Back braces can be very effective at improving back posture or as part of the treatment and management of back pain caused by sciatica, spondylosis, osteochondrosis or fractures. Wearing back orthoses can also assist the treatment of osteoporosis in cases of damage to the spine caused by vertebral fractures. In addition to drug therapy and medical physiotherapy, back braces straighten the damaged vertebral column and support the strengthening of the weakened back muscles.
Even healthy people can develop arrhythmias with acute exposure to air pollution, particularly fine particulate matter, researchers found.
Point out that exposure to fine particles in middle-age, community-dwelling nonsmokers without chronic CVD-related conditions was associated with an increase in the number of PVCs but not PACs.
Note that the mechanisms responsible for reported association between fine particle exposure and cardiovascular events is not understood.
Each 10 μg/m3 increase in the concentration of particulate matter smaller than 2.5 μm in diameter was associated with an 8% increase in the number of preventricular contractions in the first 30 minutes (rate ratio 1.08, 95% CI 1.05 to 1.10, P<0.01), according to Duanping Liao, MD, PhD, of Penn State University in Hershey, Pa., and colleagues.
An increase of 3% (RR 1.03, 95% CI 1 to 1.05, P<0.05) in these ectopic beats remained for an additional 30 minutes and decreased thereafter, the researchers reported online in Environmental Health Perspectives.
But most previous studies linking particulate air pollution with cardiovascular abnormalities have focused on patients with severe cardiovascular disease, and the effects over time have not been established, Liao and colleagues explained.
To explore the effects on healthier individuals, they analyzed data from the Air Pollution and Cardiac Risk and its Time Course study, which included 105 middle-age adults from central Pennsylvania.
Exposure to particulate matter was assessed using an instrument known as a nephelometer, with concentrations being averaged over 30-minute time segments for 24 hours. Participants simultaneously had high-resolution Holter monitoring to record electrocardiographic data.
Generalized estimating equations were used to determine the rate ratio between each 10 μg/m3 increase in particulate matter concentration and ectopy counts.
Mean age of participants was 56, more than half were women, and three-fourths were white. Almost half had some type of chronic disease such as hypertension or diabetes.
The average exposure to fine particulate matter over all 30-minute segments was 13.49 μg/m3, the researchers found.
Total ectopy counts were increased in the both the first (RR 1.05, 95% CI 1.02 to 1.07, P<0.01) and second 30-minute segments (RR 1.03, 95% CI 1.01 to 1.05, P<0.01) after exposure.
Thus, the researchers explained, the association between particulate matter exposure and total ectopy counts was driven mainly by the increases in premature ventricular contractions.
This finding was consistent with previous work by Liao's group on the association of particulate pollution and arrhythmias in the Women's Health Initiative.
The investigators also adjusted for the effects of autonomic modulation, and found a reduction from the 8% increase in preventricular contractions to a 3% to 7% increase.
The increase in rate ratios for arrhythmias were seen only in patients who did not have chronic disease, a finding that may reflect the use of antihypertensive or anti-arrhythmic drug use among those with chronic disease, they noted.
In addition, most participants remained indoors throughout the study period, which may have limited their exposure to particulate matter.
MedStar Harbor Hospital Receives Echocardiography Accreditation by the Intersocietal Accreditation Commission
MedStar Harbor Hospital is First Hospital in Maryland to Achieve Advanced Certification in Heart Failure by National Quality Commission
MedStar Harbor Hospital Names New Leadership, Welcomes Stuart M. Levine, MD, FACP as Vice President of Medical Affairs
MedStar Harbor Hospital a Designated Viewing Area for Saturday’s Air Show Will Provide Health and Wellness Outreach to Community
MedStar Harbor Hospital Sports Medicine Surgeon Leigh Ann Curl, MD, Recognized as Patients’ Choice Award Winner
MedStar Health Baltimore Cancer Network Receives 2015 Outstanding Achievement Award from American College of Surgeons’ Commission on Cancer
MedStar’s Baltimore Region Cancer Network Earns National Accreditation with Commendation by the Commission on Cancer
MedStar Harbor Hospital Honors Late Baltimore Philanthropist, Announces Capstone Event for Newly Established Gregory Barnhill Memorial Campaign
Leigh Ann Curl, MD, MedStar Sports Medicine Surgeon at MedStar Harbor Hospital, Named Top Physician in Region
In 2017, MedStar Harbor Hospital was named a top hospital in Maryland and the Baltimore metropolitan area in the latest rankings by U.S. News & World Report. We were specifically recognized for our performance in Orthopaedics and Pulmonology. The rankings are based on data from nearly 5,000 centers across the country and the scores are based on a variety of patient-outcome and care-related factors, such as patient safety and nurse staffing.
MedStar Harbor was once again recognized as a Gold Level Recipient of the American Heart Association’s Fit-Friendly Worksites Recognition program. The Fit-Friendly Worksites program is a catalyst for positive change and worksites throughout the nation can be part of the initiative making the health and wellness of their associates a priority. Award received in 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016, and 2017.
In 2017, MedStar Harbor received the Joint Commission’s Gold Seal of Approval® for Behavioral Health Care Accreditation by demonstrating continuous compliance with its performance standards re-certifications. The hospital also earned the Joint Commission’s Gold Seal of Approval for Stroke Care and Spine Surgery, with no recommendation for improvement. MedStar Harbor has consistently earned these certification for more the five years in a row—all with no recommendations for improvement.
In 2016, MedStar Harbor Hospital received recertification for both our Pediatric Asthma Care and Heart Failure programs, with no recommendation for improvement.
Nurses Improving Care for Health-system Elders (NICHE) is the leading nurse driven program designed to help hospitals and healthcare organizations improve the care of older adults. NICHE designation demonstrates our organizational commitment and continued progress in improving quality, enhancing the patient and family experience, and supporting the hospital's efforts to serve its communities.
In 2016, the American Heart Association awarded MedStar Harbor Hospital's commitment and success in implementing a higher standard of stroke care with the Gold Plus Quality Achievement Award.
MedStar Harbor Hospital was recently honored with the “Partner for Change” award by Practice Greenhealth, the nation’s leading organization for facilities committed to environmentally responsible operations.
The “Partner for Change” award recognizes healthcare facilities that continuously improve and expand upon their mercury elimination, waste reduction, recycling, and source reduction programs. At a minimum, facilities applying for this award must be recycling 15 percent of their total waste, have reduced regulated medical waste, are well along the way to mercury elimination, and have developed other successful pollution prevention programs in many different areas.
MedStar Harbor participates in an array of engagement activities and innovative programs essential to establishing and maintaining best management practices. Among the notable achievements recognized by Practice Greenhealth were the hospital’s focus on the reduction of Styrofoam use and the decreased use of regulated medical waste bags.
In 2015, MedStar Harbor Hospital was recognized for being committed to providing the best care for mothers and their babies by reducing the rate of premature births and decreasing the number of non-medically indicated elective deliveries and cesarean deliveries. The March of Dimes’ recognition is a reflection of our efforts, and an acknowledgment that we want women to be pregnant at least 39 weeks.
MedStar Harbor Hospital has been awarded the Quality Excellence Award from the Delmarva Foundation for an unprecedented ninth time. We have received this prestigious award more
Accreditation in Adult Transthoracic Echocardiography by the Intersocietal Accreditation Commission (IAC)
MedStar Harbor Hospital’s Echocardiography Lab was granted a three-year accreditation in Adult Transthoracic Echocardiography by the Intersocietal Accreditation Commission (IAC). An IAC accreditation is a “seal of approval” that patients can rely on as an indication that the facility has been carefully critiqued on all aspects of its operations considered relevant by medical experts in the field of Echocardiography. This accreditation is important for MedStar Harbor and the communities we serve. Cardiovascular diseases are the No. 1 cause of death in the United States – and among the patient population we treat. Early detection and diagnosis of heart disorders and other diseases is possible through the use of Echocardiography procedures. Our third-party validated skill and expertise in these important procedures helps us to continue to provide the very best health care to the tens of thousands of patients who trust us to be a quality health partner.
Emergency Department earned a five-year certification as an EMS Base Station by the Maryland Institute for Emergency Medical Services Systems
Maryland's designated EMS Base Stations provide quality on-line medical direction to the State's EMS providers. MedStar Harbor Hospital's Emergency Department is proud to have earned a five-year certification as an EMS Base Station.
AIUM ultrasound practice accreditation is a voluntary peer review process that allows practices to demonstrate that they meet or exceed nationally recognized standards in the performance and interpretation of diagnostic ultrasound examinations. The accreditation process encourages providers of diagnostic ultrasound services to assess their strengths
and weaknesses and initiate changes to improve their practices. Practices accredited by the American Institute of Ultrasound in Medicine (AIUM) have demonstrated competency in every aspect of their operation, including: personnel Education, training and experience document, storage and record keeping policies and procedures, safeguarding patients, ultrasound personnel, equipment instrumentation quality assurance and case studies.
MedStar Harbor Hospital's Sleep Center earned a five-year accreditation from the American Board of Sleep Medicine
The American Academy of Sleep Medicine accreditation is the gold standard by which the medical community and the public can evaluate the services provided by a sleep center or lab. The standards for accreditation ensure that sleep medicine providers display and maintain proficiency in areas such as testing procedures and policies, patient safety and follow-up, and physician and staff training.
Erectile dysfunction, or ED, is the most common sex problem that men report to their doctor. It affects as many as 30 million men.
Though it's not rare for a man to have some problems with erections from time to time, ED that is progressive or happens routinely with sex is not normal, and it should be treated.
As an early warning of a more serious illness, like: atherosclerosis (hardening or blocked arteries), heart disease, high blood pressure or high blood sugar from Diabetes
Finding the cause(s) of your ED will help treat the problem and help with your overall well-being. As a rule, what's good for your heart health is good for your sex health.
During sexual arousal, nerves release chemicals that increase blood flow into the penis. Blood flows into two erection chambers in the penis, made of spongy muscle tissue (the corpus cavernosum). The corpus cavernosum chambers are not hollow.
During erection, the spongy tissues relax and trap blood. The blood pressure in the chambers makes the penis firm, causing an erection. When a man has an orgasm, a second set of nerve signals reach the penis and cause the muscular tissues in the penis to contract and blood is released back into a man's circulation and the erection comes down.
When you are not sexually aroused, the penis is soft and limp. Men may notice that the size of the penis varies with warmth, cold or worry; this is normal and reflects the balance of blood coming into and leaving the penis.
Having learned a great deal more about erectile dysfunction including its risk factors and causes, you should be equipped to assess your own erectile function. If you have experienced erectile issues or you have some of the risk factors mentioned above, it may be worth making a trip to your doctor’s office. If you choose to seek help, give your doctor as much information as you can about your symptoms including their frequency and severity as well as the onset. With your doctor’s help, you can determine the best course of treatment to restore sexual function.
Erectile dysfunction may be an unpleasant condition that no one really wants to talk about, failing to acknowledge it won’t make the problem go away. Your best defense against health problems like this is to learn everything you can about it so you can tackle the problem at the root. If you’re ready to stop living in embarrassment about your sexual function, become an advocate for yourself and your own health and talk to your doctor.
Since no two men are alike, the best ED treatment plan will depend on what’s causing your problem. That’s why it’s important to put aside embarrassment and make an appointment to visit a qualified doctor who specializes in Men’s Health and is dedicated to helping guys get back to enjoying their time with their spouses or partners to the fullest. You’ll be relieved to talk to someone who understands and has solutions.
Pills such as Viagra® are usually the first treatment option that men try, but they don’t work for everyone.3 Some guys find they cause bothersome headaches or persistent stomach troubles. Some have serious side effects such as chest pain and vision or hearing changes.4 It’s estimated that 30-35% of men don’t respond to the medication at all.5 Erectile dysfunction medication can also take from 30 minutes to 2 hours before they take effect which can affect romantic spontaneity.8
When pills don’t work, an ED implant offers hope. Penile implants are custom-fitted devices that are surgically implanted to allow you to obtain an erection when desired9. They are undetectable to the naked eye, so no one will know you have one unless you tell them9. Titan penile implant is designed to mimic the look and performance of a natural erection9.