsey Griffin was born, the doctors quickly noticed there was something wrong. After a few tests, the results came back – it was a brain tumor. “I had a rough start,” Lyndsey says. “I had to have two brain surgeries. I was only six weeks old when I had my first surgery and eight months old during my second surgery. The doctors were expecting the worst and they told my family that even if I survived I would likely be mentally delayed or blind. But what parent doesn’t want to give their child every possible chance? Somehow, everything worked out in the end.” Growing up, Lyndsey recalls always being provided for. After all, she was the first child and the first girl. It wasn’t until later that she found out that life wasn’t as easy as her family made it look. Her mother was a stay-at-home mom while her father worked long hours as a jeweler and real estate agent. “He worked really hard to make ends meet,” she says. “I had to go to follow-up appointments, MRI, etc. They received help from our church, they received state assistance and support from family. When I look back now, I realize how good they were at keeping this from me. They did not want me to worry.” That always stuck with Lyndsey, who currently works as an oncology patient financial navigator. Understanding firsthand what it’s like for a family to go through financial struggles caused by health challenges, she knew this role would be the perfect fit for her. “I don’t want people to have to choose between treatment — whether it’s for their spouse, child, or whoever is important to them — and having a life,” Lyndsey says. “I want them to be able to have treatment, thrive, and move on with their life without being financially bereft. I want them to be able to live their lives and not feel like they are a burden. I was fortunate enough to never feel like that.” Lyndsey started working in dialysis with lower income patients in West Baltimore, where she learned about insurance information. Later, she transitioned to working with outpatients. When the role at Anne Arundel Medical Center opened, Lyndsey found an opportunity to bridge her social work background with her finite resource-gathering financial knowledge she learned in school and through years of work. “When I talk to people about what I do and that I work in oncology, they say, ‘Wow, that must be so depressing,’” she says. “I find it strange that people think that because we’ve come so far with treatment, people are living for years and years. I see more successful stories than I see ‘depressing’ stories.” “My patients make me want to wake up and come to work, even when I’m exhausted and don’t want to do anything else,” she says. “I can’t fix everything, but I know that I can make a difference.” Pro tip: “Sometimes as health care professionals we feel so burdened with workload and rushed to get everything done, but we are all human. I think asking someone how they’re doing will just make all the difference to the patient. Take a second, human to human, and ask, ‘What can I do for you today? How are you feeling?’ They could have anything and everything going on. Just level with people.” If you know a great individual or a fantastic team going above and beyond to make a difference, make sure to let us know! Looking for a career in health care? We invite you to join a diverse and collaborative team of professionals working together to innovate the future of health care for our entire region. Check out our career opportunities. *Lyndsey Griffin received an AAMC Champion award for the month of July.0
- Endocrinology, WellnessGeneral Page Tier 3BlogNovember is Diabetes Awareness Month, highlighting a crucial health issue that affects more than 38 million Americans. According to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), 90 to 95% of those with diabetes have type 2 diabetes, a chronic metabolic condition where the body doesn’t use insulin effectively, leading to elevated blood sugar levels. Each year, 1.9 million new cases are diagnosed, yet more than 8 million Americans remain undiagnosed. If current trends persist, one in every three people born in the year 2000 will develop type 2 diabetes in their lifetime. In Prince George’s County, adult diabetes diagnoses exceed the state average, with higher rates of diabetes-related deaths and hospitalizations further underscoring the seriousness of this issue locally. Type 2 diabetes symptoms often develop gradually, causing some people to misattribute them to other factors or remain unaware of the signs. This lack of awareness can delay diagnosis and the opportunity to learn to manage the condition effectively. Symptoms of type 2 diabetes Left untreated, type 2 diabetes can lead to several complications, including cardiovascular disease, kidney disease, loss of vision, neuropathy, reduced circulation, loss of limbs, and more. That’s why you should see a physician as quickly as possible if you see any of the signs of type 2 diabetes. Here are some of the critical signs of type 2 diabetes: Frequent urination. Type 2 diabetes can increase your need to urinate, particularly at night. Your kidneys are working to filter out excess glucose from your bloodstream, leading to frequent urination. Increased thirst. When your kidneys filter excess glucose from your blood, it can cause dehydration and make you feel thirsty. If you drink more fluids than usual and still feel thirsty, it could be a sign of type 2 diabetes. Unexplained weight loss. Sudden unintentional weight loss is another sign of possible type 2 diabetes. When your body can't use glucose efficiently due to insulin resistance, it may break down body fat and muscle for energy, leading to weight loss. Fatigue. Persistent fatigue, particularly after meals, is a common symptom of type 2 diabetes. Your body can’t use insulin effectively for energy, so you may feel tired and sluggish. This fatigue can affect your daily activities. Blurred vision. High glucose levels can lead to changes in your body's fluid levels. Those changes can cause the lenses of your eyes to swell, resulting in blurred vision. Vision changes may come and go, or you may have persistent blurry vision. Slow-healing wounds. Type 2 diabetes can influence your body's ability to heal wounds. That’s because high blood sugar can affect blood flow and cause nerve damage, making it more difficult for your body to heal. Frequent Infections. Type 2 diabetes can weaken your immune system and make you more susceptible to infections of the skin, gums, urinary tract, or other common infections. If you notice you are getting more infections than in the past, it could be a sign of type 2 diabetes. When to see a doctor You should see a physician if you have one or more of these symptoms. Early detection and treatment of type 2 diabetes can help you maintain a good quality of life and avoid serious complications. You can learn to manage type 2 diabetes by making lifestyle changes, monitoring blood sugar levels, and taking medication, if necessary. Doctors test for type 2 diabetes primarily through blood tests that measure blood glucose levels. The most common tests include the A1C test, which shows average blood sugar levels over the past two to three months, and the fasting plasma glucose (FPG) test, which measures blood sugar after an overnight fast. If these levels are elevated, a diagnosis of diabetes may be confirmed. Recognizing the signs of type 2 diabetes is the first step in managing the disease so you can lead a healthy and fulfilling life. The diabetes program at Luminis Health can provide everything you need to manage type 2 diabetes and any complications, including education, monitoring, and treatments. Pedram Javanmard is an endocrinologist at Luminis Health with expertise in a wide range of endocrine-related diseases.0
- Cancer CareGeneral Page Tier 3BlogQuitting smoking is one of the most important health decisions you can make. Although we have seen a significant decrease over the past decade in the percent of U.S. adults who smoke, tobacco use continues to have a devastating impact on peoples’ lives. So what is the best way to successfully quit? Perhaps the first step is to not relegate smoking to a once a year promise. Make quitting tobacco a weekly event until you quit for good. “Healthy Monday Campaigns” encourage you to plan healthy lifestyle changes at the beginning of each week. “Quit and Stay Quit Monday” is a weekly opportunity to keep at your ‘quit attempt’ until you successfully quit for good! Take our pledge to love your lungs, and be entered to win a $50 Visa gift card! There are several ways to prepare for your quit attempt. Here are some steps you can take to get ready: Get ready mentally. Think about your most important reason(s) for quitting. What will drive you to stick to your resolution, even when the going gets tough? Prepare your environment. Take a look around and note what triggers you, or reminds you to smoke? Getting rid of ash trays, lighters and any remaining cigarettes is a first step. Where do you routinely smoke? What can you change about those areas and routines that go along with smoking? Have tools in place to keep you at ease. This might include readily available healthy snacks, sugarless gum or cinnamon sticks. Such items, along with over-the-counter and/or prescription medication, will go a long way to keep you on track. There are seven FDA-approved medications to help you quit tobacco. They include Chantix (varenicline), Zyban (bupropion), and five nicotine replacements: the “inhaler” and nasal spray (both are prescription), as well as the nicotine patch, gum and lozenge. Medication or a combination of medications can be invaluable in a successful quit attempt. You may be questioning whether Electronic Nicotine Delivery Devices, or ENDDs, are a safe approach to quitting smoking. ENDDs are battery-operated devices that deliver nicotine. They include ‘e-cigarettes,’ vapes, mods and e-hookahs. Instead of smoke from burning tobacco, ENDDs give off vapor from the liquid (e-juice) in the device. In addition to nicotine, the liquid contains flavorings and other chemicals that are not completely harmless. These devices have been around for several years, but have recently gained popularity as an alternative to smoking and another potential tool for quitting. The most current research concludes that ENDDs may help people quit smoking, and no serious side effects have been identified in the short term (up to two years). It is important to remember, though, that it was many years before tobacco was identified as deadly. So the long-term effects of the use of ENDDs are unknown. There are other concerns about the emergence of ENDDs, one being that they could renormalize smoking. They may deter people from quitting smoking and lead to nicotine addiction in young people, where the use of ENDDs is skyrocketing. Also important to keep in mind is that ENDDs are not fully regulated by the FDA yet and many products are under the control of tobacco companies. ENDDs have also been associated with specific lung disorders related to chemicals used in flavoring the e-juice. And there is an explosion hazard associated with the overheating of the lithium ion batteries. Quitting smoking is an important health decision, but how you quit is also important. Recognize that quitting tobacco will not only increase your years of life but also your quality of life. There are many safe, FDA-approved medications and other strategies that can help you achieve your goal of healthy smoke-free living. Consult your health care provider or a tobacco treatment specialist to discuss the best plan for you. Ready to quit smoking? call 443-481-5366 to learn how AAMC can help you. Author By Joanne Ebner, a cancer prevention program supervisor at Anne Arundel Medical Center. Originally published Jan. 16, 2017. Last updated Nov. 21, 2019.0
- Behavioral Health, Orthopedics, Weight Loss, WellnessGeneral Page Tier 3BlogWe know the benefits of exercise: It can control our weight, reduce our risk of certain diseases, improve our mood and mental health, and lengthen our life. But it can be hard to get motivated. If you could use a little push, look no further than a workout buddy. “Exercising with a partner holds us accountable and keeps us motivated,” says orthopedic surgeon James York, MD. “It can also help us overcome our fear of trying a new class or exercise equipment, bring variety to our workouts and increase our commitment to achieving fitness goals.” Your exercise buddy could be a co-worker, spouse, friend, family member or new gym acquaintance. Look for: Someone who is slightly fitter than you, so he or she can motivate you Someone with similar fitness goals Compatible schedules Once you’ve found your perfect workout partner, try a few of these exercises: Take a class at the gym, like a spin class or boot camp Create a no-equipment, high-intensity routine at your home (think squats, push-ups, crunches, planks and high-knees) Rock climbing Try one of the martial arts, especially tai chi Learn about more than 20 fitness classes and workshops available through AAMC. Author James York, MD, is an orthopedic surgeon at AAMC and practices with AAMC Orthopedics. Originally posted February 15, 2017. Last updated Aug. 5, 2019.0
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