Tag: #Medicalintruments

Colorectal cancer patients can benefit from surveillance with chest imaging

Post author By Pragya sharma
Post date October 18, 2022
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Despite improved survival rates, colorectal cancer is the third leading cause of cancer-related deaths in the United States. Though rates of colorectal cancer have declined among people 65 and older, largely thanks to increased screening efforts, rates among younger adults are rising.

According to new research presented at the Scientific Forum of the American College of Surgeons (ACS) Clinical Congress 2022, colorectal cancer patients with certain clinical characteristics may benefit from more frequent chest imaging to help identify and target cancer that has spread to the lungs.

These findings have the potential to improve long-term outcomes of patients with metastatic colorectal cancer.

Despite improved survival rates, colorectal cancer is the third leading cause of cancer-related deaths in the United States. Though rates of colorectal cancer have declined among people 65 and older, largely thanks to increased screening efforts, rates among younger adults are rising. 2 When the cancer is caught early, many patients can remain disease-free for the rest of their lives after surgical treatment, but colorectal cancer can spread (metastasize) in up to 50 per cent of patients.

One of the most common areas colorectal cancer spreads to is the lungs, affecting up to 18 per cent of patients with colorectal cancer.4 Detecting cancerous nodules in the lung early provides patients with the best outcomes, but there are no evidence-based standards for when and how often to screen colorectal cancer patients with chest CT or PET scans.

“After patients are diagnosed with colorectal cancer, many of them want to better understand what their cancer diagnosis entails in terms of their surveillance and survivorship for the rest of their life, but we currently lack data and uniform guidelines to support how often these patients should be screened with chest imaging,” said co-author Mara Antonoff, MD, FACS, associate professor, thoracic and cardiovascular surgery, UT MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, where she also serves as program director of education.

Anderson added, “With this study, we sought to develop a strategy that is evidence-based to determine how frequently, at what intervals, and for how long patients at risk of developing lung metastases should undergo imaging of their chest.”

Dr. Antonoff specializes in thoracic surgical oncology and has a clinical interest in colorectal cancer that has spread to the lungs. She is leading a multi-institutional study, under the umbrella of the American Association for Thoracic Surgery (AATS) Thoracic Surgery Oncology Group (TSOG) (TSOG 103), on developing optimal treatment strategies for colorectal cancer patients whose cancer spread is limited to the lungs.

To identify which colorectal cancer patients may benefit from early chest imaging and at what time intervals, Dr. Antonoff and an interdisciplinary team of researchers at MD Anderson – including cardiothoracic surgeons, colorectal cancer surgeons, and gastrointestinal oncologists – collaborated on this research project to investigate evidence-based surveillance guidelines for colorectal patients who are at risk of developing lung metastases.

World Heart Day 2022: Simple habits to keep your heart healthy

Post author By Pragya sharma
Post date September 29, 2022
No Comments on World Heart Day 2022: Simple habits to keep your heart healthy

“Indians and Southeast Asians are at a higher risk of contracting a heart condition than their Western counterparts,” said Dr Prashant Pawar, consultant cardiologist.

Actor-comedian Raju Srivastava’s death, after being hospitalised for over 40 days, has once again highlighted the high fatality rate caused by heart diseases. Across the world, cardiovascular diseases (CVDs) are one of the leading causes of mortality. An estimated 17.9 million people perished due to CVDs in 2019, contributing to 32 per cent of deaths globally. Out of all the people who died from CVD, 85 per cent suffered a stroke and heart attack. Further, a quarter of these CVD deaths occur in low and middle-income countries, according to the World Health Organization.

Keeping these statistics in mind, experts stress on the enormous need for awareness about the prevention of heart disease. As such, World Heart Day is an incredible platform to spread awareness about how people can prevent cardiac issues and reduce the burden caused by this condition, said Dr Prashant Pawar, consultant cardiologist, Fortis Hospital Vashi. “Since the heart is crucial to a person’s survival, it is important to keep it healthy with a well-balanced diet, adequate sleep, and stress busters like meditation and yoga coupled with daily physical exercise while avoiding things like smoking and alcohol that can damage its arteries,” said Dr Pawar.

Lack of physical activities

According to National Center for Chronic Disease Prevention and Health, a lack of physical activity can increase the risk of cardiac issues, even if a person does not have any other risk factors. Besides cardiac problems, being sedentary can also increase the likelihood of several other chronic diseases like obesity, high blood pressure, high blood cholesterol, and type 2 diabetes.

Timely treatment is essential

Coronary arteries are only about 3-4 mm in diameter. Over time, a person consuming too many processed foods, including fatty and greasy items, can cause extreme damage to them. Additionally, if any significant heart artery is blocked for more than 30 minutes, it can impact the muscles in the heart, leading to a severe medical condition. This is a sign of a heart attack or cardiac issues; if a person suffers from it, they require immediate medical attention. In such a scenario, a common symptom is chest pain that must be brought to a doctor’s attention immediately.

The risk of blood pressure increases with age

Dr Pawar mentioned that in people above the age of 80, there is a 60 per cent chance of them having high blood pressure. This is mainly because as we get older, the arteries in our body get stiffer, affecting the blood pressure level. This can be true even for people with heart-healthy habits. Hence, the vulnerable population must monitor blood pressure regularly. A recent nationwide survey by ICMR has shown that 28 per cent of adults in India have hypertension, and nearly 77 per cent are undiagnosed, leading to a high burden of hypertension in the country.

The prevalence of coronary heart disease has increased in India

“Indians and Southeast Asians are at a higher risk of contracting a heart condition than their Western counterparts. This is evident in the prevalence of heart-related diseases that have substantially increased in rural and urban India over the past several decades. The rate of coronary incidences has risen from 1.6 per cent to 7.4 per cent in rural people and from 1 per cent to 13.2 per cent in urban populations. In 2021 there was a six-fold rise in cases related to cardiac issues in Mumbai,” Dr Pawar said.

Today, this condition claims as many lives each year as cancer, chronic lung diseases, accidents and diabetes combined. Some simple habits that can help you prevent a heart attack include the following

*Focus on a diet rich in fibre, high protein, and low fat.
*Have a hearty breakfast that keeps you full for the day. Your lunch and dinner should be smaller in comparison.
*Be physically active for at least 30 minutes daily, at least five days a week.
*Use the staircase whenever possible and avoid lifts. Alternatively, it would help if you also chose to walk small distances instead of using vehicles.
*Get adequate sound sleep for at least eight hours a day.
*Quit smoking and reduce alcohol consumption as far as possible.
*Practice stress busters like meditation, yoga, and breathing tactics.

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Tags #Healthy, #Medical, #Medicalcare, #Medicalintruments, #Medicalproducts, Corona Updates, health and medicine, health news, healthcare, medical updates

Medical Updates Medicine & Health

Can knee osteoarthritis be treated without surgery?

Post author By Pragya sharma
Post date September 27, 2022
1 Comment on Can knee osteoarthritis be treated without surgery?

Knee osteoarthritis or knee joint pain is a non-inflammatory, degenerative joint disease that causes progressive loss of articular cartilage. “Cartilage is a strong, flexible tissue that helps avoids injury by preventing the bones from rubbing against one another,” said Dr Vivek Loomba, Consultant Pain Physician at the Indian Spinal Injuries Centre, New Delhi, adding that as the cartilage degrades and the bones rub against one another, it may lead to knee osteoarthritis. “It is one of the most common reasons for knee pain and disability in older adults,” he told.

Who is at risk?

Osteoarthritis of the knee is more common in “women than in males”. “Some other factors that can contribute to the condition of the knee include advanced age, being overweight or obese, previous knee injuries or surgery, and certain jobs that require constant knee bending,” he shared.

Symptoms

The primary symptom of knee osteoarthritis is pain. In addition to pain, patients may have swelling, knee stiffness, function-limiting knee discomfort, loss of flexibility, pain while resting or at night, cracking or grinding noise while moving their knee, and impact on walking distances.

How is osteoarthritis of the knee diagnosed?

In addition to a complete medical history and physical examination, the patients may require further tests like:
*Blood tests
*X- Ray
*Arthrocentesis: A clinical procedure that is performed using a sterile needle, to obtain synovial fluid to determine the cause of arthritis.
*Arthroscopy: A surgical method where a camera is inserted into the afflicted joint to obtain visual data of the deterioration caused to the joint because of OA
MRI (magnetic resonance imaging)

According to Dr Loomba, “Knee osteoarthritis develops slowly over years, interfering with daily activities and the ability to work. So, efforts should be made to stop the condition from getting worse by seeking early treatment.”

Can it be managed without surgery?

Most people suffering from knee osteoarthritis fear that they might have to undergo surgery to get relief from the pain and discomfort. However, there are several pain management options that can help in relieving the pain. As per Dr Loomba, various strategies for management of the condition include:

Non pharmacological

Exercise like walking, cycling, isometric and isotonic knee exercises.
Weight Reduction: Even a slight decrease in weight, by 2-5 kg, will help in decreasing the pain and degeneration of the knee joint.
Aquatic (water based) therapies.

pharmacological

Medications like acetaminophen, NSAIDS like ibuprofen or etoshine, local NSAIDS like Volini gel are used as first line management.
If the pain persists, weak opioids like tramadol (ultracet) can be prescribed.
In severe cases, stronger opioids like morphine can be added to the treatment regimen.

Intra Articular knee joint injections – This includes corticosteroid and/or hyaluronidase injections administered into the knee joint. The corticosteroid helps in decreasing inflammation while hyaluronidase provides lubrication.

Radiofrequency ablation: The radiofrequency ablation of the nerves supplying the knee joint is reserved for refractory cases, and may provide pain relief for up to 1 year. This procedure may serve as a boon for patients who are unfit or do not want to undergo knee replacement surgery.

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Tags #Healthy, #Medical, #Medicalcare, #Medicalintruments, #osteoarthritis, health and medicine, health news

Government Guidelines Medical Updates Medicine & Health

New India prepared to deal with any threat in healthcare sector: Health Minister Mansukh Mandaviya

Post author By Pragya sharma
Post date September 26, 2022
No Comments on New India prepared to deal with any threat in healthcare sector: Health Minister Mansukh Mandaviya

Synopsis

The difference has been made by the proactive planning of the prime minister, he said, adding health infrastructure is being propagated across the country via the PPP model with a microcosm of public hospitals mushrooming along with private medical colleges.

Union Health Minister Mansukh Mandaviya on Friday underlined the need for de-politicising the discussions on health policy and infrastructure and adopting a more holistic approach across the whole spectrum of the populace. He also asserted that a new India is prepared to deal with any threat in the healthcare sector.

“A healthy India will be a wealthy India,” Mandaviya said speaking at the Public Affairs Forum of India’s (PAFI) 9th Annual Forum 2022.

He said the new India under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi is an empowered nation and is well prepared to face any crisis.

The difference has been made by the proactive planning of the prime minister, he said, adding health infrastructure is being propagated across the country via the PPP model with a microcosm of public hospitals mushrooming along with private medical colleges.

Mandaviya said 22 AIIMS have been planned across the country to improve the tertiary level of health infrastructure.

Elaborating on the country’s management of COVID-19, he said the government had started efforts to understand the virus much before it came to India, and accordingly planned and prepared beforehand to face the pandemic.

Talking about why health infrastructure to GDP ratio is declining in India, Mandaviya said, “Every country has its own model specific to its people. In India, healthcare expenditure is lower as compared to other nations. Still, the Government is very much concerned about the health of its people and has assigned a budget of Rs 100 crore for each district to implement the Ayushman Bharat Scheme in the next five years.”

Giving the details of the PPP model in healthcare, Mandaviya said the government is following a holistic approach in planning and building healthcare models for the country.

He said the government is following two models for healthcare.

While under one it has launched the Nishchay Mitra scheme for the eradication of TB from India by 2025 and asked people to adopt nine lakh TB patients, under the second PPP arrangement, the Ayushman Bharat Scheme has been extended to 24,000 plus private hospitals, enabling business to private hospitals and ensuring healthcare for all.
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Tags #Healthy, #Medical, #Medical care, #Medicalintruments, #Union Health Minister, COVID-19, health and medicine, health news

COVID-19 Medical Equipments Medicine & Health

Novel test can identify patients at risk of severe COVID-19

Post author By Pragya sharma
Post date September 24, 2022
2 Comments on Novel test can identify patients at risk of severe COVID-19

The test proved over 90 per cent accurate at predicting patient outcomes for COVID-19 among over two dozen patients in intensive care and 100 patients from publicly available data, the researchers said.

Scientists in the US have developed a new genomic test that can predict a patient’s risk of developing severe COVID-19, an advance that could help doctors quickly begin tailored treatment. The test proved over 90 per cent accurate at predicting patient outcomes for COVID-19 among over two dozen patients in intensive care and 100 patients from publicly available data, the researchers said.

The test, called CovGENE, analyses genes expressed in a person’s blood to determine whether they may experience a severe disease course with increased risk of death, they said. “We have come far in the prevention and treatment of COVID-19 in the past two years. Regardless, we still struggle to identify patients at highest risk for severe disease,” said Alexandra Kadl, from the University of Virginia, US.

“Our study uses a gene-analysis approach to identify an immune cell signature, distinct from other respiratory illnesses, that correlates with worse outcomes,” Kadl said in a statement. The approach, described recently in the journal Frontiers in Immunology, has the potential to help evaluate patients’ immune profile with commonly, readily available tests to identify patients at risk for bad outcomes.

Such patients would benefit from closer monitoring and advanced therapies to aid their recovery, the researchers said. Immune profiling helps to understand why one person may differ from another in their immune response to a virus, looking specifically at the immune markers (proteins) and cells present over time. This analysis can help determine the likelihood of disease, individual response to a virus and the impact of vaccinations. CovGENE’s developer, AMPEL Biosolutions, is seeking to partner with a diagnostic testing company or pharmaceutical company to bring the approach to market as a simple PCR-based blood test.

“This unique collaboration with our colleagues from the University of Virginia has provided an easy and novel means to assess an individual patient’s response to the SARS-CoV-2 virus and predict the clinical outcome,” said Peter Lipsky, AMPEL’s CEO, chief medical officer and co-founder. “Now that this unique approach has been validated, we look forward to its rapid development as a precision-medicine tool that can improve the outcome of patients with COVID-19 and reduce the number of hospitalisations, especially the most vulnerable,” Lipsky added.