8 B
SIUSLAW NEWS ❚ SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 26, 2015
TO YOUR
GOOD HEALTH
No harm in taking
nitro for angina
DEAR DR. ROACH: Could you
write about the effect that angina,
stopped quickly by nitro, has on
one’s system? My husband takes
Imdur (30 mg) twice a day to control
angina, although he still experiences
it several times a week, necessitating
a nitroglycerin pill. Sometimes angi-
na comes from exertion, such as
climbing stairs a few times or doing
home-maintenance chores. He is 89
and in relatively good health. He has
had bypass surgery and several
catheterizations, with eight stents.
He doesn’t need a cane or use oxy-
gen. His cardiologist suggested
EECP, which my husband does not
want to endure, believing the medi-
cines are working fine.
His quality of life is good — angi-
na does not interfere with going out
and enjoying himself. Is he taking
angina too lightly because he can
stop it by popping a nitro? — M.W.
SALOME’S STARS
ARIES (March 21 to April 19) A
workplace change doesn’t seem to
have turned out quite as you’d hoped.
Never mind: Just treat yourself to a
healthy dollop of that Aries self-con-
fidence, and you’ll soon view things
differently.
TAURUS (April 20 to May 20)
Some of the support you might have
hoped for in a difficult situation might
not be there. But you have the
strength to rely on your own capabili-
ties if you must. Good luck.
GEMINI (May 21 to June 20) A
disagreement with a longtime friend
can be painful, but it also can be a
learning lesson. Insist on a full and
complete airing of views. You’ll both
come away the better for it.
CANCER (June 21 to July 22) A
stalled relationship can be restarted
ANSWER: Angina pectoris liter-
ally means “chest pain,” but in my
experience people with angina due
to blockages in the arteries of the
heart are more likely to complain of
pressure or tightness than actual
pain. Angina occurs when the heart’s
demand for blood oxygen exceeds
the supply. This usually means dur-
ing exercise. If the blood supply is
fixed due to a blockage in the heart,
the heart simply can’t get enough
oxygen above a certain level of exer-
cise. If the person with angina stops
exercising, the demand for oxygen
goes back down below what can be
supplied, and the angina goes away.
Stable angina is associated with a
low risk for heart attack.
Medications like isosorbide
(Imdur) and nitroglycerine work by
dilating the blood vessels in order to
increase supply. These medicines
also dilate veins, which reduces the
demands on the heart. Stents are
designed to keep blockages open.
Nonetheless, there are many people
who continue to have angina despite
what can be done with medicine and
stents.
EECP (enhanced external coun-
terpulsation) is a new technique.
Cuffs wrapped around the legs are
synchronized with the EKG and
squeeze strongly when the heart is at
rest. This forces blood backward
through the arteries and into the
blood vessels of the heart. It may
work by making some blood vessels
larger, but the exact mechanism isn’t
clear. EECP is used for people with
stable angina. It takes 35 hours of
EECP over four to seven weeks to
get benefits, and about 70 percent of
people had improvement from
severe angina to mild or none. EECP
is a big investment of time, and is
usually reserved for people whose
angina is more disabling than your
husband’s.
At 89, your husband certainly is
entitled to say he is doing fine the
way he is and not wanting further
treatments.
Coronary artery disease can go
unnoticed until you have a heart
attack. The booklet on the disease
explains its causes, symptoms (such
as angina) and treatment. Readers
can order a copy by writing: Dr.
Roach — No. 101W, 628 Virginia
Drive, Orlando, FL 32803. Enclose a
check or money order (no cash) for
$4.75 U.S./$6 Canada with the recip-
ient’s printed name and address.
Please allow four weeks for delivery.
with some give and take on both
sides. And while it could take more
time than you expect, don’t rush it. Be
patient, and let it happen naturally.
LEO (July 23 to August 22) An
opportunity to move a long-stalled
project from concept to construction
might be opening up for the Big Cat.
Meanwhile, be prepared to spend
more time dealing with family mat-
ters.
VIRGO (August 23 to September
22) Use your Virgo organizational
skills to line up support to help you
deal with a sticky workplace problem.
A personal matter also might be
helped with friendly intervention.
LIBRA (September 23 to October
22) Trying to resolve a workplace
problem with a longtime associate
can be difficult. Consider bringing in
an impartial third party to help you
both reach a mutually acceptable
solution.
SCORPIO (October 23 to
November 21) This is a good time to
assess your current career situation.
Consider whether you have a chance
to move up where you are now, or if
you should look elsewhere.
SAGITTARIUS (November 22 to
December 21) With education being a
dominant part of this week’s aspect,
one of the things you might want to
think about is taking courses to
enhance your career opportunities.
CAPRICORN (December 22 to
January 19) You might have a prob-
lem trying to stay focused on a matter
you’d rather not deal with. But the
sooner you do, the sooner it will be
resolved and out of the way.
AQUARIUS (January 20 to
February 18) An unforeseen compli-
cation creates a difficult problem. But
things get resolved once you use your
ability to turn negative situations into
positive experiences.
PISCES (February 19 to March 20)
The Pisces penchant for doing the
right thing at the right time helps you
deal with a particularly troublesome
situation. Consider your best option,
and act accordingly.
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