Page 564 - Health Medical Pharma
Healthy diet may not prevent effects of high salt intake
If you tend to consume a healthy diet just to thwart the effects of high salt intake, think twice. A diet rich in fruits, whole grains and green leafy vegetables, might not balance out the risks caused by foods with higher salt content, researchers have warned.
Fish oil supplements do not improve kids' memory
Fish oil -- rich in omega 3 -- does not improve memory function in small children, finds a study contradicting the popular health benefits related to fatty acids supplements.
Cyber security, AI top technologies for healthcare firms: Report
Cyber security, Big Data analytics and Artificial Intelligence (AI) are among the top technologies employed by healthcare and life sciences firms across the world, a report by global software major Infosys said on Monday.
NCP demands private treatment for jailed Bhujbal
Leader of Opposition in the Maharashtra Legislative Council Dhananjay Munde today demanded the government approach court to ensure that jailed NCP leader Chhagan Bhujbal can avail treatment at any private hospital. Bhujbal, lodged in Arthur Road Jail here since 2016 after his arrest by the Enforcement Directorate in a money laundering case, is suffering from a number of health issues. He was admitted to state-run J J Hospital here on March 3 for pancreatitis and acute bronchial asthma. Raising the issue of the ill health of Bhujbal (70) through a Point of Propriety in the Upper House, Kapil Patil, who backs the Sharad Yadav-led faction of the JD (U), said despite being a former deputy chief minister, the NCP leader was not getting the privileges he deserved. "The allegations against him (Bhujbal) have not been proven yet but he has not granted bail," Patil said. Citing government protocol, Munde (NCP) said those holding Constitutional posts should be accorded necessary ...
'Weekend heart attacks twice as likely to kill young patients'
Young heart attack patients are twice as likely to die if they are admitted to hospital during the weekend compared to a weekday, according to a study on more than 80,000 patients in Italy. "Excess deaths at weekends were reported for heart attack patients a decade ago and we wanted to see if the situation had improved," said Giovanni Malanchini from the University of Milan. "We also looked at whether there were differences by age or sex," said Malanchini, lead author of the study. The study included all 80,391 patients with an acute coronary syndrome admitted to a hospital in the Lombardy region of Italy for less than 20 days between January 2010 and December 2014. Patients, on average, were 67 years old, and 70 per cent were men. A total of 2,455 patients (3 per cent) died while in hospital. When all patients were analysed, the researchers found a 13 per cent higher risk of death in those admitted at weekends compared to weekdays. "We analysed data from the Milan area, which ...
Novel antibody suppresses HIV in monkeys: study
An experimental HIV antibody has successfully suppressed the deadly virus for six months without additional treatment, a trial in monkeys has found. The therapy may have targeted the viral reservoir - populations of long-lived, latently infected cells that harbour the virus and that lead to resurgent viral replication when suppressive therapy is discontinued. The findings may inform strategies that attempt to achieve sustained, drug-free viral remission in people living with HIV. After receiving a course of antiretroviral therapy for their HIV-like infection, about half of a group of monkeys infused with a broadly neutralising antibody to HIV combined with an immune stimulatory compound suppressed the virus for six months without additional treatment. "HIV excels at evading the immune system by hiding out in certain immune cells. The virus can be suppressed to very low levels with antiretroviral therapy, but quickly rebounds to high levels if a person stops taking medications as ...
Changing neurone size could hold key to new ALS treatments
Improving prospects of identifying new treatment options for motor neurone disease, referred to as Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS), new research has found evidence that motor neurones change size over the course of disease progression.
Heart attacks at weekends more likely to kill young men
Even as the world grapples with the shocking death of Fiorentina captain and Italy international Davide Astori at the age of 31 reportedly due to cardiac arrest, a new study suggests that chances of young men dying of heart attack during the weekend are higher than women.
Aurobindo Pharma's unit gets 9 USFDA observations
Drug firm Aurobindo Pharma today said the US health regulator has issued 9 observations after inspection of its unit 4 formulation facility in Hyderabad. The United States Food and Drug Administration (USFDA) has conducted an inspection at the companys unit 4, a formulation manufacturing facility in Hyderabad from February 12 to February 20, 2018, Aurobindo Pharma said in a BSE filing. "... at the end of the inspection, we were issued a Form 483 with 9 observations, " it added. None of the observations are related to data integrity or are repetitive in nature, Aurobindo Pharma said. It, however, did not provide details regarding the observations. "We are in the midst of providing a comprehensive response to the observations and would be replying to the FDA within 15 working days from the date of closure (February 20, 2018) of audit," it added. As per the USFDA, a form 483 notifies a companys management of objectionable conditions at its facility. Shares of Aurobindo Pharma were ...
HDFC backs MedGenome's pan-India expansion
MedGenome Labs Ltd., a genetic diagnostics company in India, announced an investment by HDFC Ltd., HDFC Life and HDFC Asset Management to complete its Series C funding of USD 40 million.MedGenome will utilise this capital to expand the clinical genomic testing market by penetrating all the Tier II and Tier III cities and democratise the critical genetic tests like noninvasive prenatal screening (NIPT) and newborn genetic testing.The company also plans to establish more genetic centres in hospitals across the country to support clinicians and to enable patients to make informed decisions."We believe understanding genetic information can have a big impact on Indian healthcare industry through early detection of disease risk and development of new medicines. We are very happy to see an Indian company take a lead in a deep technology area like genomics and have decided to support MedGenome in its endeavour to make genetic tests affordable and accessible widely," said HDFC Group Chairman ..
Experimental HIV antibody effective on monkeys: Study
An experimental HIV antibody tested on a group of monkeys showed to be effective as it suppressed the virus for nearly six months without additional treatment, researchers have found.
Social, emotional support more helpful to stroke patients than rehab
According to a recent study, providing stroke patients with social and emotional support is more helpful than sending them to a rehab.The CMAJ-study suggested that when caring for stroke patients, health care providers should focus on the social and emotional issues facing patients, rather than only physical rehabilitation."Rather than focusing only on physical rehabilitation, a realistic approach to managing care should consider the emotional needs of patients and their caregivers," said researcher Scott Murray."Balancing the need for hope of recovery with the potential of severe disability or death is important in this approach", Murray continued.Stroke is the second leading cause of death, accounting for 11 percent of deaths worldwide. Survival is especially poor for people who have had a severe total anterior circulation stroke with loss of motor control, language and other conditions.The study of 219 patients in central Scotland with severe stroke - total anterior circulation ...
HDFC invests in MedGenome to complete series C funding of $40
Genetic diagnostics company, MedGenome Labs Ltd., today announced investment by HDFC Ltd., HDFC Life and HDFC Asset Management to complete its Series C funding of USD 40 million. MedGenome will utilise this capital to expand the clinical genomic testing market by penetrating all the Tier II and Tier III cities and democratise the critical genetic tests like noninvasive pre-natal screening (NIPT) and new-born genetic testing, the company said in a release. It said the company plans to establish more genetic centres in hospitals across the country to support clinicians and to enable patients to take informed decisions. "MedGenome's goal is to significantly reduce the burden of inherited diseases in India and assist clinicians in implementing precision medicine. We are excited about partnering with HDFC to increase adoption of genomics across India," MedGenome Founder and Chairman Sam Santhosh said. Claiming that MedGenome has completed over 100,000 genomic tests and ...
LiveHealth raises $ 1.1 mn in seed funding
Nexus Venture Partners today said it has invested USD 1.1 million in Pune-based LiveHealth, which digitises diagnostic lab workflows. The funding will be used by LiveHealth to expand its platform across India, explore international markets and to strengthen the product and technology, NVP said in a statement. LiveHealth digitises records from diagnostic laboratories through its SaaS platform and makes them available on the cloud to patients and doctors. It works with over 650 diagnostic centres across India and Africa to automate their operations - to manage patients, financial transactions, automation between medical instruments, and inventory. The platform has already digitised more than 72 million records. LiveHealth was founded by Abhimanyu Bhosale and Mukund Malani. "Our focus is on addressing the tech gap in healthcare, and enable seamless interaction among all stakeholders. Our platform becomes one stop solution for care providers to improve their operations, reduce costs and ..
Kids allergic to cow's milk may have lower weight, height
Children who are allergic to cow's milk are at heightened risk of remaining shorter in height and lighter in weight throughout pre-adolescence when compared with children who are allergic to peanuts or tree nuts, finds a study.
Concerns over vision loss from off-label drug
There have been concerns about off-label drug use causing vision loss in the patients.Owing to multiple reports of vision loss and similar adverse events, experts have called out the heightened need for stringent patient safety guidelines to be formalised with immediate effect in India.Most of these adverse effects are being experienced by the patients with retinal diseases across the country, post alleged administration of off-label drug injections.'Off-label' drug use is defined as use of a drug that has not cleared the necessary regulatory approval for specific diseases/ conditions and is therefore not an approved drug for the same.Allegedly, these drugs have not been approved for treating retinal diseases.In the above cases, vial of an off-label drug was prescribed and injected in patients, leading to bacterial infection in the eye. This infection, when left untreated, led to complete vision loss, as observed in these patients."Patient safety holds paramount importance in medical .
'Parrikar to again be shifted to Mumbai hospital'
Goa Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar will be shifted to a Mumbai hospital once again and could travel overseas for further treatment, a statement issued by the Chief Minister's Office (CMO) said on Monday.
'Breaking Bad' creator's one big regret about the show
"Breaking Bad" creator Vince Gilligan has revealed his one big regret regarding the popular drug drama that he wishes he would have paid a little more attention to the details of the characters. The 51-year-old writer apologised for Jesse Pinkman's (Aaron Paul) "perfect" teeth, the character who would often get hit and did drugs. "I'm really sorry Jesse's teeth were so perfect. Aaron Paul's teeth are so perfect, rather - Jesse Pinkman, the character, would get the living hell beaten out of him every week. And then he smoked a lot of meth, which is rough on your teeth! Little details like that... "If I stopped to think about it, I would change them. I would say to myself, 'I wish we'd gotten that right," Gilligan told DigitalSpy. The AMC show chronicles the transformation of a chemistry teacher into a methamphetamine-making drug lord, Walter White, played by Bryan Cranston. It ended in 2013 after a five-season run.
3 children die due to 'expired' measles vaccines in Pakistan
Three children have died in Pakistan's Sindh province after they were administered expired vaccines for measles, officials said today. The deaths were reported at the Peoples University Medical Hospital in Nawabshah district yesterday. The children who expired hours after allegedly being administered the vaccines were identified as Husnain Brohi, 5, Hania Noor, 6, and a nine-month-old Qamar Din, they said. Three other children aged below five years were still hospitalised and said to be unconscious after being given the same vaccine, a health official said. Health authorities and doctors said samples have been collected from the children for testing as the vaccines were administered by a woman health worker. "We have started an inquiry into the matter," the official said. Parents of Hania Noor claim that a lady health worker visited their home yesterday and administered the anti-measles vaccines despite them protesting. "Their condition started deteriorating shortly afterward and we ..
Brisk walking may reduce heart failure risk in older women
Older women who find it difficult to hit the gym or follow a workout routine may now ward off their risk of developing heart failure by taking brisk walks, finds a study.