Most of us know of someone -- a parent, sibling, spouse, relative, friend or neighbor -- who has had heart disease. Nearly 40 percent of Americans believe that they are in ideal cardiovascular health, but only 1 percent of them actually are. And, about every 25 seconds, an American will have a coronary heart event. Yet as alarming as this may sound, the good news is that many issues leading up to heart disease are within our control. That's why getting screened, educated and involved in your own heart health is so important.

To celebrate American Heart Month and the 10th year of the American Heart Association's Go Red for Women^® movement, Stony Brook University Heart Institute is offering a month-long series of free screenings and lectures -- because the more you know, the better you can commit to a healthier heart. For information and a complete list of upcoming Heart Month events, visit the Stony Brook Medicine website or call (631) 444-4000.

According to the American Stroke Association, stroke remains the fourth leading cause of death and leading cause of adult disability in the United States. On average, a stroke occurs every 40 seconds in the country, and someone dies from a stroke every four minutes. In more severe (acute ischemic) stroke cases, where the main arteries of the brain are blocked, restoring blood flow in an effective and timely manner is critical to a patient's survival and recovery.

Intravenous clot-busting medicines are predictably ineffective, failing to open the blocked artery in 70 to 90 percent of cases. That's why cerebrovascular specialists at Stony Brook Medicine now treat acute ischemic stroke using advanced new clot-removal devices. "We have had excellent outcomes using these new devices," says David Fiorella, MD, PhD, Professor of Clinical Neurological Surgery and Radiology at Stony Brook University School of Medicine and Co-Director, Cerebrovascular and Stroke Center. The devices consist of expandable wire-mesh systems of small flexible tubes called microcatheters, which are guided from the groin to the brain where they expand and open at the site of the clot, immediately restoring blood flow. When they are withdrawn from the brain blood vessel, the devices take the clot with them, removing it from the blood vessel.

"Time is brain, and in some cases, minutes matter," explains Dr. Fiorella. "No other medical institution in Suffolk County can provide acute ischemic stroke patients with this important option in addition to traditional IV therapies -- only Stony Brook."

Adolescence. It's a time of life characterized by profound physical, mental and emotional development. It's a time when mental health counseling and other services can help adolescents avoid high-risk behaviors and develop habits that encourage a lifetime of health and wellness.

It's also a time that creates unique challenges for healthcare providers. After all, no one person can be all things to all people. At Stony Brook Long Island Children's Hospital Division of Adolescent Medicine, we understand that adolescent needs are different. As the only hospital-based adolescent medicine program in Suffolk County, we offer primary care and specialized services to address some of the major health issues of those between the ages of 12 and 24.

Shreya Nagula, MD

Shreya Nagula, MD, the newest member of the division, is a child and adolescent psychiatrist specializing in medication management for anxiety and mood disorders and high-risk behaviors. Her expertise enables her to distinguish between what is truly extreme or compulsive behavior and what is normal teenage behavior, so that the patient can be diagnosed and treated most effectively. "I was attracted to Stony Brook Children's because of its strong reputation in adolescent medicine. What's most rewarding about working with this age group is that they are so open to change and growth," she explains.

For information about adolescent medicine at Stony Brook, call (631) 444-2730. To learn about other new physicians at Stony Brook, visit Stony Brook Medicine's Find a Doctor Web page or call (631) 444-4000. 

Fazel Khan, MD (right), with Frank Ortega-Mejia and his mother, Jovita Mejia

In the past, bone cancer treatment typically involved amputation of the affected limb. Fazel Khan, MD, one of the few orthopedic oncology surgeons on Long Island, uses advanced computer-based imaging technology that provides greater precision and more accurate views of the affected area so that when he treats the cancer, much of the surrounding area -- a limb, a bone socket, the pelvis -- can be preserved.

Frank Ortega-Mejia, now 9, benefited greatly from this advanced treatment. Frank's mother, Jovita, noticed that Frank's foot was swollen after a walk. Testing revealed Ewing's sarcoma, and Frank was referred to Dr. Khan for surgery. "With feet, there are tight margins and not much room to salvage the limb," explains Dr. Khan. The cancer was completely removed, the foot was saved and only a small part of the foot and one toe were removed. Today, with chemotherapy at Stony Brook University Cancer Center completed, Frank is back to his life of attending school and hanging out with his friends.

Part of helping children stay healthy is ensuring a healthy environment, particularly since children have such little control over their own environments. Stony Brook Long Island Children's Hospital became a smoke-free campus in 2009 because of the well-documented dangers of secondhand smoke on still-developing bodies: links to sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS), asthma, respiratory issues and middle ear infections.  

By adopting a new state initiative called Opt-to-Quit^TM, developed by Roswell Park Cancer Institute, Stony Brook Children's is now taking steps to help parents of newborns and is bringing this same concern about children's environments outside the walls of the Hospital into the places where they spend the most time, including their own homes. Part of the New York State Smokers' Quitline, Opt-to-Quit offers smokers telephone-based coaching and support, free nicotine replacement medications and other smoking cessation tools. In Stony Brook's newborn nursery and Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU), parents, caregivers and family members are offered a direct referral to the Quitline by Hospital staff.

Stony Brook is one of only 11 hospitals and primary care sites in New York State that are currently in various stages of implementing the program, and Stony Brook Children's is the only participating children's hospital.

These generous friends have chosen to invest in Stony Brook Medicine, making a lasting impact on the region for years to come:

Belle Terre residents and Stony Brook alumni Gloria Snyder '72 and Mark Snyder's '69 donation of $150,000 enabled the establishment of the Gloria and Mark Snyder Symposium for Cancer Medicine, hosted by Stony Brook University Cancer Center.

Redwood Abstract Inc. of Smithtown will support the expansion of Stony Brook Long Island Children's Hospital with its recent gift of $100,000.

A gift of $82,000 from Mark S. Eghrari & Associates, PLLC, of Smithtown will also support the expansion of Stony Brook Children's. Mark Eghrari was recently elected Chair of the Stony Brook Children's Hospital Task Force, a group organized in 2009 to raise funds and awareness for Stony Brook Children's.

In addition to Stony Brook University Hospital, Stony Brook Medicine provides world-class, compassionate care to patients in more than 50 community-based healthcare settings throughout Suffolk County. Here's a listing of our newest locations:

New York Spine and Brain Surgery

54 Commerce Drive, Suite 7, Riverhead

(631) 444-1213

Treatment for a wide range of spinal conditions, including adult scoliosis, cervical and lumbar radiculopathy, discography, herniated/degenerative discs, sciatica, spinal cord injury, spinal stenosis and spinal trauma/fracture.

Stony Brook Urology

4875 Sunrise Highway, Second Floor, Suite 200, Bohemia

(631) 444-6270/1910

General and subspecialty urologic care, including female urology, minimally invasive surgery, pediatric urology, renal transplantation, robotic-assisted surgery and urologic oncology, as well as the diagnosis and treatment of female voiding dysfunction, kidney stone disease, male infertility and prostate disease.

University Associates in Obstetrics and Gynecology

4875 Sunrise Highway, Second Floor, Suite 200, Bohemia

(631) 444-4686

Comprehensive care in obstetrics and gynecology, including family planning, high-risk obstetrics, in vitro fertilization, menopause management, midwifery, minimally invasive surgery, pediatric and adolescent gynecology, reproductive endocrinology and infertility, and ultrasound and diagnostic testing.

Visit Stony Brook Medicine for a complete list of services and locations.