Humble Healthy

Students Provide Seasonal Flu Immunizations, Range of Screenings for Senior Citizens at Annual Memorial Hermann Northeast 55+ Health Fair

UH College of Pharmacy Pharm.D. students provided more than 400 seaonal flu immunizations and more than 700 wellness screenings and medication reviews at the annual Memorial Hermann Northeast 55+ Health Fair Sept. 29 at the Humble Convention & Civic Center.  

The event has become an annual tradition for the college, with the 2014 event marking the 14th year of participation by UHCOP students and faculty members.

The specific screenings provided at the 2014 event included almost 400 cholesterol readings, nearly 100 diabetic foot exams, more than 100 blood pressure screenings, and dozens of mini mental status exams (MMSE) and medication reviews.

In addition, the college offered its first screenings for peripheral veascular disease (PVD), which is associated with an increased risk for stroke, deep vein thrombosis, and a variety of health problems related to venous insufficiency, such as pain and swelling in the legs, ankles and feet.

At the Humble event, UHCOP students performed the "Ankle-brachial index (ABI)" test for more than 50 attendees. One of the two most common tests for PVD, the ABI compares the blood pressure in the ankle and the arm using a blood pressure cuff and a small ultrasound device. The BP values are divided to yield an ABI ratio to determine the probability of peripheral arterial disease.