Page 199 - Health Medical Pharma
Drinking soda, sweetened drinks may up chronic kidney disease: Study
People who drink lots of sugar-sweetened drinks and soda may be putting themselves at a greater risk of chronic kidney disease, according to a study. The findings, published in the Clinical Journal of the American Society of Nephrology (CJASN), contribute to the growing body of evidence pointing to the negative health consequences of consuming sugar-sweetened beverages. Certain beverages may affect kidney health, but study results have been inconsistent. Researchers from the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health in the US studied 3,003 African-American men and women with normal kidney function. "There is a lack of comprehensive information on the health implications of the wide range of beverage options that are available in the food supply," said Casey Rebholz from the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health. "In particular, there is limited information on which types of beverages and patterns of beverages are associated with kidney disease risk in particular," ...
11 states, all UTs except Delhi have adopted Clinical Establishment Act: Govt
Only 11 states and all Union territories except Delhi have adopted the Clinical Establishments Act, aimed at streamlining healthcare services in India, despite repeated appeals by the central Health Ministry to states to adopt it, the government said Friday. "The Clinical Establishments (Registration and Regulation) Act, 2010 is applicable in 11 states who have adopted it. "The states Sikkim, Mizoram, Arunachal Pradesh, Himachal Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, Jharkhand, Rajasthan, Uttarakhand, Assam and Haryana and all UTs except Delhi have adopted the Act," Minister of State for Health Anupriya Patel told Lok Sabha. The Act has to be adopted by other states under Article 252 of the Constitution of India. The provisions of the Act shall become applicable in the remaining states only after adoption, she said. Health being a state subject, the enforcement and implementation of the Clinical Establishments Act, 2010 is with the states and UTs. "The central government is continuously ...
Study finds harmful risk factors of violent sleep disorder
Kicking and yelling during sleep? You may want to know the risk factors of a violent sleep disorder.According to a recent study, taking antidepressants for depression, having post-traumatic stress disorder or anxiety diagnosed by a doctor are risk factors for a disruptive and sometimes violent sleep disorder called rapid eye movement (REM) sleep behavior disorder.The study was published in the journal of 'Neurology', the medical journal of the American Academy of Neurology. The study also found that men are more likely to have the disorder.REM sleep is the dream state of sleep. During normal REM sleep, your brain sends signals to prevent your muscles from moving. However, for people with REM sleep behavior disorder, those signals are disrupted. A person may act out violent or action-filled dreams by yelling, flailing their arms, punching or kicking, to the point of harming themselves or a person sleeping next to them."While much is still unknown about REM sleep behavior disorder, it ..
Exposure to secondhand smoke may cause irregular heartbeat: Study
Continuous indoor exposure to second-hand tobacco smoke triggers changes in the heart's electrical activity that may cause irregular heartbeat, a study warns. The finding, conducted in mice, suggests that second-hand smoke exposure alters cells that regulate how the heart beats. The study, published in the journal Environmental Health Perspectives, expands overall knowledge of the effects of tobacco smoke on cardiac function in nonsmokers. "As tobacco use continues to decrease, research on its effects among nonusers also is declining," said Crystal Ripplinger, an associate professor at the University of California, Davis in the US.. "It's important to continually define the health effects of those unintended exposures," said Ripplinger. The study is the first to examine cellular changes in heart tissue in response to ambient tobacco smoke, researchers said. Another distinction is that it focused on a heart condition other than coronary artery disease (CAD), or plaque buildup and ...
How exercise helps us shed kilos decoded
Some of you may have made a New Year's resolution to hit the gym to shed that unwanted belly fat, and now researchers have revealed how exercise produces this desired effect. A signalling molecule called interleukin-6 plays a critical role in this process, according to the study published in the journal Cell Metabolism. A 12-week intervention consisting of bicycle exercise decreased visceral abdominal fat in obese adults, said researchers from the University of Copenhagen in Denmark. This effect was abolished in participants who were also treated with tocilizumab, a drug that blocks interleukin-6 signalling and is currently approved for the treatment of rheumatoid arthritis. Moreover, tocilizumab treatment increased cholesterol levels regardless of physical activity. "The take home for the general audience is 'do exercise,'" said Anne-Sophie Wedell-Neergaard of the University of Copenhagen. "We all know that exercise promotes better health, and now we also know that regular exercise ..
National Medical Devices Promotion Council to fuel growth of domestic industry: CII
National Medical Devices Promotion Council, set up under the Department of Industrial Promotion and Policy, will help promote growth of the sector and pave way for affordable access to good quality pharma instruments to people, CII said Friday. The industry chamber said that it was a long-standing need of the medical devices industry in India. "Time has come for the medical technology sector to have an exclusive promotion council that will safeguard the interests of the patients, industry and all stakeholders," said Himanshu Baid, Chairman of the CII Medical Technology Division (CII MTD) in a statement. He said that this council will provide anchorage and an environment for conducive growth for this sector. "We are looking forward to seeing strong Indian presence in the global medtech map in the next few years," he added. CII MTD is an industry association comprising of over 50 major domestic and global medical device companies. The council is aimed at boosting manufacturing, attract .
Sugar-sweetened beverage consumption linked to kidney disease risk: Study
If you love indulging in fruit drinks or soda, you might want to have a look at this. Higher collective consumption of sweetened fruit drinks, soda, and water is associated with a higher likelihood of developing chronic kidney disease (CKD), a recent study suggests.As part of the study, researchers studied 3003 African-American men and women with normal kidney function. The investigators further assessed beverage intake through a food frequency questionnaire administered at the start of the study in 2000-04, and they followed participants until 2009-13.Among the 3003 participants, 185 (6%) developed CKD over a median follow-up of 8 years. After adjustment for confounding factors, consuming a beverage pattern consisting of soda, sweetened fruit drinks, and water was associated with a higher risk of developing CKD. Participants in the top tertile for consumption of this beverage pattern were 61% more likely to develop CKD than those in the bottom tertile.The findings, which are ...
Board of MMTC appoints director
With effect from 21 December 2018
Anxiety linked to kicking, yelling during sleep: Study
Taking anti-depressants or having post-traumatic stress disorder or anxiety are risk factors for a disruptive and sometimes violent sleep disorder called rapid eye movement (REM) sleep behaviour disorder, says a study.
JIPMERintroduces drone service to monitor patients
Patients at the Centre-run JIPMER here would now be monitored using drones. The premier institute has procured a nano drone that could be used for various medical purposes including monitoring patients in ICUs'. Director of JIPMER R P Swaminathan commissioned the service recently, a release from the institute said Thursday. JIPMER is the first government medical institute to introduce the innovative and unique service, it said. Head of the IT wing Dr Ravi Kumar Chittoria, who is in charge of medical drone service said, "adoption of medical drones are well established in European countries whereas in India, it is still in the preliminary stage." He said the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) has defined five categories of drones including 'nano drones,' which weigh less than or equal to 250grams. Drones weighing more than 250 gms should be registered with the DGCA. The institute has already placed orders for micro drones weighing over250 gms and would get it ...
NHRC seeks details from TN Govt, Union Health Ministry on reports of transfusion of HIV infected blood to pregnant woman
The National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) has taken suo motu cognizance of the media reports that a teenage donor, whose blood infected a pregnant woman with HIV, attempted suicide at his home in Tamil Nadu as the families struggled to deal with the tragedy and more details emerged of criminal negligence on the part of public health care personnel.The Commission has issued a notice to the Chief Secretary, Government of Tamil Nadu calling for a detailed report in the matter including action taken against the guilty and relief/ counselling provided to the victims, within four weeks.NHRC has observed that the contents of the media reports, if true, amount to violation of human rights of the victims of medical negligence. "As reported, had proper action been taken by the authorities when the donor was first recognized as a case of HIV+, the mishap could be avoided. Now both, the donor and the recipient woman are passing through a trauma," the NHRC said.The Commission has further ...
Patient from Muscat gets a new life at Narayana Health City
A 37-year-old police officer from Oman, Muscat was suffering from chronic heart failure with frequent exacerbations and recurrent hospitalisations since the last 3 years. His search for quality treatment brought him to Narayana Health City, Bangalore.A comprehensive evaluation revealed that his left ventricular function was just 15% (Normal Left ventricular function is 55%). A cardiac catheterisation test was performed and based on the data, he was not a suitable candidate for cardiac transplantation. In view of his clinical condition, he was advised to undergo Left Ventricular Assist Device (LVAD) implantation.LVAD is a battery-operated, mechanical pump device that is surgically implanted. The LVAD device connects the patient's failing left ventricle to the aorta. It draws out blood for the patient's weakened left ventricle and pumps it into the patient's aorta. An important pre-requisite for implantation of an LVAD is a normal right ventricular function since the LVAD can support ...
People with slim hips may have higher risk of diabetes, heart attacks: Study
People who are less likely to put on excess fat around their hips due to their genes are at higher risk of type 2 diabetes and heart attacks, according to a study. While it has long been recognised that an 'apple-shaped' body is associated with an increased risk of diabetes and heart disease, the new research sheds light on the specific genetics linked to this body shape and the potential mechanisms behind the increased risk. The findings, published in JAMA: the Journal of the American Medical Association, may help to better identify individuals at risk of developing these conditions and inform their subsequent treatment. Researchers at the University of Cambridge in the UK studied the genetic profiles of over 600,000 participants from several large UK and international studies. They identified over 200 genetic variants that predispose people to a higher waist-to-hip ratio, a measure of the 'apple shaped' body. Using this data, the researchers identified two specific groups of genetic
Women with slim hips may develop diabetes, heart attacks
While putting on weight is dangerous for health, women who have slim hips could be at risk of diabetes and heart attacks, finds a new research.
NHRC notice to Maha govt over 'molestation' of minor patient in ICU of civic-run hospital
The NHRC Friday issued a notice to the Maharashtra government over the alleged molestation of a 14-year-old seizure patient by a sanitation staff inside the ICU ward of a municipal hospital in Thane. The National Human Rights Commission has send the notice to the chief secretary and asked as to whether such incidents have occurred in the past in other government hospitals. It has also asked what steps have been taken by authorities to ensure the safety and security of in-patients at government-run hospitals. "The commission has taken suo motu cognisance of media reports that a 39-year-old sweeper tied the hand of a 14-year-old seizure patient to the bed and molested her inside the ICU of Thane Municipal Corporation (TMC)-run Kalwa hospital. He was subsequently arrested," the NHRC said in a statement. The cleaner allegedly molested the teenage patient after tying her hand to the bed at the civic-run hospital, police said. The minor girl was admitted to the hospital on December 19 as ...
How people get 'high' on alcohol decoded
As New Year's Eve approaches, many people will experience the familiar buzz by consuming their favourite cocktail, and now researchers have revealed a twist in how this intoxication happens. When the cocktail reaches our nerve cells, the alcohol employs intermediary molecules on the membrane surface of the neuron to produce the intoxicating effect, said researchers from the Scripps Research Institute (TSRI) in the US. In the study published in the Journal of Molecular Biology, the researchers enabled fruit flies to become inebriated to track ethanol's path. The fly is a useful model to study gene activity because its genome is smaller than other animals and is easily manipulated. The alcohol in beverages acts much like an anesthetic, said Scott Hansen, an associate professor at TSRI. It creates a hyper "buzzed" feeling first, and then sedation, Hansen said. It turns out there is an important intermediate step that was not previously known, researchers said. They looked towards a ...
Breast cancer drugs useful in treating drug-resistant lung tumours
A class of drugs used to treat certain breast cancers could help tackle lung cancers that have become resistant to targeted therapies, suggests a study done on mice.
HC takes suo motu cognisance of woman contracting HIV after transfusion in TN, seeks report
The Madras High Court Thursday took suo motu cognisance of an incident in which a pregnant woman in Virudhunagar district contracted HIV after transfusion of contaminated blood and directed the state government to file an action taken and status report by January 3. When the vacation bench comprising Justice S Vaidyanathan and Justice PT Asha commenced proceedings, two advocates made a mention of the case. The advocates -- George Williams and Krishnamoorthy -- moved an urgent motion about the blood transfusion and sought the court to take suo motu cognisance of the issue. Williams submitted he would like to bring the matter to the notice of the court and was not willing to file any petition. The Bench then said it would like to take suo motu cognisance and issued notice to the health secretary seeking a status report on the incident and action taken against the errant officials by January 3. On December 3, the woman visited the Sattur government hospital for antenatal checks where she
Ayushman Bharat, MCI restructuring, MBBS curriculum revision highlights of health ministry
The launch of Ayushman Bharat, aimed at achieving universal health coverage, and revision of the MBBS curriculum after a gap of 21 years, stood out for the health ministry in 2018, even as instances of contaminated polio vaccine and faulty Johnson & Johnson hip implants put it on the dock. The ministry also kicked off the process of restructuring of the scam-tainted Medical Council of India (MCI) and constituted a board of governors to run the regulatory body without waiting for Parliament's nod to the National Medical Commission Bill which seeks to replace the body to check on the corruption in medical education. The NMC bill is currently pending in Parliament. The new MBBS curriculum finalised by the Medical Council of India Board of Governors this month includes modules on ethics and communication and will be followed from the 2019-20 academic session. The passage of the surrogacy bill by the Lok Sabha, despite opposition from some quarters, came as a shot in the arm for the ...
Delhi Health Bill likely to be presented in AAP cabinet in January
Health Minister Satyendar Jain has given nod to his department to finalise the Delhi Health Bill and it is likely to be presented in the AAP cabinet by next month, a senior official said Thursday. The bill, once implemented, will help regulate clinical establishments and pathological laboratories and in the national capital. "The minister has given approval to the Bill, which will be presented in the cabinet in January. Once the bill is implemented, it will help regulate clinical establishments in Delhi," the official said. The bill, drafted by a committee, was sent to the Delhi health secretary for approval. After being finalised, it was sent to the minister for confirmation, sources said. The committee, in its draft, has also defined emergency care services for all hospitals and nursing homes. Incidentally, the Delhi High Court recently had sought response of the Centre and the AAP government on a public interest litigation claiming that the law (Clinical Establishment Act, 2010) ...