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Pixabay photo

By Daniel Dunaief

Small particles from the raging wildfires in Los Angeles that have killed residents, destroyed homes and businesses and have caused massive evacuations have crossed the country, reaching Long Island.

Arthur Sedlacek, III Aerosol Processes Group leader at Brookhaven National Laboratory

“Our instruments are picking up evidence detecting California wildfires already,” said Arthur Sedlacek, III, Aerosol Processes Group leader in the Environmental & Climate Sciences Department at Brookhaven National Laboratory. “What’s happening 3,000 miles away can impact us” just like the fires in Quebec did.

The amount and concentration of particles on Long Island from these particles doesn’t present a health risk to many people in the population.

“For those who are sensitive to inhalation irritation, it opens up the possibility” of developing breathing difficulties or adding particles that could irritate their lungs, Sedlacek continued.

To be sure, the majority of people on Long Island and the east coast may not react to levels of particulates that are considerably lower than for residents of Los Angeles and the surrounding areas.

Local doctors suggested that these particles can trigger a range of health problems for those who are closer to the flames and smoke.

“The general rule is the larger the exposure, the greater the effect,” said Dr. Norman Edelman, a  pulmonologist at Stony Brook Medicine. 

Researchers have shown that the exposure doesn’t have to be especially high to affect health.

‘We more we look, the more we see that lower and lower doses will have negative effects,” said Edelman.

If and when particulates build in the air where patients with lung challenges live, pulmonologists urge residents to take several steps to protect themselves.

First, they can adjust their medication to respond to a greater health threat.

In addition, they can wear a particle mask, which is not an ordinary surgical mask.

Over time, continued exposure to particulates through pollution, wildfires or other emissions may have a cumulative health effect.

Dr. Norman Edelman. Photo courtesy of SBU

In the South Bronx, about 40 percent of children have asthma, compared with closer to 10 percent for the rest of the country. While genetics may contribute to that level, “we believe it’s because they are exposed to intense, continuous air pollution from motor vehicle traffic,” said Edelman, as cars and trucks on the Cross Bronx Expressway pollute the air in nearby neighborhoods.

The cumulative effect on people with existing disease is more pronounced.

Even when exposure and a lung reaction end, people “don’t quite come back to where [they] started,” said Edelman. “They lose a little bit of lung function.”

Particulates not only can cause damage for people who have chronic lung issues, like asthma or chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, but can also cause problems for people who have other medical challenges.

“We do know that this kind of pollution generates heart attacks in people with heart disease,” said Edelman. “That’s relatively new knowledge.”

A heating cycle

The ongoing fires, which started on Jan. 7 and were exacerbated by the Santa Ana winds of 70 miles per hour, have been consuming everything in their path, throwing a range of particles into the air.

These can include organic particles, black particles, which is akin to something that comes out of the tailpipe of a school bus and all sorts of particles in between, Sedlacek said.

These particles can form condensation nuclei for clouds and water droplets and they can absorb solar radiation and light.

Heating the upper troposphere with particles that absorb radiation alters the typical convention dynamic, in which hot air usually rises and cool air sinks

These changes in convection, which can occur with each of these major wildfires, can affect local air currents and even, in the longer term, broader air circulation patterns.

Sedlacek suggested that some areas in California and in the west may have reduced the use of controlled burns, in part because of the potential for those fires to blaze out of control.

“With the absence of range management and controlled burns to clear out the understory, you don’t have those natural fire breaks that would otherwise exist,” said Sedlacek. “In my opinion, you have to do controlled burns.”

Wildfires, Sedlacek added, are a “natural part of the ecosystem,” returning nutrients that might otherwise be inaccessible to the soil.

Without wildfires or controlled burns, areas can have a build up of understory that grows over the course of decades and that are potentially more dangerous amid a warming planet caused by climate change.

Indeed, recent reports from the Copernicus Climate Change Service indicate that 2024 was the hottest year on record, with temperatures reaching 1.6 degrees Celsius above the average in pre-industrial revolution levels. The Paris Climate Accord aimed to keep the increase from the late 19th century to well below 2 degrees, with an emphasis on a 1.5 degree limit.

The fires themselves have become a part of the climate change cycle, contributing particulates and greenhouse gases to processes that have made each of these events that much worse.

“These fires generate greenhouse gases and aerosol particles in the atmosphere that can then further increase or contribute to a warming of the globe,” said Sedlacek. “We have this positive feedback loop.”

In the climate change community, researchers discuss feedback, which can be positive, pushing an event or trend further in the same direction, or negative, which alters a process.

Sedlacek likens this to driving in a car that’s heading to the right towards the shoulder. In negative feedback, a driver steers the car in the other direction while positive feedback pushes the car further from the road.

Wildfires, which contribute and exacerbate global warming, can push the car towards a ditch, Sedlacek said.

Some scientists have urged efforts to engage in geoengineering, in which researchers propose blocking the sun, which would cause negative feedback.

“That might be a great idea on paper, but I don’t know if you want to play chemistry on a global scale,” said Sedlacek. Considering efforts to reduce solar radiation has merit, he suggested, but requires a closer analysis under controlled circumstances to understand it.

“I sincerely hope that the powers that be will appreciate the importance of what we do to understand” these processes, Sedlacek said. Understanding the models researchers have created can inform decisions.

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Dr. Wiiliam Wertheim. Photo courtesy of Stony Brook Medicine

By Daniel Dunaief

When Dr. William Wertheim visited Mozambique, where Stony Brook University has created the Global Health Institute, he was on a boat that got stranded in low tide.

The convivial and supportive Wertheim, who is Executive Vice President for Stony Brook Medicine, immediately climbed out of the boat and helped push it closer to shore, waiting for the tide to come in.

Stony Brook University’s Dr. William Wertheim with Malakhi Washington. Photo by Dr. Sierra Washington

“When he was out on the Indian Ocean with some fisherman, myself and my eight-year-old son, he was very quick to roll up his sleeves and start pushing the boat ashore,” said Dr. Sierra Washington, the director of the Stony Brook Center for Global Health Equity.

Indeed, Washington suggested that pushing the boat forward became a theme for Wertheim’s visit.

TBR News Media is pleased to recognize Wertheim as a person of the year for his leadership, his deep listening skills and his ongoing commitment to the university and the surrounding communities.

For a few weeks in the spring, Wertheim’s roles and titles changed, even if the manner and his focus did not.

In June, former SBU President Maurie McInnis named Wertheim executive vice president for Stony Brook Medicine, as he shed the interim label he had taken on starting the previous October.

A few weeks later, Wertheim effectively took over for McInnis, who resigned after four years to become president of her alma mater, Yale University, when he became officer-in-charge at Stony Brook University.

“Having Wertheim named as officer-in-charge gave everybody a sigh of relief,” said Dr. Todd Griffin, vice dean for clinical affairs and vice president for clinical services.

Justin Fincher, interim chief deputy to the president and senior vice president of government and community relations, said that Wertheim, who has been at Stony Brook for 28 years, “is the epitome of the university citizen. He’s the person we all think about as a leader among leaders.”

While Wertheim was in charge of the university for about six weeks until current Interim President Richard McCormick arrived in August, he supported leadership across the campus, offering to listen or provide advice.

“He was trusting the team in place to lead,” said Fincher. “He takes his ethic of care from his training as a medical doctor and applies that in every setting and in every decision.”

Indeed, first and foremost among Wertheim’s many responsibilities and roles, he continues to serve as a practicing physician with several hundred patients.

Finding the time to see patients requires taking some extra hours. He also relies on support from other physicians and nurse practitioners who work as a team whenever he is unavailable to see his patients.

“Seeing patients is at the core of what I do,” said Wertheim. “I did go to medical school for a reason.”

A graduate of Harvard University, Wertheim earned his medical degree from New York University School of Medicine.

Through his medical practice, Wertheim not only helps the patients who come see him, but also recognizes and can offer solutions to challenges patients or doctors face.

“It’s one thing to hear about a problem, but another thing to have that sense that this really does affect what happens, when you’re going through the care of patients,” Wertheim said.

This year, doctors had trouble setting up appointments in one particular department, and Wertheim struggled to schedule appointments for his patients. Griffin, one of the senior leaders on Wertheim’s team, was able to assess the challenges for doctors in seeing new and follow-up patients. Under the guidance, nurse practitioners now see follow-up patients. This change cut the delay time in half in under a year.

Pulling in the same direction

Griffin has known Wertheim for 25 years and appreciates the way Wertheim has brought various efforts and initiatives together.

From left to right: Scientific and Pedagogic Director Professor Cesaltina Ferreira Lorenzon, Executive Vice President for Stony Brook Medicine Dr. William Wertheim and Dr. Sierra Washington. Photo courtesy Stony Brook University

“We are a number of different entities: the hospital, the school, physician practices,” said Griffin, suggesting that Wertheim helps all those people “pull the oars in the same direction.”

One of Wertheim’s directives that has been particularly effective involved developing a new governance structure for Stony Brook Medicine. Whereas groups had been creating strategic plans for one year, Wertheim asked them to develop a three- and five-year plan.

Wertheim also unified service lines, combining such areas as ambulatory care and hospital expertise.

By understanding how patients transition from ambulatory to hospital care, Stony Brook Medicine can ensure a smoother and more patient-centric experience.

As a leader, Wertheim makes a concerted and ongoing effort to interact with staff throughout the system, including medical assistants, front-desk representatives and janitors, to name a few.

“All those people in those services get to see him and know him,” said Griffin. “He’s not some leader in an ivory tower.”

Role reversal

Wertheim was a vice dean of the medical school a few years ago when Dr. Peter Igarashi, dean of the Renaissance School of Medicine, first arrived.

“He worked for me,” Igarashi said. “I now work for him. There’s a lesson there about be careful how you treat people who work for you.”

Igarashi is delighted that Wertheim supports the work he and others do throughout Stony Brook Medicine.

After Wertheim became interim executive vice president, he visited several clinical sites and met personally with providers.

Through these interactions, Wertheim has built “authentic personal relationships,” Igarashi said.

As a primary-care physician, Wertheim has also communicated effectively to residents and students about the importance of having a fundamental foundation of excellence.

Igarashi, who is a physician researcher, values the complementary nature of Wertheim’s strength as a clinician and educator.

Wertheim “makes it easier for us to bring the benefits from a research discovery or research program to the clinical setting so patients have access to the latest expertise,” Igarashi added.

Carol Gomes, chief executive officer/chief operating officer of Stony Brook University Hospital, has worked with Wertheim for over 20 years. She never feels like “I’m reporting to him. He always says I’m his partner.”

Dr. Bill

In addition to connecting with medical professionals, Wertheim has an ability to connect with people of different ages and in different stages of life.

When he was in Mozambique, Wertheim lived with Washington and her son Malachi, who called him “Dr. Bill.”

Wertheim was “like one of the family,” said Washington. “He’s very down to Earth and was just as easily able to have a stimulating conversation with my son as with hospital directors.”

During his visit, Wertheim and Malachi both shared their passion for the Mets.

Wertheim has been a “great ally” to the Center for Global Health Equity, Washington said, and is always available to discuss core strategic planning.

Wertheim recognized that the limitations on health care workers in Mozambique had less to do with their knowledge and skills than with supplies.

“What they lack are resources,” said Wertheim.

A talented baker

At Harvard, where he was a history and literature major, Wertheim wrote his thesis on the influence of the philosophy of William James on the literature of Robert Penn Warren, author of “All the King’s Men.”

The first time Wertheim read the book, he was on a plane flying to St. Louis. He recalls reading the first chapter, which described the governor’s driver maneuvering down a highway.
“The description is so brilliant, I paused and looked out the window and realized that I was flying over the country that was not dissimilar from what he was describing. It was an incredibly powerful moment,” he said.

As if all of his skills weren’t enough, Wertheim, who is the fifth of five brothers, is also a passionate baker.

“I’m of an age where the kitchen might have been thought of as a place for girls or women,” Wertheim said. “That wasn’t the case in my house.”

He made several mistakes, particularly with his sourdough bread, but has learned from those earlier experiences.

“It’s fun and relaxing,” Wertheim said. “When you spend a lot of time thinking about very serious things, it can be gratifying to focus in on a small task” such as kneading dough.

Gomes recalled recently receiving a croissant. She loved the “very buttery” taste.

Griffin sees overlaps between Wertheim’s medical duties and his baking abilities.

“The precision needed, following recipes being detail oriented, having the patience to bake and make it come out the way you want” is also evidence in how “careful and precise [Wertheim] is in how he engages with others. Big complicated things don’t happen overnight. He’s methodically and carefully putting down the ingredients.

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Pixabay photo

By Daniel Dunaief

Take small, manageable steps towards a healthier life in 2025.

That, among other things, is the advice of area doctors as residents transition from purchasing presents and making meals to writing lists of New Year’s resolutions about their mental and physical health.

“Scale down what you want to do to make it feasible,” said Dr. Raja Jaber, Medical Director of Lifestyle Programs at Stony Brook Medicine. “Don’t say you want to lose 50 pounds. It’s not going to happen. Do it step by step. Choose one or two things you want to change.”

Indeed, several local health care professionals urged people to consider setting goals that are not only achievable but can also offer residents the belief that they can continue building on their successes.

Creating smaller goals can help people “see successes more quickly and build up confidence in meeting those goals,” said Dr. Adam Gonzalez, Vice Chair of Behavioral Health and a psychologist at Stony Brook Medicine.

Gonzalez urged people to practice a relaxation response daily, where they focus on their breath, a positive image, or a word or a phrase.

For Gonzalez, the words that he uses are “persistence” and “perseverance,” which offer him encouragement to believe that things can and will get better.

Doctor visits

People who haven’t seen their doctors in a while, particularly parents who are more focused on the health of their children than on their own physical and mental health, should take the time to see a general practitioner and, if necessary, specialists.

Annual physicals provide doctors and their patients with the kinds of information that provide a baseline for how the body as a whole and specific organs like the heart, liver, and kidneys, are doing.

Dr. Erika Kalabacas, a primary care doctor with Northwell Health Physician Partners. Photo courtesy Stony Brook Medicine/Jeanne Neville

In some households, mothers dismiss any concerns about their own health, as they focus on their children, their spouse and extended family.

“They put their health last,” said Dr. Erika Kalabacas, a primary care doctor with Northwell Health Physician Partners in Huntington. “They should not be pushing everything off. They should be putting themselves first. If they feel well and are healthy, they can help those around them.”

Staples of good health include eating well, with reduces processed foods, exercising, staying hydrated, getting sunlight, which provides vitamin D, sleeping seven to eight hours and reducing stress, Kalabacas said.

Researchers have been studying what kind of exercise and diets might work for men and women.

While intermittent fasting can help women to some degree, it is not as effective as it is for men.

It’s better, Kalabacas suggested, for women to eat breakfast as a part of three balanced and nutritious meals each day, than to skip meals in the morning.

“I tell all my patients, the two biggest things you can do to help yourself, are to reduce alcohol intake and to eat breakfast,” she said.

Skipping breakfast often comes back to haunt people later in the day, as they binge eat foods later at night that can cause heartburn and affect their sleep.

In addition to caring for her patient’s physical health, Kalabacas and her partners ask questions through a PHQ-9, or Patient Health Questionnaire, which offers indications of depression.

Kalabacas has a therapist in her office, to whom she refers patients who need help with psychological issues.

Be kind to yourself

Medical Director of Lifestyle Programs at Stony Brook Medicine, Dr. Raja Jaber. Photo courtesy Stony Brook Medicine/Jeanne Neville

Jaber suggested that people be “gentle and kind” to themselves as they set goals for the new year, without feeling the need to judge themselves constantly.

Setting a goal of only eating healthy more often than not leads to failure and disappointment.

“Being 100 percent super committed to healthy choices is so impossible to follow,” said Jaber. “That’s how people fail.”

When residents resolve never to eat sweets again, they wind up succeeding for a while and then binge. Controlling a diet requires eating a smaller piece of cake and savoring every bite, she suggested.

Becoming healthier can start by working with a supportive group who can offer encouragement.

As people age, Jaber suggested that physical fitness is the “key to longevity” or to preventing disease.

Healthier lives often start by building in specific times when people can focus on their mental health, through mindfulness exercises, or physical health, by exercising.

Mind-body connection

Doctors recognize the connection between the health of our bodies and minds.

“We know our mental and physical health are directly connected and impact one another,” Gonzalez said.

The Stony Brook psychologist urged people to make genuine social connections and engage in healthy and enjoyable activities.

“We take for granted some of these strategies that we think everyone knows,” Gonzalez said. “We might not actually be putting them into practice.”

Citing decades of research on the health benefits of the relaxation response, Gonzalez urged people to listen to an album that brings them joy, watch a funny movie, take a hot bath with a lit candle, or any of an array of actions that improve their mental health.

Some residents may also need to connect with a health professional.

Gonzalez pointed to gold-medal winners such as gymnast Simone Biles and swimmer Michael Phelps, who have shared their mental health struggles and their ways of coping with them.

Practicing relaxation response helped these athletes regulate their emotions and control their mental state before engaging in competition.

Amid uncertainty around the globe and anxiety about the future, residents can benefit from focusing on their self care and their connectedness to people around them.

“We can control our presence in the community,” Gonzalez said. 

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Farzad Forohar, MD. Photo by Jeanne Neville/Stony Brook Medicine
Farzad Forohar, MD, and his practice, North Shore Digestive Medicine located at 50 Route 111, Suite #302 in Smithtown, have joined Stony Brook Medicine Community Medical Group, Stony Brook Medicine’s expanding network of community practices.

Dr. Forohar is a highly respected, board-certified gastroenterologist with more than 25 years of experience. He has been a dedicated healthcare provider to the Smithtown and surrounding communities, offering compassionate and comprehensive care to his patients.

“We are thrilled that Dr. Forohar has joined Stony Brook Medicine Community Medical Group,” said Dr. Olga Aroniadis, Chief of Gastroenterology and Hepatology at Stony Brook Medicine. “Dr. Forohar’s partnership enables Stony Brook Medicine Gastroenterology to continue to expand its footprint, allowing us to seamlessly service our community and provide exceptional care to our patients.”

Dr. Forohar received his medical degree from the University of Pécs Medical School in Pécs, Hungary. He then completed his internal medicine residency and gastroenterology fellowship at Montefiore Medical Center in Bronx, New York.

Reflecting on his journey, Dr. Forohar shared, “I have had the pleasure of living in and serving this community for the past 25 years. As my practice has grown and evolved, so has Stony Brook University. Becoming what it is today: a world-class hospital system. By joining Stony Brook Medicine, my patients’ needs are best served right here at home.”

Patients who wish to make an appointment with Farzad Forohar, MD, should call 631-724-5300.

 

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Dr. Konstantinos Spaniolas. Photo by Jeanne Neville/Stony Brook Medicine
Dr. Dara Brener. Photo by Jeanne Neville/Stony Brook Medicine
Dr. Lara DeSanti-Siska. Photo by Tanya Mallot/Stony Brook Medicine

Stony Brook Medicine (SBM) has announced several leadership changes within Stony Brook Community Medical (SBCM) and Meeting House Lane (MHL), effective November 1.

Following Dr. William Wertheim’s promotion to Executive Vice President of Health Sciences and Stony Brook Medicine a new President of SBCM needed to be identified. Under Dr. Wertheim’s leadership, Stony Brook Medicine is committed to improving integration across its healthcare system. Therefore, the leadership team has strategically unified the roles of President of SBCM and MHL under one leader, as well as integrated the operational leadership of both SBCM and MHL. Dr. Konstantinos Spaniolas, Chief of the Division of Bariatric, Foregut and Advanced GI Surgery at Stony Brook Medicine and Director of the Stony Brook Bariatric and Metabolic Weight Loss Center, will serve as the next President of SBCM and MHL. To support Dr. Spaniolas in his dual role, Dr. Dara Brener will be elevated to Medical Director of SBCM, and Dr. Lara DeSanti-Siska will serve as the Medical Director of MHL.

For operations, Jennifer Crema, the Executive Director of Stony Brook Administrative Services (SBAS), will be promoted to the Executive Director of SBAS and MHL.

After serving as President of MHL, Dr. John Patrick Reilly will be appointed the Director of East End Cardiology Development, where he will lead efforts to shepherd new and innovative cardiac services for the East End of Long Island.

“It is my privilege to work alongside so many dedicated healthcare professionals,” says William A. Wertheim, MD, MBA, Executive Vice President for Stony Brook Medicine. “Their continued efforts in expanding Stony Brook Medicine’s reach through Stony Brook Community Medical and Meeting House Lane clinical practices ensures the healthcare needs of our patients across Long Island are met. I thank Dr. Reilly for his leadership of MHL, and I congratulate Dr. Spaniolas on assuming the role as President of the SBCM and MHL. I also congratulate Drs. Brener and DeSanti-Siska on their new roles. We have very good times ahead for MHL and SBCM.”

“Congratulations to each team member on their new roles within Stony Brook Medicine,” said Carol A. Gomes, MS, FACHE, CPHQ, Chief Executive Officer at Stony Brook University Hospital. “We are fortunate to have an exceptional staff who support Stony Brook’s mission to set the standard for how healthy communities thrive.”

 

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With the goal of bringing smiles to patients and families who are facing Halloween in the hospital, Stony Brook Medicine hosted Halloween events to make the holiday extra special. The March of Dimes made costumes for NICU patients at Stony Brook Children’s Hospital. The Stony Brook Cancer Center held its first-ever Trick or Treat and Halloween extraBOOganza with a parade.

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Dr. Siva Kolruypoti. Photo from Stony Brook Medicine/Jeanne Neville

Siva Kolupoti, MD, and his practice, Three Village Medical Care at 140 North Belle Mead Road, Suite E, in East Setauket has joined Stony Brook Medicine Community Medical Group, Stony Brook Medicine’s expanding network of community practices.

Dr. Kolupoti is a highly skilled, board-certified internal medicine physician with more than 20 years of experience serving the healthcare needs of his local communities.

“We proudly welcome Dr. Kolupoti back to Long Island with his practice, Three Village Medical Care,” said Dara Brener, MD, Clinical Quality Director of Stony Brook Medicine Community Medical Group. “His dedication to providing comprehensive primary care to his patients is an essential foundation in their healthcare journey.”

Dr. Kolupoti’s patient-centered approach is at the core of his practice. He understands the importance of actively listening to his patients’ concerns and empowering them to participate in their healthcare journey through open communication and collaboration.

“As a primary care physician, I am thrilled and honored to serve this community,” said Dr. Kolupoti. “My excitement stems from the opportunity to provide comprehensive and compassionate care that revolves around each patient’s unique needs and well-being. Together we can build a healthier future.”

He received his medical degree from Siddhartha Medical College in Vijayawada, India, and completed his residency in internal medicine at the Catholic Medical Center of Brooklyn and Queens in Queens, NY.

Patients who wish to make an appointment with Siva Kolupoti, MD, should call (631) 216-9242.

About Stony Brook Medicine Community Medical Group
Stony Brook Medicine Community Medical Group, an arm of Stony Brook Medicine, includes over 40 community practices with over 50 locations across Long Island, from Farmingdale to Greenport. We offer exceptional care in 22 specialties committed to enhancing medical care coordination in the community. To learn more, visit sbcommunitymedical.org.

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Photo courtesy of Stony Brook Medicine

Stony Brook Medicine (SBM) has once again been recognized by the American Heart Association for its commitment to delivering high-quality patient care across cardiovascular and stroke focus areas. This year marks the 14th consecutive year for Stony Brook University Hospital (SBUH) (2010 – 2024) and the 11th consecutive year forStony Brook Southampton Hospital (SBSH) (2014 – 2024) to receive the Association’s Get With The Guidelines® – StrokeGold Plus achievement award. For the sixth consecutive year, SBUH received the Get With The Guidelines® – Heart FailureGold Plus quality achievement award. Both awards recognize SBM’s dedication to improving outcomes for patients, meaning reduced readmissions and more healthy days at home.

“This recognition by the American Heart Association underscores the unwavering dedication of our healthcare teams to provide exceptional care for our patients,” said Dr. William Wertheim, Executive Vice President of Stony Brook Medicine. “Our continuous recognition over the years highlights our dedication to providing top-tier cardiovascular and stroke care, and we are proud to see the positive impact our efforts have on improving patient outcomes.”

Stroke

Stroke is the No. 5 cause of death and a leading cause of disability in the U.S. Early stroke detection and treatment are key to improving survival, minimizing disability and accelerating recovery times. Get With The Guidelines puts the expertise of the American Heart Association and American Stroke Association to work for hospitals nationwide, helping ensure patient care is aligned with the latest research- and evidence-based guidelines.

In addition to this year’s Gold Plus achievement, Stony Brook University Hospital once again earned the distinctions of Target: Stroke℠ Elite Honor Roll, Target: Stroke Advanced Therapy Honor Roll and Target: Type 2 Diabetes℠ Honor Roll for Stony Brook University Hospital.

Heart Failure

Approximately 6 million U.S. adults live with heart failure, a condition that impairs the heart’s ability to pump blood effectively throughout the body. This can significantly impact a person’s quality of life, causing symptoms such as shortness of breath and fatigue which is often severe. However, with advanced care, patients can often achieve a better quality of life through lifestyle changes, symptom monitoring, accurate diagnosis, and cutting-edge therapies including state-of-the-art medications and interventions.

The Heart Failure and Cardiomyopathy Center at Stony Brook continues to be recognized for its excellence in patient care, having earned the American Heart Association’s Get With The Guidelines® – Heart Failure Gold Plus quality achievement award for the sixth consecutive year. This prestigious honor commends hospitals that consistently demonstrate an unwavering commitment to treating patients according to the latest evidence-based guidelines from the American Heart Association. The award further highlights Stony Brook’s Heart Failure and Cardiomyopathy Center’s recognition as Long Island’s only heart failure program to have earned the distinguished Joint Commission Certification for Advanced Heart Failure, a mark of excellence the Center has proudly achieved since 2011. At Stony Brook, the comprehensive heart failure program leverages the most advanced pharmacological therapies, surgical interventions, and breakthrough devices to ensure the highest quality of life for its patients.

Resuscitation

Each year, more than 300,000 adults and children experience an in-hospital cardiac arrest.  Survival from cardiac arrest largely depends on timely medical emergency team response and effective CPR.

Get With The Guidelines – Resuscitation was developed to help save lives of patients who experience in-hospital cardiac arrests by consistently following the most up-to-date research-based guidelines for treatment as outlined by the American Heart Association. Guidelines include following protocols for patient safety, medical emergency team response, effective and timely resuscitation (CPR) and post-resuscitation care.

Stony Brook University Hospital is also nationally recognized for its commitment to improving cardiac arrest survival rates and received these top-level awards:

  • Get With The Guidelines® – Resuscitation Gold – Adult
  • Get With The Guidelines® – Resuscitation Gold – Pediatric
  • Get With The Guidelines® – Resuscitation Gold – Neonate/Infant

 

About Stony Brook University Hospital:

Stony Brook University Hospital (SBUH) is Long Island’s premier academic health center. With 624 beds, SBUH serves as the region’s only tertiary care center and Regional Trauma Center, and is home to the Stony Brook University Heart Institute, Stony Brook University Cancer Center, Stony Brook Children’s Hospital and Stony Brook University Neurosciences Institute. SBUH also encompasses Suffolk County’s only Level 4 Regional Perinatal Center, state-designated AIDS Center, state-designated Comprehensive Psychiatric Emergency Program, state-designated Burn Center, the Christopher Pendergast ALS Center of Excellence, and Kidney Transplant Center. It is home of the nation’s first Pediatric Multiple Sclerosis Center. To learn more, visit www.stonybrookmedicine.edu/sbuh.

About Stony Brook Southampton Hospital:

With 124 beds, Stony Brook Southampton Hospital (SBSH) is staffed by more than 280 physicians, dentists, and allied health professionals representing 48 medical specialties. A campus of Stony Brook University Hospital, SBSH offers a diverse array of clinical services, ranging from primary medical care to specialized surgical procedures, including cardiac catheterization, orthopedics and bariatrics. The sole provider of emergency care on Long Island’s South Fork, Stony Brook Southampton Hospital is a provisional Level III adult Trauma Center. The hospital includes The Phillips Family Cancer Center, a Heart and Stroke Center, Breast Health Center, The Center for Advanced Wound Healing, Wellness Institute, and 32 satellite care centers throughout the South Fork of Long Island. The hospital is the largest employer on the South Fork with more than 1,200 employees. To learn more, visit www.southampton.stonybrookmedicine.edu.

About Get With The Guidelines:

Get With The Guidelines® is the American Heart Association/American Stroke Association’s hospital-based quality improvement program that provides hospitals with the latest research-based guidelines. Developed with the goal of saving lives and hastening recovery, Get With The Guidelines has touched the lives of more than 14 million patients since 2001. For more information, visit heart.org.

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Student falling asleep at his desk. Courtesy MetroCreative Connection

By Daniel Dunaief

Imagine a typical school classroom filled with adults, listening as intently as they can to a detailed lecture about the finer points of tax law or multivariable calculus.

The adults in the room who weren’t particularly interested in the topic might struggle to concentrate, and several of them might try — perhaps unsuccessfully — to stay awake.

Now, bring a group of 8-year-olds into the same room, with the same instructor, and the same material. The likelihood that any of those younger students would fall asleep in their chair is far lower.

One reason for that difference is that the younger set, consistently, gets more sleep, while the older generation, from high school students on up the chain, typically, are not as well-rested.

“We think it’s normal, if you’re bored, to fall asleep, but it’s not,” said Dr. Steven Feinsilver, director of the Center for Sleep Medicine at Northwell Lenox Hill Hospital. “Falling asleep in a lecture that doesn’t interest you means that you either have a sleep [problem] or, more likely, are sleep deprived.”

Indeed, the percentage of the population that is sleep deprived is estimated at around 50% or more, a staggering number, which means that at least half the population needs more restorative sleep.

With the start of another academic year just under a month away, sleep experts are urging students to start shifting back to their respective school sleep schedule in the coming weeks.

These sleep experts suggest that students who may sleep until 9 a.m. or later during the summer, but will soon get up for school at, say, 6 a.m., are experiencing a type of jet lag people often feel when they travel across the Atlantic.

Sleep experts say that changing an adolescent’s schedule to an earlier waking routine, a week or more before school starts, can ease that school-year transition, while others recommend shifting up wake-up time, by an hour earlier per day during the September lead-up.

“If you know you’re going to have to be waking up at 6 a.m. for the first day of high school, you should be starting to wake up within that hour, within three days or so, before that so your body gets used to it,” said Lauren Hale, professor of preventive medicine and sleep behavior expert at Stony Brook Medicine.

Routines, including getting enough sleep, are important in preparing for the mental effort required to meet daily learning challenges.

“Our brains like a consistent schedule,” said Brendan Duffy, director of Sleep Services at Catholic Health, which includes Port Jefferson-based St. Charles Hospital and Smithtown-based St. Catherine of Siena. “It’s important to get up at the same time,” even on weekends.

Teenagers need more sleep

The academic age group that needs the most sleep is the one that is often getting the least.

High schools often start just after 7 a.m., in part because after-school activities such as athletic practices and events, as well as other extra-curricular activities, take up the hours between the end of school and the onset of darkness.

“Between 15 and 25, everybody’s clock tends to run slow,” Feinsilver said.

The school districts that have pushed high school start times back have seen their test scores go up, added Feinsilver.

He acknowledged that it’s challenging for parents who are managing their own work schedules to balance their children’s academic hours. Parents and schools can and should try to compromise, he urged.

Benefits on the athletic field

Boy chases a soccer ball. Pixabay photo

A return to school also means the restarting of athletic programs, some of which begin before the first day of the new academic calendar.

Student-athletes are pushing their minds and bodies, as they juggle demanding academic requirements with training and competition.

Sleeping the estimated optimum of seven to nine hours per night not only helps improve an athlete’s competitive skills but also helps prevent physical problems.

Sleeping enough is a “way to avoid injuries,” said Duffy, who has been talking to students in a range of ages all the way through college.

Duffy added that professional teams are also encouraging athletes to budget for the sleep their minds and bodies need.

Additionally, he suggests sleep is a form of prehab, as sufficient rest can prevent injuries that would require rehabilitation.

Duffy has spoken with several area teams about the importance of sleep, including the Stony Brook women’s soccer team.

“For 90% of the players, this is the first time” they hear about the importance of sleep athletically, said Tobias Bischof, the head coach of SBU women’s soccer team. “My players are 18-to-22 years old and it’s not on their radar yet how important sleep is.”

He describes sleep as “probably the greatest recovery tool we have” and believes it’s “super important for injury prevention.”

As a coach, Bischof has started journaling his sleep patterns and believes he and others can be better coaches with enough rest.

He suggested that coaches are under tremendous pressure and sleep helps him become more patient.

Numerous factors contribute to success on and off the field with these student athletes, including nutrition, hydration, self-care and relationships with their families, as well as sleep, Bischof added.

The soccer coach doesn’t ask about sleep when he’s speaking with high school players who might join the SBU team, but it comes up when athletes ask about ways the school works with athletes beyond training.

He describes mental health support as well as sleep education.

“You always want to make them a better version of themselves,” Bischof said.

Jim Taylor, who specializes in the psychology of sports and parenting and who has been a consultant to the U.S. and Japanese ski teams, met Duffy when they were on a podcast panel related to sport psychology in 2022. Taylor suggested that sleep is much more than a physical process, as it has psychological and emotional implications.

“One of the most powerful tools that athletes have is sleep, which impacts them in so many ways,” he explained in an email.

Taylor, who competes in triathlons, has seen his results improve from top 20 in his age group to two national championship titles and three world championship podiums.

“Of course, I’m sure other factors contributed to my improved results, but I know that improved sleep was a key contributor,” he explained.

Mental health

Sleep can also be a sign of, or a contributing factor to, mental health issues.

In a Sleep-to-Rise campaign, the Sun Belt Conference suggests that talking about sleep is a gateway to discussing mental health.

Not getting enough sleep or poor sleep quality can increase the risk for mental health issues, while poor sleep itself can reflect mental health challenges.

In its sleep-to-rise online effort, the conference urges athletes to consider sleep a “competitive advantage.”

“With student-athletes, we emphasized the importance of prioritizing your sleep,” Lauren Shear, assistant commissioner of Championships & Sports Administration at the Sun Belt Conference, explained in an email. “This meant highlighting how sleep affects both mental health and physical health.”

Shear added that the conference tries to provide educational resources on mental health, nutrition, sleep and other factors to equip the student-athletes with the information they need to succeed in and outside competition.

She tries to get seven to eight hours of sleep per night and has noticed that when she gets six or less, she’s more irritable and lethargic. She’s also more likely to get sick.

Stony Brook’s Hale added that sleep, unlike diet or other life changes, can provide a noticeable benefit.

“People can see immediate results quicker than other behaviors,” Hale said. “If you choose not to have dessert, you might feel like you lost something and you don’t see a benefit the next day. If you actually got a full night of sleep, you might feel the benefits that day.”

Sleep tips from SBU’s Hale

•  Prioritize your sleep health

• Try to have regular sleep times, even on

weekends

• Make sure you get morning light

• Avoid substance use, like caffeine late in

the afternoon

• Put screens away before bedtime

• Sleep in a cool, dark, quiet place

• Pay attention to your body. Figure out when you get restorative rest compared with when you don’t.

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Stony Brook Heights Rooftop Farm Nutrition and Cooking Workshop for Kids. Photo courtesy of Stony Brook Medicine/Kali Chan
Stony Brook Heights Rooftop Farm Nutrition and Cooking Workshop for Kids. Photo courtesy of Stony Brook Medicine/Kali Chan
Stony Brook Heights Rooftop Farm Nutrition and Cooking Workshop for Kids. Photo courtesy of Stony Brook Medicine/Kali Chan
Stony Brook Heights Rooftop Farm Nutrition and Cooking Workshop for Kids. Photo courtesy of Stony Brook Medicine/Kali Chan
Stony Brook Heights Rooftop Farm Nutrition and Cooking Workshop for Kids. Photo courtesy of Stony Brook Medicine/Kali Chan
Stony Brook Heights Rooftop Farm Nutrition and Cooking Workshop for Kids. Photo courtesy of Stony Brook Medicine/Kali Chan
Stony Brook Heights Rooftop Farm Nutrition and Cooking Workshop for Kids. Photo courtesy of Stony Brook Medicine/Kali Chan

Stony Brook Medicine recently hosted its annual Stony Brook Heights Rooftop Farm Nutrition and Cooking Workshop for Kids, a three-day farm-to-table nutrition education program based out of Stony Brook University Hospital’s organic rooftop farm. 

Twelve children ages 7 to 10 took part in the workshop from July 23 to 25. Participants picked fresh vegetables from the 2,242-square-foot garden and then prepared their own meals which included hummus and veggie wraps, tabbouleh and fruit smoothies. 

By day 3, they had learned about how food and ingredients are grown; harvesting and choosing ingredients to prepare healthier food options; trying a variety of fruit and vegetables with the health benefits behind them; and proper use of kitchen equipment. They also learned about composting and water conservation. Each young chef went home with easy recipes they can duplicate for their families. 

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