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SIUSLAW NEWS |
SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 25, 2017
TO YOUR
GOOD HEALTH
‘I Took an
Aspirin!’
DEAR DR. ROACH: I took an
aspirin for a seeming heart attack
and went to the hospital, where I
was asked if I had taken any meds. I
answered “no,” and was medicated;
the result was panic for the doctors,
as my heart rate slowed to a danger-
ous rate. With care and an extra
day in the hospital, I was released.
My ignorance about medicines
was scary. I think that it should be
emphasized that “meds” does not
mean only prescriptions. Tell the
doctor, “I took an aspirin!” -- R.G.
ANSWER: Indeed, your doctors
should know about all medications
you are taking, including over-the-
counter, vitamins and other supple-
ments. Sometimes women forget to
mention their oral contraceptives.
Aspirin is a powerful medicine,
not to be taken lightly. That being
said, I am not sure why your heart
rate slowed to a dangerous rate.
Beta blockers usually are given for
SALOME’S STARS
ARIES (March 21 to April 19)
You’re correct to want to help someone
who seems to need assistance. But be
careful that he or she isn’t pulling the
wool over those gorgeous Sheep’s eyes.
You need more facts.
TAURUS (April 20 to May 20) Your
Bovine optimism soon will dispel the
gloom cast by those naysayers and pes-
simists who still hover close by. Also,
that good news you recently received is
part of a fuller message to come.
GEMINI (May 21 to June 20) Feeling
jealous over a colleague’s success drains
the energy you need to meet your own
challenges. Wish him or her well, and
focus on what you need to do. Results
start to show in mid-March.
CANCER (June 21 to July 22) You’re
likely to feel somewhat Crabby these
suspected heart attack, and some
people do have dramatic responses
to beta blockers, and their heart rates
slow way down. I can’t explain why
aspirin could have made that more
likely, since aspirin shouldn’t slow
down the heart rate. I also couldn’t
fi nd any interaction between beta
blockers and aspirin.
DEAR DR. ROACH: I am a
78-year-old female who has had
three orthopedic surgeries (hip
repair, hip replacement and knee
replacement) with spinal anesthe-
sia in two years. Each time, the
anesthesia has left me with severe
orthostatic hypotension requiring
medication for months. If I should
ever need surgery again, is there
any other anesthetic that would be
just as effective and not make me
ill? -- A.P.
ANSWER: This actually is a very
common problem, with at least half
of people undergoing orthopedic
surgery having some orthostatic
hypotension (a lowering of blood
pressure upon sitting or standing)
immediately after surgery. You have
had a very prolonged reaction. I
spoke with an anesthesiologist at the
Cleveland Clinic, who told me that
the issue could have been any of the
anesthetic and adjuvant agents that
were used. He recommended more
salt and water before any operation
and longer time in progressively
upright positions before trying to
get up post-operatively.
Finally, your next anesthesiolo-
gist could look at your preoperative
and anesthesia records and try to
fi gure out what agent you had that
was most likely to have been caus-
ing this, so to avoid its use next
time.
DEAR DR. ROACH: Two lab
tests done in the past two years
show that my kidneys are not func-
tioning at 100 percent. Is there any
action I can take (such as diet or
medication) to keep these fi gures
from worsening? -- L.M.
ANSWER: Kidney function
tends to decrease with age, but kid-
neys also can be damaged from
high blood pressure, diabetes, some
medications and many other causes.
If kidney function is low, your doc-
tor should look at your prescription
medication and carefully evaluate
their dosing. Also, anti-infl amma-
tory medicines like ibuprofen or
naproxen should be minimized.
Even Tylenol can cause long-term
kidney damage in high doses for
long periods of time. Managing
any chronic illnesses and avoiding
toxic drugs are the most important
actions.
days, so watch what you say, or you
could fi nd yourself making lots of apol-
ogies. Your mood starts to brighten by
the weekend.
LEO (July 23 to August 22) Your
pride might still be hurting from those
unfl attering remarks someone made
about you. But cheer up, you’re about
to prove once again why you’re the Top
Cat in whatever you do.
VIRGO (August 23 to September
22) A misunderstanding with a co-
worker could become a real problem
unless it’s resolved soon. Allow a third
party to come in and assess the situa-
tion without pressure or prejudice.
LIBRA (September 23 to October
22) Call a family meeting to discuss the
care of a loved one at this diffi cult time.
Be careful not to let yourself be pushed
into shouldering the full burden on
your own.
SCORPIO (October 23 to November
21) An upcoming decision could
open the way to an exciting venture.
However, there are some risks you
should know about. Ask more ques-
tions before making a commitment.
SAGITTARIUS (November 22 to
December 21) Personal matters need
your attention during the earlier part
of the week. You can start to shift your
focus to your workaday world by mid-
week. Friday brings news.
CAPRICORN (December 22 to
January 19) You’ve been going at a
hectic pace for quite a while. It’s time
now for some much-needed rest and
recreation to recharge those hardwork-
ing batteries.
AQUARIUS (January 20 to February
18) Th is is a good time to upgrade your
current skills or consider getting into
an entirely diff erent training program
so that you can be prepared for new
career opportunities.
PISCES (February 19 to March 20)
Keep a low profi le in order to avoid
being lured away from the job at hand.
Focus on what has to be done, and do
it. Th ere’ll be time later to enjoy fun
with family and friends.
Siuslaw N ews
!
AD IT DAY
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TO
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