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Diabetics: Be more careful about heart
How to treat sudden backache
Recent advances in hair restoration
Health Notes Stroke can be prevented
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Diabetics: Be more careful about heart
Painless/silent heart disease in persons with diabetes: In nearly 40 per cent of the cases, heart attacks in diabetics are painless without angina (pain) due to which early detection becomes imperative. Serious cardiovascular disease can begin even before the age of 30 in persons with diabetes. What causes heart disease in persons with diabetes? Persons with diabetes often have changes in the blood vessels that can lead to cardiovascular disease. In persons with diabetes, the linings of the blood vessels may become thicker, making it more difficult for blood to flow through the vessels. When blood flow is impaired, heart problems or stroke can occur. Blood vessels can also suffer damage elsewhere in the body due to diabetes. What is metabolic syndrome? The metabolic syndrome is a precursor to both diabetes and heart diseases and is characterised by a group of metabolic risk factors in one person. People with the metabolic syndrome are at an increased risk of coronary heart disease and other diseases related to the plaque buildup in artery walls (e.g. stroke and peripheral vascular disease). According to the AHA, the risk factors for metabolic syndrome include: 1. Abdominal obesity 2. Blood fat disorders that foster plaque buildup in artery walls (High Triglycerides > 150 and low HDL < 40mg/dl ) 3. Insulin resistance or glucose intolerance 4. Raised blood pressure (130/85 mmHg or higher) 5. Elevated high-sensitivity C-reactive protein in the blood 6. High fibrinogen or plasminogen activator inhibitor in the blood The underlying causes of this syndrome are overweight or obesity, physical inactivity and genetic factors. It has become increasingly common affecting about 40-50 per cent US and Indian adults. The syndrome is closely associated with a generalised metabolic disorder called insulin resistance, in which the body can’t use insulin efficiently What are the symptoms of heart disease? The following are the most common symptoms of heart disease. However, each individual may experience symptoms differently. Symptoms may include:
The gold standard test for confirming and delineating the extent of coronary artery disease is catheter angiography. However, the recently developed non-invasive technique of CT coronary angiography (without catheter) is becoming popular in detecting coronary artery disease. Renal dysfunction should be excluded prior to both the above mentioned tests. In the presence of pre-existing renal disease, stress thallium, CT calcium scoring and stress ECHO will be appropriate. The symptoms of heart disease may resemble other medical conditions or problems. Always consult your physician for a diagnosis.
Prevention and treatment of heart disease in persons with diabetes
Even when taking proper care of yourself, heart disease may still occur. Specific treatment for heart disease will be determined by your physician based on your age, overall health and medical history, extent of the disease; drop in blood pressure, your tolerance for specific medications, procedures or therapies, expectations for the course of the disease and your opinion or preference. When risk factors are eliminated (or reduced) in a person with diabetes, the risk for heart disease may be reduced. Taking care and controlling your blood sugar can often slowdown or prevent the onset of complications. Other preventive treatment measures may include: The writer is Senior Consultant, Endocrinology, Fortis Hospital,
Mohali.
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How to treat sudden backache The onset of back pain is frequently initiated by sudden forward bending. The usual cause is weak back or abdomen muscles, poor/incorrect posture, improper training methods, etc. As the lumbar region is the most flexible segment in the spine, it is here that the maximum range of motion happens. It is also the site of frequent damage and pain. Back muscles, when torn or strained, cause agonising pain which could last several days or weeks. In acute cases, the muscles, ligaments and tendons are damaged while serious accidents could lead to fractures of the vertebra in the lumbar spine. Forward bending results in soft tissue injuries whereas extension (backward bending) more often results in injuries to the bones. In sports like cricket (fast bowlers), golf, tennis, gymnastics, etc, overuse or repetitive movements can cause stress fractures of the vertebra. Symptoms
Treatment Conservative treatment in the form of pain medication. Ice and/or heat application. Lumbar support, which provides rest to the muscles and ligaments thereby alleviates acute back pain. After some time support can be restricted to situations like travelling and jogging. Electrotherapies like short-wave diathermy, ultrasound massage, etc. Low back pain responds very well to mobilisation. In the case of individuals suffering from severe back pain with inability to walk, it is advisable to give intermittent rest. Hard manual work and lifting heavy weights should be avoided as they aggravate pain. The following postures reduce back pain: Lying on the back with bent knees supported by large pillows. Lying on the side with a pillow between the knees. Placing a small pillow to support low back while sitting. Exercises Strengthening the abdominal and spine muscles helps prevent back problems, maintain a good posture and erect spine. Pelvic tilt: Lying on the back with bent knees and feet flat on the floor, tightening abdominal muscles and pushing lower back into the floor. Holding for five seconds and relaxing. Repeating this10 times. Both knees to chest: Lying on the back with bent knees, pull both knees towards the chest. Holding for a count of 10 and returning to the starting position. Repeat 10 times. Hamstring stretch: Lying on the back, raising one leg at about 90 degree and pulling it holding the thigh. Feeling a stretch on the back of the thigh and holding it for a count of 15. Repeat three times. Back stretch: Starting on hands and knees like a four-legged animal. Moving back on the heels and stretching arms in front as far as possible. Repeat this 10 times. Precautions
Acute back pain may lead to disability if muscle spasm and inflammation are not controlled immediately. The writer runs a pain management clinic in Chandigarh.
E-mail-chadha_r2003@yahoo.co.in
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Recent advances in hair restoration Follicular unit transplantation is a technique that has revolutionised modern hair restoration surgery. It has given hair transplant surgeons the ability to restore a person’s hair in just one or two sessions and to produce results that appear completely natural. The idea of follicular unit transplantation (FUT) is simple. Since hair grows in small groups of 1-4 hairs per group, in FUT hair is transplanted exactly in this manner. Follicular unit extraction (FUE) is a method of obtaining donor hair, where individual follicular units are harvested directly from the donor area, obviating the need for a linear incision. In this procedure, a small punch is used to make a small circular incision in the skin around the follicular unit, which is then extracted directly from the scars. The reason for developing FUE was to eliminate the linear scar that resulted from strip harvesting. FUE is mainly considered in those who want to wear their hair very short on the back and sides, or in patients who want to shave their heads — generally, the desire of younger patients. There is a misconception that FUE is a scar-less procedure. The fact is that FUE produces more scarring. Though the individual scars are tiny, they are distributed over a very large area. In most cases of FUE, a person cannot shave his head, as the small round white scars would be visible. Follicular unit extraction makes it possible to harvest non-scalp hair — from the beard or nape of the neck — but this hair is not a good match for scalp hair and offers only marginal cosmetic benefit. In addiction, the fine white scars on the body that remain from FUE can be a problem in itself. The main disadvantage of FUE is that it is less efficient in harvesting hair from the mid-portion of the permanent zone and that it causes more damage to the follicular unit that are removed. Another important limitation of FUE is that in this procedure, the grafts are more fragile since they do not have as much protective tissue around them as the microscopically dissected grafts of FUT. Therefore, the grafts of FUE are more subject to drying, warming and mechanical trauma during the hair transplant process, thus decreasing the final yield. As in FUE the grafts are extracted one at a time from the donor area, the output per session becomes limited. As a consequence, FUE often requires multiple sessions to equal the size of a single FUT procedure, and the entire restoration takes much longer to complete.
Advantages of follicular unit transplantation
The greatest advantage of FUT is the naturalness of the final cosmetic result. The tufting seen with plugs and multi-follicular unit grafts does not occur with follicular unit grafts. Grafts may be placed among pre-existing hair in zones of thinning without the loss of such pre-existing hair in most cases. If such pre-existing hair should partially shed due to the procedure, in most instances it will regrow synchronously with the newly placed grafts. Healing of both donor and recipient areas is rapid. Scarring of cosmetic significance in uncommon in both donor and recipient areas if known surgical principles are followed. The most important of these principles is donor closure without significant tension. Follicular unit transplantation has greatly increased the number of candidates for transplantation because of its careful use of the donor area. Rarely is the donor area depleted before the recipient area is completed to realistic expectations established before the outset. Scars involving the scalp, beard and moustaches are acceptable for grafting, and the rate of graft survival in such scars is high. The writer is Chief Dermatologist, Mohan Dai Oswal Cancer Treatment & Research Foundation,
Ludhiana.
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Health Notes Washington: Smoking ban has resulted in a 27 percent decrease in heart attacks in the city of Starkville in United States, reveals a new study. Researchers, led by Robert McMillen and Dr. Robert Collins, have also recommended a statewide public ban on smoking. The study-that focussed on Starkville residents in the three-year span after the ban became law, compared to three years prior- showed fewer heart attacks being treated at the Oktibbeha County Hospital.
— ANI
A handful of nuts a day can keep heart healthy
Washington: A daily dose of nuts-walnuts, almonds, pistachios- can make up for a heart-healthy diet, according to Mayo Clinic researchers. Most nuts contain some nutrients that can benefit heart health and help with cholesterol control. They include unsaturated fats, omega-3 fatty acids, fiber, 1-arginine and plant sterols. Nuts have been shown to reduce low-density lipoproteins (LDL, or “bad” cholesterol) levels in the blood. Eating nuts also can reduce the risk of developing blood clots and improve the health of the lining of the arteries.
— ANI
Mouth can indicate body's health
Washington: The mouth or oral cavity area is an excellent indicator of the whole body’s health, says a University of Maryland Dental School professor. Professor Li Mao insists surface tissues inside the cheek could be checked to detect tobacco-induced damage in the lungsc This could prove to be an important advancement in designing future lung cancer prevention trials. “We hypothesized that tobacco-induced molecular alterations in the oral epithelium are similar to those in the lungs,” said Mao.
— ANI
Pregnancy depression
Melbourne: Most people in Australia think depression is a normal part and parcel of motherhood, researchers have pointed out. Experts at the country’s depression initiative beyondblue quizzed 733 men and women and found that more than half believe it was usual for women to suffer depression during pregnancy. The survey further discovered that one quarter of respondents thought postnatal depression did not require treatment and would disappear on its own, reports The Daily Telegraph. Beyondblue deputy chief executive and psychologist Nicole Highet revealed that the fact that most people regard depression as a normal part of pregnancy was worrying. She said: "Maybe people are confusing the baby blues, which is quite normal and it does pass on its own, with depression, which is certainly not normal and it's something that needs to be picked up as soon as possible."
— ANI
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Stroke can be prevented
London: Experts have urged people to check their pulse for atrial fibrillation, a condition that might cause stroke. Atrial fibrillation is characterised by an abnormal heart rhythm. A survey involving over 2000 people showed that while 57 per cent of the respondents were far more likely to check their passport expiry date, only 32 per cent checked their pulse.
— ANI |
Heart diseases often go hand-in-hand with diabetes. In fact, Persons with diabetes are at a much greater risk for heart attacks, strokes and high blood pressure. Unfortunately, many of the cardiovascular problems can go undetected and can start early in life.