Posts Tagged ‘Ericka Panek’

Pancreatitis is an inflammation of the pancreas. This inflammation is a rare, but serious disease that can either be a short or long term problem.

The pancreas is a small organ associated with digestion and regulatory hormones. The hormone side is responsible for releasing insulin and glucagon, which help your body regulate the amount of sugar in the blood. The digestive side releases enzymes to help the body break down the fats, carbohydrates, and proteins you eat throughout the day.

What causes pancreatitis?

Pancreatitis happens when your body doesn’t release the digestive enzymes correctly, causing them to remain in the pancreas. This can result in the pancreas breaking itself down from the inside. There are two major causes of pancreatitis: gallstones and alcohol.

To remember the causes of acute pancreatitis, use the mnemonic: I GET SMASHED. Each letter stands for a cause of acute pancreatitis. To read what each letter means, go HERE. Also take a look at the chart at the bottom of this posting.

Gallstones are the #1 cause of acute (short term) pancreatitis. Gallstones can get lodged in the duct system that transports the enzymes and fluids from the pancreas to the intestines.

Alcohol is the #1 cause of chronic (long term) pancreatitis. Chronic pancreatitis is a slow developing disease that can be caused over years of excess alcohol use. Alcohol is also the #2 cause of acute pancreatits.

What are the symptoms of pancreatitis?

The most common symptoms of pancreatitis are severe pain in the stomach or abdomen.

For acute pancreatitis, the pain is often a sharp pain that comes on quickly. Other symptoms include nausea and vomiting.

For chronic pancreatitis, symptoms are also abdominal pain, nausea, and vomiting. These symptoms can be worse after eating. More advanced chronic pancreatitis can also cause weight loss and poor nutrition, since your body cannot break down and absorb the nutrients from the food you eat.

Treatment

Treatment for both acute and chronic pancreatitis requires medical attention. Patients will need IV fluids and nutritional support. Most patients also receive pain medication to help with the abdominal pain. Antibiotics are rarely used and only if there is an infection around the tissue of the pancreas.

Treatment can last anywhere from a few days to a few weeks depending on how severe the pancreatitis is. An important part of treating pancreatitis is finding out the cause and working to prevent a reoccurrence. If the cause is due to gallstones, a procedure to remove the gallstones or the gallbladder may be required. If the cause is due to alcohol, counseling and abstinence is required. Similarly with the other causes, other solutions may be available to prevent pancreatitis from happening again.

Throughout the month of February, the American Heart Association educates about heart disease and prevention. So in the spirit of Valentine’s Day and Heart Awareness Month, I thought I would educate you about high blood pressure.

High blood pressure, also known as hypertension, is often called the “silent killer” because it can go unnoticed by the patient. You may wonder why your doctor takes your blood pressure every time you sit down in the office and this is why. Many people who are diagnosed with high blood pressure have no symptoms. If untreated for too long, high blood pressure can start to damage your heart, your arteries, and other organs. For this reason, it’s important to see your doctor at least once per year for a yearly physical, even if you haven’t been sick.

Like many diseases later in life, what we do now can have an impact on our future. Here are some tips about what you can do to reduce your risk of high blood pressure.

• Enjoy regular physical activity! I know you hear this all the time, but that is because exercise is important. Regular physical activity can be specific to each person: brisk walking, swimming, running, hiking, fitness classes, or team sports. Find something you enjoy. Make the exercise a group or family activity. Give the exercise priority.
• Avoid tobacco use! Did you know that every cigarette you have actually increases your blood pressure temporarily, even for up to 20 minutes after you finish it? Did you also know that one year after quitting, your risk of coronary heart disease is HALF of what it was while you were smoking?
• Manage your stress level. Stress causes us to go into a “fight or flight” situation, which if faced with a threat is beneficial, but when we are chronically stressed it can negatively affect our health. Everyone handles stress differently, so take the time to learn from yourself what stresses you out and how you can manage that stress. Further information can be found HERE: (http://www.helpguide.org/mental/stress_management_relief_coping.htm)

Education is the first step to living a healthier life. The second step is doing something with that knowledge. Since this month is all about awareness and education, I challenge you to spread the word about high blood pressure. If you have any questions or want to check your blood pressure here at the pharmacy, just ask!

Sports fan or not, the Winter Olympics are here! It seems only fitting that as the Olympics are about to start, we get into the winter spirit with cold weather and snow. Aside from shoveling my driveway, I am really enjoying all of the snow that has recently arrived here in Ohio. It serves as a reminder of all the great activities and sports the winter months can provide.

As a kid, I loved going outside and sledding, ice skating, snow shoeing, playing hockey or skiing. If it’s a nice day, don’t be afraid to go out and enjoy the beauty that winter can bring. Just make sure to be safe and wear enough clothing to keep warm.

As I mentioned, this snow comes just in time to celebrate the opening ceremonies of the 2014 Winter Olympics, being hosted in Sochi, Russia. The opening ceremony will have the Parade of Nations, where each country competing can have its athletes march as representation. Many recent Olympic opening ceremonies have included the host nation presenting aspects of its culture and history. And finally, the most notable event of the opening ceremony is the torch relay leading to the lighting of the cauldron within the chosen Olympic stadium.

The Olympic events will then begin on Saturday, February 8th. Team USA will be competing in 15 different and exciting sports–it can sometimes be hard to pick a favorite.

The entire schedule of events and information about the Sochi Olympics can be accessed through the website, www.Sochi2014.com.

As a former (recreational) curler, I will be sitting down to watch the curling events. I also always enjoy watching the figure skating and ski jumping events. So take some time in the next two weeks to cheer and support the amazing athletes from the US!

We want to introduce you to our student pharmacist for February, Ericka. We actually have two students this month and will introduce Jin later in the week. Both Ericka and Jin are fourth year students from The Ohio State University’s College of Pharmacy. Please make them feel very welcome this month.

Here is what Ericka has to say about herself:

“Hi! My name is Ericka Panek. I am from Cottage Grove, Minnesota. I grew up in Minnesota loving the outdoors, hiking, camping, and just exploring. In my free time, I enjoy reading, playing volleyball, and trying out new restaurants.

“I became interested in pharmacy after a few shadowing experiences in high school, so I decided to follow that path with a degree in biochemistry from the University of Minnesota – Duluth. After graduating, I moved to Columbus, Ohio to start my Doctor of pharmacy work at The Ohio State University. Throughout my time in pharmacy school, I have learned about all of the different roles a pharmacist can have. I enjoy working closely with patients and other healthcare professionals.

“As a future pharmacist, I want to pursue a career in hospital pharmacy. Next year I hope to complete a one-year general residency in hospital pharmacy. My interests in hospital pharmacy expand to smaller clinics, as well, and I hope to help patients transition from their inpatient hospital stays back into their community.

“I hope my time at Plain City Druggist will teach me more about pharmacy management and all about the great things community pharmacies can do for their patients. I look forward to meeting everyone throughout my month in Plain City!”