LSU HEALTH SHREVEPORT ASSISTANT PROFESSOR RECEIVES $1.63M GRANT Dr. Hong Sun, assistant professor of cellular biology and anatomy, has received a five-year National Institutes of Health grant totaling $1.63 million to investigate further the connection between light alcohol consumption and ischemic stroke.
Stroke is a leading cause of death and disability. There are several different types of stroke with ischemic strokes accounting for 87 percent of cases. These are triggered by a reduction in blood supply to the brain from a blood vessel blockage. Light alcohol consumption has been shown to not only lower the incidence of ischemic stroke but also improve the prognosis of ischemic stroke in people with risk factors for cardiovascular disease.
The project funded by the NIH aims to develop novel strategies for the prevention and treatment of ischemic stroke by uncovering how alcohol alters the incidence and prognosis of ischemic stroke.
Sun and his lab have worked to determine the mechanism underlying this neuroprotective effect. They hypothesize that light alcohol consumption suppresses inflammation and apoptosis, the process of how cells die, thereby protecting against tissue damage in the brain.
Sun is a member of LSU Health Shreveport’s Center for Cardiovascular Diseases and Sciences.
GROUPS PROMOTE HEALTHY HEART AND QUALITY SLEEP Heart disease is the leading cause of death in the United States and poor sleep quality can directly affect the health of the heart. With this knowledge in mind, The Sleep Clinic and the local chapter of the American Heart Association have combined resources to educate the community about the importance of quality sleep and its effect on a healthy heart. The nationwide awareness campaigns for both February – American Heart Month and March – National Sleep Awareness Month will be highlighted in the “Better Sleep for a Healthy Heart” educational campaign to show how the heart and sleep work hand in hand.
“The evidence is very strong for the relationship between sleep apnea and hypertension and cardiovascular disease generally, so people really need to know that,” Donna Arnett, Ph.D., University of Alabama at Birmingham and president of the American Heart Association, said.
Dr. Nabil Moufarrej, medical director of The Sleep Clinic, said, “Sleep disordered breathing and Obstructive Sleep Apnea can cause the body’s oxygen levels to drop to critical levels and can be associated with heart rhythm irregularities. OSA not only causes daytime fatigue but can cause severe cardiovascular problems including hypertension (50 percent of patients), arrhythmia (5O percent of patients) particularly atrial fibrillation, coronary artery disease, heart attacks (71 percent of patients), heart failure (53 percent of patients), stroke (four times increased risk), and sudden cardiac death.”
During February, the local American Heart Association chapter promoted heart health at its “Go Red For Women” annual luncheon at the Shreveport Convention Center. This event centered on heart disease in women. As one of the sponsors of this luncheon, The Sleep Clinic was on hand to talk about the importance of a good night’s sleep in creating a healthy heart.
Over the two-month period, pamphlets and educational literature will be distributed to area cardiologists offices and family physicians for patients to learn more about these two topics and will also be available at The Sleep Clinic on an ongoing basis.
The educational awareness campaign will conclude with Complimentary Sleep Screenings held at The Sleep Clinic at 2205 East 70th Street in Shreveport from 3 to 5 p.m. on Wednesday afternoons March 16 and 23. In addition, the American Heart Association will be on hand to talk about heart health and disease. The sleep screenings will be conducted at no charge via a questionnaire followed by a meeting with a medical professional to review the questionnaire and to answer questions.
For more information on these events or to schedule an interview, contact Julia Foley at 771-1768 or email [email protected]. For information on The Sleep Clinic, go to http://sleepcliniconline.net.many everyday people going above and beyond to enhance the physical, emotional, creative or spiritual lives of children – but we need their friends, families and neighbors to let us know who they are,” Tipton added.
Find more information, including rules and guidelines, and a nomination form online at www.ourhomelouisiana.org.
HOLY ANGELS’ CHAMPIONS TO HOST BUSINESS BREAKFAST Holy Angels’ Champions for Individuals with Disabilities will host a networking breakfast 7:30 to 8:30 a.m. March 23 at Community Central, located at 401 Edwards St. Suite 125, to talk about the importance of business giving.
Holy Angels’ Champions are a group of young, energetic professionals who are working to become the next generation of leaders in our community.
The Champions support the residents at Holy Angels to improve their quality of life, and give joy on a daily basis by helping residents achieve their fullest potential toward a healthy, active and independent life.
RSVP by March 18 to kpowers@ laholyangels.org or 629-0566.
