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Pink Awareness: Breast Cancer Trends

Posted by Staff on April 25, 2024 - 6:00am

By Demetrius Lockridge, Student Pharmacist and Karen L. Kier, Pharmacist on behalf of the ONU Healthwise Team 

Charlotte Haley started the breast cancer ribbon campaign in the 1990s to bring awareness to the lack of support for breast cancer prevention, education and research. Her peach colored ribbons were attached to a card providing the facts behind the lack of research dollars being allocated to study the disease. Charlotte was a breast cancer survivor who had a strong family history including her sister, grandmother and daughter.

Her ribbons were indeed peach. So, why are the current ribbons pink? Estée Lauder and Self magazine wanted permission from Haley to use the peach ribbon as a symbol for breast cancer advocacy. Haley denied the request and the lawyers for Estée Lauder recommended selecting another color. This resulted in the birth of the pink ribbon to symbolize breast cancer awareness.

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Power to the People: The Opill®

Posted by Staff on April 18, 2024 - 7:03am

By Karen L. Kier
Pharmacist on behalf of the ONU Healthwise Team 

John Lennon and the Plastic Ono Band released Power to the People on March 22, 1971. The song hit number 11 on the Billboard Hot 100. 

The FDA on July 13, 2023 gave the power to the people when they approved the first over-the-counter birth control pill. The progestin-only pill contains norgestrel 0.075mg as the active ingredient. The brand name is Opill®. 

The Opill® became available for purchase starting on March 18, 2024 through numerous vendors. It is available at retail stores, online stores, and the manufacturer’s website. You can have it delivered via the mail, DoorDash and curbside pickup. 

The Opill® packet contains 28 tablets individually packaged by day and week. The first 3 rows (weeks) are yellow pills with the active ingredient in the tablets. The white pills in the last row contain inactive ingredients allowing the body to menstruate.

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Weekend Doctor: Dressing for imaging, not image

Posted by Staff on April 13, 2024 - 6:00am

By Jill Jaynes, RT (R)
Director of Imaging Services, Blanchard Valley Health System

If you have ever had to have an imaging test, you may have been asked to change your clothes, remove jewelry, take out hearing aids, etc. Let’s review how to “dress for success” and other steps you will want to consider prior to arriving for your next imaging exam. 

If you are going to have magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) conducted, it is best to leave your jewelry at home. You will be asked to remove jewelry before entering the exam room. Jewelry will show up when taking an X-ray if it’s in the field of interest. We want to make sure your valuables are safe and protected, and the easiest way to do that is to remove them beforehand. With that said, if you can leave jewelry at home, you won’t have to worry about it during the time of your exam.

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Vim and vinegar: Health benefits

Posted by Staff on April 11, 2024 - 6:00am

By Karen L. Kier
Pharmacist on behalf of the ONU Healthwise Team 

Vim and vinegar is a malapropism for the expression vim and vigor, which is a large amount of vitality and energy.  A malapropism is when a word is used by mistake in place of a similar sounding word.  In this case, vinegar for vigor.

Vinegars are the result of fermentation, giving the liquid its distinct smell. The use of vinegar has been recorded as far back as the third century BC. The key component to vinegar solutions is acetic acid. White vinegar is 5-10% acetic acid compared to apple cider vinegar, which is 5-6% acetic acid.  

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Weekend Doctor: Pneumonia

Posted by Staff on April 6, 2024 - 6:00am

By Jigna Janani, MD
Adult Hospitalist, Blanchard Valley Health System Medical Staff

Pneumonia is a common lung infection caused by germs, such as bacteria, viruses and fungi. It can be a complication following the common cold, flu, COVID-19 infection, sick contact, travel history, exposure to certain farm animals or certain environmental risk factors. 

Pneumonia and its symptoms can vary from mild to severe. Most healthy people recover from pneumonia, but it can be life-threatening for a few. The good news is that pneumonia can be prevented by getting an annual flu and COVID-19 shot (as flu and COVID-19 often lead to pneumonia), and for people at high risk, getting a vaccine for pneumococcal pneumonia, as well as the RSV vaccine. 

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Whoop-de-do: Updated Vaccine Information

Posted by Staff on April 4, 2024 - 6:00am

By Karen L. Kier
Pharmacist on behalf of the ONU Healthwise Team

As I was grocery shopping this week, an announcement came overhead about the new updated guidelines for the COVID-19 vaccines. After the announcement, a lady in the same aisle rolled her eyes and said, with obvious disdain, “Whoop-de-do.” 

I refrained from going into a pharmacist educational mode in the dairy aisle, but I wondered if she really understood what she was whoop-de-doing about.

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