>> WHAT DO I WANT TO KNOW AND WHAT DID I LEARN ON "KENTUCKY HEALTH."

THAT'S SOMETHING THAT I ASK BEFORE AND AFTER EACH SEGMENT.

STAY WITH US AND LET'S SEE IF WE LIKE THE SAME THINGS NEXT ON "KENTUCKY HEALTH."

>> "KENTUCKY HEALTH" IS FUNDED IN PART BY A GRANT FROM THE FOUNDATION FOR A HEALTHY KENTUCKY.

>> I'M INDEBTED TO ALL THE HEALTHCARE PROFESSIONALS WHO TOOK TIME OUT OF THEIR BUSY SCHEDULE TO COME AND INFORM US ABOUT THE LATEST TRENDS IN DISEASE MANAGEMENT, HEALTH POLICY AND SOCIAL DYNAMICS THAT AFFECT OUR HEALTH.

MANY OF THE SEGMENTS REAFFIRM WHAT I THOUGHT THAT I KNEW AND OTHERS RAISED ISSUES THAT I HAD NOT PREVIOUSLY CONSIDERED.

HERE ARE HIGHLIGHTS FROM A FEW SHOWS THAT I FOUND PARTICULARLY ENLIGHTENING.

LET'S BEGIN WITH THE CONDITION CALLED ALPHA-GAL SYNDROME.

ALPHA-GAL SYNDROME AS THAN INTENSE AND POSSIBLE LIFE THREATENING ALLERGIC REACTION BY MAMMALIAN MEAT CAUSED BY A BITE FROM THE LONE STAR TICK.

PRIOR TO DOCTORS MATTEO BERNAL AND MARTIN HECKER, INSTITUTING AND AK ACUPUNCTURE BASED TREATMENT WE HAVE A WAY TO TREAT PATIENTS.

PRIOR TO THIS, THE ONLY VIABLE OPTION FOR MANAGING THIS DISEASE WAS AVOIDANCE OF MAMMALIAN MEAT AND BYPRODUCTS.

IT MAY BE TOO EARLY IN THE EVALUATION OF THE TREATMENT TO SAY PATIENTS ARE CURED BUT AFTER TREATMENT, PATIENTS HAVE BEEN ABLE TO RESUME THEIR NORMAL DIETS INCLUDING THE EATING OF MAMMALIAN MEATS WITHOUT EXPERIENCING GASTROINTESTINAL OR OTHER ALLERGIC SYMPTOMS.

>> WE TALK ABOUT BEING IN REMISSION.

ALTHOUGH WE WILL SEE THAT WITH MANY OF MY PATIENTS, ON THE MILDER END OF THE SPECTRUM OF SYMPTOMS, WHO DON'T HAVE LIFE THREAT NIPPING, YOU KNOW, REACTIONS, THEY TROO INTRODUCE THE FOOD AFTER THREE WEEKS AND THEY BEGIN EATING SYMPTOM-FREE.

MOST OF THOSE PEOPLE DON'T DO FOLLOW-UP BLOOD WORK.

SO WE DON'T KNOW THE DATA ON IF THEY'RE, YOU KNOW, ANTIBODIES ARE RETURNING TO A NORMAL LEVEL OR NOT.

SOME OF THEM ARE, AND THEY COME BACK AND THEY SHOW ME THEIR LABS AND IT'S, YOU KNOW, ZERO AND THAT'S GREAT.

BUT WE JUST DON'T HAVE ENOUGH DATA ON THAT.

>> FOR MANY OF US, WHEN WE THINK OF PARKINSON'S DISEASE, WE PICTURE MUHAMMAD ALI RAISING HIS TORCH TO LIGHT THE OLYMPIC FLAME.

MOST PATIENTS DIAGNOSIS WITH PARKINSON'S ARE OVER THE AGE OF 60.

IN MANY CASES, PATIENTS MAY HAVE BEEN SYMPTOMATIC FOR AS MANY AS 10 TO 20 YEARS PRIOR TO THE DIAGNOSIS BEING MADE.

Dr. ZANE, AN ASSOCIATE PROFESSOR IN THE DEPARTMENT OF NEUROLOGY AT THE UNIVERSITY OF KENTUCKY COLLEGE OF MEDICINE TOLD US THAT RATHER THAN SAYING PARKINSON'S DISEASE, A BETTER TERM TO DESCRIBE THIS CONDITION MAY BE PARKINSON'S SYNDROME.

>> PARK INSONS, IS THAT A DISEASE ENTITY BY ITSELF?

OR IS IT A PART OF CONSTELLATION OF PROBLEMS?

>> RIGHT.

SO PARKINSON'S DISEASE, WE THINK THAT PROBABLY THE WORD DISEASE IS A MISNOMER.

BIGGER PICTURE IS IT IS A SYNDROME, WHERE THERE ARE MULTIPLE SYMPTOMS WHICH CAN COME UNDER THAT UMBRELLA AND MULTIPLE DIFFERENT AREAS OF THE NERVOUS SYSTEM CAN BE AFFECTED.

AND EVERY PERSON IS MANIFEST DIFFERENTLY WITH THESE SYMPTOMS AND PROGRESS DIFFERENTLY.

I THINK IT'S A BIGGER UMBRELLA TERM PARKINSON'S SYNDROME PROBABLY HAVING THE BETTER TERM.

THE COMMON SYMPTOMS WHICH COME WITH PARKINSON'S ARE MOTOR SYMPTOMS LIKE SHAKING.

WE CALL IT A TREMOR.

SLOWNESS IN SPONTANEOUS MOVEMENTS, SLOW WALKING, STIFFNESS OF MUSCLES AND/OR THE TIME THEY CAN HAVE BALANCE PROBLEM WHEN THEY ARE WALKING.

IN ADDITION TO THIS, THEIR AUTONOMIC NERVOUS SYSTEM CAN BE AFFECTED, WHICH CAN LEAD TO DIZZINESS OR LIGHT HEADEDNESS.

URINARY PROBLEMS, CONSTIPATION OR DIFFICULTY SWALLOWING.

IN RELATION TO THIS, AS YOU MENTIONED, COGNITION CAN BE AFFECTED.

SOME PEOPLE MIGHT PROGRESS INTO COGNITIVE IMPAIRMENT OR DEMENTIA.

IN ADDITION, SOME PEOPLE CAN HAVE HALLUCINATIONS OR DELUSIONS, WHICH WE CALL PSYCHOSIS.

AGAIN, ONE POINT I WANT YOU TO REMEMBER HERE IS EVERY PERSON MANIFESTS DIFFERENTLY.

NOT EVERY PERSON WILL PROGRESS TO HAVE ALL THESE, WHICH I JUST MINGED.

>> WHILE THERE ARE NO CURES FOR PARKINSON'S, AT THIS TIME, MAKING THE DIAGNOSIS EARLY IN THE COURSE OF THE DISEASE AND INITIATING SYMPTOMATIC TREATMENT MAY IMPROVE THE QUALITY OF LIFE FOR THESE PATIENTS.

>> UNFORTUNATELY, WE DO NOT HAVE SUCH MEDICATION TO SLOW DOWN THE PROGRESSION.

THAT SAID, AREA DIAGNOSIS IS IMPORTANT BECAUSE YOU KNOW, YOU CAN DO SOMETHING, YOU CAN TAKE A MEDICATION, YOU CAN INTERVENE AT THAT TIME SO THAT YOUR QUALITY OF LIFE IS GOOD.

YOU DO NOT HAVE TO SUFFER THROUGH THOSE SYMPTOMS AND IF YOU WAIT LONG OR LONG RUN NOT GOING TO THE DOCTOR, AND NOT GETTING THIS TREATED, THEN YOU ARE BASICALLY LOSING THOSE IMPORTANT YEARS THAT YOU COULD HAVE SPENT QUALITY OF LIFE, BETTER QUALITY OF LIFE AT THAT TIME.

THAT'S MY ANSWER AT THIS TIME.

HOPEFULLY IT WILL CHANGE IN THE NEAR FUTURE BECAUSE THERE IS A LOT OF RESEARCH GOING ON IN IDENTIFYING THE PEOPLE WHO MIGHT DEVELOP PARKINSON'S MOTOR SYMPTOMS IN NEAR FUTURE SO IDENTIFYING THEM EARLY ON AND ALSO RESEARCH IS GOING ON HOW TO SLOW DOWN OR STOP THE PROGRESSION OF PARKINSON'S.

THERE IS A LOT OF WORK GOING ON IN THIS SO HOPEFULLY WE WILL HAVE A GOOD TREATMENT, REVERSAL TREATMENTS IN THE NEAR FUTURE.

>> HE DID OFFER SOME OPTIMISM.

AND THIS WAS RELATED TO THE USE OF NEWER PHARMACOLOGIC AND SERGEY CAL THERAPIES.

-- SURGICAL THERAPIES.

>> WHEN YOU TALK ABOUT SYMPTOMS BROADLY, WE HAVE TO TALK ABOUT MOTOR SYMPTOMS AND SOMETHING WHICH ARE NON-MOTOR SYMPTOMS, NOT RELATED TO MUSCLE ACTIVITY.

BOTH THESE SYMPTOMS, THE GOLD STANDARD TREATMENT AT THIS TIME EARLY ON IS MEDICATION.

THIS IS A MEDICATION WHICH WAS OR CAME INTO THE MARKET IN 1967 AFTER EXTENSIVE RESEARCH.

>> YOU WEREN'T EVEN BORN THEN.

BUT THAT'S OKAY.

>> IT HAS REVOLUTIONIZED HOW WE TREAT PEOPLE WITH PARKINSON'S.

THERE WAS DRASTIC IMPROVEMENT AND THAT'S WHAT WE SEE EVEN NOW, TOO.

IN ADDITION TO THIS, THERE ARE MULTIPLE OTHER MEDICATIONS WHICH WORK ON, YOU KNOW, AROUND THAT CHEMICAL IN THE BRAIN CALLED DOPAMINE.

DOPAMINE IS THE CHEMICAL WHICH IS PREDOMINANTLY LOST, THE NEURONS ARE NOT PRODUCING THAT PARTICULAR CHEM CA WILL IN THE BRAIN.

AND A LOT OF TREATMENT OPTIONS WHICH EITHER ARE INCREASING THE DOPAMINE LEVEL OR REPLACING THE DOPAMINE OR DECREASING THE BREAKDOWN OF THE DOPAMINE.

SO IN ADDITION TO THESE MEDICATION OPTIONS, RECENTLY THERE WAS A NEW DRUG, WHICH WAS APPROVED, WHICH WORKED ACTUALLY ALMOST SIMILAR TO COFFEE.

>> REALLY?

>> IT'S ONE OF THE FDA APPROVED MEDICATIONS FOR PARKINSON'S, TOO.

AND I WAS TALKING WITH SURGICAL TREATMENT OPTION, THAT IS FDA APPROVED, TOO.

IT IS CALLED DEEP BRAIN STIMULATION SURGERY.

IT HAS BEEN FDA APPROVED SINCE 2002.

>> WE ENDED OUR DISCUSSION BY TALKING ABOUT HOW PHYSICAL THERAPY CAN HELP WITH THE MANAGEMENT OF PARKINSON'S DISEASE.

>> FOR EXAMPLE, PHYSICAL THERAPY, OCCUPATIONAL THERAPY, SPEECH THERAPY, THEY'RE SPECIALLY DESIGNED, THE THERAPIES FOR PARKINSON'S, FOR EXAMPLE, THERE IS A THERAPY BIG AND LOUD THERAPY.

THERE IS ANOTHER TREATMENT CALLED PWR, POWER THERAPY.

THESE ARE DESIGNED FOR PEOPLE WITH PARKINSON'S.

WE LOOK FOR SUCH THERAPISTS WHO ARE TRAINED IN THESE.

>> WHAT DO THEY DO?

>> BASICALLY, THE CONCEPT IS IN PARKINSON'S YOU HAVE TO MAKE BIG AND WIDE MOVEMENTS.

IN THEM, THE TALK, THEY TALK SLOWER WITH LOW VOLUME, LOW PITCH.

SO THEY ARE TRAINED TO TALK BIGGER AND LOUDER THAN YOU NORMALLY TALK.

SO THAT'S WHERE THE TRAINING IS.

AND THE THIRD ASPECT IS BALANCE TRAINING, TOO.

SOME PEOPLE CAN HAVE BALANCE PROBLEM.

THEY'RE GOING HELP YOU EDUCATE AND TRAIN YOU HOW TO PREVENT THE FALLS.

GOOD EXAMPLE FOR THAT IS MAKE WIDER TURNS WHEN YOU ARE TURNING AROUND.

DON'T TALK ON THE PHONE WHEN YOU ARE WALKING.

>> IT IS ESTIMATED THAT 15.4 MILLION U.S.

ADULTS AGE 18 AND OLDER OR 6% OF THE POPULATION IN THIS AGE GROUP EXPERIENCE AN EPISODE OF MENTAL ILLNESS SIGNIFICANT ENOUGH TO INTERFERE WITH THEIR NORMAL ACTIVITIES.

SADLY, THOSE WITH AN ACUTE EXACERBATION OF THEIR ILLNESS TOO OFTEN WIND UP IN IN A HOSPITAL EMERGENCY ROOM OR WORSE: ARRESTED AND IN JAIL.

Dr. LINDSAY, THE EXECUTIVE VICE PRESIDENT FOR HEALTH AFFAIRS AND CHIEF ADMINISTRATIVE OFFICER AT EASTERN STATE HOSPITAL POINTED OUT THAT THERE ARE MANY STRESSORS THAT MAY EXACERBATE OR INITIATE AN ACUTE MENTAL HEALTH CRISIS.

>> MENTAL DISTRESS, SURE BECAUSE MANY OF THE PSYCHOSOCIAL STRESSORS CONTRIBUTE TO MENTAL DISTRESS.

LACK OF ADEQUATE FOOD, INABILITY TO TAKE YOUR FAMILY MEMBER TO THE DOCK OR OR SCHOOL, THAT CAN EXACERBATE VULNERABILITY TO MENTAL DISTRESS.

SUBSTANCE USE IS ANOTHER ONE OF THOSE.

KENTUCKY HAS VERY HIGH RATES OF SUBSTANCE USE.

THAT CAN EXACERBATE WHAT MIGHT HAVE BEEN BASELINE SYMPTOMS BUT CAN THEN TURN INTO A MORE SERIOUS MENTAL ILLNESS.

>> Dr. MARK WOODS, ITSELF THE CHIEF NURSING OFFICER AT EASTERN STATE HOSPITAL NOTED THE EXTENT OF MENTAL ILLNESS WITHIN OUR JAILS AND PRISONS IS FAR GREATER THAN MOST OF US HAVE PROBABLY EVEN CONSIDERED.

>> INTERESTINGLY ENOUGH, WE TALK ABOUT SMI, AND 4 TO 6%.

>> SERIOUS MENTAL ILLNESS.

SMI.

>> YES.

>> SO WHAT IS INTERESTING IS THAT IN OUR JAILS AND PRISONS, AND I THINK THAT WAS IN YOUR TEASER, WE SEE A MUCH HIGHER RATE OF SMI AMONGST THAT POPULATION.

WE SEE ANYWHERE FROM 15 TO 30%.

AND SO YOU ARE TALKING ABOUT A SIGNIFICANT NUMBER OF PEOPLE THAT ARE THERE.

AND IRONICALLY ENOUGH, THERE ARE MORE PEOPLE WITH SMI IN OUR PRISONS AND JAILS THAN ARE ACTUALLY IN OUR STATE HOSPITALS.

SO THAT'S KIND OF-- IT'S NOT-- IT'S MORE OF A NATIONAL SORT OF THING, BUT A THE A LOT OF STATES HAVE DONE AWAY WITH STATE HOSPITALS AND WHAT NOT, BUT YEAH, THERE ARE MORE PEOPLE WITH AN SMI IN PRISONS THAN THERE ARE IN STATE HOSPITALS.

THE OTHER PIECE I WOULD, I THINK IS SUPER IMPORTANT TO APPRECIATE IS THAT WHY IS THAT A PROBLEM?

THAT'S A PROBLEM BECAUSE PEOPLE AREN'T BEING TREATED.

THERE IS VERY FEW-- VERY LITTLE RESOURCES PROVIDED TO JAILS AND PRISONS FOR THE TREATMENT OF MENTAL ILLNESS.

NOW THERE IS A LOT GOING ON.

BUT IT'S VERY, VERY MUCH UNDERRESOURCED AND IT'S NOT EVEN COORDINATED OFTEN TIMES.

>> MENTAL ILLNESS, UNLIKE OTHER ILLNESSES, CARRIES WITH IT MANY STIGMATA.

UNFORTUNATELY, AND UNFAIRLY.

THIS INCLUDES A PRESUMPTION THAT THESE PATIENTS HAVE A PROCLIVITY FOR VIOLENT BEHAVIOR.

>> YEAH, SO UNFORTUNATELY THAT'S BEEN THE HISTORY OF HOW MENTAL ILLNESS HAS BEEN PORTRAYED IN THE MEDIA, AS SOMEONE TO BE FEARED, SOMEONE DANGEROUS, SOMEONE UNPREDICTABLE IN THEIR BEHAVIOR.

BUT WHAT WE ACTUALLY KNOW OF ALL THE VIOLENCE, ONLY ABOUT 4% OF THAT IS RELATED TO MENTAL ILLNESS AT ALL.

SO THE VAST MAJORITY OF VIOLENCE IS NOT RELATED TO MENTAL ILLNESS.

BUT WE DON'T SEE SOME OF THESE HEALING STORIES, THE RECOVERY STORIES, THE THINGS THAT SHOW US THAT MENTAL ILLNESS LOOKS DIFFERENT.

MENTAL ILLNESS CAN LOOK LIKE SOMEONE GOING TO WORK EVERY DAY, TAKING CARE OF THEIR FAMILY, OWNING THEIR HOME, AND SUCCESSFULLY IN RECOVERY AND ENGAGED IN TREATMENT SO I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT THAT WE UNDERSTAND THAT WHILE THE MEDIA HAS SOMETIMES PORTRAYED MENTAL ILLNESS AS VIOLENCE, THAT IS NOT THE WHOLE STORY.

AND, IN FACT, INDIVIDUALS WITH MENTAL ILLNESS REALLY, LIKE MARK HAD MENTIONED ARE MUCH MORE LIKELY TO BE VICTIMS OF CRIME.

>> WHILE WELL INTENTIONED, EMERGENCY ROOMS ARE NOT THE BEST PLACE FOR PATIENTS WITH THE MENTAL ILLNESS.

BUT WORSE STILL, IS HAVING THEM BE IN JAIL.

Dr. WOODS TOLD US ABOUT A MUCH BETTER OPTION CALLED EMPATH.

>> THE EMERGENCY ROOMS ARE AMAZING, RIGHT?

THEY DO AMAZING WORK.

WE ARE SO GRATEFUL AND THANKFUL FOR THEM.

BUT WHEN YOU HAVE A MENTAL HEALTH CRISIS AND YOU SHOW UP AT THE E.D., OFTEN TIMES YOUR PRIORITIZED DOWN THE LIST.

YOU ARE BEHIND A MOTOR VEHICLE ACCIDENT OR A HEART ATTACK.

UNDERSTANDABLY SO.

YOU MAY BE PLACED IN THE BACK OF THE ROOM AND WHEN YOU ARE EXPERIENCING A CRISIS, AND YOU ARE HEARING ALL THESE LOUD NOISES AND YOU ARE FORCED TO CHANGE INTO A GOWN AND YOU MAY BE GIVEN A SITTER, SOMEBODY WHO HAS TO SIT WITH YOU 24 HOURS A DAY AND A LOT OF THAT PRIVACY SORT OF TAKEN AWAY FROM YOU AND THAT AGENCY IS TAKEN AWAY FROM YOU.

RATHER THE EMPATH CENTER IS A LOT OF THE OPPOSITE OF THOSE THINGS.

SO OUT OF THE GATE, YOU ARE GOING TO BE GREETED VERY IN A TIMELY MANNER AND YOU ARE GOING TO BE THE PRIORITY.

YOU ARE GOING TO BE GREETED WITH BEHAVIORAL HEALTH SPECIALISTS AND EXPERTS THAT ARE THERE AND WANTING TO MAKE YOU COMFORTABLE AND UNDERSTAND WHY YOU ARE THERE AND TRY TO BASICALLY MEET YOUR NEEDS.

>> FEW THINGS ARE AS TRAUMATIC AS SUDDEN DEATH.

PARTICULARLY IF IT IS A CHILD OR YOUNG ADULT.

ADAM LEMEL.

A 17-YEAR-OLD HIGH SCHOOL BASKETBALL PLAYER COLLAPSED ON THE BASKETBALL COURT AND DIED FROM WHAT WAS LATER DETERMINED TO BE A SUDDEN CARDIAC ARREST.

UNLIKE NOW, THERE WAS NEITHER THE AWARENESS NOR TOOLS TO ADDRESS HIS CONDITION.

Dr. SEAN MOHAN, A PEDIATRIC CARDIOLOGIST AT KENTUCKY HOSPITAL, CONGENITAL HEART CLINIC TOLD US MORE ABOUT SUDDEN CARDIAC ARREST.

>> SUDDEN CARDIAC ARREST IS USUALLY A DIAGNOSIS MADE AFTER, YOU KNOW, DEPENDING ON THE CONTEXT OF WHEN IT ACTUALLY OCCURRED BECAUSE SOMETIMES YOU HAVE TO EXCLUDE OTHER CAUSES FIRST.

SO UTH NOT ALWAYS READILY AVAILABLE BUT WE KNOW THAT FOR THE SHORT ANSWER IS THAT THE HEART STOPS BEATING.

THE QUESTION IS WHY DID THE HEART STOP BEATING.

DID IT STOP BEATING BECAUSE THERE WAS A BLOCKAGE IN A VESSEL THAT GOES TO THE HEART MUSSEL WHICH IS TYPICALLY A HEART ATTACK?

AND THAT'S USUALLY MORE COMMON IN ADULTS.

IT'S EXTREMELY RARE IN INFANTS AND CHILDREN BECAUSE USUALLY, YOU KNOW, MOST CHILDREN AND INFANTS DON'T HAVE HIGH CHOLESTEROL LEVELS OR ADULT CORONARY RISK FACTORS.

BUT YOU KNOW, VERY RARELY WE DO SEE THINGS THAT KIDS ARE BORN WITH, LIKE AN ABNORMAL CORONARY VESSEL THAT MAKES IT MORE LIKELY THEY COULD HAVE A CARDIAC ARREST FROM A BLOOD NOT BEING ABLE TO GET THROUGH THE VESSEL.

THE OTHER THINGS THAT CAN CAUSE IT WOULD BE ABNORMAL RHYTHM PROBLEM.

OKAY, AND IT COULD BE AN ABNORMAL FAST RHYTHM THAT COULD BE VERY DANGEROUS.

WHEN THE HEART BEATS CHAOTICALLY, IT CANNOT FILL WITH BLOD AND DOESN'T GET TO THE BRAIN AND THE REST OF THE ORGANS AND IT COULD EVENTUALLY GET TO A POINT WHERE IT IS SO STUCK IN THE ABNORMAL RHYTHM, IT IS UNABLE TO PUMP EFFECTIVELY.

>> FORTUNATELY SUDDEN CARDIAC ARREST IS NO THE A COMMON PROBLEM.

BUT WHEN IT HAPPENS, TO A CHILD OR YOUNG ADULT, THE IMPACT AND LOSS IS PLAG ANY FIED.

-- MAGNIFIED.

>> VERY COMMON WHEN YOU SEE IT ON THE NEWS AND I THINK THAT MAKES MOST PEOPLE IN THE PUBLIC THINK THAT OH MY GOD, LIKE IT MAKES THEM QUESTION, IS THAT WHY SO AND SO PASSED AWAY DOWN THE BLOCK IN IF YOU LOOK AT COMMON CAUSES OF DEATH-- IF YOU GO BY PURE NUMBERS, .1% OF THE POPULATION.

IN A GIVEN YEAR, IN THE UNITED STATES, IT'S QUOTED THAT SUDDEN CARDIAC ARREST IS ABOUT 350,000 TO 360,000 CASES A YEAR WITH THE MAJORITY OF THEM BEING IN THE 30 TO 40 AGE RANGE GROUP.

>> STRENUOUS PHYSICAL EXERTION FOLLOWED BY A SINKABLE EPISODE IS STRONGLY SUGGESTIVE OF SUDDEN CARDIAC ARREST.

, DISRUPTION OF HEART RHYTHM FROM BLUNT FORCE TRAUMA TO THE CHEST IS A FAR MORE DRAMATIC AND COMMON CAUSE OF SUDDEN CARDIAC ARREST.

AS WE WITNESS BY MILLIONS OF PEOPLE WHEN DAY MORE HAMLIN OF THE BUFFALO BILLS COLLAPSED ON THE FIELD AFTER MAKING A TACKLE ON A MONDAY NIGHT FOOTBALL GAME.

>> THIS IS WHAT YOU ARE DESCRIBING.

IT IS THE TERM WHEN THERE IS CLEARLY IT WAS WITNESSED.

AND THERE WAS BLUNT TRAUMA TO THE CHEST.

IT HAS TO DO WITH THE TIMING.

THERE IS ACTUALLY A CRITICAL WINDOW DURING NORMAL CARDIAC RHYTHM WHEN YOU HAVE A BLUNT TRAUMA TO THE CHEST, IT CAN TRIGGER SOMETHING CALLED VENTRICULAR DEFIBRILLATION AND THAT IS A DANGEROUS RHYTHM WHERE THE HEART IS QUIVERING AND NOT ABLE TO PER FUSE.

THE WAY WE KNOW ABOUT THIS IS BASIC SCIENCE MODELS.

THERE ARE SOME STUDIES DONE AND I FEEL BAD FOR THE ANIMALS THAT HAD TO HAVE THIS DONE.

THEY DID A PIG EXPERIMENT AND TESTED PROJECTILES SHOOTING AT THE PIG'S CHEST.

AND THEY REALIZED THAT IF IT OCCURS IN THIS PARTICULAR WINDOW, YOU KNOW, THEY OBVIOUSLY HAD A RHYTHM MONITORING, IT TRIGGERS VF.

>> WHEN FACED WITH SUDDEN CARDIAC ARREST, IT IS IMPERATIVE THAT TREATMENT BEGIN AS SOON AS POSSIBLE WITH AN AUTOMATED EXTERNAL DIFFICULT FIBRILLATOR OR AED DEVICE.

THERE IS STILL A ROLE FOR CPR, ESPECIALLY AS A BRIDGE TO MAINTAIN PER FUSION WHILE RATING FOR AN AED DEVICE TO BE BROUGHT TO THE SCENE.

>> AEDS, THE MOST COMMON CAUSE, IF YOU LOOK AT THE ADULT POPULATION, WHEN ADULTS GO DOWN FROM SUDDEN CARDIAC ARREST, YOU DON'T INITIALLY KNOW IF IT IS FROM A PLUMBING PROBLEM WHERE BLOOD WASN'T GETTING THROUGH THE HEART VESSELS TO, YOU KNOW, GIVE GOOD OXYGEN SUPPLY TO THE HEART MUSCLE.

WHEN THE HEART STARTS DYING, IT CAN GO INTO VENTRICULAR DEFIBRILLATION.

AT THAT POINT, THE HEART IS NOT ABLE TO PUMP.

SO SOMETIMES YOU BASICALLY NEED TO ESSENTIALLY DEFIBRILLATION WHAT AE EDS DO IS ALT DELETE.

THERE IS STILL A ROLE BECAUSE WHILE THE HEART IS QUIVERING, HAVE YOU TO-- SOMEONE HAS TO GET THE AE ED.

YOU HAVE TO GET THE PUMP TO-- THE HEART TO PUMP AT A FIXED RATE.

SOMEONE AT THEIR NORMAL HEART RATE TO GET BLOOD TO THE BRAIN.

AEDES OVER THE LAST 10 ON TO 15 YEARS, HAVE GOTTEN MORE COMMON AND THEY HAVE ALSO BEEN DESIGNED SO THAT THE LAY PERSON WHO DOESN'T NECESSARILY, YOU DON'T NECESSARILY NEED A NURSING DEGREE, A PHYSICIAN DEGREE IN ORDER TO USE THESE AND THAT'S WHY WE SEE AEDs IN AIRPORTS, TRAIN STATIONS, MANY PUBLIC HEALTH VENUES, HAVING ACCESS TO AN AED IMPROVES THE ODDS OF SURVIVALS AND REQUIRES IT BEING WITNESSED AND SOMEBODY CHECKING ON THE PERSON AND CHECKING THEIR PULSE AND BEING ABLE TO CALL FOR HELP.

>> SHOULD YOU HAVE TO USE AN AED, THERE ARE CLEAR INSTRUCTIONS ON THE DEVICE.

HOWEVER, IN IF YOU HAVE NEVER USED ONE BEFORE AND FEEL UNCOMFORTABLE AT THE THOUGHT OF EVEN HAVING TO USE AN AED, THEN I ENCOURAGE YOU TO LOOK AT A YOUTUBE VIDEO OR TAKE A BASIC LIFE SAVING COURSE JUST TO FAMILIARIZE YOURSELF WITH THIS LIFE SAVING DEVICE.

ENVIRONMENTAL POLLUTANTS CAN EITHER CAUSE OR EXACERBATE MANY DIFFERENT CHRONIC AND ACUTE ILLNESSES.

HEART DISEASE IS THE LEADING CAUSE OF DEATH IN THE UNITED STATES.

WE KNOW THAT TOBACCO SMOKING, HYPERCHOLESTEROLEMIA, DIABETES, OBESITY AND HYPERTENSION ARE MAJOR RISK FACTORS FOR THE DEVELOPMENT OF HEART DISEASE.

BUT Dr. DANIEL CONKLIN, PROFESSOR OF MEDICINE AT THE UNIVERSITY OF LOUISVILLE SCHOOL OF MEDICINE, AND DIRECTOR OF THE EXPOSURE AND PHENOTYPING CORPS TOLD US THAT THERE ARE OTHER RISK FACTORS THAT ARE RIGHT UNDER OUR NOSES.

>> NOW YOU LAY OUT THESE ARE THE MAJOR RISK FACTORS.

PART OF THE STORY THAT WE ARE TRYING TO ADDRESS IS HOW DID WE GET THERE.

HOW DID WE GET TO SO MUCH OBESITY, HOW DID WE GET TO SO MUCH HYPERTENSION?

THESE CLEARLY ARE MAJOR RISK FACTORS.

AND WE THINK WHAT WE BREEDS IN-- WHAT WE BREATHE IN IS CONTRIBUTING TO THE MECHANISMS THAT UNDERLIE THOSE DISEASES.

SO NOT NECESSARILY THAT THEY DO DIFFERENT THINGS, BUT THEY ACTUALLY ACCELERATE THE RISK FACTORS THAT ARE UNDERLYING OR PRESENT IN SO MANY OF US.

AND THIS INCLUDES TWO MAJOR CLASSES OF INHALED COMPOUNDS, PARTICULATE MATTER WHICH MANY PEOPLE KNOW ABOUT, BECAUSE THIS IS ONE OF THE E.P.A.

'S CRITERIA POLLUTANTS.

>> ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY.

>> E.P.A., YES.

SO ALL MAJOR CITIES HAVE TO MON FOR FOR HOW MUCH PARTICULATE MATTER IS IN THE AIR.

AND THAT GOES INTO THE AIR QUALITY INDEX ALERTS WE GET EVERY DAY WHEN IT IS A BAD AIR DAY.

BUT THEN THERE IS ALSO THE GASES THAT WE BREATHE IN.

WE CAN PUT OZONE IN THAT CATEGORY.

WHEN OZONE IS BAD, PEOPLE KNOW ABOUT IT.

YOU FEEL IT.

YOUR EYES CAN BURN.

AND YOU PUT OZONE AND PARTICULATE MATTER TOGETHER, THAT'S A BAD MIX.

OTHER GASES THAT YOU MENTIONED ARE VOC, VOLATILE ORGANIC COMPOUNDS AND THAT INCLUDES FORMALDEHYDE, ACETONE, THESE SOUND LIKE A MIXTURE OF THINGS WE ACTUALLY ARE PRESENT IN OUR HOMES, WHEN WE COOK OR WE HAVE AN OPEN FIRE.

BUT ALSO COME OUT OF THE BACKS OF OUR VEHICLES.

SO EXHAUST CONTAINS ALL OF THESE VOCs.

>> SADLY, THE BURDEN OF EXPOSURE TO ENVIRONMENTAL POLLUTANTS AND THE SUBSEQUENT CONSEQUENCES ARE NOT EQUITABLY DISTRIBUTED.

PEOPLE WHO LIVE OR HAVE LIVED IN AREAS WITH GREATER EXPOSURE TO ENVIRONMENTAL POLLUTANTS SUFFER GREATER CONSEQUENCES THAN THOSE WITH LESS EXPOSURE.

MISS ANITA GADSON, THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF.

THE COMMUNITY TASK FORCE POINTED OUT ONE'S ZIP CODE MAY HAVE A GREATER INFLUENCE ON DETERMINING A PERSON'S HEALTH THAN THEIR OWN GENETIC CODE.

SHE REFERENCED RUBBER TOWN, AN INDUSTRIAL AREA IN WEST JEFFERSON COUNTY.

CURRENT AND PAST RESIDENTS HAVE DISPROPORTIONATELY POOR HEALTH OUTCOMES COMPARED TO THOSE LIVING IN OTHER AREAS OF JEFFERSON COUNTY.

>> THEY HAD, WHAT I CALLED DILUTED PROBLEMS.

WHAT IS IMPORTANT, YOU CAN FIND, IF WE GO EVEN TO THE EXTREME, IF YOU HAVE-- AND I USE MYSELF, IF YOU HAVE ALLERGIES, AND YOU MOVE SOMEPLACE ELSE, AND YOU ARE NOT EXPOSED TO WHATEVER IT IS THAT BROUGHT THAT ON, YOU ARE NOT GOING TO HAVE THE ALLERGY TO THAT EXTREME.

SO THE SAME THING, YOU KNOW, WITH THE ZIP CODES AND THAT'S THE REASON WHY THE RELATION CHANGED WHEN YOU LOOKED AT THE NUMBER OF CASES OF CANCER AND ASTHMA AND ALL THE REST IS NOT THAT GREAT IN OTHER PARTS OF THE COMMUNITY AS IT IS, AND THAT'S HOW, WHEN YOU LOOK AT IT, AND YOU ACTUALLY SEE THE FACTS, YOU SEE THIS BECAUSE THERE IT IS STATISTICALLY, IT IS SAYING.

THERE HAVE BEEN SOME PEOPLE THAT HAVE SAID THERE ARE OTHER FACTORS THAT ARE INVOLVED IN THIS, AND THERE ARE OTHER FACTORS.

BUT WHEN I CAME TO UNIVERSITY OF LOUISVILLE, I JUST WOULD NOT NECESSARILY ACCEPT THE FACT THAT WHAT YOU EAT, WHERE YOU RUN, IF YOU RUN AT ALL OR YOU DON'T RUN, OR, YOU KNOW, BECAUSE YOU FIND THE SAME CHARACTERISTICS IN OTHER AREAS.

PEOPLE, EVERYBODY IS NOT RUNNING, EVERYBODY IS NOT EATING BEST FOOD.

AND YOU STILL HAVE PEOPLE WHO SMOKE, HAVE YOU PEOPLE THAT DRINK.

NOW WHAT HAPPENS IS IS-- AND OVERWEIGHT.

THE ONLY DIFFERENCE IS THEY DON'T HAVE RUBBER TOWN.

>> WE MAY NOT ASSOCIATE TOXINS IN OUR ENVIRONMENT AS THE CAUSE OF INFERTILITY, BUT A GROUP OF CHEMICALS CALLED ENDOCRINE DISRUPTING CHEMICALS OR EDCS ARE DOING JUST THAT.

Dr. PATRICK HANNON ASSISTANT PROFESSOR AT THE UNIVERSITY OF KENTUCKY COLLEGE OF MEDICINE DEPARTMENT OF OBSTETRICS AND GYNECOLOGY DESCRIBE HOW THESE CHEMICALS AFFECT US.

>> ENDOCRINE DISRUPTING CHEMICALS ARE MAN MANMADE SYNTHETIC CHEMICALS OR NATURAL CHEMICALS IN OUR ENVIRONMENT THAT DO EXACTLY WHAT THEIR NAME IMPLIES.

THEY DISRUPT THE ENDOCRINE SYSTEM.

SO WHEN WE THINK ABOUT THE ENDOCRINE SIS TIM, A COMBINATION OF SEVERAL DIFFERENT ORGAN SYMPTOMS THAT ALL PRODUCE HORMONES THAT ACTED THROUGHOUT THE BODY.

THERE ARE ORGANS THAT RESPOND TO THE HORMONES AS WELL.

AND IT'S VERY TIGHTLY REGULATED THE WAY THAT THE HORMONES ACT WITHIN THE BODY.

AND SO WHAT ENDOCRINE DISRUPTING CHEMICALS ARE ARE THOSE THAT MAY DECREASE THE LEVELS OF THOSE NATURAL HORMONES, THEY MAY ACT LIKE THOSE NATURAL HORMONES IN THE BODY; THUS KIND OF TRICKING YOUR BODY INTO THINKING HEY, WE'VE GOT ENOUGH OF THIS HORMONE AVAILABLE.

WE DON'T NEED TO MAKE ANYMORE.

BUT THEY COULD ALSO ANTAGONIZE THE WAY THE NATURAL HORMONES WORK.

AND BY DOING SO, IT IS JUST INTERFERING WITH HOW THAT NATURAL HORMONE WOULD FUNCTION WITHIN THE BODY.

THERE ARE A COUPLE OF OTHER WAYS THAT ENDOCRINE DISRUPTING CHEMICALS CAN FUNCTION.

THEY CAN DECREASE OR IMPAIR THE TRANSPORT OF HORMONES THROUGHOUT THE BODY.

THEY CAN DECREASE THE RECEPTORS THAT THESE HORMONES ACT UPON.

SO WHAT I LIKE TO MAKE VERY CLEAR WHEN DISCUSSING ENDOCRINE DISRUPTING CHEMICALS AND THE ENDOCRINE SYSTEM IN GENERAL, IT IS SO TIGHTLY REGULATED, DELICATELY BALANCED THAT SMALL FLUCTUATIONS EVEN DURING A NORMAL, IN THE NORMAL BODY, CAN HAVE PROFOUND IMPACTS ON THE WAY OUR BODY FUNCTIONS.

SO WHEN YOU THINK ABOUT ENDOCRINE DISRUPTING CHEMICALS AND THEIR ABILITY TO INTERFERE WITH HOW OUR NATURAL HORMONES WORK, EVEN SMALL LEVELS OF THESE DISRUPTING CHEMICALS CAN HAVE VERY PROFOUND TOXIC EFFECTS WITHIN THE BODY.

>> UNWITH OF THE BIGGEST CULPRITS AMONG EDCS IS A GROUP OF CHEMICALS CALLED PHTHALATES.

THEY'RE FOUND IN MANY PLACES INCLUDING THOSE ON THE TAKE OUT FOOD CONTAINERS.

TO MINIMIZE OUR EXPOSURE, HE RECOMMENDS THAT WE REMOVE OUR FOOD FROM THE CONTAINERS AS SOON AS POSSIBLE AND NOT REUSE THEM TO REHEAT OUR FOOD.

THANK YOU FOR BEING WITH US TODAY.

THESE WERE JUST A FEW SNIPPETS FROM THIS SEASON.

IF YOU WISH TO WATCH THE FULL SHOW OR OTHER PAST SHOWS, PLEASE GO TO WWW.ket.org/HEALTH.

AND CLICK ON "KENTUCKY HEALTH."

I HOPE THAT WILL YOU CONTINUE TO JOIN US.

AND IF THERE IS A TOPIC THAT YOU WOULD LIKE FOR US TO EXPLORE, HAVE A QUESTION, OR WANT TO MAKE A COMMENT, PLEASE CALL OR EMAIL US AT KYTOGETHER AT ket.org.

I LOOK FORWARD TO SEEING YOU ON THE NEXT SEGMENT OF "KENTUCKY HEALTH" AND PLEASE TAKE GOOD CARE OF YOURSELVES.

>> "KENTUCKY HEALTH" IS FUNDED IN PART BY A GRANT FROM THE FOUNDATION FOR A HEALTHY KENTUCKY.