Page 297 - Health Medical Pharma
Indrani Mukerjea asked to undergo HRCT scan of temporal bone
Indrani Mukerjea, an accused in the Sheena Bora murder case, has been advised to undergo High Resolution Computed Tomography (HRCT) scan of the temporal bone, a doctor at the state-run JJ Hospital said Saturday. Mukerjea is admitted in the CCU of the hospital after complaining of twitching, weakness and pain on the left side of the face along with decreased hearing ability, Sanjay Surase, superintendent of J J Hospital said. The temporal bone is a large bilateral bone on the lateral wall of the skull and an HRCT, a modification of the CT scan, would provide a direct visual window to observe minute structural details, a doctor said. "Her audiometry was done today and the report was normal. The patient has been advised HRCT-temporal bone," Surase said. He said that Mukerjea had undergone an MRI test of the brain and a neurologist would evaluate the report. Doctors from several departments, including ENT, Cardiology, Ophthalmology, Neurosurgery and Neurology have examined ..
Probe ordered after polio vaccines found contaminated, Gzb pharma company MD held
The Health Ministry has ordered a probe after traces ofpolio type 2 viruswere found in some batches of oral polio vaccine (OPV) manufactured by a Ghaziabad-based pharmaceutical company, even as the firm's managing director was arrested Saturday. Polio type 2 virus strain has been eradicated worldwide, including in India. The managing director of Biomed Pvt Ltd., which was supplying polio vaccines for only government-run immunisation programmes, was arrested after the Central Drug Regulator filed an FIR in this case. The Drugs Controller General of India has also asked the company to stop "manufacture, sale or distribution till further orders." "The company has five directors. While the managing director has been arrested, we have asked the police to trace the rest directors as they also need to be questioned," a government official said. According to a Health Ministry source, the contamination came to light after surveillance reports from Uttar Pradesh showed signs of the virus in ...
Soon mobile health van for abandoned elderly residing in old-age homes in NCR
The Healthy Aging India in association with the Rotary Club International and the AIIMS will launch a mobile health van to provide a comprehensive healthcare at the doorsteps to destitute elderly people residing in old-age homes in the National Capital Region (NCR). The mobile van will be launched on October 1, which is being celebrated as the International Day of Older Persons. It will be equipped with a doctor, trained in Geriatric medicine from Ayurveda, a physiotherapist, a nurse and a lab technician, said Dr Prasoon Chatterjee, assistant professor at the Department of Geriatrics, AIIMS. Chatterjee is also the founder president of the Healthy Aging India. The healthcare, to be provided, includes active screening of non-communicable diseases, management of the same at the doorstep and rehabilitation for age-related diseases like depression, dementia, stroke, osteoarthritis etc, he said. "The van will complete the circle by providing appropriate referral to the department of ...
Spread of swine flu raises alarm in Telangana
Telangana is witnessing a spurt in swine flu or H1N1 cases from the past few weeks. As per the information by government officials, at least 10-15 swine flu cases have been detected in the region.Speaking to ANI, Dr Shankar, Director Institute of Preventive Medicine, said, "In last 15 days, we have got around 10 to 15 positive swine flu cases from all over Telangana from different hospitals. We are providing them with the required treatment and are also keeping a watch on the suspected people suffering from this diseases."Elaborating further about the preparation undertaken by the medical practitioners to combat the spread of the disease, Dr. Shankar said, "We have procured all the drugs which will be required for treating the patients suffering from this disease after The Ministry of Health issued an alert to all the state health officials, especially Telangana officials, to get ready to face swine flu.""At present, there are two labs for testing of swine flu samples all over in ...
Novel tool may improve quality of life for epilepsy patients
Researchers have developed a new tool that may help neurologists screen for obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) in people with epilepsy -- a disorder in which nerve cell activity in the brain is disturbed, causing seizures.
Keep blemishes at bay with tea tree beauty regime
Spots are a signs that your skin is in need of help. Blemishes can be problematic to treat, and you might need combination of tea tree products clubbed with other skincare ranges so make sure you are following the same.
Risk of Ebola's spread from Congo now 'very high': WHO
The World Health Organization says the risk of the deadly Ebola virus spreading from Congo is now "very high" after two confirmed cases were discovered near the Uganda border. The outbreak in northeastern Congo is larger than the previous one in the northwest and more complicated for health officials. Some of their work was briefly suspended in the past week following a deadly attack in Beni by one of several rebel groups active in the region. WHO's emergencies chief has said the insecurity, public defiance about vaccinations and politicians fanning fears ahead of elections in December could create a "perfect storm" leading this outbreak to spread. Uganda has said it is preparing to begin vaccinations as needed. As of Friday there were 124 confirmed Ebola cases including 71 deaths.
High carbohydrate intake increases mortality rate: Study
People with a high carbohydrate diet run the risk of dying younger compared to those consuming more fat, according to a recent study conducted by the Prospective Urban Rural Epidemiology (PURE). The study also dismissed the age-old convention that low consumption of dietary fat helps keep blood cholesterol levels in check and reduce chances of heart attack. Individuals with "highest-quality" diet, which included roughly 54 per cent of energy from carbohydrates, 28 per cent from fat, and 18 per cent from protein, had a 25 per cent lower risk of "all-cause mortality" when compared with those with a poor-quality diet, it said. Cardiovascular disease is considered a global epidemic with 80 per cent of the burden of the illness in low-income and middle-income countries. Seconding the findings of the PURE report, senior cardiologists from the city stressed that to keep the heart healthy, lifestyle diseases such as diabetes, obesity and hypertension should be kept under control
Super specialist doctors camp in Leh to serve poor people
A team of over 25 super specialist doctors from New Delhi's All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) is conducting a week-long free medical camp for the poor at Sonam Norboo Memorial Hospital in Leh. The super specialists are also making efforts for capacity building of local doctors.Speaking about the camp, Ladakh Autonomous Hill Development Council's Chief Executive Councillor Dorjey Mutup expressed deep gratitude to the AIIMS doctors. He further said that their services would not only provide high-quality medical treatment to the poor but would also help local doctors gain experience by assisting the AIIMS super specialists during the camp.AIIMS Gastroenterology department head Anup Saraya said that they are making efforts to train the local doctors so that the patients don't have to come to Delhi for their advanced medical treatment."We are coming here for the past 15 years and we treat poor patients who are not in a position to come to Delhi. In the meantime, we are also ..
WB govt funding heart surgeries of children free of cost: CM
Stressing that a "healthy heart is essential for a healthy body", West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee said Saturday her government, under its 'Shishu Sathi' scheme, has been funding surgery of children with cardiac problems. The CM, on the occasion of World Heart Day, also stated that government hospitals in Bengal provide treatment free of cost. "Today is #WorldHeartDay. A healthy heart is essential for a healthy body. You will be happy to know that in #Bangla we provide free surgery to children with cardiac ailments under #SishuSathi scheme. Healthcare is also free in our state at government hospitals," Banerjee tweeted. The 'Sishu Saathi' scheme, launched in 2013, is aimed at providing free treatment to children who suffer from heart condition, irrespective of their financial background. World Heart Day is observed every year on September 29 since 1999 to encourage people to adopt healthy living and cut the risk of heart-related illnesses.
Dark chocolate, cocoa butter important source of vitamin D
Cocoa butter and dark chocolate can be a significant source of Vitamin D and may help reduce the risk of respiratory diseases and brittle bones, a study has found. Vitamin D is crucial for the human body. It comes in two types: vitamin D2 and D3. Vitamin D3 is produced in the human skin through exposure to the sun. Humans get 90 per cent of their vitamin D requirements this way. The rest is ideally consumed through food, such as fatty fish or chicken eggs. Vitamin D2, which can also be utilised by the human body, is found in fungi. The study, published in the journal Food Chemistry, found that cocoa and foods containing cocoa have significant amounts of vitamin D2. "Many people do not get enough vitamin D. The problem increases in the winter months when sunshine is scarce," said Gabriele Stangl from Martin Luther University Halle-Wittenberg (MLU) in Germany. Researchers investigated the vitamin D content of cocoa and products containing cocoa because they suspected that they contained
Vit B may boost kidney function in young diabetics (Lead, correcting univ name in para 2)
Adolescents suffering from Type-1 diabetes may benefit from Vitamin B supplements as it improves kidney functions by protecting against development and progression of renal diseases, a new study has found.
World Heart Day: Lifestyle changes for a healthy heart
In a unique effort by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, September has been declared as the National Nutrition Month for the country. Focusing on nutrition and health benefits, an important aspect of this initiative is to concentrate on efforts towards a healthy living. As an addition to the focus on ample nourishment, September 29 is celebrated as World Heart Day every year.Here are a few lifestyle changes which one must follow to reduce the risk of heart diseases:Get your numbers checked: 60% of people fail to recognize the symptoms of diabetes and remain untreated, leading to increased risk of heart disease. So be aware and get your blood-sugar levels checked. Research shows that almonds, which are a source of protein and high in dietary fibre, can help in maintaining healthy blood sugar levels in people with type 2 diabetes and help lower the blood sugar impact of carbohydrate foods, which affect fasting insulin levels.Run to keep fit: With your doctor/physical trainer's approval, try .
Infants' attention to fearful faces predicts later altruism
Past studies have suggested that greater sensitivity to fearful faces is linked to heightened levels of prosocial behaviour, which can already be seen in preschool children.Altruistic behaviour such as helping an unfamiliar person in need is considered a key feature of cooperation in human societies. Yet our propensity to engage in altruistic acts varies considerably among individuals, ranging from extraordinarily altruistic kidney donors to highly antisocial psychopaths.Examining responsiveness to fearful faces and its variability early in human development represents a unique opportunity to shed light on the precursors of altruistic behaviour.To address this question, Grossmann and colleagues tracked eye movements to examine whether attentional responses to fear in others at seven months of age predict altruistic behaviour at 14 months of age.The analysis revealed that altruistic behaviour in toddlerhood was predicted by infants' attention to fearful faces but not happy or angry ...
Bad food habits can lead to cancer: Nutritionist
Enrich your diet with green tea, curcumin, pomegranate, and broccoli -- rich in polyphenol -- to keep cancers at bay, a nutritionist said, cautioning that unhealthy eating habits leads to cancer.
Vit B may boost kidney function in young diabetics
Adolescents suffering from Type-1 diabetes may benefit from Vitamin B supplements as it improves kidney functions by protecting against development and progression of renal diseases, a new study has found.
Role of Vitamin B in children with diabetes
Vitamin B supplements may protect kidney function in children and adolescents with type-1 diabetes, suggests a study.These findings indicate that simple supplementation of vitamin B complex may protect against the development and progression of kidney disease in children with diabetes, which could promote improved health and quality of life in adulthood.Type-1 diabetes is a life-long disease in which the body does not make enough insulin to regulate blood glucose levels. The condition is usually diagnosed in childhood and can lead to serious and debilitating complications, including diabetic kidney disease.This common complication develops over many years, but has no symptoms in the early stages, so if undetected can necessitate long-term, intensive or expensive treatments, and lead to earlier death in adulthood. Vitamin B deficiency is associated with an increased risk of kidney damage and is often observed in children and adults with type-1 diabetes.However, whether supplements can .
Proactive heart health strategies can counter cardiovascular disease risk
As the global community observes 'World Heart Day' on September 29 to raise awareness about the overwhelming prevalence of risk factors that lead to heart disease, healthcare professionals and policymakers are shifting gears to more proactive approaches to counter this urgent public health threat.In India, non-communicable diseases (NCDs) account for 5.87 million deaths, or, 60 percent of its 1.3 billion people. Five out of every 1000 individuals aged between 15 and 19 did not report or have their heart disease diagnosed while one out of every 100 heart patients in the age group 20-34 did the same."According to the Global Burden of Disease study published by the WHO in 2016, 22 percent of healthy lives lost among those aged between 15 and 49 years can be traced to cardiovascular diseases (CVD). Habits and choices formed early on affect the risk propensity for heart disease later in life. It has been shown, for example, that plaque starts accumulating in arteries flowing from the heart
'Urgent need for people to address their blood pressure levels'
One out of every eight Indians suffers from hypertension. It is one of the primary causes of stroke and coronary artery deaths in our country.Until now, a systolic reading of 120-139 mm Hg or a diastolic reading of 80-89 mm Hg indicated pre-hypertension (blood pressure values which are above normal levels) in an individual. The new American Heart Association guidelines, however, indicate that the earlier followed systolic and diastolic readings for pre-hypertension now indicate elevated blood pressure.Occurrence of hypertension is now indicated by a systolic reading of 130 mm Hg or higher or a diastolic reading of 80 mm Hg or higher.According to Dr Naresh Trehan, Chairman and managing Director, Medanta, there is, thus, an urgent need for people to address their blood pressure levels as per the new guidelines set by the American Heart Association."It is important to know your family history. If parents or other close relatives suffer from high blood pressure, it exposes the individual .
WHO launches initiative to prevent, reduce alcohol-related deaths
The World Health Organization (WHO) on Friday released a new initiative and technical package outlining five high-impact strategies that can help governments reduce the harmful use of alcohol and related health, social and economic consequences.SAFER is the newest WHO-led roadmap to support governments in taking practical steps to accelerate progress on health, beat non-communicable diseases (NCDs) through addressing the harmful use of alcohol."We are proud to introduce SAFER - a package of proven interventions to reduce the harms caused by alcohol, and a new partnership to catalyse global action," said Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, Director-General of the World Health Organisation. "We need governments to put in place effective alcohol control policy options and public policies to reduce the harmful use of alcohol."SAFER provides five high-impact strategic actions prioritised for implementation to promote health and development:-Strengthen restrictions on alcohol ...