Heart disease remains on the rise in the United States. Most people are aware of common risk factors like high blood pressure and bad cholesterol, but there’s one lesser-known, inherited heart disease risk factor that affects millions and is passed down through families. It’s called lipoprotein(a), (lip-o-pro-teen-a) or Lp(a), (L-P-little A) and experts say having a high level can independently increase the risk of having a heart event such as a heart attack or stroke.

Joining us now is Dr. Icilma (EYE-SIL-MA) Fergus, (Fur-GUS) Professor of Medicine, Director of Cardiovascular Disparities and Clinical Lipidology at Mount Sinai Fuster Heart Hospital, and Lynn, who is living with high L-p(a), to talk about this hidden heart risk and what you should know.

GUEST BIO

Icilma V. Fergus, MD, FACC, FASPC
Professor of Medicine
Director of Cardiovascular Disparities and Clinical Lipidology
Mount Sinai Fuster Heart Hospital at Mount Sinai.
Dr. Fergus is a board-certified professional in Internal Medicine and Cardiology, currently serving as the Director of Clinical Lipidology and Cardiovascular Disparities for the Fuster Heart Hospital at Mount Sinai. Her expertise lies in Preventative Cardiology, specifically focusing on Lipids and Hypertension, Women’s Heart Disease, and Cardiovascular Health Advocacy. She is Professor of Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai.
With an active engagement in professional organizations, Dr. Fergus holds significant roles such as the past President of the Westchester board of the American College of Cardiology and past president of the Association of Black Cardiologists. She is also a past President of the Jack and Jill of America Foundation.
Beyond her professional commitments, Dr. Fergus passionately advocates for health equity and cardiac disease prevention. Her impactful contributions have been recognized through numerous awards, including the Luminary Award from the American Heart Association, the Community Service Award from the Heart Valve Society of America, Young Black & Gifted, and Community award from Delta Sigma Theta in 2023. In addition, she has been featured on numerous publications and broadcasts, including “Here and Now” with Sandra Bookman on ABC

#HeartDisease #LPa #HeartAttack #Stroke #DrIcilmaFergus

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LEUKEMIA IS A TYPE OF CANCER THAT AFFECTS THE BLOOD OR BONE MARROW. 1 ONE TYPE IS PHILADELPHIA CHROMOSOME-POSITIVE CHRONIC MYELOID (MY’-uh-loyd) LEUKEMIA.

SOME PATIENTS WITH C-M-L MAY HAVE DIFFICULTY FINDING A TREATMENT THAT’S RIGHT FOR THEM.

ALMOST 15% OF C-M-L PATIENTS DISCONTINUE THEIR TREATMENT IN THE FIRST YEAR DUE TO SIDE EFFECTS, SO HAVING DIFFERENT OPTIONS IS CRITICAL.3-7

HERE TO SHARE HER OWN EXPERIENCE BEING DIAGNOSED WITH PHILADELPHIA CHROMOSOME-POSITIVE C-M-L IN CHRONIC PHASE AND HOW SHE FOUND A TREATMENT THAT WORKED FOR HER, IS TEACHER AND C-M-L PATIENT, JEN. AND HERE TO TALK ABOUT TREATING ADULTS WITH C-M-L, IS DR. JAMES DUGAN (DOO’-guhn.)

HCP Bio: Dr. James Dugan

Dr. James Dugan is a hematology/oncology specialist, and the physician lead for the transplant and cellular therapy department for Novant Health Cancer Institute in Winston-Salem, North Carolina.

Dr. Dugan was drawn to the field of oncology by the opportunity to improve a person’s life during a difficult time. He believes that to properly treat the whole person and not just the disease, physicians need to engage in active conversations with the patient throughout the treatment process. Dr. Dugan approaches medicine and oncology as a partnership between the physician and the patient.

Dr. Dugan is a member of the American Society of Hematology, as well as the American Society for Transplant and Cellular therapy. His membership in these organizations keeps him up-to-date on the latest research and treatment options in the field.

When he is not seeing patients, Dr. Dugan enjoys time with his wife and three daughters. He is an outdoor enthusiast who enjoys skiing, scuba diving, kite surfing, and long-distance running. He is passionate about the shared human experience and loves meeting new people and exploring new ideas and places.

Patient Bio: Jen

In 2014, Jen was diagnosed with Philadelphia chromosome positive chronic myeloid leukemia (Ph+ CML) in chronic phase (CP).
Prior to her diagnosis, Jen devoted her career to serving others. After dedicating 20 years to running inner-city youth programs, Jen became a social worker, supporting women as they rebuilt their lives after incarceration or experiencing domestic violence.
Jen was actively working as a social worker when she was diagnosed with CML. Unfortunately, her diagnosis required her to step away from her career for a period of time. Working closely with her doctor, she navigated the treatment landscape to find a treatment option that worked for her.
Today, she is a teacher in her rural community, educating K-8 students in a one-room schoolhouse. She is also passionate about sharing her journey and advocating for other adults with CML, helping them access the information and support they need to have meaningful conversations with their doctors and navigate their own patient journeys.

LearnCML.com

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Chronic pain is defined as pain that lasts longer than three months and can continue when the injury or illness has been treated. Chronic pain is a disabling condition that affects 100 million American adults every year, a number that keeps growing, which can negatively affect one’s wellbeing. Working, sleeping, or even seemingly simple tasks like walking up the stairs are activities that become harder if you’re living with chronic pain. In fact, chronic pain is one of the most common reasons adults seek medical care and costs the nation approximately $560-635 billion annually in direct medical treatment costs and lost productivity.

Michael Fishman, MD, MBA, double board-certified anesthesiologist and Interventional Pain Medicine specialist and his patient Genevieve Watycha, who suffered for more than 30 years with chronic pain, will be available to discuss the journey of chronic back pain management, including how Genevieve finally managed her chronic back pain, which had previously prevented her from sleeping properly, walking long distances and going about her day-to-day activities.

Three tips that may be helpful in managing chronic pain:
• Mind-Body Therapies: Mind-body therapies are treatments that are meant to help the mind’s ability to affect the functions and symptoms of the body. Mind-body therapies use various approaches including relaxation techniques, exercise, meditation, guided imagery, and hypnosis. Relaxation techniques can help alleviate discomfort related to chronic pain.
• Manage your diet: Believe it or not, diet has an impact on a person’s ability to fight pain away. Omega-3 fatty acids, found in foods such as salmon or tuna, have been known to reduce inflammation. Yellow, orange, and red fruits/vegetables are from a group of phytochemicals known as carotenoids – which have also been known to help reduce inflammation.
• Talk to your doctor about treatment options: In the case that medication or lifestyle changes won’t fix or lessen your pain, it’s crucial to speak to your doctor about the latest treatment options. Your doctor may recommend a number of treatments, including pharmacological, relaxation and/or physical therapy, or DTM Spinal Cord Stimulation, to help alleviate the pain.
Interview is courtesy: Medtronic
#chronic #pain #disease #backache #medtronic #disabling #condition #affect #working #sleeping #michael #fishman #genevieve #watycha #medicine #mind #body #therapy #diet #exercise

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“The more we laugh, the more we live.” – Paul H. Sladkus

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