Are You At-Risk for Heart Disease?
In Burke County, two out of five people are at-risk of developing heart disease

Click here to view this story as it appeared in the Morganton News Herald (Includes additional graphics and information) in pdf format.

BY SAM MURRAY

FOR THE NEWS HERALD

Kathy Collins was a walking time bomb, only she didn’t feel like it. What she felt, almost every day, was terrible. She felt tired all the time and little things irritated her. Kathy knew that she was a little overweight, but she was sure that her malaise was the result of something else.

But what?

Kathy was caught in a downward spiral, eating too much of the wrong foods and not exercising. She knew that the more she ate the worse she felt in the long run and the less she felt like exercising. But food made her feel better for a little while, so surely it couldn’t be all bad, could it?

What Kathy didn’t know was that her cholesterol level was getting dangerously high. She didn’t know that high blood cholesterol by itself has no warning signs. In fact, her cholesterol level was so high that she was facing a 50 percent to 75 percent chance of having a heart attack or stroke by the age of 60. Kathy needed to make some drastic changes in her life quickly --and she had no clue that she was even in danger.

Fortunately for Kathy, she works at Western Piedmont Community College (WPCC). Fortunate because WPCC takes advantage of Blue Ridge HealthCare’s Community Outreach Program and encourages its employees to take control of their health. The Community Outreach Program provides free cholesterol screenings onsite to WPCC employees as well as for other organizations in the community.

“It’s so easy to put off the things that matter these days because everyone is so busy,” said Shirley Snipes, Community Outreach Coordinator for Blue Ridge HealthCare (BRHC). “Our schedules are so full that we constantly postpone things like check-ups and exercise. To make matters worse, as we rush around we rationalize to ourselves that a quick trip through the fast food drive-thru is OK because of the time saved.”

At the urging of coworkers, Kathy had her cholesterol checked at the free screening and discovered it was high.

“You know, it’s almost comical now when I think back to when I was first screened,” said Kathy. “Not only did I not know what my own blood cholesterol level was, but I didn’t even know what was an acceptable level. I honestly think that I was in a state of denial. I mean look at the facts - I have a history of strokes on both sides of my family, I was overweight and I felt awful. I was getting sick a lot, which I now realize was because my body was so stressed and was having a hard time fighting off germs. Somehow I had convinced myself that I could get better - feel better without making actual changes in my life. If that’s not denial, I don’t know what is.”

When she got the results from the first screening, she was shocked. Her cholesterol level was 244.

“I did try to make a few lifestyle changes. I even lost some weight,” she said. “I was looking forward to the next screening. I just knew that my cholesterol had gone down.”

So she was really surprised when she saw her level had gone up to 268.

“The letter said that I needed to schedule an appointment with my physician immediately,” she said. “That moment - sitting there with the results in my hand - may be the first time I truly realized just how much work I had ahead of me. That’s when I called Dr. Lane.”

“I’m very proud of the progress that Kathy has made in the past year,” said William Lane, MD. “She has made several lifestyle changes to get her cholesterol under control. I cannot stress enough, however, that people realize that a screening, any screening, is not a substitute for your physician, but rather a valuable tool for both the doctor and patient. Kathy is lucky to work in a place like WPCC. She has worked hard and it has paid off.”

Today Kathy looks and feels great. She has lost 45 pounds and lowered her cholesterol level to 138.

“I have completely changed the way that I eat,” said Kathy. “No more fried foods and very little red meat. I’ve replaced hamburgers with grilled chicken and fish. I’m also eating more steamed veggies than I ever thought possible. Plus I’ve found a form of exercise that I really enjoy - swimming.”

“I had hoped that I could lower my cholesterol by changing my diet and exercising, but I could only do so much on my own,” said Kathy.

“Dr. Lane put me on a cholesterol-reducing medication about six months ago and it helps. My husband has also been very supportive. He eats what I eat and has lost 70 pounds himself. It’s like a new world has opened up to us.”

“In the past, a lot of our outreach efforts involved trying to get people into the hospitals for education, usually after a diagnosis was made,” said Laura Lambeth, Vice President of Patient and Physician Services at Blue Ridge HealthCare. “Although this is still a very important part of what we do, I don’t consider it outreach in its purest form. A person with a diagnosis knows they have a problem and they want to get better. To me, outreach targets the person who hasn’t been to the doctor in years and is unaware of possible problems. The only way to reach these folks is to go to their place of work or church or wherever.”

Since Blue Ridge HealthCare started the Community Outreach Program in 2003, it has averaged more than 5,000 free screenings a year.

“Our goal is detection and education,” said Lambeth. “When we identify someone who’s at-risk for heart disease, we notify the person and their physician. It’s very much a team effort. And with over 40 percent of the people we’ve screened so far showing a higher than normal risk for heart disease, we’ve got our work cut out for us.”

“I want the folks at Blue Ridge HealthCare to know how much I appreciate the Community Outreach program,” said Kathy. “You go to your first screening because it’s convenient and free, but you go back for your second and third because it’s your health. I realized that last year when I finally accepted the fact that I was at risk for heart attack or stroke unless I made a change. I decided to make the change and I’ve never looked back.

“When things start to get tough, all I need to do is think about my 2-year-old grandson, Jackston, and I have the strength to go on. He’s my inspiration, my motivation. I know now that I am responsible for my health, good or bad. I get my cholesterol checked on a regular basis as well as having annual physicals.”

“I think that I am very fortunate to be given a second chance at life. Yes, I do consider it a second chance. Before my first screening, I knew nothing about cholesterol and its effects on the body. I’ve heard people say that ignorance is bliss, but that’s garbage. When it comes to your health, ignorance is a killer.”

SAM MURRAY is a writer and graphic artist at Blue Ridge HealthCare.

The second largest employer in Burke County, Blue Ridge HealthCare serves a four-county area and includes Grace and Valdese hospitals, Blue Ridge Home HealthCare, Grace Heights and College Pines Health & Rehabilitation Centers, Grace Ridge Retirement Community, Phifer Wellness Center and a number of physician practices.