This is another in the “Focus on Wellness” series, in which a specialist in the field reports on a medical subject of special concern to older Philadelphians. The views expressed do not necessarily reflect those of Milestones or PCA.
By R. Anthony Carabasi, MD
As a Milestones reader, you may have firsthand experience with varicose veins. Half of us over 50 suffer from the pain and swelling of those big ropey leg veins, which can slow us down and can even cause skin ulcers and blood clots.
This condition is caused by failing valves in the primary veins that allow blood to pool up in the legs. Women with more than two children and people with “vertical” careers, like nursing or teaching, are particularly at risk. Heredity and obesity are also factors.
In the old days (just seven years ago!), patients with severe vein disease had a grim choice of surgical procedures — vein stripping, using an implement to yank the vein out of the leg; or ligation, involving multiple incisions to cut the vein. Both procedures were painful and left the patient laid up for weeks. Not surprisingly, most people declined.
The new century, however, has brought us next-generation medical technology — minimally invasive catheters that heat the diseased vein from within and close it off. One kind uses radiofrequency (RF) energy and another uses laser, but in both cases the device is inserted into the vessel and slowly pulled back to seal the vein walls. The body re-routes blood flow through healthier veins, and the pain and swelling dissipate. And because the procedure is medical, rather than cosmetic, it’s covered by insurance.
I’ve used both laser and radiofrequency catheters. Laser is effective and much faster than earlier RF devices, but it’s also extremely hot, causing pain both during and after the procedure and leaving bruises that take a while to heal.
One RF procedure, ClosureFAST, is even faster than laser, and clinical studies have found it more than 96 percent effective and virtually painless for most patients. In the office with a local anesthetic, I can seal the entire vein in under three minutes.
The patient is in and out in less than an hour, and some people go straight back to work. One patient, an obstetrics nurse, put in a full shift delivering babies right after the procedure.
About a third of my patients are over 50, and an increasing number are in their 70s. Some haven’t worn shorts since the Nixon years. Now they’re finding out about the new technology from, of all people, their children.
One, 79, saw what ClosureFAST did for her middle-aged son, and wanted the procedure herself. She enjoys her dancing even more these days.
About 200 Americans die every year of health problems caused by heat and humidity — and most are 50 or older.
Because of physical changes, you can’t cool down as well as younger people do. You may not feel the heat as much and be less likely to feel thirsty, even when dehydrated. Heart disease, diabetes and other common old-age diseases add to risks. So can some drugs.
Some hot-weather safety tips from the American Geriatric Society’s Foundation for Health in Aging:
• Be where it’s air-conditioned.
• Don’t walk long distances, lift heavy objects or do other strenuous things.
• Drink lots of water and other clear drinks that don’t contain alcohol or caffeine (these can dry you out).• Take cool showers, baths or sponge baths.
• Stay out of the sun.
• Wear light-weight, light-colored, loose-fitting clothing, and hats.
Maintaining aerobic fitness may delay biological aging by up to 12 years, according to an analysis reported in the British Journal of Sports Medicine.
Jogging and other types of aerobic exercise reduce the risk of serious disease and promote faster recovery from injury or illness. Canadian researchers conclude the improvement in oxygen consumption and its use in generating energy (metabolism) can also increase maximal aerobic power by 25 percent, equivalent of 10 to 12 biological years.
If Grandma falls asleep in front of the TV, it might be wise for her see her physician.
Columbia University researchers say it could be a sleep disorder, which increases the risk of stroke. The drowsiness may be due to sleep apnea, in which people briefly stop breathing, spiking blood pressure when they wake.
The odds of a stroke were nearly five times greater among heavy unintentional dozers than among people who rarely nod.