ARE THERE EFFECTIVE TREATMENTS FOR THROMBOCYTOPENIA?

If the cause is reversible (like a secondary immune reaction due to a medication (then stopping the medication should help reverse the process.  If the problem is autoimmune, other strategies such as plasmapheresis /immunosuppression might make a significant impact.  These decisions are best managed by a hematologist.

POSTED BY:  Steven Ajluni, MD

NOVI OFFICE, CELEBRATES ONE YEAR!

Western Wayne Heart Group is celebrating 1 year at our Novi location at 10 Mile and Haggerty.  This is minutes from all the express ways.

39500 Ten Mile Road
Suite 103
Novi, MI 48375
Phone: (248) 267-5050
Fax: (248) 267-5051

Please see the link below for directions for our old office in Livonia to the new office in Novi.
http://goo.gl/maps/6h7hq

Our Novi office allows for the same expert standard of testing and care you've come to expect from us, with the benefits of being uploaded directly into Beaumont's Epic within 48 hours.  No mail, no faxes and no need for scanning.  We also have state of the art equipment which provides safer, more accurate testing.

If you have visited our Novi office we hope you are as happy with our it as we are.  Should you have any questions or concerns please don't hesitate to call our Physician Liaison Stacie Batur.  She can help stream line communications between referring physicians, bring cards to your office (if you're a physician), or simply answer a question.  She can be reached at the numbers below:

Office: (248) 267-5050 (x6509); Primarily Mondays and Thursdays

Mobile: (248)765-4466;  Tuesdays and Wednesdays

MICHIGAN HEART GROUP WISHES YOU AND YOUR FAMILY A VERY MERRY CHRISTMAS!!

IS VERTIGO A SIGN OF STROKE?

Vertigo is a condition of a whirling disequilibrium, and could be due to inner ear, medication, or brainstem ischemia.  On its own, would be unlikely to be a sign of a stroke, as other nearby nerve cells would also be affected, creating a multi-symptom complex.

POSTED BY:  Steven Ajluni, MD

ARE YOU VACCINATED? WHOOPING COUGH (PERTUSSIS) HAS BEEN A COMMON DIAGNOSIS THIS WINTER.

Whooping cough- known medically as pertussis- is a highly contagious respiratory tract infection.  Although it initially resembles an ordinary cold, whooping cough may eventually turn more serious, particularly in infants.  The best way to prevent it is through vaccinations.  The childhood vaccine is called DTaP.  The whooping cough booster vaccine for adolescents and adults is called Tdap.  Both DTaP and Tdap protect against whooping cough, tetanus and diphtheria.  Recommended vaccine ages are listed below:

Age/Status	Recommendations
Birth through 6 years	DTaP is routinely recommended at 2, 4, and 6 months, at 15 through 18 months, and at 4 through 6 years.
7 through 10 years	Tdap is recommended for children ages 7 through 10 years who are not fully vaccinated (see not 1) against pertussis: ·         Single dose of Tdap for those not fully vaccinated or ·         If additional doses of tetanus and diphtheria toxoid-containing vaccines are needed, then children aged 7 through 10 years should be vaccinated according to the catch-up schedule, with Tdap preferred as the first dose.
11 through 18 years	Tdap is routinely recommend as a single dose for those 11 through 18 years of age with preferred administration at 11 through 12.  If adolescents (13-18 miss getting Tdap at 11-12 yrs. then administer at the next patient encounter or sooner if that adolescent has close contact with infants.
19 years and older	Andy adult 19 yrs. of age or older who has not received a dose of Tdap should get one as soon as feasible- to protect themselves and infants.  This Tdap booster dose can replace one of the 10-year Td booster doses.  Tdap can be administered regardless of interval since the previous Td dose.  Shorter intervals between Tdap and last Td may increase the risk of mild local reactogenicity but may be appropriate if your patient is at high risk for contracting pertussis, such as during an outbreak, or has close contact with infants.
Pregnant women	Pregnant women should get a dose of Tdap during each pregnancy, preferable at 27 through 36 weeks gestation.  By getting Tdap during pregnancy, maternal pertussis antibodies transfer to the newborn, likely providing protection against pertussis in early life, before the baby starts getting DTaP vaccines.  Tdap will also help protect the mother at time of deliver, making her less likely to transmit pertussis to her infant.  It is important that all family members and caregivers of the infant are up-to0date with their pertussis vaccines (DTaP or Tdap, depending on age) before coming into close contact with the infant.
Health Care Personnel	A single dose of Tdap is recommended for health care personnel who have not previously received Tdap as an adult and have direct patient contact.  Tdap vaccination can protect health care personnel against pertussis and help prevent them from spreading it to their patients.  Priority should be given to vaccinating those who have direct contact with babies younger than 12 months. Tdap can be administered regardless of interval since the previous Td dose.  However, shorter intervals between Tdap and last Td may increase the risk of mild local reactogenicity.

Taken from the CDD at http://www.cdc.gov/Vaccines/vpd-vac/pertussis/default.htm

POSTED BY: Ilana Kutinsky, DO 

WHAT SHOULD AN ELDERLY PERSON DO IF BLOOD PRESSURE SUDDENLY RISES?

If sudden elevation in Blood Pressure causes mental status changes, chest pain, sudden shortness of breath, you might be dealing with a hypertensive crisis and going to the ER is necessary.  Lack of those associated symptoms usually means that doctor-directed BP medications are indicated (often in context of an office visit).

POSTED BY:  Steven Ajluni, MD

MORE GREAT TIPS FROM A GREAT PHYSICIAN!! EATING OUT!!!

1.  Most high quality restaurants have healthy options or substitutes on the menu or by request.

2.  It’s important to know your personal risks and what do you need to try to avoid.

3.  Ask for alternatives to high salt, high fat, or high calorie meal.  (Eg-olive oil instead of butter)

4.  Myth:  Everything you eat when dining out is unhealthy for a cardiac or weight loss diet.

5.  To accommodate cardiac risk, ask questions about the menu.  Ask for heart healthy options with low salt and fat

6.  Myth: Heart attacks only occur during stress.  Most occur at rest, and often at night!

7.  Know risks and treat them aggressively, Follow up on your risk factor control, ignorance is NOT bliss

8.  You are aiming for long-term risk reduction.  Lifestyle, follow-up on risk reduction and education

MY FAVORITE:

9.  Focus on the quality of life and not the disease(s) that are ending it!

POSTED BY:  Steven Ajluni, MD

2014 BEAUMONT MICHIGAN HEART GROUP HOLIDAY SCHEDULE

Beaumont Michigan Heart Group closes in observance of all the major holiday's.  The 2014 days are listed below.  We ask, in order to ensure your prescriptions are refilled in time, please call at least one week prior to the holiday.  Calls taken after 10:00 am, the day before closing, are not guaranteed to be called in.

Monday	May 26, 2014	Memorial Day
Friday	July 4, 2014	Independence Day
Monday	September 1, 2014	Labor Day
Thursday	November 27, 2014	Thanksgiving
Friday	November 28, 2014	Day after Thanksgiving
Wednesday	December 24, 2014	Christmas Eve
Thursday	December 25, 2014	Christmas Day
Wednesday	December 31, 2014	New Year’s Eve (1/2 day)
Thursday	January 1, 2015	New Year’s Day

Thank you:
The Beaumont Michigan Heart Group Staff

IS IT TRUE THAT IF YOU SNORE YOU DO NOT DREAM?

Snoring usually equates with obstructive sleep apnea, a condition that has been demonstrated to cause reduced REM (rapid eye movement) sleep.  This is the sleep where dreams occur.

POSTED BY:  Steven Ajluni, MD

OUR BEAUMONT MICHIGAN HEART GROUP HEALTH CARE TEAM

Sometimes you will see one of highly trained extenders.  Below is a list of our physicians and extenders.  For bios and more information please visit our website at mhgpc.com.  Thank you!

PHYSICIANS:

David R. Cragg, MD

Steven L. Almany, MD

Steven C. Ajluni, MD

William H. Devlin, MD

Terry R. Bowers, MD

Brian D. Williamson, MD

Ilana B. Kutinsky, DO

Michael J. Gallagher, MD

EXTENDERS:

Cheryl Vincent, APRN, MSN

Anita Juriga, APRN, MSN

Mariann Graham, RN, BSN

Howard Hollinger, PA-C

Lily Paciorkowski, RN, MSN

Debby Goodall, APRN, ANP-BC

Michelle Forcina, PA-C

Dawn Mitchell, ACNP

Jan Halash, Device Specialist

Amy Douglas, Device Specialist

WHAT CAN BE A CAUSE FOR IRREGULAR HEART BEATS?

Ectopic beats (PAC’s and PVC’s) can produce irregular rhythms.  Multiple distinct ectopic atrial foci can produce an irregularly irregular rhythm (wandering atrial pacemaker versus multifocal atrial tachycardia).  The extreme of an infinite number of reentrant atrial conduction loops all with different timing can lead to atrial fibrillation.

POSTED BY:  Steven Ajluni, MD

BEAUMONT MICHIGAN HEART GROUP'S PHYSICIAN LIAISON IS HERE TO HELP YOU

Michigan Heart Group has a Physician Liaison on staff to assist with questions, concerns or problems you, your staff or your patients may have with our office.

Stacie Batur is available Monday through Thursday at (248) 267-5050 (x6509). She is often between two buildings or visiting referring physician offices. If you get her voice mail, please leave a message and she will call you back shortly. If you need to speak to her immediately you can reach her on her cell phone at (248) 765-4466.