Page 557 - Health Medical Pharma
Stored blood may be unsafe for severely injured patients: study
Blood stored longer may be less safe for patients with massive blood loss and shock as it may have adverse effects, according to scientists, including one of Indian origin. For severely injured patients who have massive bleeding and receive many transfusion units, older blood was associated with dysfunction in blood flow, increased injury and inflammation in critical end organs, and lung infection. The researchers have found mechanistic links between older stored red blood cell transfusions and subsequent bacterial pneumonia. The key player is free heme, a breakdown product from degraded red blood cells. Heme is part of the oxygen-binding hemoglobin pigment that gives blood cells their red colour and carries oxygen through the body from the lungs. While in the red blood cell, heme is relatively safe; but once outside the confines of the red cells, free heme is toxic and can cause tissue injury. During storage and upon transfusion, stored red blood cells lyse open, releasing free ...
Dental Council for MBBS bridge course for BDS students
The Dental Council of India (DCI) has urged the Centre to introduce a three-year MBBS bridge course for Bachelor of Dental Surgery (BDS) graduates so that they could work as full-fledged MBBS doctors. If BDS graduates are allowed to pursue and complete the three-year bridge course, they could serve in the rural areas of the country for four to five years, DCI president Prof Dibyendu Majumdar said here today. "We are awaiting the clearance from the Medical Council of India (MCI) in this connection," Majumdar said. The DCI, he said, is also trying to convince the central government that much importance was required to be given to oral health care since 40 to 45 per cent of all cancers pertained to the oral cavity alone. "There is a huge budget for health and the DCI is asking for a separate budget for oral health," Majumdar said while speaking at a programme, which was held under the aegis of the Indian Association of Oral and Maxillofacial Pathology at the Siksha 'O' ...
New drugs could help prevent hearing loss
Inhibiting an enzyme called cyclin-dependent kinase 2 (CDK2) can save the hearing of millions of people around the world, a study has found. According to the World Health Organisation (WHO), 360 million people worldwide, including 32 million children, suffer from hearing loss caused by congenital defects or other factors. These factors include infectious disease, use of certain medicines, or exposure to excessive noise. Researchers from Rockefeller University in the US screened over 4,000 drugs for their ability to protect cochlear cells from the chemotherapy agent cisplatin. Cisplatin is used to treat a variety of cancers but causes irreversible hearing loss in up to 70 per cent of patients, according to the study published in the Journal of Experimental Medicine. They identified multiple compounds that protected cochlear cells from cisplatin, several of which are already approved to treat other conditions. Three of the ten most effective compounds were inhibitors of an enzyme called
IMA's battle against National Medical Council Bill
Trust forms the crux of doctor-patient relationship, but Indian Medical Association (IMA) believes that it has been declining over the past few years owing to hugely inflated bills and overcharging for drugs, devices or diagnostics for profiteering.Aimed at reforming the medical education sector, IMA claims that the National Medical Council (NMC) Bill will, in reality, have a damaging effect on public health as well as meritorious students from economically-weaker sections seeking admission to medical colleges.The NMC Bill proposes to increase the proportion of seats under control of management in private medical colleges from 15 percent to 60 percent and allows Ayush doctors to practice modern system of medicine after completing a 'bridging course', which intends to bridge the gap between demand and supply.IMA strongly opposes some provisions of the bill, stating that they can have disastrous consequences on public health as it will result in half-baked doctors and an unscientific
New links between heart attacks, inflammatory bowel disease found
Scientists have found strong connections between Inflammatory Bowel Disease (IBD) and heart attacks. Inflammation has long been recognised as playing a key role in the development of heart disease. IBD is an umbrella term for two chronic inflammatory conditions that affect the gastrointestinal tract - Ulcerative Colitis and Crohn's disease. While studies have shown a clear increased risk of heart disease in other chronic inflammatory conditions such as lupus and rheumatoid arthritis, this link is unclear in patients with IBD. A three-year study concluded that in the more than 22 million patients who were assessed, heart attacks were almost twice as common in patients with IBD. "Our study adds considerably to a growing set of literature highlighting the chronic inflammation in IBD as having a role in the development of cardiovascular disease," said Mahazarin Ginwalla from the University Hospitals Cleveland Medical Center in the US. The study was presented at this year's American ...
Insomnia may be genetic: study
Scientists have identified specific genes that may trigger the development of sleep problems, and have also found a genetic link between insomnia and psychiatric disorders such as depression, or physical conditions such as type 2 diabetes. The effects insomnia has on a person's health can be debilitating and place a strain on the healthcare system, according to a study published in the journal Molecular Psychiatry. Chronic insomnia goes hand in hand with various long-term health issues such as heart disease and type 2 diabetes, as well as mental illness such as post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and suicide. Twin studies have in the past shown that various sleep-related traits, including insomnia, are heritable, the researchers said. "A better understanding of the molecular bases for insomnia will be critical for the development of new treatments," said Murray Stein from the University of California, San Diego in the US. The researchers conducted genome-wide association studies ...
Smoking not only affects heart and lungs, but skin too
There is growing evidence that people living with psoriasis ought to be extra careful before lighting up a cigarette.Before we dig into why one should put down the cigarette, let's be clear: Quitting smoking doesn't cure psoriasis, but smoking aggravates the symptoms and may make the disease significantly worse.According to Dr.Abir Saraswat, National Coordinator, Special Interest Group - Psoriasis, Indian Association of Dermatologists, Venereologists and Leprologists (IADVL), "Smoking in general is a huge risk factor for developing psoriasis, affecting the onset of psoriasis and its clinical appearance. Moreover, many psoriasis patients tend to smoke to cope with the emotional and mental implications of the disease - such as stress or anxiety - which negatively affect psoriasis. This vicious circle of stress and smoking triggers the disease even further."According to a study, smoking doubles a person's risk of developing psoriasis which eventually increases with the number of ...
Genetics may have a part to play in insomnia
Sleep problems may be associated with specific genes in our bodies.Research indicates that there is a genetic link between insomnia and psychiatric disorders such as depression, or physical conditions such as type 2 diabetes.Survey shows that up to 20 percent of Americans and up to 50 percent of US military veterans are dealing with sleep problems. Insomnia can seriously affect a person's healthcare system and make them weak internally.Chronic insomnia can cause various long-term health issues such as heart disease and type 2 diabetes, as well as mental illness, such as post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and suicide.Twin studies show that various sleep-related characteristics, including insomnia, are heritable. With the help of these findings, researchers have now started looking into the specific gene variants involved. Such studies are crucial in figuring out the reason behind insomnia and other such sleep problems."A better understanding of the molecular bases for insomnia will
Saliva prevents traveller's diarrhoea: study
US scientists have identified a protein in saliva (histatin-5) that protects the body from traveller's diarrhoea. The finding, published in the Journal of Infectious Diseases, may lead to the development of new preventive therapies for the disease. Traveller's diarrhoea is an inconvenience to many in the US, but worldwide it can be deadly. It produces a watery diarrhoea, which can cause life-threatening dehydration in infants or other vulnerable populations in endemic countries. With more than one billion cases each year, hundreds of thousands of deaths can be attributed to this bacterial disease which is caused by enterotoxigenic Escherichia coli (ETEC), invading the small intestine using arm-like structures called "pili", according to the study. The researchers exposed miniature human small intestines that they were able to grow in a dish (organoids) to the bacteria ETEC in the presence and absence of the protein histatin-5. When examined under the microscope, significantly fewer ..
Menopause increases risk of cardiovascular diseases?
People have heard of cardiovascular diseases even if they haven't undergone a procedure personally.While cardiovascular diseases are generally considered a man's issue, globally, they claim more lives of women than men.In regards to women, symptoms become more evident after the onset of menopause.Highlighting the risk factors causing the increase in risk of cardiovascular health in women, Dr Manjiri Mehta Consultant Gynecologist, Obstetrician, Laparoscopic surgeon, Hiranandani Hospital Vashi- A Fortis Network Hospital said, "Menopause does not cause cardiovascular disease per say; however certain risk factors at the time of menopause like a high-fat diet, early age smoking etc. certainly take a toll on one's cardiovascular health. The reason why menopause is the center of the discussion here is because during the time of menopause, the body goes through hormonal havoc."• Estrogen levels play a roleA decline in the natural hormone-estrogen is a factor when it comes to decline in ...
Pregnancy and Kidney disease: Overcoming the challenge
Getting pregnant and starting a family are great experiences but may present challenges even for a normal healthy human being.However, such challenges become manifold when it comes to female patients with certain health conditions, such as, chronic kidney disease (CKD)."CKD is a serious ailment affecting about 10% of the global population with women being more prone to the condition than men. It affects about 195 million women globally each year and is responsible for 6 lakh fatalities every year, making it the 8th leading cause of death in them," said Dr Hrishikesh D Pai, Medical Director, Bloom IVF Group.A common complication in women with CKD is difficulty in conceiving with the chances of pregnancy reducing as the condition advances. Apart from this, pregnancy in women with CKD is considered high risk due to an increased likelihood of complications in both the mother and the fetus.Such women stand the risk of premature delivery, still births, and intrauterine growth restriction. ..
Jain monk welcomes SC's euthanasia verdict
Jain Muni (monk) Tarun Sagar on Friday welcomed the Supreme Court's landmark decision to allow passive euthanasia, saying it coincided with the tenets of Jainism."The whole world takes birth crying, but Mahavira taught us to die laughing. Today, the Supreme Court has given a historical ruling, which has been a law in Jainism for ages. I thank the Supreme Court (for the verdict)," the monk told ANI.In a decision passed on Friday, the top court gave legal sanction to passive euthanasia or withholding treatment essential to life for a terminally-ill patient.Recognising the right to die with dignity, a five-judge constitution bench headed by Chief Justice of India Dipak Kumar Misra passed the order.The bench said passive euthanasia was permissible with guidelines.The Supreme Court said 'living will' would be permitted only after obtaining permission from the family members of the person who had sought passive euthanasia and also from a team of expert doctors who had reached conclusion ...
27 prisoners of Dasna Jail found HIV positive
Up to 27 prisoners of Dasna Jail in Uttar Pradesh's Ghaziabad district have been found to be infected with HIV virus.In light of the matter, medical officers have ordered an HIV test for all 5,000 inmates.Last year, 49 prisoners were found HIV positive.Ghaziabad Chief Medical Officer (CMO) N K Gupta on Friday told ANI that the patients receive regular check-up and medication."All 27 of those prisoners get regular check-up and by the specialists, and free medicine. We also get other prisoners checked from time to time for symptoms of HIV," he said.
'SC ruling disheartening as it deals only with passive euthanasia'
An octogenarian man, who has sought the President's permission for active euthanasia or "assisted suicide", said today that the Supreme Court ruling on the 'living will' of terminally-ill patients was "disheartening" as it deals only with passive euthanasia. Narayan Lavate, 87, said the time has come for the government to see elderly people with a different perspective. He said the apex court ruling was "disheartening" as it did not deal with the issue of active euthanasia or "assisted suicide" for which he has been campaigning. "What the Supreme Court has ruled today is for those who are in a persistent vegetative state or dependent on medical support system. "It's about passive euthanasia. I have been fighting for active euthanasia. I would have been more than happy if the Supreme Court had given the same stand on active euthanasia too," Lavate said, reacting to the landmark verdict. Lavate and his wife Iravati, 78, had written a letter to President Ram Nath Kovind in December, ...
Thousands of eggs, embryos possibly damaged at Ohio hospital
An Ohio hospital where approximately 2,000 frozen eggs and embryos may have been damaged by a storage tank malfunction has apologised to patients and said it will do "everything possible to address the situation." The unexplained rise in temperatures in a liquid nitrogen tank, first reported Thursday by The Cleveland Plain Dealer , occurred sometime late Saturday or Sunday morning at University Hospitals Cleveland Medical Center's suburban fertility clinic. "We are incredibly sorry this happened," the hospital said in a statement. "We are committed to getting answers and working with patients individually to address their concerns." One round of in vitro fertilization can cost patients without medical insurance around $12,000. The hospital hasn't said whether it would compensate about 700 affected patients, who are being notified through letters and telephone calls. Some of the samples date to the 1980s, said Dr. James Liu, head of the hospital's obstetrics and gynecology ...
Long-awaited SC verdict on 'living will' has cleared the air: Lawyers
The legal experts today welcomed the Supreme Court's landmark decision recognising a terminally-ill patient's right to execute a "living will" to refuse medical treatment, saying the verdict has brought clarity for doctors, patients and their relatives on what is permitted and what is not. Lawyers Arvind Datar, Colin Gonsalves and Prashant Bhushan said that apex court judgement has "cleared the air" on passive euthanasia which was "long overdue". Datar, a senior advocate, said the judgement "has brought in a lot of clarity and certainty, because the medical profession was not sure about what to do. At least now it is a clear scene for doctors, patients and insurance companies who will have clarity on what is permitted and what is not." The lawyer said the "concept of dying with dignity has been enshrined in the Constitution" and added that the judgement will "definitely help" when the continuation of life becomes "totally meaningless" and "living itself becomes an undignified ...
Health experts, legal fraternity welcome euthanasia verdict; catholic church criticises
Health experts and the legal fraternity today welcomed the Supreme Court verdict upholding passive euthanasia as "long overdue" but it drew criticism from the catholic church which said the measure could be misused. In its landmark judgement, the apex court permitted an individual to draft a living will', which is also called an advanced directive, specifying that they not be put on life support if they slip into an incurable coma in the future. The verdict, which also put in place some strict guidelines, was also welcomed by human rights activist Pinki Virani, who had sought mercy killing for Aruna Shanbaug, a nurse who was in a vegetative state for 42 years after being brutally raped by a wardboy before she died in 2015. Shanbaug was the face of the debate on euthanasia in India. The Indian Medical Association (IMA) said the judgement was long overdue and would pave the way in ensuring that everybody is granted the "right to die with dignity". AIIMS' assiastant professor in the ...
Patients unable to give free consent too have right to refuse treatment: SC
The Supreme Court, which recognised the right of terminally-ill persons to execute a living will, today said the right was also available to those who were unable to give their free consent to end life. The top court held that when the right of an adult person who expresses his desire for medical treatment can be regarded to be flowing from Article 21 of the Constitution then the patient's right who is unable to express his view cannot be outside Article 21. "When an adult person having mental capacity to take a decision can exercise his right not to take treatment or withdraw from treatment, the above right cannot be negated for a person who is not able to take an informed decision due to terminal illness or being a persistent vegetative state," Justice Ashok Bhushan said in his separate judgement. Justice Bhushan, who concurred with the chief justice and other judges, said that the right to refuse treatment flowed from Article 21 (Right to life and liberty) of the Constitution and ..
All you need to know about living will for passive euthanasia
The Supreme Court in a landmark judgement on Friday recognised a terminally ill patient's right to refuse medical treatment through an advance medical directive or a living will. Here are court laid down rules relating to the procedure for its execution.
Doctors to play major role in giving effect to 'living will'
Doctors across the country were today assigned a major role by the Supreme Court in giving effect to the "advance medical directive" or 'living will' of persons in persistent vegetative state and terminally-ill patients who refuse to get medical treatment. A five-judge constitution bench, which recognised that a terminally-ill patient or a person in persistent vegetative state could execute a "advance medical directive" to refuse medical treatment, spelt out the safeguards to be followed during this process. The bench headed by Chief Justice Dipak Misra said that when the doctor, treating a terminally-ill person undergoing prolonged medical treatment with no hope of recovery and cure of the ailment, would be informed about advanced directive, the medical practitioner shall ascertain its genuineness and authenticity from jurisdictional judicial magistrate before acting upon the same. "The instructions in the document must be given due weight by the doctors. However, it should be given .