Cardiac deaths
from page AS
blockage of major blood ves
sels feeding the heart, called
coronary arteries. Coronary
heart disease resulting from
this process may lead to heart
attacks (myocardial infarction)
and ultimately sudden cardiac
death. Modifiable risk factors
include smoking, high blood
pressure, diabetes mellitus and
high cholesterol. Aging and
family history of premature
coronary heart disease are fac
tors that may not be modified
In young people, certain
congenital heart abnormalities
such as excessive thickening of
the walls of the heart (known
as hypertrophic cardiomyopa
thy), fatty deposits in the right
heart (also called arrhythmo
genic right ventricular car
diomyopathy), and abnormal
origin of the coronary arteries
may occasionally provide an
internal environment con
ducive to sudden cardiac
death. ? ? ? ?
This is particularly cata
strophic in young African
Americans athletes.
Under certain conditions,
various medications and illegal
drug abuse, for example
cocaine, can lead to abnormal
ities in heart rhythm, heart
attacks and sudden cardiac
death.
How is the diagnosis of
sudden cardiac death made?
The individual in sudden
cardiac death becomes unre
sponsive and unconscious
without pulse, blood pressure
or. breathing. The Emergency
Medial Services and health
professionals can also monitor
the specific rhythm of the heart
using an electrocardiogram
(ECG).
What are the treatments for
survivors of sudden cardiac
death?
Time is of the essence, as
the victim's chances of sur
vival are reduced by seven to
ten percent with every minute
that passes. Brain death starts
to occur in just four to six min
utes after someone has experi
enced sudden cardiac death.
Sudden cardiac death is
reversible within a few min
utes with an electrical shock to
the heart, a process called
defibrillation.
The American Heart
Association has recommended
the following emergency treat
ment hierarchy:
? Early Recognition of the
Emergency and Activation of
Emergency response system
(EMS): If you witness anyone
in this state as described
above, CALL 911 OR YOUR
LOCAL EMS NUMBER
? Early Defibrillation:
Rapid defibrillation using an
automated external defibrilla
tor (AED), found in many pub
lic places, airports, and in com
mercial airplanes.
? Early CPR:
Cardiopulmonary resuscitation
(CPR)
? Early advanced care:
Rapid transfer to the appropri
ate medical facility.
In what ways can sudden
cardiac death be prevented?
Follow upjvith your doctor
regularly and comply with
treatment plans for chronic
conditions such as high blood
pressure, heart disease, dia
betes, and coronary heart dis
ease.
- Do not smoke.
- Maintain a healthy
weight.
- Exercise regularly.
- Eat a balanced diet low in
saturated fat and high in nutri
ent-rich fruits and vegetables.
- Talk with your doctor
about implanted defibrillator if
you have severe heart disease
or severely reduced function of
the heart.
- Institute a medical emer
gency response plan by health
care providers, policy makers,
school administrators, and
community and church lead
ers.
- Make a community and
personal pledge to healthy liv
ing.
- Contribution by William
O. Ntim, MB. ChB, FACC,
FACP; Tiyoko Johnson , RN,
BSN, RDCS; and David
Mount, PsyD. MA
Do you need further infor
mation on this topic or
resources in your area or have
questions or comments about
this article? Please call toll
free 1-877-530-1824. Or, for
more information about the
Maya Angelou Center for
Health Equity, please visit our
website:
http://www.wfubmc.edu/minori
ty health.
Shelter
from page A7
tainly be a place for them to
get out of the cold."
The Rescue Mission is
stepping in for this month,
because First Baptist can only
house the temporary shelter
for 90 days because of build
ing code restrictions. The
church, which also had an
overflow shelter last year, will
put 20 mats on the floor of its
gym starting in January. Those
in need of a night's shelter will
be bused in from local shelters
using St. Paul's Episcopal
Church buses. Unlike last year
- when the First Baptist
opened the shelter only when
the temperature dropped
below 45 degrees - the shelter
will be open every night dur
ing the three month period.
In order to do
this, a lot of
money is needed.
So far, more than
half of the esti
mated $68,000
needed has been
raised from local
churches, the city
and the Winston
Salem
Foundation .
There was also
some funds left
over from last year's effort.
Nearly $20,000 still needs to
be raised.
Many volunteers are also
needed to man the shelter at
First Baptist. Building codes
require two people to be on
watch at all times, meaning
that six people are needed
each night to work in two hour
shifts. Volunteers are also
needed to drive the bus and
chaperone bus rides.
Georg^ ' Cleland has
already signed on to volunteer.
He has devoted a lot of his
time to helping the homeless
population, beginning when
he and his father helped out at
a makeshift shelter at St.
Paul's Episcopal in the 1980s.
Now that he's an adult
with a family of his own, he's
volunteering again at over
flow shelters. He said he's
awed by both the generosity of
the volunteers and the impact
Parsons
Katherine Skarbeck
a simple warm place to sleep
can have.
"I think most of, us in our
big, beautifuh warm homes
and warm beds, we have no
idea the scope of the problem
and the scope of the difficulty
of addressing the problem,"
said Cleland.
Many volunteers
will come from local
colleges - people like
Katherine Skarbeck,
a recent graduate of
Wake Forest
University. She's
part of a group of a
Wake students who
feed the homeless on
Saturdays on 11th
Street. She volun
teered last year at the
overflow shelter and got to
know many of the regular
guests there by name.
She said she's drawn to
helping the homeless because
they go unnoticed by so many.
She said the late hours at the
shelter weren't daunting and
actually fit into the college
lifestyle.
"With the kind of sched
ules we have it's easier, we
stay up until 1 o'clock in the
morning anyway," said
Skarbeck.
Those interested in volun
teering can call St. Paul's
Episcopal Church at 723
4391 and ask for the overflow
volunteer line. Contributions
can be made to The Advocacy
of the Poor, 608 Summit
Street, Suite 4, Winston
Salem, NC 27101 with the
words "emergency shelter" in
the memo line.
WSSU students unite to give
families holiday to remember
CHRONICLE STAFF Rl POK I
We have always been
told that it is better tp give
than to receive. During this
Thanksgiving and Christmas
holidays, that message is
even more important with
the current economic
crunch.
On Nov. 21, Winston
Salem State University stu
dents sought to be a part of
the solution instead of the
problem. The students
catered to the special needs
of local families during the
"Red and Black Family
Holiday Benefit.
The benefit was created
by the Campus Life
Marketing Committee
(CLMC) and the Beta lota
Chapter of Alpha Phi Alpha
Fraternity Inc.
The purpose of this bene
fit was to initially allow
campus organizations to
individually collect food,
clothes, toys and other dona
tions, but the event grew
into a celebration with live
entertainment, food and
fun. The benefit was hosted
by Chelii Broussard.
Entertainment included
Stanley Johnson and
Friends, who played live
jazz. Poetry was recited by
Vince Wilkins, Blake
Bennett and Brittany
Submitted Photo
Chelii Broussard hugs two young members of the families that were aided by the recent
benefit. Also pictured is WSSU student Kendra Stancell.
"Kodak" Ingram.
The event was catered by
Aramark Food Services,
which donated its services
for the evening. To add to
the occasion. Piedmont
Executive Transportation
chauffeured each family to
and from the event.
After the food and enter
tainment. CLMC members
Joevan Palmer and Tanisha
Williams dressed up as Mr.
^ind Mrs. Claus and present
ed the unexpected families
with toys and gifts, includ
ing bikes, clothes, toys and
gift cards. Gifts were hand
ed to the families by mem
bers ? of Freshman Class
Council, Campus
Ambassadors, CLMC and
Alpha Phi Alpha.
More than 20 campus
organizations donated boxes
of food, gifts and other
items, which were divided
and distributed to the fami
lies and to the Second
Harvest Food Bank.
The Red and Black
Family Holiday Benefit
Advisory Board has already
began working on next
year's benefit.
c
0
Take the first step
toward college
' :.r> ...
Open an NC 529 savings plan today
The path to college is shorter than you think.
The sooner you start a college savings program,
the easier it will be.
All the advantages of North Carolina's 529
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And your savings can be used at virtually any college,
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CFNC.org/NC529
800.600.3453
O 2008 College Foundation, Inc.
For more Information about North Carolina's National College Savings Program, please review
the complete Program Description and Enrollment Agreement available at CFNC.org/NC629 or
contact 800-600-3453 to request an enrollment kit that include* both. Before opening an Account
or contributing fund* to an existing Account, you should carefully read and consider the Program
Description which includes Information on inveatment objectives, risks, charge*, expense*, and
other Important information Check with your home *tate about tax or other benefit* associated
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Foundation
o\ \'orth ( droliiui