48 - Sunday, November 13, 1994 — North Shore News

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Eleanor

Wo me
THE VINTAGE YEARS

HIS COULD very well
bring you the time of your
life, time you might otherwise
not be abie to count on. You
can take that literally.

“This” is a huge clinical trial that
will embrace huge numbers of peo-
ple in diverse parts of the world. it is
expected there will be over 6,000
North Americans involved in it,
along with two or three thousand
people from other countries.

The study is called HOPE and
will need four years of study and
cooperation while it focuses on two

. substances — one, a man-made
medication, the other a natural vita-
min. Hope lies in the possibility that

* one or the other, or both, can prevent
heart attacks and strokes. HOPE is
the acronym for “Heart Outcomes
Prevention Evaluation”, a title you
could expect to come out of a com-
mittee of doctors.

Pretty exciting, even to us lay
people. And we are being urged to

participate, declaring ourselves as
soon as possible, Everything is
ready. To take part you need to have
any kind of documented heart histo-
ry, a heart attack, or a stroke, or just
experience of angina pain. Or you
may be at high risk of same because

of diabetes, especially if youarea -.

smoker. As well, you must be 55
years of age or over.

. The centre of command for you
and me is the North Shore
Cardiology Lab at 123 East 15th
Street, between Lonsdale and Lions

Gate Hospital. Doctor Imrie is the
principal investigator, aided by
Dr.Woo. Karen Barban is their
research nurse who is coordinating
the study. She is the person to con-
tact to become part of the exercise, at
either 980-1031, or 983-2477.

It will not be arduous, you will

have to make @ couple of visits per
year for four years, and during that
time you will be taking two designat-
ed capsules daily.

Your medications will come to
you Wherever you may relocate. Lt
will be made easy by the fact that
from the outset you will be carrying
a HOPE card.

Calling the study HOPE has its
own positive energy, und well repre-
sents the efforts being put into find:
ing the answer to this human phigue,
Eleven million dollars have been laid
out for the attack on cardiovascular
disease. The dollars have come from
Canada's Medical Research Council
and from two prominent pharmaceu-
tical firms. The Faculty of Medicine
and Health Sciences at McMaster
University will receive, compile and
publish the results.

‘The people involved in the study
use some funny words in describing
this undertaking. They speak of “ran-
domizing", which is very important
in cardiac science. It sounds like hit-
and-miss to us, but it simply means
that no volunteer knows whether he
or she is taking one of the {wo test
agents (in this case either Vitamin E
or the drug called Ramipril) or
whether the dose is just a placebo, a
harmless pretender. Nor does the
doctor who aclministers it know.

Such a structure frees the study
from any possibility of manipulation
in any particular direction.

What are the risks involved?
Well, Vitamin £ has been on the
market for years. I’ve taken it daily
for at least 20 years, and I suspect
that if 1 am accepted for this trial sur-
vey I would probably have to give it
up for the four-year periad. Its bene-
fits are still unproven. As for
Ramipril, it is used for relief cf high
blood pressure and heart failure, and
has shown signs of being helpful in
patients who are at risk of heart
attack or stroke. .

This particular study will perhaps
be the clincher, yes or no. If you
wish to participate, you will be given
a full explanation of the study, and
will be asked to sign a HOPE con-
sentform, —

You will get a “calendar pack” of
medication un a three-week trial
basis and then you'll be randomized
by your HOPE study doctor and
nurse. You'll provide a short medical
history, and you'll be given a
Ramipril, Vitamin E or placebo. A
blood sample will be taken, urine
likewise, and you might possibly
need an electrocardiopram. One
month iater you will make another
visit, and there after at intervals of
six months. :

Worth a try? I wouldn't miss it,

End the
Fighting!

One way...

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JOAN RIVERS |
Tuesday, Mar. 7, 7:30 pm

_ When Joan Rivers talks —and laughs
and cries — about hev life, you will
truly see this courageous woman
forthe very first time, And inspired
by ker triumph, you will also :
see yourself.

LAUREN BACALL
Tuesday, Feb. 21, 7:30 pm
Corre hear it all{ Lauren’s start
from obscurity, her lenp tostardom,
her marriage to Bogart and more.
When it cornes to career, workand
self-esteem, this living legend

will invigorate you.

SALLY JESSY RAPHAEL
Sunday, May 14, 7:30 pm
With more than her fair share of
personal tragedies, Sally will reveal
to you a side to her never seen on
national television. Satly has
overcome tremendous odds

te become the best.

MARY FISHER.

Tuesday, April 11, 7:30 pm
World renowned Mary Fisher,

an HIV-positive mother of two and
former White House assistant will
stir your fears to action with her
emotionally charged message about
the danger of AIDS.

CANDICE BERGEN
Tuesday, june 6, 7:30 pm
What a rare treat for Vancouver. Share an intimate evening
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and the woman we all want to know just a little bit better.

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