Month: September 2019

2019-09-30T07:01:00

(BPT) – Millions of people have taken consumer DNA tests and received their results online. In fact, in May of this year, Ancestry^® announced it surpassed 15 million members in its global DNA network.

These simple-to-take saliva-based tests reveal your ethnic origins, connect you to distant relatives, help you find ancestors, and uncover new details about your family history.

But how much do you know about these tests?

Barry Starr, Ph.D., and Director of Scientific Communications at Ancestry, the global leader in family history and consumer genomics, shares five things every consumer should know about DNA tests:

1. Your DNA is different from your brothers and sisters, even though you have the same parents.

The particular mix of DNA you inherit is unique to you. You get half of your DNA from each of your biological parents as did each of your brothers and sisters, but all your siblings don’t get the same half. This means your brother or sister will have different DNA than you, most likely resulting in their own unique ethnicity estimate. Their DNA can reveal unique parts of your family’s story. This is why it is so useful to have your brothers and sisters tested — you get a more complete picture of your family’s history with each added sibling.

2. Your DNA results don’t always fall within modern country borders.

Because of changes in country boundaries and historical migration patterns throughout history, people’s ethnicity results do not always line up with modern-day countries. For example, people from modern-day Austria may have DNA from Eastern Europe and Russia because of the Austrian-Hungarian Empire that split in the early 1900s. Similarly, people with roots in Northern Italy may have a surprising amount of France in their results because of the close ties these regions had over the centuries. This means that even if you trace your family history back to a specific, current country, your DNA results may show you’re connected to a region outside that country’s current borders.

3. Your DNA doesn’t change, but the methods used to analyze it does.

Consumer genomics is a new and evolving industry, and scientists are constantly revealing new ways to learn about your history through DNA. Like many other companies, Ancestry analyzes your DNA by comparing it to the DNA of groups of people whose families have a long history in a particular region. These people make up the AncestryDNA reference panel. Updates to your results come from advances in the algorithms used to analyze your DNA and/or increases in the size of the reference panel itself. For example, in 2018 the company added new samples to its reference panel, making it five times larger. This led to a new update that allowed members to connect to even more regions around the world. As consumer DNA networks grow and science advances, consumers can expect many companies to add to and update their reference panels, resulting in more comprehensive and precise results.

4. You own your personal genetic data.

Consumer DNA companies are at the cutting edge of genomic science and have a responsibility to set the bar for industry innovation. For that reason, Ancestry, along with several other companies, partnered with the Future of Privacy Forum to release the Privacy Best Practices for Consumer Genetic Testing Services in 2018. These guidelines are the first of their kind for the industry, and set a self-governed policy framework for the collection, protection, sharing and use of data collected by consumer genomics companies. You should read the privacy policy of any company you test with to understand how your data is being protected — as well as how the policy aligns with the FPF Best Practices.

5. You must go beyond DNA to get the complete picture of your family history and origins.

Your DNA only tells part of your story, because we only inherit half of each parent’s DNA. This means that not all your family’s details can be read in your DNA. To fill in the gaps, you can build a family tree and use historical records to discover family photos, documents with original signatures, and census information collected at your ancestors’ doorsteps. Going beyond DNA can reveal rich context and give a full picture of your family history.

Barry Starr, Ph.D., Director of Scientific Communications at Ancestry, is a science communicator and educator with a passion for genetics.

2019-09-30T07:01:00

(BPT) – Movement is crucial to a person’s health, quality of life and independence. For some people, pain makes movement a challenge. Pain is one of the most common reasons people seek health care. A physical therapist (PT) can help people move better and safely and manage their pain.

Who are physical therapists?

PTs are movement experts who improve quality of life through prescribed exercise, hands-on care and patient education. PTs treat people of all ages and abilities and empower them to actively take part in their own care.

Physical therapist assistants (PTAs) work with patients under the direction of a PT and teach and demonstrate exercises that help improve mobility, strength and coordination.

To ensure the best possible care, PTs often work with other members of a patient’s health care team. After performing an evaluation, PTs create personalized plans of care that can help you:

• Improve mobility and function
• Manage pain and chronic conditions
• Avoid surgery
• Reduce the use of opioids and other prescription drugs
• Recover from injury
• Prevent future injury and chronic disease

Here are three tips to manage pain:

Tip: Work with your PT to understand your pain. PTs play a valuable role in the patient education process, including setting realistic expectations for recovery with or without opioids. This allows you to take a proactive approach to pain management.

Tip: Keep moving. An active lifestyle that is appropriate for your condition can help manage symptoms and decrease or eliminate pain. The body was built to move, and doing so regularly can help improve quality of life. PTs prescribe exercise specific to your condition, needs and goals.

Tip: If you experience an injury or develop the onset of pain, seeing a PT early on can help address and manage your symptoms.

When and where do you see a physical therapist?

Pain management is just one reason to work with a PT. They can also help you prevent future injury or chronic conditions. You do not need a physician’s referral to make an appointment with a PT for an evaluation.

PTs can specialize in a variety of areas, including geriatrics, neurology, oncology, orthopedics, pediatrics, sports and women’s health. They provide treatments in:

• Hospitals, outpatient clinics or offices
• Inpatient rehabilitation facilities
• Skilled nursing, extended care or subacute facilities
• Schools, education or research centers
• Fitness centers and sports training facilities
• Hospice settings
• Your workplace
• Your home

How can you take the next step?

For more information and to find a PT near you, visit ChoosePT.com.

2019-09-30T05:01:00

(BPT) – Did you know that today’s homes burn faster than ever? Newer homes tend to be built with unprotected, lightweight wood construction and are frequently designed with lots of open spaces and high ceilings — ideal conditions for fire to grow and spread quickly. Also, modern home furnishings are often made with synthetic fibers that generate toxic smoke and gases when they burn, making it hard to see and breathe within moments.

Whether you live in an older or a newer home, however, you may have as little as two minutes to escape safely from the moment your smoke alarm sounds. Getting out of your home as soon as possible is vital to safety.

While many families may have spent some time thinking about an escape plan, far fewer actually practice it. Going through a fire safety drill means that everyone will know what to do when seconds count.

How can you make your family ready in the event of a home fire? Here are important steps to follow.

1. Check smoke alarms.

Having enough working smoke alarms in your home is critical to increased safety. Do you have at least one working smoke alarm on every level of your home? Is there one located in every bedroom and near all sleeping areas? Do you test your alarms monthly to make sure they’re working? Are they interconnected, so that when one smoke alarms sounds, they all do?

2. Make a map.

Involve everyone in your household in the process of drawing a map of your home. Together, walk through each room as you work on the map, marking two exits from each room (typically a door and a window), and a path from each room’s exit to the outside.

Make sure exits remain unblocked by furniture, are clear of clutter and in good working order (i.e., windows open and close easily).

To make a map, you can download and use the grid available at nfpa.org/fpw under “Make your plan.”

3. Pick a meeting place.

Decide on a nearby tree, light pole or neighbor’s home where everyone will meet after exiting. Make sure the meeting place is far enough away from your home to be out of danger from a fire.

4. Review how to call 911 or your community’s emergency number.

Make sure everyone knows how to report the fire once they’re safely outside using a mobile phone or by going to a trusted neighbor’s home.

5. Practice.

Have everyone go into their rooms as if it’s nighttime, sound the alarm, and then practice getting out quickly. Practice more than once to improve exit times and to make sure everyone understands exactly what to do in the event of a fire. Practice your plan at least twice a year so it’s fresh in everyone’s minds.

If there are older people living in your home, or anyone with special needs, make sure you have a plan in place to help them get out. Involve everyone in practicing your plan to be sure it works for everybody.

“People tend to underestimate their risk to fire, particularly at home. That over-confidence lends itself to a complacency toward home escape planning and practice,” said Lorraine Carli, vice president of outreach and advocacy at the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA). “But in a fire situation, we’ve seen time and again that advance planning can make a potentially life-saving difference.”

Visit nfpa.org/fpw and click “Make your plan” to help make sure your family is ready.

This Fire Prevention Week, Oct. 6-12, make sure your family has a plan and knows how to put it to work in case of a fire.

2019-09-29T23:01:00

(BPT) – What you don’t know about fleas, ticks and your pet might surprise you. A study by the Harris Poll on behalf of Merck Animal Health found U.S. pet owners hold some common misconceptions when it comes to keeping these pests away from their pets.

This survey was recently conducted online within the U.S. among 1,376 adults ages 18 and older, who own a dog and/or cat. Results were weighted for age within gender, region, race/ethnicity, income and education where necessary to align them with their actual proportions in the population. Propensity score weighting was also used to adjust for respondents’ propensity to be online.

The pet owners surveyed thought they knew more than they did about ticks, fleas and their pets, with more than half categorizing themselves as “very knowledgeable” about these pests when the reality showed gaps in that knowledge. One-third of people surveyed said they don’t give their pets regular flea and tick medication, and nearly half don’t bring their pets to the vet for routine exams to protect against the creepy crawlies.

It’s not just an issue for your pets. The study came at a time when the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reported that human illnesses from tick, flea and mosquito bites more than tripled in the U.S. from 2004 to 2016. “Illnesses on the Rise from Mosquito, Tick and Flea Bites,” appeared in the CDC’s monthly report, Vital Signs, in May.

According to the CDC, 90% of all pet parents say they would “do anything” to keep their pets safe from fleas and ticks, but many respondents were unaware that flea infestations could occur in the home during any season, regardless of the temperature outside. Fleas can carry life-threatening diseases year-round, so it is important to keep your pet protected from these pests in the fall and winter, as well as the hotter months.

Here are some common misconceptions, facts and strategies for protecting your four-legged best friend.

It’s not just a summer problem. If it’s above about 40 degrees Fahrenheit outside, fleas and ticks can be active. They can also thrive, grow, reproduce and infest our animals and homes, just as easily as they could in the summer. However, only half of the people surveyed say they treat their pets year-round.

It’s not just for outdoor pets. Fleas and ticks can bedevil indoor pets, too, if they come into contact with other animals. Also, these pests can hitch a ride on you or can be transmitted by rodents. Most people also don’t know the flea life cycle typically lasts around 12 days, and adult fleas can lay up to 50 eggs a day, which means these unwanted pests can easily live in and infest your home.

Urban dogs and cats aren’t exempt from flea and tick problems. Many people believe these pests live mainly in heavily wooded areas, but if your pet is outside, even in the city, it’s vulnerable.

You don’t have to re-dose your pet monthly. Consult with your veterinarian to ensure your pets are protected year-round. Newer flea and tick preventatives can make it easier by providing extended protection. BRAVECTO^® (fluralaner) is a prescription product that provides 12 weeks* of flea and tick protection. [Caution: Federal (USA) law restricts these drugs to use by or on the order of a licensed veterinarian.]

*BRAVECTO kills fleas and prevents flea infestations. BRAVECTO Chew and BRAVECTO Topical Solution for Dogs kills ticks (black-legged tick, American dog tick and brown dog tick) for 12 weeks and also kills lone star ticks for 8 weeks. BRAVECTO Topical Solution for Cats kills ticks (black-legged tick) for 12 weeks and American dog ticks for 8 weeks.

Ticks aren’t always visible, especially the small deer ticks that carry Lyme disease. They can feel like small, hard bumps. Check your pet frequently and if you find one, remove it with tweezers, taking care not to leave the head inside your pet.

Lyme disease has been reported in all 50 states, according to Dr. Dan Markwalder of Companion Animal Hospital in Chicago. He advises pet parents to take extra precautions in the Northeast, Mid-Atlantic and Great Lakes regions, which see the most cases.

Lyme disease isn’t contracted immediately after a tick bite. The tick must be attached to your pet for 24-48 hours. So a solid defense against the disease is to administer flea and tick protection regularly and to check your pet daily.

Symptoms of Lyme disease in pets sometimes mimic other conditions. Look for fever, loss of appetite, reduced energy, lameness and swelling of joints.

Symptoms of Lyme disease in people are similar to those in pets, with the exception of a bull’s-eye-shaped rash, which occurs in 70 to 80 percent of the cases, according to the CDC. The rash usually shows up from three to 30 days after the bite.

To find out more about protecting your four-legged friends and BRAVECTO, visit www.LymeAwarenessForPets.com.

2019-09-29T23:01:00

(BPT) – One in four people worldwide die from conditions related to thrombosis, the formation of clots in a blood vessel. Events related to thrombosis cause more deaths each year in the U.S. and Europe than breast cancer, HIV disease and motor vehicle crashes combined, yet few people know about blood clots, or that they often have a surprising origin — the hospital.

Harmful blood clots typically form in the deep veins of the leg, groin or arm and are referred to as deep vein thrombosis (DVT). A DVT can then travel in the circulation system and lodge in the lungs, also known as a pulmonary embolism (PE). Together, DVT and PE are known as venous thromboembolism (VTE), a dangerous, and potentially deadly medical condition.

Being in the hospital is a major risk factor for the development of VTE. Patients with decreased mobility due to bedrest or recovery, or who experience blood vessel trauma due to surgery or other serious injury, are more likely to develop blood clots.

Hospital-associated thrombosis is a global problem. In a major study sponsored by the World Health Organization (WHO), it accounted for more deaths and disability than hospital-acquired pneumonia, catheter-related bloodstream infections, or adverse drug events in low and middle income countries. It also accounts for up to 300,000 deaths in the U.S. and 544,000 deaths in Europe each year. In the U.K., however, figures have been falling over the last decade thanks to mandated VTE prevention measures instituted in hospitals by England’s National Health Service (NHS). Since 2010, England has seen a 15.4 percent reduction in deaths within 90 days after hospital discharge.

The example of NHS England in the U.K. shows that by focusing on hospital-associated VTE prevention, healthcare systems can save lives and reduce costs. According to a recent article in the British Medical Journal authored by Prof. Beverley Hunt, MD, OBE, and chair of the World Thrombosis Day Steering Committee, NHS England’s hospitals lowered their VTE rates significantly by implementing mandated patient risk assessments, adherence to guidelines, and investigation of cases to determine their root causes. In the U.S., Johns Hopkins Medicine reported a 40 percent reduction in VTE events after implementing a similar prophylaxis protocol.

While some hospitals and healthcare systems have adopted comparable measures for preventing VTE, that is not true everywhere. This means patients must be proactive in speaking with their care providers about the steps they can take to identify and prevent thrombosis. During their stay at the hospital and after being discharged, patients should be alert for signs and symptoms of thrombosis, such as leg pain and tenderness, redness and swelling, shortness of breath, rapid breathing, chest pain and coughing up blood.

Thrombosis survivor Scott Shields of Arlington, Virginia, says, “A car crash when I was 32 left me with multiple life-threatening injuries. But when I was recovering in the hospital, I developed a deep vein thrombosis (DVT) in my left thigh. Because I was communicating with my doctors daily during physical therapy sessions, I was able to bring their attention to this new, sudden pain in my leg, and get rapid treatment.”

As Shields indicates, an open line of communication with health care providers is essential. Patients should be able to expect that their hospital stay is safe and that the risk of adverse events such as blood clots is minimized, but they should also feel empowered to advocate for their own care.

Hospitalized patients should take the following steps to help assess their risk and prevent VTE:

• Ask your provider for a VTE risk assessment, a tool or questionnaire that gathers information about a patient’s age, medical history, medications, and specific lifestyle factors to discern a patient’s potential risk for developing blood clots.
• Ask about treatment options like compression stockings or anti-clotting medication that can help prevent VTE.
• Follow prescribed treatments, including medication, as ordered, and ask questions if you have any.
• Stay active and moving as much as possible while in the hospital and after discharge.

For more information about blood clots, visit the World Thrombosis Day website. World Thrombosis Day is on Oct. 13 each year and is led by the International Society on Thrombosis and Haemostasis (ISTH).

2019-09-29T23:01:00

(BPT) – There are more than 100 types of cancer that impact people of all backgrounds. It’s likely that cancer has touched you or someone close to you. There is a lot to know about cancer and its effects on people in the United States and around the world. How many of these 10 cancer facts do you know?

1. Cancer is prevalent: In 2019, there will be an estimated 1.7 million new cancer cases diagnosed in the U.S., according to the American Cancer Society (ACS). What’s more, approximately 39 out of 100 women and men will develop some form of cancer in their lifetime.
2. Skin cancer is the most common cancer for women and men: For women, the next most common cancers are breast cancer, lung cancer and colorectal cancer. For men, the next most common cancers are prostate cancer, lung cancer and colorectal cancer.
3. Most cancer patients will receive radiation therapy: About two-thirds of all cancer patients will receive radiation therapy as part of their treatment, according to the American Society for Radiation Oncology (ASTRO). Radiation therapy, or radiotherapy, is the use of various forms of radiation to treat cancer and other diseases. Radiation therapy has been an effective cancer treatment for more than 100 years.
4. Some cancers are preventable: Not using tobacco is the single best way a person can prevent cancer from developing. Many cases of skin cancer could be prevented by protecting the skin from the sun’s ultraviolet radiation and indoor tanning devices. Taking action like avoiding tobacco and getting immunizations against cancer-causing infections can help protect you.
5. Radiation therapy destroys cancer cell DNA: Radiation therapy works by damaging the DNA within cancer cells, destroying their ability to reproduce and causing the cells to die. When the damaged cancer cells are destroyed by radiation, the body naturally eliminates them. Normal cells can be affected by radiation, but they can repair themselves in a way cancer cells cannot.
6. Survival rates are increasing: The five-year relative survival rate for all cancers is 69 percent, which means that 69 percent of all patients diagnosed with cancer survive beyond year five. Treatment advances and earlier diagnosis for some cancers have contributed to the improved survival rates. Some cancers, such as prostate and breast, can have more than a 90% five-year survival rate if diagnosed early.
7. Radiation therapy can cure some cancers: When used as part of a cancer treatment plan, radiation therapy can destroy tumors that have not spread to other parts of the body. It can also reduce the risk that the cancer will return after surgery or chemotherapy, or shrink the cancer before surgery, notes ASTRO.
8. Tobacco use is the most preventable cause of death in the U.S.: About 30% of all cancer deaths are caused by smoking, notes the ACS. Cigarette smoking increases the risk of at least 12 cancers: oral cavity and pharynx, larynx, lung, esophagus, pancreas, uterine cervix, kidney, bladder, stomach, colorectum, liver and myeloid leukemia.
9. Screening is available for some cancers: The benefits of screening for some cancers such as breast, lung, colorectal, and cervical, may outweigh the potential risks for select, at-risk people. The U.S. Preventative Services Task Force is responsible for all consumer screening recommendations.
10. Radiation therapy can be external or internal: With external radiation, a machine directs the high-energy waves at the cancer and some of the healthy tissue surrounding it. When internal radiation is used, a radiation source can be delivered by an intravenous injection or by inserting radioactive pellets or wires directly into the tumor. Learn more at RTanswers.org.