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| HEALTH TRIBUNE |
Dry eye condition: A rising menace
Protein linked to future heart disease risk in obese kids
Soon, a ‘Mind Viagra’
Aggressive cholesterol-lowering good for heart
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Dry eye condition: A rising menace In Chandigarh, we are not so lucky. With an ever increasing number of polluting vehicles in City Beautiful, we are being made to smoke through our eyes. Who is not suffering? Truly, the incidence of troublesome dry eye condition is rising fast. It is a chronic disease that occurs from either decreased tear production or increased tear film evaporation. Typically, the tears become too salty, causing chronic burning and a sandy-gritty irritation in the eyes. Such symptoms are taken as a sign of infection or allergy by patients and doctors alike and that leads to an uncalled for use of antibiotics and steroid drops, with further aggravation of the dry eye condition. Ageing, increased computer use, increased LASIK surgeries, and an increase in the incidence of diabetes are some of the factors contributing to its increasing prevalence. In a study at Chandigarh, we found that the incidence of dry eye is 2 per cent in the young population, but 50 per cent among the 50 plus. Tears comprise three layers. The mucus layer coats the cornea, forming a foundation so that the tear film can adhere to the eye. The middle aqueous layer provides moisture and supplies oxygen and other important nutrients to the cornea. This layer is made of 98 per cent water along with small amounts of salt, proteins and other compounds. The outer layer is an oily film that seals the tear film on the eye and helps to prevent evaporation. With each blink, the eyelids spread the tears over the eye. One of the most common reasons for dryness is simply the ageing process. Many other factors such as hot, dry or windy climates, high altitudes, air-conditioning and cigarette smoke also cause dry eyes. Many people find their eyes become irritating when reading or working on a computer or watching TV for a long time. Certain medications, thyroid conditions, vitamin A deficiency and diseases such as Parkinson’s and the menopausal zone in women can also cause dryness. Symptoms:
Treatment:
When it comes to treating dry eyes, everyone’s needs are different. Many find relief simply from using artificial tears on a regular basis. Some of these products are watery and alleviate the symptoms temporarily; others are thicker and adhere to the eye longer. Preservative-free tears are recommended because they are the most soothing and have fewer additives that could potentially irritate. Closing the opening of the tear drain in the eyelid with special inserts called
punctal plugs is another option. This works like closing a sink drain with a stopper. This may be done on a temporary basis with a dissolvable collagen plug, or permanently with a silicone plug. Some ophthalmologists choose to avoid plugs and decide to close the puncta (tear duct openings) with cautery. Two areas of research on the forefront of the dry eye are the use of topical androgens and cyclosporin. Dos & Don’ts:
Take plenty of water, blink frequently, and use goggles to prevent polluted air and sunrays, suspect a dry eye condition and use artificial tears and fish and green vegetables in diet in plenty Don’t rub the eyes; don’t overuse the contact lenses; don’t expose the eyes to wind, heat, airconditioner; don’t look at the screen of the TV/computer continuously; don’t neglect eye discomfort; consult an eye specialist early. —
The writer is a Chandigarh-based eye specialist
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Protein linked to future heart disease risk in obese kids
Washington: Researchers have found that levels of a fat protein, called adiponectin, which is linked to heart disease in adults, is significantly lower in overweight children and young adults. Adiponectin was an important discriminator between obese and normal-weight children, said Sandra G. Hassink, assistant professor of pediatrics at Thomas Jefferson University in Philadelphia, who presented the study. “Factors such as cholesterol, blood pressure, triglyceride levels and measures of insulin sensitivity were not meaningful in differentiating between these two groups,” she said. But the study showed that adiponectin may be part of a “footprint” for heart disease risk in children. “While obesity is a known risk factor for heart disease and diabetes, we don’t know what factors determine which obese people are at greatest risk. The evidence is beginning to point to adiponectin as a key player in determining true risk,” said Hassink, who is also director of the Pediatric Weight Management Program at A.I. Dupont Hospital in Wilmington, Del. Adiponectin adheres to blood vessel walls, possibly protecting them by fighting inflammation at a cellular level.
— ANI
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Soon, a ‘Mind Viagra’
London:
A pill code-named as HT-0712 that will make forgetfulness a distant memory is being developed in the United States and could be on sale within five years. According to The Sun, the wonder drug has been nicknamed ‘Mind Viagra’, and has already been shown to boost the memory power of mice and flies and will now be tested on people. However, it is just one drug in a race by firms to develop pills designed to increase the ability of retaining memory. At least 12 American companies are believed to be working on similar projects, which means that help is in store for anyone who forgets where they put car keys or those who struggle to cram and pass exams. Professor Tim Tully, the founder of Helicon Therapeutics, is in charge of the HT-0712 project. He says, “If it takes two weeks to memorise a verse of Shakespeare, with one of these drugs you might be able to do it in two or three days.” The memory drug business looks set to become a multi-million pound industry, says the report. Nobel Prize-winner Professor Eric Kandel runs a rival firm called Memory Pharmaceuticals. He says, “I think over the next five years we should see the emergence of the first compounds that are, to use the very fancy phrase, like Viagra for the mind. They will help people function more effectively in intellectual terms as they age.” This summer 100 Americans suffering mild memory loss will test HT-0712 in the first experiment on people. Professor Tully first tried the drug on fruit flies. They learned to avoid nasty chemicals after just one encounter.
— ANI
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Aggressive cholesterol-lowering good for heart
NEW ORLEANS: How low should cholesterol go? For victims of recent heart attacks, the answer appears to be rock bottom. A major study has found that especially aggressive treatment with statin drugs, intended to drive cholesterol far below current standards, prevents new heart problems and saves lives. These drugs are already a cornerstone of cardiac care, routinely prescribed for heart attack victims. However, the new results suggest that doctors should opt for high doses of the most powerful brands to give recently discharged heart patients the best chance of survival. “It’s a lifesaving strategy and will become a huge paradigm shift in the treatment of patients with high cholesterol,” predicted Dr Steven Nissen of the Cleveland Clinic. For several years, federal guidelines have recommended bringing down heart attack patients’ levels of
LDL, the bad cholesterol, below 100. To test whether this is far enough, doctors compared two strategies, moderate doses of an older statin versus high doses of a more powerful newer one. The older drug,
Pravachol, dropped patients’ LDL by almost one-quarter to 95. But the newer one,
Lipitor, cut it in half to just 62. — AP
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Dry eye condition is one of the most common problems neglected by eye specialists. It is thought to affect approximately 60 million Americans; imagine how many Indians? A visiting eye specialist from Delhi, Dr B. Patnaik, patted himself on the back recently for reducing the level of pollution in Delhi, through the use of CNG as a fuel for vehicles and thus reducing the incidence of dry eye in the National Capital.