September 12, 2007

12:10: The Health Roundup with Jay, Jamie and Jimmy.

12:20: There’’s been a breakthrough at McMaster University on the stem cell research front. It’’s concerning Fragile X Syndrome (FXS), which is a sex linked genetic disorder that affects about 1 in 4,000 males and 1 in 6,000 females. FXS is the most common genetic disorder associated with mental impairment.
Guest: Dr. Laurie Doering, Associate Professor in the Department of Pathology and Molecular Medicine, McMaster University.

12:35: The average person may not know it but they could be part of the community solution to ending youth homelessness in Hamilton. The Couch Project aims to educate people in the community about how to help young people who might be at risk of homelessness.
Guest: Jennie Vengris, Social Planner, Social Planning and Research Council of Hamilton.

12:45: The DayNight Pharmacy segment.
Guest: Irene.

Irene talked about the management of Hypertension.
Hypertension is a major risk factor for cardiovascular disease ( stroke & heart disease) and as such is one of the most important preventable causes of premature morbidity and mortality in Canada. Hypertension can be a silent killer, managing and taking measurements of your blood pressure is important. At DayNight Pharmacy you can take your BP in a relaxed environment. Maintaining a journal or noting your readings on an ongoing routine, will give you an indication what your BP is, and if a doctor follow-up is required. Your ideally targeted BP should be 140/90. Blood pressure is continually changing depending on activity, temperature, diet, emotional state, posture, physical state and medication use. Blood pressure is a measurement of the force applied to the walls of the arteries as the heart pumps blood through the body. The pressure is determined by the force and amount of blood pumped, and the size and flexibility of the arteries. The top number is the systolic blood pressure reading. It represents the maximum pressure exerted when the heart contracts. The bottom number is the diastolic blood pressure reading. It represents the pressure in the arteries when the heart is at rest. If you are taking BP medication this does not mean you have to take this for the rest of your life. Stop smoking, weight reduction if necessary, moderate exercise and a good diet ( avoid the salt shaker & processed foods) . Most people can't sense if their blood pressure is high, testing is a way of monitoring the effectiveness of medications and/or dietary modifications!