Page 336 - Health Medical Pharma

Hypertensive patients prefer medication to cutting salt

Turns out, patients with high blood pressure depend on medication to reduce their risk of heart attack and stroke rather than decreasing salt intake as instructed by their physicians."Lack of adherence to recommended lifestyle changes is leading to higher salt intake for hypertensive patients, more medications needed to treat their condition and more side effects from those medications," said Dr. Kazuto Ohno, the lead author of the study which was recently presented at a meeting in Germany.Excess salt intake is one of the most important causes of hypertension, which makes salt restriction a key strategy to manage it, but few studies have been done on the relationship between salt intake and blood pressure in hypertensive patients undergoing antihypertensive drug treatment.Dr. Ohno explained, "Patients may be able to improve this vicious cycle by restricting salt intake. In consequence, they may avoid diseases caused by hypertension, such as heart attacks, stroke, and heart failure. ...

Fish oils don't prevent strokes in diabetes patients: Study

Fish oil supplements do not prevent heart attacks or strokes in patients with diabetes, a new study has found.In observational studies, higher consumption of fish is associated with lower risks of coronary artery disease and stroke. However, previous trials have not been able to show that taking fish oil supplements containing omega-3 fatty acids reduce the risk of having cardiovascular events.The ASCEND trial (A Study of Cardiovascular Events in Diabetes) examined whether fish oil supplements reduce the risk of a cardiovascular event in patients with diabetes. The primary efficacy outcome was the first serious vascular event, which included non-fatal heart attacks, non-fatal strokes or transient ischemic attacks (sometimes called "mini-strokes"), or deaths from a cardiovascular cause.Principal investigator, Dr. Louise Bowman, said, "Our large, long-term randomised trial shows that fish oil supplements do not reduce the risk of cardiovascular events in patients with diabetes. This is .

New technique developed to detect early-stage cancer tumour cells in blood, researchers claim

Researchers at an Australian university have claimed that a "new technique" to detect early-stage cancer tumour cells in the blood using a malaria protein has been developed. The University of New South Wales (UNSW), Sydney and the University of Copenhagen jointly worked on the research led by the Australian varsity, the UNSW said in a statement. "We have developed a method where we take a blood sample, and with great sensitivity and specificity we are able to retrieve the individual cancer cells from the blood. "We catch the cancer cells in greater numbers than existing methods, which offers the opportunity to detect cancer earlier and thus improve outcome for patients." UNSW professor Chris Heeschen was quoted as saying in the statement. Hope is that this method, in which malaria protein VAR2CSA sticks to cancer cells, can be used as a "more effective" way to screen for cancer in the near future, he said. The findings of Heeschen and his team were published recently in the journal ..

New universal flu vaccine offers protection against multiple strains

A universal flu vaccine with a strong antibody response, that could protect people against most influenza strains, is one step close to reality, a study has revealed.

Excessive 'good' cholesterol can be life threatening: Study

Contrary to claims that good cholesterol is beneficial to the heart, a new study has showed that very high levels may be associated with an increased risk of heart attack and death.

'Heart patients should give birth before 40 weeks'

Pregnant women with heart disease should give birth at no later than 40 weeks gestation, beyond that harm can be caused to the mother, new guidelines by the European Society of Cardiology (ESC) recommends.

Emotional stress key factor for heart attacks in women: Study

Emotional stress triggers "spontaneous coronary artery dissection" (SCAD), a condition that causes around one-third of heart attacks in women under 60 years of age, researchers say.

PM condoles demise of US Senator McCain

Prime Minister Narendra Modi today condoled the demise of US Senator John McCain, who died of brain cancer, describing him as a "steadfast friend" of India. "Deeply saddened by the demise of Senator John McCain. People of India join me in sincerely condoling the loss of a steadfast friend. His statesmanship, courage, conviction and understanding of global affairs will be missed," Modi wrote on Twitter. A Vietnam war hero and a towering figure in the American political scene, McCain, who turned out to be a prominent critic of US President Donald Trump, died yesterday at his home in Arizona at 4.28 pm local time, following a battle with an aggressive form of brain cancer.

Smartphone app can help diagnose heart rhythm disorder

A smartphone app can help accurately screen for atrial fibrillation - the most common heart rhythm disorder, a study has found. Atrial fibrillation causes 20-30 per cent of all strokes and raises the risk of premature death, but outlook improves dramatically with oral anticoagulation therapy. Undiagnosed atrial fibrillation is common and many patients remain untreated. Opportunistic screening is recommended in over-65s, but has time, logistical, and resource demands. "Most people have a smartphone with a camera which is all they need to detect atrial fibrillation," said Pieter Vandervoort, of the University of Hasselt in Belgium. "This is a low cost way to screen thousands of people for a condition which is becoming more prevalent and can have serious consequences unless treated," said Vandervoort. The study examined the feasibility and effectiveness of screening for atrial fibrillation with a smartphone app medically certified in the EU to detect the condition. The app was made ...

This smartphone app can help detect irregular heart beat

Scientists have developed a smartphone application that can help in screening for atrial fibrillation -- the most common heart rhythm disorder.

9 years apart, McCain, Ted Kennedy died of cancer on same date

Senator John McCain on Saturday breathed his last, he was suffering from brain cancer. Interestingly, another senator Ted Kennedy died from the same disease exactly nine years ago on the same date.McCain and Kennedy were diagnosed with glioblastoma, a type of brain tumour a year ago before they succumbed to the disease, Fox News reported, citing the Arizona Republic.Glioblastoma roughly affects 10,000 Americans a year and is considered as "highly malignant," according to doctors.Despite McCain and Kennedy belonging to separate political spectrum, the two senators reportedly shared a good relationship and were good friends. In 2009, during Kennedy's funeral service, McCain read a eulogy, saying, "The place won't be the same without him."Both McCain and Kennedy faded away from public life when the two were battling their respective illnesses.

Deep forehead wrinkles may signal heart disease risk

People who have a lot more deep forehead wrinkles than is typical for their age may be at a higher risk of dying of cardiovascular disease, a study has found. "We explored forehead wrinkles as a marker because it's so simple and visual. Just looking at a person's face could sound an alarm, then we could give advice to lower risk," said Yolande Esquirol, associate professor at Hospitalier Universitaire de Toulouse in France. The advice could include straightforward lifestyle changes like getting more exercise or eating healthier food. "Of course, if you have a person with a potential cardiovascular risk, you have to check classical risk factors like blood pressure as well as lipid and blood glucose levels, but you could already share some recommendations on lifestyle factors," said Esquirol. Risk of heart disease increases as people age, but lifestyle and medical interventions can mitigate the danger. The challenge is in identifying high-risk patients early enough to make a ...

Your forehead wrinkles may predict cardiovascular death risk

The wrinkles on your forehead may not be just an inevitable consequence of ageing, but could also signal an early death due to cardiovascular disease (CVD), researchers have warned.

Pill with two drugs may transform blood pressure treatment

A single pill with two drugs could help better manage high blood pressure, say experts. The 2018 European Society of Cardiology (ESC) and European Society of Hypertension (ESH) Guidelines on arterial hypertension recommend starting most patients on two blood pressure lowering drugs, not one. Previous recommendation was for step-wise treatment, which meant starting with one drug then adding a second and third if needed. This suffered from "physician inertia," in which doctors were reluctant to change the initial strategy despite its lack of success. At least 80 per cent of patients should have been upgraded to two drugs, yet most remained on one drug. It is now recognised that a major reason for poor rates of blood pressure control is that patients do not take their pills. Non-adherence increases with the number of pills, so administering the two drugs (or three if needed) in a single tablet "could transform blood pressure control rates," state the guidelines published in European ...

Two drugs in one pill to transform blood pressure treatment!

Turns out, a single pill with two drugs has the ability to change the treatment of a patient with fluctuating blood pressure.A recent study by European Society of Cardiology has confirmed it.The research has confirmed that a major reason for poor rates of blood pressure control is that patients do not take their pills. Non-adherence increases with the number of pills, so administering two drugs (or three if needed) in a single tablet could transform blood pressure control rates.Previously, doctors recommended a step-wise treatment, which meant starting with one drug then adding a second or third if needed. This only resulted in "physician inertia", where doctors are reluctant to change the initial strategy despite its lack of success.Researchers claim that at least 80% of patients should have been upgraded to two drugs, but most remained on one."The vast majority of patients with high blood pressure should start treatment with two drugs as a single pill. These pills are already ...

Women with heart diseases should give birth within 40 weeks

Pregnant women with heart disease are recommended to give birth no later than 40 weeks of gestation.A study by the European Society of Cardiology (ESC) Guidelines has recommended such practice."Beyond 40 weeks, pregnancy has no added benefit for the baby and may even have negative effects," said lead researcher, Jolien Roos-Hesselink."Pregnancy is a risky period for women with heart disease because it puts additional stress on the heart, so the guidelines advise inducing labour or a cesarean section at 40 weeks," Hesselink added.Heart disease is the main reason why women die during pregnancy in many western countries. In comparison to healthy pregnant women, those with heart disease have a 100 times greater risk of death or heart failure.Most women with heart disease have a healthy pregnancy, but researchers recommend that they should be aware that they have a higher risk of obstetric complications, including premature labour, pre-eclampsia, and post-partum bleeding.An estimated ...

Healthy diet promotes healthy cell ageing in women

A diet rich in fruits, vegetables and whole grains could help promote healthy cellular ageing in women, and prevent chronic diseases diabetes or cancer, a study has found. In the study published in the American Journal of Epidemiology, researchers used telomere length to measure cellular ageing. Telomeres are DNA-protein structures located on the ends of chromosomes that promote stability and protect DNA. Age is the strongest predictor of telomere length - telomeres shorten in length during each cell cycle. "The key takeaway is that following a healthy diet can help us maintain healthy cells and avoid certain chronic diseases," said Cindy Leung, an assistant professor at the University of Michigan in the US. "Emphasis should be placed on improving the overall quality of your diet rather than emphasizing individual foods or nutrients," said Leung. However, recent studies have shown that telomeres can also be shortened due to behavioral, environmental and psychological factors. Shorter .

Jind MLA Hari Chand Middha dies

Haryana's main opposition Indian National Lok Dal (INLD) MLA, Hari Chand Middha, died at a private hospital in Delhi, his party said today. The 76-year-old Jind MLA was suffering from a kidney ailment and died yesterday night at the hospital, party's state unit president Ashok Arora told PTI. "Middha ji had been admitted to a private hospital at Delhi for past few days. He was suffering from kidney ailment," he said. Middha was first elected to public office as a municipal councillor in Jind in 1986. He was elected as MLA of Jind, considered the political heartland of Haryana, for two consecutive terms in 2009 and 2014. Arora said Middha was one of Jind's oldest medical practioners. "Even until few weeks back he used to attend to patients and treat poor patients for free. He was a noble man, who commanded respect cutting across parties. The void created by his loss will be difficult to fill," Arora said.

Low muscle strength linked to premature death: Study

Individuals with weaker muscles do not typically live as long as their stronger peers, and are 50 per cent more likely to die earlier, finds a study.

How diet can aid in healthy cellular ageing in women

Having a diet that is rich in fruit, vegetable and whole grain and low in added sugar, sodium and processed meat could help promote healthy cellular ageing in women, a study has showed.