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A new five-step assessment might help family doctors rule out heart disease in people with chest pain, German researchers propose.
Chest pain is common but pose a challenge for primary care doctors, who must be able to reliably distinguish whether or not the chest pain is associated with heart disease and minimize the number of patients referred to cardiologists unnecessarily.
In Monday’s issue of the Canadian Medical Association Journal, Dr. Stefan Bösner of the University of Marburg in Germany and his colleagues describe a clinical assessment method they developed called the Marburg Heart Score.
“Our findings show that the use of a simple prediction rule based exclusively on symptoms and signs can help to rule out coronary artery disease in patients presenting with chest pain in a primary care setting,” the study’s authors concluded.
The rule uses five factors that are easy to identify during a medical visit:
- Age and gender.
- Known clinical vascular disease.
- Pain worse with exercise.
- Patient assumes pain is cardiac related.
- Pain not reproduced with palpitation.
When fewer than three of the five factors are found in a patient, coronary artery disease should be ruled out, Bösner’s team suggests.
Stevens and Lasserson said the new assessment method shows promise for improving the diagnosis of coronary heart disease but that more research is needed to confirm it can be safely applied without missing more severe manifestations of the disease.
Read more: http://www.cbc.ca/health/story/2010/07/05/heart-disease-chest-pain-rule.html?ref=rss#ixzz0sptCjrVd
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On Friday near Lytton, BC a 48 yer old man was hit by a train. He was saved from death by the train’s engineer and conductor who performed CPR on scence while waiting for EMS. The man stopped breathing minutes after being struck by the train and the train crew administered CPR quickly. Police have stated that the first aid treatment and CPR offered by the train crew may have saved the man’s life.
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The largest earthquake to hit the Ontario/Quebec region in 20 years sent people scurrying from their buildings late Wednesday afternoon. The 5.0 quake left behind structural damage to bridges, buildings, roads and schools. An earthquake of 5.0 is considerate a moderate earthquake that could cause considerable damage to poorly constructed buildings. The quake lasted for approx. 20 seconds and even forced Via Rail to stop trains. In Ottawa’s Rideau Shopping mall windows shattered and one school was closed.
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BC has experienced many earthquakes with the most severe occurring in 1918, 1929, 1946 & 1949. The largest earthquake recorded in Canada had a magnitude of 8.1, occurring in 1949, off the Queen Charlotte Islands. Experts believe that BC is not only susceptible to a major earthquake, but that one is long overdue. It is our responsibility to be aware of the need for emergency planing, preparedness and risk management BEFORE an earthquake occurs.
The impact of major earthquake on BC workplaces could be severe in terms of life, property and economic losses. Business owners, managers, supervisors and employees must be aware of the impact a major earthquake could have on their life.
In 1989 the San Fransisco earthquake forced 50% of small businesses in Santa Cruz to permanently shut their doors. Of 1100 businesses surveyed following the 1994 Northridge earthquake in California, 25% failed to recover from the damage. The loss of jobs related to these events had a significant economic impact on the area.
In Canada and the US, experience with earthquakes has demonstrated that most buildings in an affected area will survive a large event with minimal structural damage. However, non-structural damage (toppled filing cabinets, shelves) can result in buildings being inoperable for long periods of time.
It is imperative that individuals recognize, plan, and prepare for the impacts of a large earthquake occurring at the workplace by ensuring that plans are developed, implemented and practiced regularly to minimize the physical, property and economic losses.
Remember, workplaces throughout Canada are legally required to comply with the Canada Labour Code; “Every employer shall ensure that the health and safety at work of every person employed by the employer is protected.”
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This has been the year of earthquakes. Eight powerful earthquakes have rocked Haiti, Chile, Turkey, Indonesia, China, and Japan, leaving hundreds of thousands dead, injured, or homeless.
#1 Brief Staff. Staff should be educated on what to do before, during and after an earthquake – at home, at work or on the road.
#2 Emergency Supplies. Keep enough emergency food, water, heat, lighting and sanitation supplies to last the average number of people on the premises for at least 72 hours.
#3 Assess Building Vulnerability. Make inquiries, meet with engineers or contractors – even if you lease.
#4 Reduce hazards. Contact our office for a free assessment.
#5 Assign Tasks to Staff. Remove uncertainty – assign floor captains, fire captains and more.
#6 Resources. Determine the critical resources of your business and establish backup suppliers from out of town.
#7 Transportation. Roads will be closed. Consider how critical resources will be shipped to you if normal routes are not available.
#8 Vital Records. Identify vital business records and documents and store duplicates off site. Ensure you have a system of backups in place.
#9 Communications. Telephone systems may be disrupted. Consider alternate methods of communication with employees, suppliers, and customers.
#10 Review Insurance. Determine your earthquake insurance needs.
#11 Coordinate Plans. Team up with other building tenants, neighbours and business partners.
#12 Practice. Regularly practice earthquake response and recovery activities.
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Your sitting at your desk and your neck is sore, your back aches and soon you have lost your concentration. You know the feeling.
#1 Adjust your Workstation. You spend 8 hours a day at your work station so being comfortable is key to staying healthy. Support your arms and don’t tip your wrist back. Sit properly, with feet on the ground (uncross those legs), and set your screen so the top line of text is eye level.
#2 Stretch. Get up, move, and stretch. Bring some movement into your day.
These two simple steps will make a huge difference in your day. Try it!
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