Tuesday, January 15, 2013



HELIX MEDICAL CENTERS OF TEQUESTA "GOES RED"AND PARTNERS WITH THE AMERICAN HEART ASSOCIATION
 
Will host an educational and fashion event on February 7th to benefit the Go Red for Women initiative
 
(TEQUESTA- January  15, 2013)- HELIX Medical Centers announced today that it has partnered with the American Heart Association and the Northern Palm Beach Chamber of Commerce, along with local business partners, to host its first annual "Go Red For Women" event , February 7th from 6 to 8 PM at One Main Street, Tequesta, FL 33469.    "We are very happy to be teaming up with the American Heart Association, in February, to aid the fight against heart disease in women and men,” said HELIX Tequesta’s site manager, Trisha Krausankas. “We, at HELIX Medical Center, want to educate the community about this silent killer, with the hope of saving lives along the way. Please join us for our open house, where we will all take part in learning more about the prevention of heart disease. It promises to be an evening of fun, fashion, and most important, education about this deadly disease. Festivities will include a ribbon cutting ceremony, music, wine and cheese refreshments, and a fashion show, starring several models who are battling or have survived heart disease, along with an educational presentation from a Jupiter-area cardiologist. The event will also feature health exhibitors and vendor booths displaying jewelry, clothes and other items, with proceeds benefiting the American Heart Association’s Go Red for Women initiative and Heart Walk. Cardiovascular disease is the leading cause of death among American women, claiming the lives of over 400,000 women each year. It disproportionately affects women, as more women than men die each year from heart disease, and a greater percentage of women than men die after suffering a heart attack. However, women are less likely to receive comprehensive medical treatment after a heart attack, and make up only 27% of participants in heart-health research studies. With these facts in mind, Go Red for Women aims to boost awareness of women’s risks, support scientific research, and develop guidelines for medical providers, all with a goal of keeping more women alive. HELIX Medical Centers is a full-service, walk-in urgent care center with locations in Deerfield Beach, Lake Worth and Tequesta. HELIX Medical Centers offers comprehensive medical care for the whole family and its centers are open on weekends and evenings. HELIX Medical Center of Tequesta is located at One Main Street, Tequesta FL  33169. For more information or directions to the event please call (561) 747-4464.  On the internet: www.helixcares.com. 

ABOUT HELIX MEDICAL CENTERSWith locations in Palm Beach and Broward, HELIX Medical Centers is a network of fully certified urgent care and walk-in medical centers open 365 days a year. Its facilities provide fast, comprehensive and affordable medical care and offer an alternative to emergency room long waits and expensive bills.Its centers are open 7 days a week, accept most major private insurance and no appointments are necessary. Each location has been certified by the Urgent Care Association of America and offers complete services including treatment of fractures and minor trauma, physicals, flu shots and vaccinations, confidential STD testing, car accidents and on-the-job injury medical care. For more information please call 888-94-HELIX or visit www.helixcares.com

ABOUT THE AMERICAN HEART ASSOCIATION
The American Heart Association is devoted to saving people from heart disease and stroke – America’s No. 1 and No. 4 killers. We team with millions of volunteers to fund innovative research, fight for stronger public health policies, and provide lifesaving tools and information to prevent and treat these diseases. The Dallas-based association is the nation’s oldest and largest voluntary organization dedicated to fighting heart disease and stroke. To learn more or to get involved, call 1-800-AHA-USA1 or visit heart.org 


ABOUT GO RED FOR WOMEN
The American Heart Association’s Go Red for Women movement has been impacting the health of women for 10 years. More than 627,000 women’s lives have been saved, but the fight is far from over. Visit GoRedForWomen.org for more information or call 1-888-MYHEART. 
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Wednesday, January 2, 2013

Flu Season-What to Expect this Winter Season


Flu Season-What to Expect this Winter Season
Seasonal flu is a contagious respiratory illness caused by flu viruses types A and B.  Approximately 5 to 20% of the U.S. residents contract the flu each year.  In healthy individuals it is a limited condition though in some individuals, it may lead to death.   In the United States, flu season occurs in the fall and winter. Seasonal flu activity usually peaks in January or February, but it can occur as early as October and as late as May.  You get the flu when a person with the flu coughs, sneezes, or talks and droplets containing their germs land in your mouth or nose. You can also get the flu by touching a surface or object that has the flu virus on it and then touching your mouth, eyes, or nose. 

Some groups are more likely to experience complications from the seasonal flu, including: seniors (those 65 and older), children (especially those younger than 2 years old), and people with chronic health conditions such as HIV, cancer, diabetes or heart disease. Getting the flu vaccine is your best protection against the flu.  Illnesses from seasonal flu usually last for one to two weeks.

Complications from the flu include: bacterial pneumonia, ear or sinus infections, dehydration, or worsening of chronic health conditions.  Approximately 200,000 people are hospitalized every year for flu-related complications in the U.S. 

Most healthy adults can infect others one day before symptoms develop and five to seven days after symptoms appear. Some people, especially young children and people with weakened immune systems, might be contagious for a longer period.

You are unlikely to get infected with the same exact strain of flu more than once. It is possible to be infected with flu virus more than once in a season, though, because several different strains of flu virus circulate each year. Exposure to a particular strain of flu virus may help protect you against that strain in the future. But it will not protect you from infection with other flu virus strains.

Flu symptoms include:  a high fever often exceeding 100 degrees Fahrenheit or a feeling of fever (not everyone with the flu has fever), cough and/or sore throat, runny or stuffy nose, headaches and/or body aches, chills, fatigue, nausea, diarrhea (most commonly in children).  In general, the flu is worse than the common cold. Symptoms such as fever, body aches, tiredness, and cough are more common and intense with the flu. People with colds are more likely to have a runny or stuffy nose.  Seek medical attention immediately if you experience any of the following:  Difficulty breathing or shortness of breath, Purple or blue discoloration of the lips, Pain or pressure in the chest or abdomen, Sudden dizziness, Confusion, Severe or persistent vomiting, Seizures, or Flu-like symptoms that improve but then return with fever and worse cough.

Flu seasons are unpredictable. The CDC (Center for Disease Control) and WHO (World health Organization) closely monitor flu cases to identify new viruses or potential epidemics or pandemics.  On September 7, the Minnesota Department of Health reported detection of 3 infections with an influenza A H1N2 variant (“H1N2v”) virus with the pandemic M gene from the 2009 H1N1 virus. These cases were reportedly associated with prolonged contact with pigs at a fair. H1N2 viruses normally circulate in pigs, not people, but rare human infections with this virus have been detected in the past.

This virus is different from the H3N2v virus that infected 319 people in the United States in 2011 and 2012. When this virus occurs in pigs, it is called “swine influenza.” The virus does not usually infect people or spread among people. The 2012-2013 flu vaccine is not designed to protect against H3N2v. 

CDC recommends that everyone 6 months and older get a flu vaccine each year.  Getting a flu vaccine is the first and most important step in protecting against this serious disease.
With that said… please stop by one of your Helix Medical Centers’ locations and get your updated flu vaccine for this season.
Written by: HELIX Medical Centers: Adrian Bellido, PA- C