Scripps Health - All News for Scripps Clinic

Bariatric Surgery Helps a Young Mother Regain Her Life

2009-11-11T10:47:06-08:00

Imagine having to take a daily medication for high cholesterol, another medication for acid reflux, and a combination of pills and insulin shots to manage diabetes. Imagine that in addition to battling these medical conditions, you’ve got arthritis in your knee, your feet frequently go numb, and you’re constantly exhausted. Now imagine being told that your health is so poor, you’re facing a stroke or heart attack within the next decade—and you’re only 29 years old.

That was reality for Sabrina R., a single mother of two who spent most of her twenties struggling with her weight. After her first pregnancy, Sabrina had trouble losing the weight she’d gained – and her gestational diabetes stayed, too, eventually turning into Type 2 diabetes. Over the next couple of years, which included a second pregnancy, her weight continued to balloon until she reached nearly 260 pounds.

“My daughter used to take my shoes off for me because I wasn’t able to bend over,” said Sabrina. “And I literally didn’t have the energy to play with my kids. It broke my heart, because I didn’t feel like I was being a true mother to them.”

Despite spending two hours at the gym, four days a week, and trying a medical weight loss program that substituted shakes for meals, Sabrina’s health problems worsened as her weight continued to climb.

Things began to look up after she met Mark Takata, MD, a bariatric surgeon at Scripps Clinic Center for Weight Management in Del Mar, Calif. Since Sabrina’s previous weight loss attempts through strict diet and exercise had been unsuccessful, Dr. Takata recommended laparoscopic gastric bypass surgery – one of several surgical options for weight loss offered by the Bariatric Surgery Program at Scripps Green Hospital.

For six months prior to surgery Sabrina continued her medically supervised weight management program, including regular visits with a dietitian, in order to establish good habits early and ease into the new lifestyle that would be required of her after the procedure.

“I decided to have the gastric bypass surgery because my weight had become a matter of life and death,” said Sabrina. “I wanted to be able to give my children the childhood they deserve, while they’re still young. And I wanted to be around for them as they got older.”

On July 31, 2009, Sabrina celebrated a significant milestone – it was the one-year anniversary of her surgery, and she had lost more than 100 pounds. Perhaps more importantly, she also got rid of all her medications; she no longer has to manage diabetes, high cholesterol or acid reflux.

“I have so much energy now,” Sabrina marveled. “This year, for the first time, I took my kids to a water park. I went camping with my son, and we’ve gone hiking and jet-skiing.”

“With every patient there are three things we monitor after surgery: weight, health, and quality of life,” said Dr. Takata. “In Sabrina’s case all three have significantly improved. When I first met her, she had a BMI of 40 and was struggling with numerous health problems. One year after her surgery, she’s down to a BMI of 25 and her medical issues have all but disappeared.”

“I couldn’t have done this without the help of everyone on Dr. Takata’s team,” Sabrina said. “Everyone from the doctors to the nurses to the support staff, they all genuinely cared about me as an individual and wanted me to succeed – I wasn’t just another patient. The process wouldn’t have been nearly as easy without their support and guidance.”

Sabrina said her only regret about having weight loss surgery is that she didn’t do it sooner.

“Dr. Takata and the rest of the Center for Weight Management staff gave me a new beginning,” she said. “They gave my kids their mom back, which was the most rewarding part of this entire experience.”

Scripps Health Revises Visitation Policy to Protect from the Flu

2009-11-11T13:38:45-08:00

As cases of flu continue to increase in San Diego County and elsewhere, Scripps Health is taking appropriate measures to maintain a healthy environment for patients and staff.

San Diego’s NBC affiliate reports on the newly-added restrictions to Scripps’ existing patient visitation policy. All visitors will be screened for flu-like symptoms and those showing signs will be asked to leave. In addition, children 14 years old and younger will not be allowed to enter the hospital unless they are a current patient or have a medical appointment.

Watch the clip Scripps Health Revises Visitation Policy:

For more information about the flu, please visit Scripps.org/flu or call 1-800-SCRIPPS.

Aired on Oct. 29, 2009

Free Holiday Cooking Seminar Set for Nov. 17

2009-11-09T14:56:28-08:00

La Jolla—Learn creative new tips to make great-tasting and nutritious holiday dishes at a free seminar on Tuesday, Nov. 17 from 7 – 8:15 p.m. at Scripps Center for Integrative Medicine.

Dietitian Andrea Ogden will demonstrate how to transform favorite holiday dishes with ingredient substitutions that will enhance the nutritional value while maintaining familiar flavors and aromas.

For example, Ogden recommends substituting half the amount of potatoes with cauliflower in a mashed potato recipe and using agave nectar instead of sugar when preparing sweet potatoes. She also recommends pumpkin stuffing instead of traditional stuffing to increase the vegetable to starch ratio during a holiday meal.

“Many people don’t realize that the average American gains 2 to 5 pounds during the holiday season from Thanksgiving to New Year’s Day,” says Ogden. “Studies show that this weight contributes 51 percent to the total weight gain for the year as most people do not lose this weight.” For this reason it is important that people consider the amount and the nutritional value of the foods they are eating during the holidays. “When my patients try these holiday tips and make recipe substitutions, they are always pleasantly surprised by the outcome, and so are their dinner guests.”

Ogden is the continuing education coordinator for the San Diego Division of the American Dietetic Association (ADA). She earned her bachelor’s degree in Foods and Nutrition from San Diego State University with a study focus on preventive medicine.

Andrea completed her supervised practice at California Polytechnic State University in San Luis Obispo, CA. At Scripps Center for Integrative Medicine, Andrea counsels patients regarding heart disease, pain management, diabetes, food allergies, cancer prevention and weight loss. She is San Diego’s 2009 nominee for ADA Recognized Young Dietitian of the Year.

This seminar is for people who want to avoid weight gain and improve the nutritional value of traditional holiday recipes. Space is limited. To register, call 1-800-SCRIPPS.

About Scripps Center for Integrative Medicine

Part of Scripps Health, Scripps Center for Integrative Medicine offers conventional and scientifically validated complementary medicine. Through clinical research, education, prevention and lifestyle changes, the center seeks to empower its patients to take charge of their health.

More information about the Scripps Center for Integrative Medicine can be found at www.scrippsintegrativemedicine.org.

About Scripps Health

Founded in 1924 by philanthropist Ellen Browning Scripps, Scripps Health is a $2 billion nonprofit community health system based in San Diego, Calif. Scripps cares for half-a-million patients annually through the dedication of 2,600 affiliated physicians and 12,700 plus employees. It includes five acute-care hospital campuses, home health care services, and an ambulatory care network of clinics, physician offices and outpatient centers.

Recognized as a leader in the prevention, diagnosis, and treatment of disease, Scripps is also at the forefront of clinical research and graduate medical education.

Contact: Anna-Maja Dahlgren
Phone: 858-678-7170
E-mail: dahlgren.anna-maja@scrippshealth.org

Scripps Event to Celebrate Transplant Recipients and Donors

2009-11-03T09:26:13-08:00

La Jolla – Scripps Center for Organ & Cell Transplantation will host its annual “Thanks-for-Giving” party for transplant recipients and living donors on Friday, November 6 at the La Jolla Marriott, located at 4240 La Jolla Village Drive.

More than 350 former patients, living donors, and family members of deceased donors will attend the celebration from 6 p.m. – 9 p.m. Special recognition for living donors who have graciously donated a kidney or portion of their liver will take place at 7:30 p.m.

“We hold this event every year in order to honor those who received the gift of life after their long battle with illness, and those heroes who selflessly gave a part of themselves in order to save another human being,” said Michelle Roberts, transplant center director.

“As caregivers, we often struggle with the statistics – every month 3,700 more people are added to the organ wait list, and every day 18 more people die waiting to be called for a transplant. However it’s important for us, especially during this time of Thanksgiving, to take one night out of the year to celebrate life and show our gratitude to our patients and donors.”

Scripps Center for Organ & Cell Transplantation is one of Southern California’s premiere transplant centers, providing life-saving liver, kidney and pancreas transplants as well as numerous clinical trials designed to discover new treatment options and better transplant methods.

About Scripps Health

Recognized as a leader in the prevention, diagnosis, and treatment of disease, Scripps is also at the forefront of clinical research and graduate medical education. In 2008, Scripps committed more than $150 million in capital and facility improvements across the San Diego region while providing significant charity care to the community – more than $268 million in uncompensated care in 2008. Scripps Health Foundation generated $46 million in charitable donations in 2008 to support the Scripps mission.

Contact: Tania Masherah
Phone: 858-652-5521
Email: masherah.tania@scrippshealth.org

Scripps Becomes First in U.S. to Offer Genetic Tests to Stent Patients

2009-10-07T11:40:55-07:00

San Diego – In what is believed to be a first for a health system in the United States, Scripps Health is now offering genetic testing as part of its care for cardiovascular patients planning to undergo elective stent procedures.

The tests will determine if patients have one or more of the common gene variants linked to an inability to metabolize the anti-clotting drug Plavix (clopidrogel). Plavix is the second-most commonly prescribed drug in the United States and is given to most patients after they receive coronary stents.

The genetic test results will give doctors vastly improved data that will lead to an individualized approach to each patient’s treatment following a stent procedure. Stents are tiny metal tubes that cardiologists use to open clogged arteries.

Genetic testing for this population carries significant implications for patient care, as more than 1 million people undergo stent procedures in the U.S. every year. The gene variants associated with an inability to metabolize Plavix occur in more than 30 percent people of European ancestry and more than 40 percent of those of African or Asian ancestry. People with these gene variants carry double or triple the risk of death, heart attack or stroke, compared to people with the normal metabolism alleles in multiple large-scale studies.

“This represents a landmark program in individualized medicine, based on considerable new data and new choices for one of the most commonly prescribed medications and medical procedures in the world,” said Dr. Eric Topol, chief academic officer of Scripps Health. “This program demonstrates Scripps Health’s commitment to being at the forefront of individualized cardiovascular medicine.”

Scripps Health provides more cardiovascular care than any other provider in California. Last year, Scripps treated more than 45,000 cardiovascular patients. Scripps is currently designing the Scripps Cardiovascular Institute (SCI), which is planned to open in 2015.

“Knowing a patient’s individualized risk has a tremendous impact on treatment decisions,” said Dr. Paul Teirstein, head of interventional cardiology at Scripps Green Hospital and Scripps Clinic. “The point is to do everything we can to give patients the best possible outcomes. This kind of genomic screening gives us critical information we need to help patients.”

Scripps patients carrying the gene risk variants will be considered for three treatment choices following their stent procedures, each on an individualized basis. Patients will either:

Be given a routine 75 milligram dose of Plavix with careful surveillance;
Be given a 150 milligram dose of Plavix, which has recently been shown to be safe and effective in patients showing lack of response to Plavix; or
Be given the newly approved medicine Effient (prasugrel), which is not affected by the gene variant Cytochrome (CYP) 2C19.

Scripps physicians will initially offer the genetic tests to elective stent patients before they undergo their procedures at Scripps Green Hospital. Eventually, Scripps may extend the offering to its other facilities across San Diego County.

Quest Diagnostics will perform the CYP2C19 testing for Scripps patients at its Quest Diagnostics Nichols Institute laboratory in San Juan Capistrano, Calif. The results will be transmitted to the treating physician and treatment choice will be tailored based on the patient’s risk for lack of Plavix effect, both with respect to the coronary anatomy and bleeding risk, since Effient (prasugrel) carries a significantly higher risk of bleeding than Plavix.

About Scripps Health

Founded in 1924 by philanthropist Ellen Browning Scripps, Scripps Health is a $2 billion nonprofit community health system based in San Diego, Calif. Scripps treats a half-million patients annually through the dedication of 2,600 affiliated physicians and 12,700 employees among its five acute-care hospital campuses, home health care services, and an ambulatory care network of physician offices and 19 outpatient centers and clinics.

Recognized as a leader in the prevention, diagnosis, and treatment of disease, Scripps is also at the forefront of clinical research and graduate medical education.

About Quest Diagnostics

Quest Diagnostics is the world’s leading provider of diagnostic testing, information and services that patients and doctors need to make better health care decisions. The company offers the broadest access to diagnostic testing services through its network of laboratories and patient service centers, and provides interpretive consultation through its extensive medical and scientific staff.

Quest Diagnostics is a pioneer in developing innovative diagnostic tests and advanced health care information technology solutions that help improve patient care. Additional company information is available at www.QuestDiagnostics.com

Contact: Steve Carpowich
Phone: 858-678-7183
Email: carpowich.stephen@scrippshealth.org

Scripps Wellness Day Set for Oct. 17; Events Planned in Six Locations Countywide

2009-10-05T13:26:20-07:00

San Diego – San Diegans can learn new ways to improve their health and well-being at the inaugural Scripps Wellness Day Saturday, Oct. 17 from 8 a.m. to noon. Scripps Health will host six events simultaneously in La Jolla, Rancho Bernardo, Carlsbad, Chula Vista and Hillcrest at various Scripps Health locations.

Attendees can receive health screenings, meet physicians, hear presentations on important health topics, enjoy healthy snacks and participate in family-friendly activities. The events are open to the public and admission is free.

Several different types of health screenings will be available, including blood pressure, cholesterol, skin cancer, body fat, body mass index (BMI), bone density and glucose.

In addition, Scripps physicians will conduct short educational seminars on topics such as the flu season, when to head to the emergency room, diabetes, stress management and reversing heart disease.

Scripps Wellness Day will be a fun, family-friendly event for people of all ages. Below is a list of all participating Scripps Health locations and activities. More information is available at 1-800-SCRIPPS or WellnessDay.org.

At Scripps Center for Integrative Medicine, physicians will present seminars on stress remedies, reversing heart disease with lifestyle change, and facts and myths about supplements. Free health screenings will be available, including blood pressure and body composition analysis, which will also evaluate body fat. Two of the center’s unique programs will be featured: healing touch treatment and the Kinesis Wall. The Scripps Center for Integrative Medicine is located at 10820 North Torrey Pines Road, La Jolla 92037.

At Scripps Memorial Hospital La Jolla, free health screenings will be available, including blood pressure, body fat, and heart attack and stroke risk assessments. Physicians will present seminars about this year’s flu season, including symptoms and treatments and when to seek emergency room care. Scripps Memorial Hospital La Jolla is located at 9888 Genesee Ave., La Jolla 92037.

At Scripps Clinic in Rancho Bernardo, physicians will present seminars about the H1N1 virus (swine flu), weight loss, menopause and hypertension. Free health screenings will be available, including skin cancer, body fat, blood pressure, posture and foot health. Scripps Clinic in Rancho Bernardo is located at 15004 Innovation Drive, San Diego 92128.

At Scripps Coastal Medical Center in Carlsbad, physicians will conduct a panel discussion about the flu. The panel will include important flu updates and information about treatments. In addition, free health screenings will be available, courtesy of Scripps Coastal Medical Center and Scripps Memorial Hospital Encinitas, including blood pressure, body fat, cholesterol and glucose. Scripps Coastal Medical Center in Carlsbad is located at 2176 Salk Ave., Carlsbad 92008.

At Scripps Mercy Hospital in Chula Vista, medical experts will present seminars about successful aging, diet and the impact on the body, pain management and the H1N1 virus (swine flu). Free health screenings will be available, including glucose, blood pressure and body fat. Scripps Mercy Hospital in Chula Vista is located at 435 H St., Chula Vista 91910.

At Scripps Mercy Hospital in San Diego, health screenings will be available for body fat, blood pressure, bone density, skin cancer and depression. The event will also include seminars about diabetes, heart health and the H1N1 virus (swine flu). In addition, information will be available on cancer, women’s health (including maternity services), heart care, stroke awareness, emergency services, orthopedics, sports medicine, behavioral health, graduate medical education and services offered by the Mercy Clinic. Scripps Mercy Hospital in San Diego is located at 4077 Fifth Ave., San Diego 92103.

ABOUT SCRIPPS HEALTH

Recognized as a leader in the prevention, diagnosis, and treatment of disease, Scripps is also at the forefront of clinical research and graduate medical education.

In 2008, Scripps committed more than $150 million in capital and facility improvements across the San Diego region while providing significant charity care to the community – more than $268 million in uncompensated care in 2008. Scripps Health Foundation generated $46 million in charitable donations in 2008 to support the Scripps mission.

Contact: Rachel Lichterman
Phone: 858-678-7348
Email: lichterman.rachel@scrippshealth.org

Scripps Expert Discusses Role of Nutrition in Cancer Recovery

2009-09-07T15:06:39-07:00

The interplay between nutrition and cancer recovery can be confusing for many. Scripps Health registered dietitian Cathy Garvey separates fact from fiction in an interview with San Diego 6 News.

Garvey recently led a free nutrition workshop for cancer patients and survivors, co-hosted by Scripps Cancer Center and Scripps Center for Integrative Medicine.

Health Care Reform: Scripps Offers Provider Perspectives

2009-08-17T15:04:04-07:00

As health care reform continues to take shape, Scripps Health President and CEO Chris Van Gorder shares insights from the health care provider point of view. Van Gorder spoke with KUSI News about the need for universal patient coverage and tort reform, as well as problems with a single-payer system in light of low government reimbursement rates for care. Last year Medicare paid Scripps $137 million less than what it cost to provide care to this patient population.

Investigational Obesity Drug Proven Effective in Late-Stage Clinical Trials Led by Scripps Researcher

2009-08-11T16:37:01-07:00

SAN DIEGO – Based on results from a large, multi-center weight loss study led by a researcher at Scripps Health in San Diego, Calif., the makers of an obesity drug candidate plan to seek approval from the Food and Drug Administration (FDA).

The drug, Contrave, is an investigational therapy that combines a sustained release version of naltrexone, an opioid blocker used to treat addiction, and buproprion, an antidepressant prescribed to help people stop smoking.

In three phase III clinical trials, the drug met an FDA requirement for efficacy – which includes a five percentage point difference in weight loss between the drug and placebo.

“These two drugs have been in use for more than a decade other purposes,” said Ken Fujioka, MD, lead investigator of the Contrave trials and director of the Center for Nutrition and Metabolic Research at Scripps Clinic. “That lessens the chance of a surprise adverse reaction.”

In one trial, 48 percent of obese patients on Contrave lost at least 5 percent of their body weight, compared with 16 percent of those given a placebo. In another trial, 56 percent of patients achieved at least 5 percent weight loss compared to 17 percent of the placebo group. In a third trial involving people with type two diabetes, 45 percent of patients on Contrave lost greater than or equal to 5 percent of their body weight compared to 19 percent given a placebo.

The three trials each lasted 56 weeks. All incorporated a standard diet and exercise regimen.

“The data gives us greater confidence that Contrave has the potential to help obese patients, even those with diabetes, to initiate and sustain weight loss and improve their health,” said Dr. Fujioka.

More than 4500 people participated in the clinical trials, but around 40 percent of them dropped out. The most severe side effects included one case of gall bladder infection and one person who had seizures. Common side effects among study participants included nausea, constipation and headache. Nausea was the leading adverse event resulting in discontinuation.

San Diego-based Orexigen Therapeutics, the makers of Contrave, plan to seek approval for the drug from the FDA in early 2010.

About Scripps Health

Founded in 1924 by philanthropist Ellen Browning Scripps, Scripps Health is a $2 billion nonprofit community health system based in San Diego, Calif. Scripps treats a half-million patients annually through the dedication of 2,600 affiliated physicians and 12,700 employees among its five acute-care hospital campuses, 19 outpatient centers and home health care services.

Recognized as a leader in the prevention, diagnosis, and treatment of disease, Scripps is also at the forefront of clinical research, translational science and graduate medical education.

Contact: Catherine Jacobs
Phone: 858-652-5520
Email: jacobs.catherine@scrippshealth.org

Scripps Hospitals Have Higher Survival Rates for Pneumonia, Heart Failure

2009-07-10T11:31:45-07:00

San Diego — Two Scripps hospitals have among the best survival rates in the country for pneumonia and one has one of the best survival rates for heart failure nationally, according to the latest report released by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS).

The report, released yesterday and available online at www.hospitalcompare.hhs.gov, provides updated mortality data for Medicare patients treated for pneumonia, heart failure and acute myocardial infarction (AMI), which are some of the most common medical conditions.

The report shows that Scripps Mercy Hospital has statistically better mortality rates than the national average for heart failure and pneumonia patients. Scripps Memorial Hospital La Jolla has statistically better rates for pneumonia patients. All other Scripps hospitals also had mortality rates that were better than the national average in all categories, but the rates were not statistically high enough to achieve the “better than” designation.

Scripps Mercy is one of 213 hospitals out of 4,773 nationally and 17 out of 347 in California to perform statistically better than the national average in heart failure mortality. This places Scripps Mercy in the top four percent nationally and top five percent in California in that category.

For pneumonia mortality, Scripps Mercy and Scripps La Jolla were in the top five percent (253 of 4,814) nationally and (18 of 352) statewide. They are the only hospitals in San Diego County to earn that distinction.

“At Scripps, we are committed to becoming the safest and highest quality health system in the San Diego region and today’s CMS report is a validation of that commitment,” said Scripps Chief Medical Officer Brent Eastman, M.D. “We are especially proud that all Scripps hospitals have similarly high scores, because it is an illustration of the culture of high quality health care we are establishing throughout our organization.”

The data reflects patient discharges between July 2005 and June 2008. The national mortality rate for heart failure patients is 11.1 percent. Scripps Mercy’s rate is 8.5 percent. For pneumonia, the national rate is 11.5 percent. Scripps La Jolla’s rate is 7.9 percent and Scripps Mercy’s rate is 8.8 percent. All Scripps hospitals had heart failure mortality rates below 11.1 percent and pneumonia mortality rates below 11.5 percent.

The national mortality rate for AMI is 16.6 percent and all Scripps hospitals have AMI mortality rates between 14 and 14.8 percent.

Read more about health care quality at Scripps.

About Scripps Health

Founded in 1924 by philanthropist Ellen Browning Scripps, Scripps Health is a $2 billion nonprofit community health system based in San Diego, Calif. Scripps treats a half-million patients annually through the dedication of 2,600 affiliated physicians and 12,700 employees among its five acute-care hospital campuses, 19 outpatient centers and home health care services.

Recognized as a leader in the prevention, diagnosis, and treatment of disease, Scripps is also at the forefront of clinical research and graduate medical education.

Contact: Don Stanziano
Phone: 858-678-7486
E-mail: stanziano.don@scrippshealth.org