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Digest

Health line

By TIMES WIRES
Published January 30, 2007

HELPING IN FIGHT AGAINST HEART DISEASE

Almost eight times more women die of heart disease than of breast cancer, according to the National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute. But statistics show that most women fail to recognize the risk factors. To help raise awareness, Cheerios will donate $1 to the advocacy organization WomenHeart for every online code entered by consumers at www.cheerioshelping hearts.com until Jan. 1. The Circle of Helping Hearts code is on the back of specially marked Cheerios boxes.

More on women and their hearts

A new study suggests that women who outwardly express anger may be at increased risk of coronary artery disease if they also have factors such as increasing age, family history of diabetes and unhealthy levels of fats (lipids) in the blood. Cardiologist C. Noel Bairey Merz, medical director of Women's Health at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center in Los Angeles, said overt anger appears to be the most "toxic" aspect of hostility in women.

By the numbers

87 Percent of more than 200 hospital administrators surveyed who say that overcrowding has failed to improve in the past year.

48 Percent who say their facilities failed to admit patients from their emergency department within two hours of arrival more than half the time.

60 Percent who say overcrowding forces them to divert patients needing urgent care to other facilities.

28 Percent who say their facilities have had to postpone or cancel surgeries because of bed shortages.

Source: American College of Emergency Physicians

It's to smile about

Free dental care will be provided next month in Pinellas County for Medicaid-eligible children who lack a dentist. Under the annual Give Kids a Smile program, the child's parent or guardian must fill out paperwork authorizing treatment and must take the child to the nearest clinic for the appointment. Parents should call (727) 210-4222 to confirm eligibility and make appointments. On Friday and on Feb. 9, each child will receive a screening, X-rays, a cleaning and sealants if needed. On Feb. 10, fillings and extractions will be provided. In Hillsborough and Pasco counties, almost 140 children have already been selected.

Doughnuts are good, relatively

When asked which of various food items has the most sugar, 50 percent of consumers incorrectly identified a glazed doughnut as having the most. In reality, a PowerBar Performance Chocolate bar (with 18 grams of sugars) and Clif Bar's Crunchy Peanut Butter (18 grams) had more than the Krispy Kreme doughnut (10 grams). Consumers in the survey ranked eating less sugar as the toughest nutrition habit to practice.

Help beyond insurance

Florida parents with children in need of medical services or equipment not fully covered by health insurance can apply for a grant of up to $5,000 from the UnitedHealthcare Children's Foundation. Services covered by the grants include speech therapy, physical therapy and psychotherapy, wheelchairs, braces, hearing aids, eyeglasses and dental treatment. To learn more, go to www.uhccf.org.

[Last modified January 30, 2007, 01:42:08]