Monthly Archives: January 2020

When the body is exposed to high levels of the stress  hormone cortisol for extended periods of time this leads to a condition known as hypercortisolism, or Cushing syndrome.

High levels of cortisol in the body can occur as a result of ingesting oral corticosteroids or the body producing too much of the hormone in the adrenal glands.

Why would the body produce too much cortisol? It may be due to a tumor on the pituitary gland which leads to an over production of  adrenocorticotropic hormone (ACTH) that stimulates the adrenal glands. This is more common in women than in men.  It can also be due to a noncancerous tumor of the adrenal gland which causes an excess production of cortisol.

The medications that contain steroids are used to treat asthma, inflammation, rheumatoid arthritis, lupus. patients who have had organ transplants are also given steroids to reduce the risk of complications.

Signs and symptoms of Cushing syndrome include:

• Weight gain
• Buffalo hump ( fatty tissue deposits between the shoulders)
• Moon face ( fatty tissue deposits in the face)
• Thinning of the skin
• Slow healing of wounds
• Severe fatigue
• Depression
• Headache
• Bone loss
• Weakness
• Acne
• High blood sugar levels

Diagnosing Cushing syndrome is done by several methods. A 24 hour urine test may be performed to test levels of cortisol, a dexamethasone suppression test which involves taking a low dose steroid pill at night and then checking the blood levels for it in the morning, and a salivary cortisol level test which measures the level of cortisol in the saliva at night.

Treatment depends on the cause of the condition. If a person is taking in too much cortisol, it may have to be reduced. If a person is producing too much cortisol, ruling out a tumor is important. It is possible to cure Cushing syndrome, and if a complete cure isn’t possible, there are ways to at least control it. If you would like to schedule an appointment with a physician at Jamaica Hospital Medical Center, please call 718-206-7001.

All content of this newsletter is intended for general information purposes only and is not intended or implied to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. Please consult a medical professional before adopting any of the suggestions on this page. You must never disregard professional medical advice or delay seeking medical treatment based upon any content of this newsletter. PROMPTLY CONSULT YOUR PHYSICIAN OR CALL 911 IF YOU BELIEVE YOU HAVE A MEDICAL EMERGENCY.

January 8, 2020, is designated as National Winter Skin Relief Day.  This observation helps remind us that our skin is susceptible dryness and cracking due to the severe weather winter season can bring.

Winter can be a particularly harsh season for our skin. During this time of year, temperatures are cold and we spend more time indoors where heating systems tend to deplete the water content in the air.  Low humidity in our environment contributes to dry skin.

Dry skin commonly appears as being rough and flaky patches, which can show up anywhere on the body but mostly on the arms and legs. In severe cases, your skin can develop creases and cracks when it is extremely dry.

Drying of the skin typically occurs when the outer layer of the skin, called the stratum corneum, becomes compromised. The stratum corneum which is composed of dead skin cells and natural oils; acts as a protective layer that prevents water from evaporating from the surface. When water evaporates, outer skin cells become flaky and will cause cracks and fissures.

There are steps you can take to retain moisture and prevent dry skin. Here are a few:
• Bathe in warm water, never hot
• Use mild soaps that contain moisturizing creams
• Pat the skin dry with soft towels
• Use a moisturizer several times a day on exposed areas of the body.
• Drink a lot of water
• Apply sunscreen to prevent drying out from the sun’s rays
• Wear gloves
• Avoid wearing wet articles of clothes outdoors.
• Have a humidifier in the home

If you would like to schedule an appointment with a dermatologist at Jamaica Hospital Medical Center to discuss dry skin and how best to treat it, please call 718-206-7001.

All content of this newsletter is intended for general information purposes only and is not intended or implied to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. Please consult a medical professional before adopting any of the suggestions on this page. You must never disregard professional medical advice or delay seeking medical treatment based upon any content of this newsletter. PROMPTLY CONSULT YOUR PHYSICIAN OR CALL 911 IF YOU BELIEVE YOU HAVE A MEDICAL EMERGENCY.

Jamaica Hospital Medical Center is proud to announce that we have earned an “Age-Friendly Health System” status; a designation that less than 20 percent of the health care facilities across the country have yet to receive.

Receiving an Age-Friendly status demonstrates that Jamaica Hospital and the Jamaica Hospital Nursing Home are committed to this rapidly growing movement to improve the health care for older adults.

This initiative was a collaborative effort founded in 2017 by the John A. Hartford Foundation, the Institute for Healthcare Improvement (IHI), the American Hospital Association (AHA), and the Catholic Health Association of the United States (CHA) with the intention of helping hospitals and other care settings implement a set of evidence-based interventions specifically designed to improve care for older adults.

The initiative is guided by a framework of essential elements known as the “4Ms”, which include:

• What Matters – Communicating with our patients to better understand their personal and healthcare goals. This is achieved by asking a series of questions to the patient as well as family members or caregivers. Factors in what matters most to our patients could include end-of-life care, placement issues, or financial concerns.
• Medication – Prescribing age-friendly medications that do not interfere with the goals of our older patients. This includes not prescribing certain medications that can affect a patient’s mobility and using our electronic medical record system to identify potentially inappropriate medications.
• Mentation – Preventing, identifying, treating and managing mental health issues such as depression and dementia in our older patients. This involves conducting a mental health status examination.
• Mobility – Ensuring that our older adult patients move safely and maintain function. This is done by getting our patients to ambulate more while in our care and by conducting a Fall Risk Assessment and providing mobility devices if necessary.

Receiving this designation was a collaborative effort led by Dr. Angelo Canedo and Dr. Alan Roth and included a leadership committee comprised of physicians, nurses, and hospital administrators. After a rigorous nine-month process that included educating all of our providers and submitting data that demonstrated the 4Ms have been incorporated into our practices.

The 4M initiative for treating older adults is currently being practiced throughout our network, by providers in our Emergency Departments, Ambulatory Care Centers, Inpatient Units, and in our long-term care facility

“Older adults deserve safe, high-quality healthcare. The Age-Friendly Health System initiative is an important part of our vision to provide it to them,” stated Dr. Alan Roth. “We worked very hard to achieve this goal and are extremely appreciative of those who contributed to helping us attain it.”

All content of this newsletter is intended for general information purposes only and is not intended or implied to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. Please consult a medical professional before adopting any of the suggestions on this page. You must never disregard professional medical advice or delay seeking medical treatment based upon any content of this newsletter. PROMPTLY CONSULT YOUR PHYSICIAN OR CALL 911 IF YOU BELIEVE YOU HAVE A MEDICAL EMERGENCY.

It’s the beginning of a new year which is a perfect time to make a promise to take better care of yourself.  What better way to do this than by scheduling an appointment for a regular medical check-up. Even if you feel fine, it is a good idea to see your medical doctor to ensure that you don’t have any underlying health issues. The American Medical Association is now recommending that physical exams be performed once every five years for people between 18 and 40 years of age and every three years after the age of 40, as long as there are no chronic illnesses that require  more frequent check-ups.  After the age of 55, an annual exam is probably a good idea.

There are many reasons that having a physical exam is something that everyone should make time to do.  These include:

• Prevention of illnesses
• Monitoring the risk of chronic disease
• Identify illnesses that don’t have symptoms
• Monitoring your weight, blood pressure, heart rate, and basic body chemistry
• Adjusting your lifestyle to best suit your rage
• Keeping an ongoing relationship with your physician

If you would like to schedule an appointment with a physician at Jamaica Hospital Medical Center, please call 718-206-7001.

All content of this newsletter is intended for general information purposes only and is not intended or implied to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. Please consult a medical professional before adopting any of the suggestions on this page. You must never disregard professional medical advice or delay seeking medical treatment based upon any content of this newsletter. PROMPTLY CONSULT YOUR PHYSICIAN OR CALL 911 IF YOU BELIEVE YOU HAVE A MEDICAL EMERGENCY.