Heart Month
February is heart month and many in the country are living with a chronic condition that affects this vital organ. Heart failure is the term for a syndrome in which the heart can’t keep up with its workload. While it’s chronic, Anthony Mulholland with Oregon Health and Science University says it’s treatable in a few ways, such as a water pill that helps people excrete the fluid that’s building up in their circulatory system. He says there are ways to manage the condition after treatments like this.
“Limiting sodium intake to 1,500 milligrams per day or less, limiting fluid intake because fluid retention is a challenge with these patients, monitoring your blood pressure and knowing what your numbers are after you’ve talked about them with your doctor.”
Mulholland also advises people to keep an eye on their heart rate and weight daily so they’ll know if fluid is building up. He says people can raise the head of their bed while their sleeping to alleviate some of the pressure that can happen from fluid retention. family and a good support system are crucial for managing heart failure as well.
“This is a chronic condition that patients have for their lives and it requires a lot of health care. It requires a lot of support in the home for incorporating those healthy behaviors.”
About six million Americans are living with heart failure, according to the American Heart Association. It’s one of the most common reasons why people 65 and older go to the hospital. O-H-S-U has teamed up with the American Heart Association to provide resources about heart failure on A-H-A’s website.
Sewer Repair – Coos Bay
A sewer collapse in Coos Bay will have portions of Highway 101 closed until the 17th of February according to the Oregon Department of transportation. There are detours in place. This will cause some delays in the area.
Tax Free Money
The State of Oregon is reminding individuals that received a one time payment of $600 through the OTAP program in June will not be required to pay state taxes on that money. The IRS also issued a statement that the funds are also not federally taxed. The money will not need to be reported according to a statement released by the IRS on Friday.
Snap Benefit Reduction
Individuals that have been receiving additional SNAP benefits will see their last supplemental payment this month. Those who receive benefits will still receive them but at their previous rate. The additional monies were provided through a supplement by the federal government. People will still have the benefit of food share and can find additional referrals to food supplement by calling 211.
Slide Repair
Another ODOT project will cause traffic delays on U.S. 20 – the Corvallis-Newport highway tomorrow and Wednesday. ODOT crews will be removing hazardous trees and debris from a recent slide. Delays are expected to be minimal.
