Identification and Management of Osteoporotic Fractures is Lacking, Putting Long-Term Health of Patients at Risk
80-90% of Canadian adults do not receive appropriate osteoporosis management even after they break a bone due to osteoporosis
MISSISSAUGA, ON, March 2, 2021 /CNW/ - Fractures due to osteoporosis, a skeletal disorder characterized by low bone mineral density1, have been labelled a public health crisis.2 This is in part due to an increasing number of older adults at risk of fractures due to osteoporosis (known as fragility fractures) as well as the low rates of osteoporosis management in patients who experience a fragility fracture across Europe and North America.3
Real-world evidence published in two recent Canadian studies illustrates the critical importance of recognizing and treating fractures caused by osteoporosis, as they can mean imminent risk for subsequent breaks and even death. 4,5 This Canadian data further supports recently published global calls to action urging for a shift in focus to managing osteoporosis in adults who experience a fragility fracture.6
"Our research demonstrates that, particularly over the age of 65, a fragility fracture anywhere in the body can significantly increase the risk of subsequent fractures and as much as double the risk of death in the first year after fracture," said Dr. Jacques P. Brown, Professeur de Clinique en Rhumatologie, Université Laval, an author on both studies. We need to pay close attention to these risk factors, closely monitor those who experience an osteoporosis-related break and provide education related to fracture and mortality risk to better manage this condition."
This study identified Canadians older than 65 with an initial fragility fracture occurring between 2011 and 2015. Among the 115,776 patients with a fragility fracture, 18% experienced another fragility fracture on average within two years after the initial fracture. The most common sites of the initial fracture were the hip (27%) and wrist (15%).
Mortality in older adults following a fragility fracture: real-world retrospective matched-cohort study in Ontario8was also conducted with Canadians older than 65 and confirmed that a fragility fracture is associated with increased mortality risk. In fact, survival declined over the six years following the fracture with the steepest decline occurring within the first year, when mortality risk more than doubled and deaths were observed in one in eight women and one in five men with fractures.
In spite of this increased mortality after fracture, a large care gap persists for the prevention of fractures. Studies show that an estimated 80–90% of adults do not receive appropriate osteoporosis management, even after they experience a fracture due to osteoporosis.9 In contrast, in Canada, approximately 90% of patients with cardiovascular risk factors receive appropriate disease management to prevent a subsequent cardiovascular event.10
Both the Fragility fracture identifies patients at imminent risk for subsequent fracture: real-world retrospective database study in Ontario, Canada and Mortality in older adults following a fragility fracture: real-world retrospective matched-cohort study in Ontario studies were supported financially by Amgen Canada.
About Osteoporosis
Osteoporosis is a condition that causes bones to become thin and porous, decreasing bone strength and leading to increased risk of breaking a bone.11 The most common sites of broken bones from osteoporosis are the wrist, spine, shoulder and hip.13 Osteoporosis can strike at any age, however it mainly affects women after menopause as their ability to form new bone cannot keep up with the rate at which bone is being lost.13,12 This bone loss leads to weakened bones over time, increasing the potential for a break.13
At least one in three women and one in five men will suffer a broken bone from osteoporosis during their lifetime.13 Broken bones from osteoporosis are more common than heart attack, stroke and breast cancer combined.2 One in three people who break a hip will re-break it at one year, and over one in two will suffer another bone break within five years.13
The World Health Organization has officially declared osteoporosis a public health crisis13, while the International Osteoporosis Foundation urges governments worldwide to make osteoporosis a healthcare priority.14
About Amgen Canada
As a leader in innovation, Amgen Canada understands the value of science. With main operations located in Mississauga, Ont.'s vibrant biomedical cluster, and its research facility in Burnaby, B.C., Amgen Canada has been an important contributor to advancements in science and innovation in Canada since 1991. The company contributes to the development of new therapies and new uses for existing medicines in partnership with many of Canada's leading health-care, academic, research, government and patient organizations. To learn more about Amgen Canada, visit www.amgen.ca.
2 The World Health Organization. Bulletin of the World Health Organization. Exercise interventions: defusing the world's osteoporosis time bomb. Available at: http://www.who.int/bulletin/volumes/81/11/mingchanwa1103.pdf. Accessed April 2019.
3 Roux C, Briot K. The crisis of inadequate treatment in osteoporosis. Lancet Rheumatol. 2020;2(2):E110-E9.
4 Jonathan D. Adachi, Jacques P. Brown, Emil Schemitsch, Jean-Eric Tarride, Vivien Brown, Alan D. Bell, Maureen Reiner, Millicent Packalen, Ponda Motsepe-Ditshego, Natasha Burke, Lubomira Slatkovska. Fragility fracture identifies patients at imminent risk for subsequent fracture: real-world retrospective database study in Ontario, Canada.
5 Jacques P. Brown, Jonathan D. Adachi, Emil Schemitsch, Jean-Eric Tarride, Vivien Brown, Alan Bell, Maureen Reiner, Thiago Oliveira, Ponda Motsepe-Ditshego, Natasha Burke, Lubomira Slatkovska. Mortality in older adults following a fragility fracture: real-world retrospective matched-cohort study in Ontario.
6 Binkley N, Blank RD, Leslie WD, Lewiecki EM, Eisman JA, Bilezikian JP. Osteoporosis in Crisis: It's Time to Focus on Fracture. J Bone Miner Res. 2017;32(7):1391-4.
Compston JE, McClung MR, Leslie WD. Osteoporosis. Lancet. 2019;393(10169):364-76.
Dreinhofer KE, Mitchell PJ, Begue T, Cooper C, Costa ML, Falaschi P, et al. A global call to action to improve the care of people with fragility fractures. Injury. 2018;49(8):1393-7.
7 Jonathan D. Adachi, Jacques P. Brown, Emil Schemitsch, Jean-Eric Tarride, Vivien Brown, Alan D. Bell, Maureen Reiner, Millicent Packalen, Ponda Motsepe-Ditshego, Natasha Burke, Lubomira Slatkovska. Fragility fracture identifies patients at imminent risk for subsequent fracture: real-world retrospective database study in Ontario, Canada.
8 Jacques P. Brown, Jonathan D. Adachi, Emil Schemitsch, Jean-Eric Tarride, Vivien Brown, Alan Bell, Maureen Reiner, Thiago Oliveira, Ponda Motsepe-Ditshego, Natasha Burke, Lubomira Slatkovska. Mortality in older adults following a fragility fracture: real-world retrospective matched-cohort study in Ontario.
9 Papaioannou A, Giangregorio L, Kvern B, Boulos P, Ioannidis G, Adachi JD. The osteoporosis care gap in Canada. BMC Musculoskelet Disord. 2004;5:11.
Bessette L, Ste-Marie LG, Jean S, Davison KS, Beaulieu M, Baranci M, et al. The care gap in diagnosis and treatment of women with a fragility fracture. Osteoporos Int. 2008;19(1):79-86.
10 Bell A, Hill MD, Herman RJ, Girard M, Cohen E, Canadian RoAfCHRSC. Management of atherothrombotic risk factors in high-risk Canadian outpatients. Can J Cardiol. 2009;25(6):345-51.
13 The World Health Organization. Bulletin of the World Health Organization. Exercise interventions: defusing the world's osteoporosis time bomb. Available at: http://www.who.int/bulletin/volumes/81/11/mingchanwa1103.pdf. Accessed September 28, 2020.
Alimentiv Announces Acquisition of McDougall Scientific Ltd.
LONDON, ON, March 2, 2021 /CNW/ - Alimentiv Health Trust, the parent company of Alimentiv, Inc. (formerly Robarts Clinical Trials), a specialized global gastrointestinal (GI) contract research organization (CRO), announced today the acquisition of McDougall Scientific Ltd. a niche CRO specializing in statistical analysis, top-tier data management, reporting, and clinical trial design.
The acquisition of McDougall Scientific delivers on the purpose of the Alimentiv Health Trust to build enduring organizations that prioritize investment in Health Research. "McDougall Scientific has for 35 years prioritized excellence in science through delivery of high quality statistical and data management services. We are thrilled to invite the McDougall organization into the Alimentiv family of companies and are eager to leverage our complementary capabilities to provide an enhanced level of services to our sponsors," said Jeff Smith, CEO, Alimentiv.
John Amrhein, Vice President of McDougall Scientific who will assume additional responsibilities as Managing Director following the acquisition said, "The expertise of Alimentiv and McDougall Scientific are well aligned to enhance both the scope and depth of service offerings to the clients of both companies. Our shared values, emphasis on quality, and complementary corporate culture inspired this acquisition that will facilitate synergistic growth and expansion of services."
Janet McDougall, Founder, McDougall Scientific, will retire following more than 35 years of operating McDougall Scientific. Janet will stay on as a consultant through the transition and offers the following: "McDougall Scientific has earned a reputation as an experienced CRO with a commitment to continually raising the standards of our industry. Valuable insights, timely, accurate data, and analytics leading to expedited time-to-market and lower development costs are the foundation of the work we do."
Alimentiv and McDougall Scientific have core expertise in clinical trial design and statistical analysis. The combined strength of the organizations will provide benefits that include:
Study design and statistical consulting services
Data standards (CDISC), data conversion (SDTM/ADaM), and data visualization services
Observational, registry, real-world evidence study designs, and analyses
Technology solutions for small biotech and virtual organizations including EDC, IRT, and ComplyDocs (McDougall's proprietary eTMF system)
Both companies are proud of their Canadian roots and support the continued growth of jobs in Canada and globally. Combined the companies have offices in London, ON; Toronto, ON; San Diego, USA; and Amsterdam, the Netherlands serving customers worldwide.
Looking forward we expect to see strong continued growth in the global biostatics market and are excited about the benefits this acquisition brings and the opportunity we have to continue to prioritize our vision of building a leading clinical drug development CRO that through investment in academic research and delivery of clinical services accelerates drug discovery for our sponsors," said Smith.
VANCOUVER, BC, March 2, 2021 /CNW/ - Tickets are now on sale for the 2021 ARThritis Soirée! Arthritis Research Canada's signature event will celebrate its 8th year of raising awareness and funds for arthritis research on Thursday,May 27, 2021 at 5:00pm PDT. Though, for the first time, it will take a virtual format.
The ARThritis Soirée highlights art as a way to emphasize the therapeutic role that art plays in helping people cope with a chronic disease. This year will be no different as our event goes virtual to ensure everyone's safety. This is important for our arthritis community, which has been particularly vulnerable throughout the pandemic
The 2021 ARThritis Soirée will continue to offer a fun and dynamic experience. Guests will enjoy amazing entertainment, an exquisite raffle, along with art and silent auctions.
Get your tickets today and join other like-minded individuals, businesses, community leaders, philanthropists, doctors, health care professionals, and special guests from across the country who share an appreciation of art and a desire to support arthritis research.
Arthritis Research Canada is excited to welcome back Macdonald Realty – a British Columbia owned and operated brokerage with more than 1,000 real estate professionals and staff – as our 2021 ARThritis Soirée, Presenting Sponsor. "Despite these uncertain times, we must push forward and do all we can to accelerate discovery and find answers for the millions of Canadians living with arthritis. Arthritis research is the only way to accomplish this and Macdonald Realty is proud to be able to help," said Dan Scarrow, Macdonald Real Estate Group's President.
Arthritis now affects over 6 million Canadians of ALL ages and 350 million people worldwide. And with the global COVID-19 pandemic, the need to support arthritis research has never been greater!
"Arthritis is a misunderstood disease. Many assume it's no more than aches and pains and only affects older people. It's actually the leading cause of work disability in Canada and doesn't discriminate based on age," said Dr. Diane Lacaille, Arthritis Research Canada's Scientific Director. "Your generosity is helping to accelerate discoveries aimed at preventing arthritis, facilitating early diagnosis, providing new and better treatments, and improving quality of life."
We are excited to present the 2021 ARThritis Soirée in its new format and to invite you to help us create greater awareness and raise important funds for leading edge arthritis research.
For more information about the ARThritis Soirée and to purchase tickets, please visit https://arthritissoiree.ca/. Please join us in supporting vital arthritis research.
ABOUT ARTHRITIS RESEARCH CANADA:
Arthritis Research Canada is the largest clinical arthritis research institution in North America. Our mission is to transform the lives of people living with arthritis through research and engagement. Arthritis Research Canada's scientific director, Dr. Diane Lacaille is leading a team of over 100 researchers, trainees and staff whose world recognized research is creating a future where people living with arthritis are empowered to triumph over pain and disability. Arthritis Research Canada is conducting research across Canada in British Columbia, Alberta and Quebec and is affiliated with five major universities: University of British Columbia, Simon Fraser University, University of Calgary, Université Laval, and McGill University. Arthritis Research Canada is leading research aimed at arthritis prevention, early diagnosis, new and better treatment, and improved quality of life.
SOURCE Arthritis Research Canada
Let God Transform Your Brokenness into Something Beautiful
Seattle, WA, March 2, 2021 — The next time you experience failure, feel insecure or sense that you’re in over your head, embrace that moment — because it can be the turning point you need to learn and grow in wonderful new directions.
“We’re going to fail. The truth is, that’s exactly where God wants us to be so that He can grow us,” writes Christine Soule in her inspirational story, Broken and Beautiful. “The key is discovering who you are in Christ — your true identify. And that’s especially significant if you, like me, have a past of brokenness.”
Soule’s life was a jumbled pile of broken pieces. Her father was married seven times; her mother four times. Between her parents’ divorce when she was 5 years old and the day she allowed the power and presence of God into her heart, she watched her sister have an affair with her adoptive father; met 15 siblings she never knew at her biological father’s funeral; turned to drugs and alcohol; got pregnant at 17; had twins less than two years later; and became a victim of human trafficking. She had to break the cycle for the sake of her children. With nowhere else to turn, she dropped to her knees and prayed. And that’s when everything changed.
Broken and Beautiful is Soule’s remarkable story of how God took the pieces of her broken, astonishingly dysfunctional life and transformed it all into a breathtaking mosaic of joy and purpose.
“The places where you feel hopeless are exactly what He wants to redeem and fill with beauty, dignity and strength. He has a plan for your pain. A wonderful intention for your failures. A purpose for your hardest, darkest stories,” Soule writes.
Told with honesty and surprising touches of humor, Soule shares her journey from drug-addicted stripper to exuberant Jesus lover with a passion for helping others embrace God’s love. Broken and Beautiful is a raw, authentic story of hope, from a place of experience.
Author Christine Soule lives with the love of her life, Mitch Soule, in Seattle. They have five kids and three wonderful grandchildren. She is the founder and CEO of Providence Heights (www.providenceheights.org), a nonprofit created to house women and children in need and to provide counseling, education and jobs.
Powerful True Story Inspires Others to Seek Adventure, Turn Each Day into a Gift
Fort Wayne, IN, March 2, 2021 — Brittany Moser’s short life was not defined by how she died, but rather, by how she lived each day to the fullest and the profound impact she had on those around her. Brittany died from a rare condition, Addison’s disease, in 2017 at the age of 32. She had been a happy-go-lucky flight attendant, soaring high above reality, when her diagnosis suddenly brought her down to earth.
Rather than buckle under the weight of fear, she chose to be fearless and embarked upon the adventure of a lifetime with her best friend — her father. Free and Fearless: The Amazing Impact of One Precious Lifeis Brittany’s unforgettable story as told by her father, Philip Moser.
“This book is not about the grief of losing a child, but about making the most out of what we are given and living our lives positively and not out of fear,” Moser writes. “Brittany inspired me, an ordinary farm boy, to explore life, to climb mountains and to write a book.”
Free and Fearless is an honest, poignant account of Brittany’s legacy and the ripple effect that her outlook on life had on everyone who knew her. Philip hopes that by hearing her story, readers will be inspired by Brittany’s contagious spirit and unwavering desire for new adventures and experiences — even in the shadow of an incurable illness.
Among Brittany’s valuable life lessons that Philip shares with readers are:
1. How precious life is and how we can affect the people around us; 2. How an open mind and a positive attitude can inspire us to do things we never thought possible; 3. How to move out of our comfort zones and into a challenging existence that can turn each day into an exciting gift to be explored; 4. How to not let fear control us, and to use our abilities to seek unique, positive and inspiring adventures; 5. To embrace change as a natural part of life; 6. And finally, that we won’t be remembered by our things or our savings accounts, but by how we made other people feel.
“I want to share the same inspiration that I received for 32 years,” Philip added. “In the end, love truly does conquer all, and Brittany wanted us to know that.”
Author Philip Moser grew up on a farm in Angola, Indiana. After high school, he began working in different aspects of the grocery business, a career that continues to this day. He and his wife, Marilyn Wells, raised two incredible daughters, Camille and Brittany.
Love Will Help Us Through the Pandemic – Dr. Liza Leal
For many of us, 2020 was the year from hell and 2021 is the year that hell froze over.
But the terrible impacts of this record-setting winter are going to fade away with Spring. And there is a quick and reliable way to improve the love and warmth in our lives and get some badly needed help to relieve the stress and pain and isolation we are all feeling from covid. All you need to do is simply tell people why you love them.
You can turn the day bright simply by telling them why you love them. There are lots of areas you can focus on. The key is to pick even just one thing.
Describe to them they ways you love them that makes you feel cherished.
Tell them the specific things you like hearing them say and do, especially when they talk about you to other people.
Tell them how they made you feel when they provided you with emotional support during a tough time, a recent crisis or a difficult experience you went through recently.
Tell them that how you respect and admire how they are different (and better) than you in one or more ways. Recognize and praise them for these differences.
Tell them where and how you appreciate the way they communicate well with you. Recognize them for the things they have said and tell them how they made you feel.
Tell them how much you love to spend time with them doing the things you enjoy to do together. Tell them how you cherish those certain moments that you share together pursuing a common interest.
Tell them how you are attracted to them physically, and how much you are interested in and wanting to be physically intimate with them.
Follow Up and Take Action
You will dramatically improve the love you receive in return by taking additional action to reinforce the feelings you just identified.
Raise the heat by taking action. Think about the seven things your partner likes the most that you do and take actions to deliver more of it in spades.
Make a date!
Pay more attention to the key areas that influence the state of your relationship and jumpstart your romance to achieve greater intimacy.
Practice makes perfect.
Ask your partner what you can do to make their day better or easier. Say these three powerful words to your partner more often: “I love you”. Show affection to your partner on a regular basis.
Two people may love each other, yet not like or accept everything about each other as they are. Think about going to town and focusing on the positive things you do like about your partner. Stop yourself when you start to criticize or complain. Force yourself to say something positive instead. Compliment them. Commend their strength, their action, their self-control, whatever it is that they do.
Tell them, “I am here for you. I will stand by you” Encourage them to develop their full potential.
Feed them what they love. Create new habits and expand the activities they enjoy the most. Form new habits to help you both get by in hard times. If restrictions keep you from going out, have a weekly date at home. Turn on the music and be silly, or dance with your partner in the kitchen, or make brunch on the weekend if your partner usually cooks. Enjoy a change of scenery by taking a walk in a new location or a park, taking a drive together, and going for a hike. To a new location or destination.
Indulge them in what they love.
Learn about your partner’s favorite hobbies and support them in their enjoyment of the topic. Figure out a way to spend time with them both of you doing what the other loves. .
Listen More to Achieve Greater Understanding
Ask how they feel about something and then keep your mouth shut. Listen and learn. Let them rant and rave all they want. No talking at all. Don’t say anything except “uh huh”. Just shut up and listen and learn what your partner believes, desires, feels, and hopes. The more you listen, the more you will know and the better you will really understand, and the more you will truly be able to experience true love.
These seven elements are the foundations of emotional intimacy. They are crucial for all people, especially those affected by chronic pain and other ongoing health issues.
Together, they form a solid roadmap for greater love – a solid path on which you and your chosen partner can walk together hand in hand through the current pandemic and beyond.
Cupid’s Challenge, Embracing, Restoring Love, Affection, Intimacy and Respect Through the Challenges of Chronic Pain,
Liza Leal, M.D.
List $16.95
113 pages paperback
First Printing, 2021 ISBN-13: 978-1-951805-62-3 print edition ISBN-13: 978-1-951805-63-0 ebook edition Published by Waterside Productions
Dr. Liza Leal is board certified in Family Medicine from the American Board of Family Medicine, and lives and practices in Sugarland, Texas. She is the Chief Medical Officer of Meridian Medical Dental Healthcare and Meridian Health Institute. She received her medical degree from the University of Texas Medical School and completed her internship and residency at the Christus St Joseph Hospital in Houston. She is an active blogger and podcaster on integrated and functional approaches to health. She is also the author of the book Living Well with Chronic Pain (2015) and coauthor of the book Stem Cells Made Simple (2018) with Dr. Duncan Foulds.
Dr. Leal, knows firsthand the devastation of living in chronic pain, she was diagnosed at the age of 23, her third year in medical school and was in a wheel chair the next few years. During her final year in residency, she learned to thrive again, giving up her yellow canary scooter for a pair of high heels, going from 204 lbs to 130 lbs, like many suffering from chronic illness and stress she had to change her habits to learn to live and thrive which is why she chose a path of integrated and functional medicine to help her patients get their life back too.
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Faith and Tenacity Continue to Drive 91-Year-Old Founder of Boston Area Homeless Shelter
Boston, MA, March 2, 2021 — Sylvia Anthony firmly believes that life is a gift from God, and she’s been using her gift to impact more than a thousand homeless women and children through her nonprofit, Sylvia’s Haven, which she launched in 1987. At 91 years young, Sylvia remains steadfastly involved with Sylvia’s Haven, and hopes to inspire others to overcome life’s challenges and pursue their passions.
“When we do the right thing with the right motives, there is no limit to how far we can go with the help of God,” she writes in her poignant memoir, Till the End of Time. “My advice to you is never give up, whatever comes your way; it is all worth it.”
Sylvia had endured a difficult childhood that included an abusive father and a disinterested mother. Sylvia married young and remained in an abusive marriage until a divorce that left her alone to support her three children. Through her ambition and strength of character, Sylvia persevered, building a life for herself and her kids. After raising her children, Sylvia remarried — still, there was a void. She felt a calling to help young women, and her husband, Rick, encouraged her to follow her heart. Initially designed for homeless pregnant women, her shelter opened on January 25, 1987. Sadly, her husband lost his battle with cancer on March 30 of the same year, telling Sylvia before he died to “go get the girls.” And she’s been giving new hope to young, homeless women ever since.
Hers has been a lifetime woven with tragedy and triumph, but at Sylvia’s core burns a powerful source of courage and tenacity. She shares her remarkable story in Till the End of Time, which chronicles her early days as an unwanted child, born at the onset of the Great Depression; through her turbulent first marriage, which blessed her with three children; to finding love and discovering her divine purpose later in life. The book includes a chapter with testimonials from women who have been helped by Sylvia’s Haven, underscoring the impact of her unwavering dedication to others. Till the End of Time is the ultimate love story, woven with heartwarming memories, inspirational anecdotes and life lessons that will inspire readers to share their own God-given gifts with others.
Author Sylvia Anthony was inducted into the National Women’s Hall of Fame on June 15, 2020. Invited to their museum in Seneca Falls, New York, she drove more than 350 miles for the appointment! Shortly thereafter, she received a Lifetime Achievement Award from Marquis Who's Who.
A woman of faith, courage, tenacity and love, Sylvia firmly believes that the “golden years” are a time to get busy. As the founder and president of Sylvia’s Haven, a shelter for women and children near Boston, she has helped transform over 1,100 lives in the past three decades. Sylvia refers to her organization as her “magnificent obsession.” Life hasn’t always been easy for Sylvia, but she believes that God not only gives her courage during times of hardship, but also keeps her healthy so that she may realize her dream to open up Sylvia’s Haven locations in all 50 states.
Till the End of Time rose to No.1 in four different categories when it was launched on Amazon and has received 5-star reviews.
Stop the COVID Stress Spiral: How to Calm Yourself Down When It All Gets to Be Too Much Pandemic stress isn’t just impacting frontline workers; it hurts all of us. Diana Hendel, PharmD, and Mark Goulston, MD, share advice for recognizing and alleviating COVID-related stress whenever it takes hold.
Nashville, TN (March 2021)—Now that the pandemic has raged on for nearly a year, people’s stress levels are through the roof. Teachers, healthcare employees, and other frontline workers, along with parents, kids, and all other citizens, are feeling the impact. It’s gotten so bad that even veteran media professionals are struggling to keep a stiff upper lip (take, for example, the live emotional breakdown of CNN journalist Sara Sidner as she reported outside of a hospital in South Los Angeles where COVID is surging).
While many people realize they are facing unparalleled levels of stress and anxiety, others may be so busy trying to keep their lives together that they’re not even aware of how frazzled they are. But no one thrives when they constantly feel afraid, exhausted, and overwhelmed, say Diana Hendel, PharmD, and Mark Goulston, MD.
“COVID-19 has pushed many of us into survival mode,” says Dr. Hendel, coauthor along with Dr. Goulston of Why Cope When You Can Heal?: How Healthcare Heroes of COVID-19 Can Recover from PTSD (Harper Horizon, December 2020, ISBN: 978-0-7852-4462-2, $17.99). “We are doing what’s necessary to survive, but the stress of continuing to function while under such extreme pressure to carry on eventually takes a toll.”
“It is important to learn to recognize when your stress is rising and take steps to mitigate it,” adds Dr. Goulston. “Acknowledging what’s going on with your mental health empowers you to do something about it.”
The good news is it doesn’t take much time or effort to reduce stress—even the severe stress so many are facing right now. Read on for this tool kit of simple “stress stoppers” you can use any time you feel stress or anxiety taking hold.
Do frequent self “check-ins” to recognize when your stress levels are rising. When you’re busy and under pressure to perform, it’s easy to go on “autopilot.” Therefore, periodically pause and do a quick self-assessment throughout the day. Consider your emotional state (Do I feel friendly and engaged, or edgy and aggressive?) as well as your physical state (Is my body calm and at ease, or is it holding onto tension?).
“Take 20 or 30 seconds to scan your body and identify areas that may be holding onto tension or stress,” says Dr. Hendel. “For example, you might be carrying tension in your jaw or shoulders. When you notice an area that is tense, gently release the tension. Over time it should become easier to recognize when stress begins to take hold—and to do something about it.”
Ground yourself when you start feeling overwhelmed. Grounding is a great way to reduce anxiety and arrive in the here and now. Use it any time you feel carried away by anxious thoughts or feelings, or triggered by upsetting memories and flashbacks.
Find a comfortable place to sit (or stand). If sitting, rest your hands on your legs. Feel the fabric of your clothing. Notice its color and texture.
Next, bring your awareness to your body. Stretch your neck from side to side. Relax your shoulders. Tense and relax your calves. Stomp your feet.
Look around and notice the sights, sounds, and scents around you for a few moments.
Name 15-20 things you can see. For example, the floor, a light, a desk, a sink.
As you keep looking around, remind yourself that The flashback or emotion I felt is in the past. Right now, in this moment, I’m safe.
Pause and take a few deep breaths. We tend to hold our breath whenever we are stressed, but this only exacerbates feelings of anxiety and panic. Instead, use “box breathing” to calm yourself and heighten your concentration. Box breathing is the technique of taking slow, deep, full breaths. Here’s a tutorial for when you’re feeling triggered.
Slowly exhale your breath through your mouth. Consciously focus on clearing all the oxygen from your lungs. Inhale slowly and deeply through your nose for four slow counts. Hold your breath for four more slow counts. On the next four counts, exhale again through your mouth until your lungs are empty. Hold your breath again for a final slow count of four beats.
Reach for something that anchors you in the present moment. Carry a small reminder of what you love about your life and focus on it if you feel triggered and need to center yourself. It might be a photo of your kids or pet, a small rock you picked up on a scenic nature hike, or a special necklace. Think of the gratitude you feel for your life whenever you look at this token.
Keep something that makes you laugh nearby. Humor is a great way to alleviate stress. Tape a clip of a funny cartoon to your work area or carry a small notebook with jokes that make you laugh every time you read them.
Use calming affirmations to give you strength and peace. Written positive statements can give you a lift when you feel yourself sinking. If self-talk is not for you, imagine a supportive other saying these to you in your mind’s eye. A few examples:
I feel energized and ready for anything the day has in store for me.
I accept myself as I am. I am enough.
I am safe in this moment.
Let your feelings out (when possible) at work. At times you may find you need to step away from your work duties for a few minutes and give any intense emotions you might be experiencing some “breathing room.” Try to move to a private area so you can cry or discreetly express your feelings. Sometimes you need to release the stress that’s built up in your body, and finding a private place to let the tears fall or vent for a few minutes can lighten your stress and enable you to get back to work.
Play a mind game. “If there is no way to speak to someone else and you need comfort in the moment, imagine talking to someone who loves you,” says Dr. Goulston. “Imagine that they are listening and lovingly holding and encouraging you. As you hear them talking and walking you through it, you will feel their love and belief in you. This kind of mental pep talk can be a bridge until you are able to speak your feelings to somebody in person.”
Head outdoors for a few minutes. If at all possible, try to get outside for a few minutes of fresh air when you are feeling stressed. Take deep breaths, stretch your arms and legs, and take in the gifts of nature around you. And if possible, invite another person (either someone in your household or a coworker if you are at work) to join you for a 10-minute walk so the two of you can blow off steam.
“When you do nothing about ongoing stress, it can increase until it dominates your life,” concludes Dr. Hendel. “None of us can afford to be sidelined when we need all of our energy to face these current challenges. But it is never too late to take charge of your mental health and build up the resilience that will sustain you through the pandemic and beyond.”
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About the Authors: Mark Goulston, MD, FAPA Dr. Mark Goulston is the coauthor of Why Cope When You Can Heal?: How Healthcare Heroes of COVID-19 Can Recover from PTSD (Harper Horizon, December 2020) and Trauma to Triumph: A Roadmap for Leading Through Disruption and Thriving on the Other Side (HarperCollins Leadership, Spring 2021). He is a board-certified psychiatrist, fellow of the American Psychiatric Association, former assistant clinical professor of psychiatry at UCLA NPI, and a former FBI and police hostage negotiation trainer. He is the creator of Theory Y Executive Coaching—which he provides to CEOs, presidents, founders, and entrepreneurs—and is a TEDx and international keynote speaker.
He is the creator and developer of Surgical Empathy, a process to help people recover and heal from PTSD, prevent suicide in teenagers and young adults, and help organizations overcome implicit bias.
Dr. Goulston is the author or principal author of seven prior books, including PTSD for Dummies, Get Out of Your Own Way: Overcoming Self-Defeating Behavior, Just Listen: Discover the Secret to Getting Through to Absolutely Anyone, Real Influence: Persuade Without Pushing and Gain Without Giving In, and Talking to Crazy: How to Deal with the Irrational and Impossible People in Your Life. He hosts the My Wakeup Call podcast, where he speaks with influencers about their purpose in life and the wakeup calls that led them there. He also is the co-creator and moderator of the multi-honored documentary Stay Alive: An Intimate Conversation About Suicide Prevention.
He appears frequently as a human psychology and behavior subject-area expert across all media, including news outlets ABC, NBC, CBS, and BBC News, as well as CNN, Today, Oprah, the New York Times, the Wall Street Journal, Forbes, Fortune,Harvard Business Review, Business Insider, Fast Company, Huffington Post, and Westwood One. He was also featured in the PBS special “Just Listen.”
Diana Hendel, PharmD Dr. Diana Hendel is the coauthor of Why Cope When You Can Heal?: How Healthcare Heroes of COVID-19 Can Recover from PTSD (Harper Horizon, December 2020) and Trauma to Triumph: A Roadmap for Leading Through Disruption and Thriving on the Other Side (HarperCollins Leadership, Spring 2021). She is an executive coach and leadership consultant, former hospital CEO, and author of Responsible: A Memoir, a riveting and deeply personal account of leading during and through the aftermath of a deadly workplace trauma.
As the CEO of Long Beach Memorial Medical Center and Miller Children’s and Women’s Hospital, Hendel led one of the largest acute care, trauma, and teaching hospital complexes on the West Coast. She has served in leadership roles in numerous community organizations and professional associations, including chair of the California Children’s Hospital Association, executive committee member of the Hospital Association of Southern California, vice chair of the Southern California Leadership Council, chair of the Greater Long Beach Chamber of Commerce, board member of the California Society of Health-System Pharmacists, and leader-in-residence of the Ukleja Center for Ethical Leadership at California State University Long Beach.
She earned a BS in biological sciences from UC Irvine and a Doctor of Pharmacy degree from UC San Francisco. She has spoken about healthcare and leadership at regional and national conferences and at TEDx SoCal on the topic of “Childhood Obesity: Small Steps, Big Change.”
About the Book: Why Cope When You Can Heal?: How Healthcare Heroes of COVID-19 Can Recover from PTSD (Harper Horizon, December 2020, ISBN: 978-0-7852-4462-2, $17.99) is available in bookstores nationwide and from major online booksellers.
COVID-19 Contributes to Uptick in Opioid-Related Deaths
Baltimore, MD, March 2, 2021— Telemedicine and tele-mental health services have emerged as valuable resources for those battling addictions during our country’s expanding opioid crisis. The availability of remote healthcare services gives hope for those struggling with their addictions against a backdrop of social isolation, explains Dr. Paul Christo, anAssociate Professor in the Division of Pain Medicine at the Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, and he adds, clinicians need to advocate to their patients that online treatment options are available.
Dr. Christo, who is on the frontlines working to curb the impact of the opioid crisis, also wants patients to know that critical medications for maintaining sobriety can now be prescribed by telehealth or telephone.
"The number of fatalities from opioid-related overdoses could be nearly 30 percent higher than reported due to missing information or incomplete death records,” he says. “The worst fear is that because of social isolation, people are not being found or treated immediately."
The opioid epidemic today progressed in three phases, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The first involves deaths caused by prescription opioids, the second, an increase in heroin use, and the third, a surge in the use of synthetic opioids or fentanyl. Experts say the U.S. is right in the middle of the third phase of the epidemic, due to the increasing availability of fentanyl and increasing rates of overdose deaths involving synthetic opioids.
According to a recent study there were 632,331 drug overdoses between 1999 and 2016. Most of these deaths (78.2 percent) were drug overdoses with known drug classification. Moreover, 21.8 percent were unclassified drug overdoses. A further investigation revealed that for unclassified drug overdoses, 71.8 percent involved opioids, translating to 99,160 additional opioid-related deaths.
There were over 70,000 drug overdose deaths in 2017, according to an estimate from the CDC. Based on findings from the new study, over half of those deaths — about 47,000 — are suspected of having involved opioids.
Another study on opioid overdoses found that the number of drug overdose deaths decreased by 4 percent from 2017 to 2018. In 2018, more than 67,000 people died from drug overdoses, making it a leading cause of injury-related death in the United States. Almost 70 percent involved a prescription or illicit opioid of those deaths.
“COVID 19 impacted the drug supply chain by closing borders on some regions, and it led to the higher death rate,” Dr. Christo explained. He added that drugs become more challenging to get, and the potency of overdose goes up. It also impacts the price, everything goes up, and in that sense, it becomes more deadly each day, according to Dr. Christo.
About Dr. Paul Christo
Dr. Paul Christo serves as Director of the Multidisciplinary Pain Fellowship Program at Johns Hopkins Hospital. He is the author of Aches and Gains, A Comprehensive Guide to Overcoming Your Pain. Dr. Paul Christo also hosts an award-winning, nationally syndicated SIRIUS XM radio talk show on overcoming pain called, Aches and Gains®. For more information about Dr. Paul Christo. Please visit www.paulchristomd.com.
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Launch of generic brands for expensive oncology drugs improves treatment affordability and access in India, says GlobalData
The Central Drugs Standard Control Organization (CDSCO) has recently approved several generic versions of sunitinib to treat kidney cancer. Against this backdrop, the approval of generic brands of expensive oncology drugs will not only help in reducing the cost of these life-saving drugs but also improve access and adherence to treatment in the future, says GlobalData, a leading data and analytics company.
Krishna Srinivasaraghavan, Pharma Analyst at GlobalData, comments: “Expensive cancer diagnostics and treatment add to the economic burden in India, as major proportion of out-of-pocket healthcare expenditure is borne by patients. As a result, non-affordability and limited access to basic treatment account for higher cancer mortality rate in the country.”
As per India’s National Cancer Registry Programme, the estimated number of people living with cancer in 2020 was around 2.25 million, with over 1.16 million new cases being registered every year. Reportedly, cancer claimed 0.7 million lives in 2018.
According to GlobalData’s Pharma Intelligence Center, 1,351 generic drugs are available in India for the treatment of different cancers, as of 26 February 2021.
Glenmark Pharmaceuticals has recently launched Sutib, the generic version of sunitinib oral capsules to treat kidney cancer in India. Beta Drugs and Shilpa Medicare have also launched sunitinib generics with brand names ‘Adsunib’ and ‘Sinishil’, respectively. Other companies with sunitinib generics include Globela Pharma Pvt Ltd and SP Accure Labs Pvt Ltd.
In 2020, Zydus Cadila launched a generic brand of enzalutamide ‘Obnyx’ for prostate cancer (weekly therapy), reducing the monthly treatment cost by 70%. Several other companies too had launched enzalutamide generics in India. Similarly, the launch of dasatinib generics reduced the monthly treatment cost for chronic myeloid leukaemia (CML) and acute lymphoblastic leukaemia (ALL) by more than 96% compared to originator brand drug.
Mr Srinivasaraghavan concludes: “Landmark verdicts in Novartis’ Gleevec case and Bayer-Natco cases are examples where the Indian law and regulatory norms encouraged generic versions of the expensive medicines to be available and accessible to patients at an affordable price, at the earliest possible time. Such examples will significantly favor Indian patients.”
Comments provided by Krishna Srinivasaraghavan, Pharma Analyst at GlobalData
This press release was written using data and information sourced from proprietary databases, primary and secondary research, and in-house analysis conducted by GlobalData’s team of industry experts
About GlobalData
4,000 of the world’s largest companies, including over 70% of FTSE 100 and 60% of Fortune 100 companies, make more timely and better business decisions thanks to GlobalData’s unique data, expert analysis and innovative solutions, all in one platform. GlobalData’s mission is to help our clients decode the future to be more successful and innovative across a range of industries, including the healthcare, consumer, retail, financial, technology and professional services sectors.
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