Minutes - Feb 09

NATAL BYPASS MEETING 01/2009 HELD ONWEDNESDAY 4TH OF FEBRUARY 2009AT ENTABENI HOSPITALat 17:30
PRESENT:Shane Newman (Chairman) Shirley Piek (Treasurer)Shirley Willet (Secretary)As per attendance register
1. OPENING AND WELCOMEThe chairman thanked everybody for their attendance & welcomed the speaker Dr Kevin O’ Connell.
2. APOLOGIES: The following people had tendered their apologies:Dr Piet Schabort, Miki Baranyay, Paddy MCDowell, James Bruce (resigned), Nigel & Silva Atkinson (Nigel passed away 18 months ago – liver cancer), Gerd Ackermann (Wedding Anniversary), Dr Gerd Ockert (resigned), Enid, Don & Fiona Phillips, Ken Monckton (Cape holiday),Ken Howles, Muriel Adams, Neville & Sissy Farr, June Dale, Tony Schultz, & Rudy Middendorff.
3. TESTIMONIES FROM NEW VISITORSThere were no new first timers to the club.
4. GENERALThe chairman requested if it was in order for him to bring item 7 on the agenda forward – it was agreed.The following items were brought to the attention of all in attendance :· Shane mentioned that there were new application which are used by the hospital co-ordinators to hand out to anybody wishing to join the club. He thanked Geoff Stuart for the printing & his contribution to the club.o The Chairman had a meeting with Ms Leanne Nyiri (Life Care Marketing Manager) who is on a drive to promote the Life Care hospitals & the Cardiac sections, & the Natal Bypass Club, in KZN. Leanne she has some very interesting ideas. So hopefully the members will see some interesting & exciting things happen in the future that we can as members of the Bypass Club can benefit from.· Shirley Piek will present the status of the financial status of the club at the next meeting.· The chairman requested members that if there were any changes to their details that they please record them on the Member list provided.· It was brought to the attention of the Chairman that the Pro-Activ Coupons which had been handed out at the meeting had expired on the 3rd of February 2009. The chairman has made arrangements with UniLever to bring all the coupons that have not been used back to them & they will re-issue new coupons. There are 20 coupons currently in the possession with the chairman & this will be the number that will be re-issued on a first come, first serve basis at the next meeting on the 1st of April 2009.· The chairman read out the dates of the proposed meetings to be held by PACE (Preventative Arrhythmic Cardiac Events) at the eThekweni Hospital & Heart Centre at 17:30 in the Training/lecture room – the dates are :o 13 March 2099o 5 June 2009o 4 September 2009o 4 December 2009· There was mentioned that the club Standard Bank account number is in the November 2008 minutes & on the Bypass club’s blog site.· The Chairman said that contact had been made with him from a newly formed support bypass group in Vergelegen & he exchanged ideas with them, for which they were very thankful for – we wish them all the best.· Mention was made that a letter had been written to UniLever thanking them for the Pro-Activ coupons they has issued for all members of the club – once again many thanks to organizations like this that take the extra step in helping with this gesture.· The chairman mentioned that Neil Davies had to the trouble of finding out the costs comparison (UK vs SA) of the Omron Portable ECG monitor and it was established that the costs is reasonable in SA – thanks Neil for the feedback.
5. IN ATTENDANCE:Dr Kevin O’Connell – Cardiologist practicing at eThekweni Hospital & Heart Centre.
6. VISITATION REPORTS6.1. EntabeniStan Weinstein will do the visitations at Entabeni – thanks Stan.6.2. St AugustinesStan Weinstein has also volunteered to do the visitations at St Augustines – Once again thanks Stan.6.3. WestvilleShane mentioned that he has not always been in the same position of making weekly visits to the hospital, due to work commitments and if there is anybody in the vicinity of Westville hospital who could assist, please contact Shane.6.4. St AnnesNo report recorded.6.5. Ethekweni Health & Heart Centre (EHHC)Maria Brown will start at the EHHC during the next 2 months.
7. RAFFEL DRAWThe raffel, was won by ?.
8. GUEST SPEAKERDr Kevin O’Connell (Cardiologist - eThekweni Hospital & Heart Centre), was introduced by the Chairman.Dr O’Connell stated that Erectile Dysfunction (ED) is an important part of any relationship, including ones own well being and if not brought up can ruin relationships.There is a stigma attached ED as it is something that we think could never happen to me and only happens to other men.Doctor O’Connell was involved years ago from a medical & cardiac perspective in promoting the drug Viagra. Some times the drug does not work that well with some patients and there can be side effects, and risk factors e.g. hypertensionWomen have less problems, when they have cardiac disease or after bypass operations, as they care for themselves more than men do. Women from an early age, have contact with gynecologists, give birth, etc and therefore tend to be more conscious of their sexuality.Women are also more at ease when in the presence of the husbands with doctors or cardiologists to discuss that their husbands have erectile problems.As men get older, physiologically Erectile Dysfunction is going to occur, but there is a tight link between the heart and ED. If a man is having problems in getting an erection, this could be an indication that there could be problems with the heart. Cardiologist asking General Practioners (GP’s) to check the patients heart, if ED is a problem.What occurs with patients is that the endothelium, which is the lining of all arteries in the body, and therefore regarded as the biggest organ in the body, assists with the constricting/contracting of the vascular system and over time this protective lining degenerates, cholesterol gets deposits on the walls of this lining, due to the aging process and so ED, as well as cardiac disease develops. Factors such as diabetes, & cholesterol build up, leads arteriosclerosis (hardening of arteries) and therefore degeneration of the lining occurs and the endothelium becomes dysfunctional.Dr O’Connell went on to say that when Viagra was first introduced there were a few deaths, but no cardiac assessment had been undertaken on the patients at the time. Over time what was established that there where deaths in patients who were on Viagra, but these deaths were a result of over exertion, which lead to the cardiac problem. It was found that 99% of the time that these deaths had occurred after sexual relations had not been with their regular partners & too much excitement.Dr O’Connell advised that if a patient wanted to go onto Viagra, Cialis, (PDE5 inhibitors) or any other “enhancers” , that they discuss options with their urologists, GP or Cardiologist.Some side effects are headaches & flushing and there is no limitation on the frequency of taking Viagra.Some medication that patients take for their cardio problems, might appear to affect their erections, and it is advised that patients rather contact their cardiologists before stopping any medication.A general discussion & questions on stents and other cardio problems was held with Dr O’Connell.The talk by Dr O’Connell was enjoyed by all, with good humor & laughter – thank you Doctor and we look forward to you next talk with us, soon.
9. NEXT MEETINGThe next meeting would be on Wednesday the 1st of April 2009 (and this is still no joke) at the Executive Conference suite at the Entabeni Hospital at 17:00 for 17:30.Complimentary drinks and snacks will be available, to club members.The guest speakers will be ?? who will give the members a talk on diet and there will be a cooking demonstration with a taste of what is cooked, for everyone. Please come along and meet other people who have been affected by Cardiac disease or have had a bypass.God bless.