A Broken Heart Part II “Did You Take Your Heart Medications?”

I frequently have to answer the question “Do I have to take my medication for the rest of my life?” Recent studies suggest that heart patients, as a rule, stop taking their medications even when it has been explained to them the need to take it for life. Some doctors do not do a good job in convincing patients of this, so physicians must accept some responsibility. In most cases, patients should understand that aspirin, cholesterol medications, blood pressure medications, and most medications for chronic heart problems will need to be taken for life. Bad outcomes are very likely when patients discontinue taking medications. It is not unusual for some patients who have been discharged from the hospital with heart disease to not get the medication others stop taking heart medicine within months. Not taking medications properly is a major cause of a ‘broken heart’.

Are We Becoming Too Violent?

If you are really old school you remember the song “Stagalee”. Stagalee shot his friend Billy over some nonsense. This sort of behavior is seen too often today in real life. I am horrified over the violence in our community. It seems every night in Charleston that a brother appears in front of a judge for murder or some other type of violent crime. My heart is saddened by all of the families who experience emotional trauma resulting from senseless crime. I am especially saddened by the death of my friend’s daughter and two grandsons who were brutally murdered. A recent survey of more than 3000 women confirmed that almost half of women between the ages of 20 and 60 have experienced some type of violent behavior or verbal abuse from their significant other. Warn your daughters about men who are verbally and physically abusive. Talk to your sons about refraining from violent behavior. Violence is not the answer.

Are you “In the know?”

One objective of Closing the Gap in Health Care is to educate our readership. We know through research and first hand experience that Black folk who have “good information” understand the nature of their disease, read on a regular basis and are more inclined to be well informed and often compliant. Here are a few statements that I think give a good indication that you are “in the know” about health issues. The statements require a true or false answer and deal with a variety of common health issues. 1. Health disparities only affect African Americans men. 2. Normal blood pressure is when the top number is 135 and the bottom number is above 90. 3. Smoking is a common cause of erectile dysfunction. 4. Ladies should get a mammogram every other year after age 40. 5. Diabetes affects the heart in a dramatic way so people who have diabetes should be concerned about heart disease. 6. Working every day is good exercise so, if you work, exercise is not necessary. 7. A family history of heart disease, colon cancer, breast cancer, prostate cancer and Alcoholism suggest that it is possible that you could develop one of the above conditions. Therefore, you should be monitored. 8. Stroke is influenced by uncontrolled diabetes, uncontrolled hypertension, and uncontrolled elevated cholesterol. 9. Your mental status can influence your physical health (the reverse is not the case however). 10. Since Black women live longer than Black men, Black women do not need to be seen by a physician annually.