MedicineHealth

Admission vitamins does not reduce cardiovascular risk in women

In the randomized study shows that the addition to food with folic acid, vitamin B6 and vitamin B12 has not led to lower the risk of cardiovascular complications in women with history of cardiovascular disease, and without the proper history.

Christine Albert (Brigham and Women’s Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts, USA) conducted a study involving 5,442 women aged over 42 years old, who was a history ischemic heart disease or three or more risk factors. Women were randomized to a group receiving combination pill containing 2.5 mg of folic acid, 50 mg of vitamin B6 and 1 mg of vitamin B12 in the placebo group at 7.3 years.

For women who received vitamin experienced higher levels of reliable homocistein in plasma at 18.5%. The primary endpoint, including myocardial infarction, stroke, coronary revascularization, and cardiovascular death, was recorded at 14.9% intervention group and 14.3% control group.

The authors found that vitamin B and folic acid are not ways to prevent cardiovascular disease among this population.

Tags: cardiovascular, disease, health, stroke, Vitamins, womens health

Sleep disorders and over weight

According to recent research, which is the most ambitious in establishing a link between irregular sleep and weight, people sleep duration of less than 6 or 9-hours a day, more inclined to corpulence. The study also found that people suffering from insomnia, as a rule, little move, much more smoke and more likely, as well as large quantities of drink alcoholic beverages.

The representative of the American Medical Academy of sleep Dr. Ron Kreymr said that according to studies, people sleep duration which deviates from the norm, more likely to suffer from overweight and have other health problems. Kreymr just said that the lack of sleep, and its surplus, equally bad impact on health.

The studies are based on data obtained from a full survey of 87,000 adult Americans between 2004 and 2006 by the National Center for Health Statistics and Control Center prevention and treatment. Such studies can not give full answers and indicate the reasons caused the rejection. For example, it is not clear whether insomnia addicted to smoking or vice versa, a man runs for a cigarette from the fact that he could not sleep, said Charlotte Shoenborn, one of the leading experts who conducted the study.

Scientists also do not can explain the influence of other factors, such as depression, which may also lead to over-, smoking, insomnia and other problems.

The highest percentage of smokers was in a group of people, the duration of sleep which does not exceed six hours. The number of smokers among them was 31 percent and that revealing it had been heavy smokers, who smoked for many years.

Among men, the duration of sleep that exceeded nine hours, the number of smokers was 26 percent. On average, the number of smokers in the United States is approximately 21 per cent. Among the study participants with normal sleep, seven - eight hours, the number of smokers was 18 percent.

With regard to obesity, results were similar, though less deplorable. For example, among people sleeping less than six hours a day, the number of those whose weight exceeds the norm of about 33 per cent. Of those whose dream reached nine or more hours a day, the number suffering from excessive weight was 26 percent. Those whose son was seven - eight hours a day, was the «bad» group of all. The number of affected weight in this group was only 22 per cent.

With regard to alcohol, the most drinks were those who slept little. However, those who sleep in excess of nine hours and those whose dream match rate, the number of drink alcoholic beverages were almost identical.

In addition to the foregoing, it should be noted that almost half of the surveyed, whose son was nine hours a day or more, do not engage in any physical exercise and generally not moved that much worse than in groups with low and normal duration of sleep. Based on this we can conclude that people whose duration exceeds nine hours of sleep can have serious health problems.

The group with the lowest duration of sleep is a lot of elderly people, which could explain the low levels of physical activity. However, experts say, even the younger members of this group was not engaged in physical exercises as well as feel too tired.

Other studies have shown that the violation of sleep leads to loss of appetite, as well as increases the risk of developing high blood pressure and diabetes, said James Gangvish known sleep researcher at Columbia University (USA, New York). “We come to the conclusion that, based on these studies, experts can recommend a sufficient duration of sleep as a means of excess weight and lack entered into Gangvish who did not participate in this study.

Tags: diseases, health, Sleep disorders, weight

Low physical component of quality of life increases the risk of stroke

This cohort study EPIC-Norfolk show that people with low physical component of quality of life associated with health, increased risk of stroke.

Phyo Kyaw Myint (Addenbrooke’s University Hospital, Cambridge, UK) analyzed data on 13 615 participants in the study EPIC-Norfolk, who at the time of inclusion in the study was not a stroke, myocardial infarction and cancer history.

During the period of observation from 1993-1997 to 2005 recorded 244 stroke.

In analyzing the benchmarks of quality of life, assessed using a questionnaire SF-36 showed that improving the physical component of quality of life was accompanied by a reduction in risk of stroke by 24%. This relationship is not dependent on age. Predictor of stroke also were age, smoking and high blood pressure, a history of diabetes is not affected by the risk of stroke.

The researchers concluded that the evaluation of the quality of life associated with health (especially physical functioning) could help identify men and women with increased risk of stroke beyond traditional risk factors for which preventive interventions are most effective.

Tags: diseases, heart, stroke

Antibiotics help in multiple sclerosis

Receiving antibiotics can slow the development of multiple sclerosis - these are the preliminary results of a study conducted by the University of Louisiana. According to their data, 4-month course of doxycycline in combination with conventional therapy led to a significant reduction in the damaged sections of brain patients.

Multiple sclerosis - severe neurological disorder associated with the gradual destruction of myelin cells lining the nerve fibers patient’s immune system. Damaged fiber to transmit nerve impulses stop, resulting in symptoms - pain in the limbs, loss of coordination of traffic violations speech, total or partial loss of mobility, the possible decrease in intelligence, etc. The most common so-called multiple sclerosis, in which the worsening of the disease followed by a sufficiently long period of partial recovery of lost functions.

A study by American scientists took part 15 patients with form of multiple sclerosis. All of them have long had a beta-interferon. This stimulating the immune system of medicine is one of the few tools that can slow down the dangerous disease.

Despite treatment, all participants before the experiment, there was an increase in the frequency and duration of exacerbation of the disease. In addition, there has been rapid growth dimielinizirovannyh plots of white matter brain, which can be observed using MRI.

During four months of research participants, in addition to beta-interferonovoy therapy took 100 milligrams of antibiotic doxycycline. At the end of each month they be screened for MRI. Surveys have recorded a significant reduction in the damaged brain parts: the 9 members of their area has fallen by more than a quarter. We tested there was a partial recovery of lost functions. During the study worsening disease occurred only in one patient. Side effects of combination therapy known reactions to the drugs used.

As the authors of the study, the effectiveness of doxycycline and tetracyclines series can be attributed to their ability to block the activity of certain enzymes involved in the destruction of myelin lining of nerve cells. Another important advantage of doxycycline is the relative cheapness of the drug.

Tags: Antibiotics, diseases, drugs, Medicine

Emotional vitality reduces the risk of developing cardiovascular disease

For those with high levels of emotional vitality of the likelihood of the development of coronary artery disease lower than those with low levels of emotional resilience.

Emotional vitality, which includes a full sense of energy, safe and effective emotional regulation, is considered an indicator of good mental health.

Laura Kubzansky (Harvard School of Public Health, Boston, Massachusetts, USA) colleagues decided to examine whether emotional vitality reduce the risk of CHD.

The authors analyzed data NHANES study in which 6265 people aged 25 to 74 years without CHD initially completed a special questionnaire GWS. The average emotional vitality of 24.79. Depending on the indicator, patients were divided into three groups: the low, middle and high level of vitality. During the monitoring period, an average of 15 years from 1141 the patient developed ischemic heart disease.

After correcting the data, depending on age, sex, other risk factors and others proved that people with high risk of developing the viability of IBS was lower than that of those with low levels (relative risk 0.81, p = 0006).

Each of the three components of emotional vitality - energy, welfare and emotional self-control, but only a generalized indicator of the emotional vitality of providing reliable effect on the risk of cardiovascular disease.

Tags: cardiovascular, disease, Emotional, health, heart, Medicine

Deep electrical stimulation of the brain can give hope to patients in a state of minimal consciousness, reported BBC.

This conclusion was made on the basis of an experiment involving 38 - year old man, who was in such a position within six years after severe craniocerebral injury in the attack looters. Now the patient is able to communicate independently and have to drink, watch movies and perform some other action.

As was attended by specialists from Weil Cornell Medical College in New York and the Center for head injuries Rehabilitation Institute Kennedy and Jones in Edison, New Jersey. Operation of an electrode implanted held Ali Rezai, director of clinical Cleveland neurologic rehabilitation center, a study led by Nicholas Schiff, associate professor of neurology and neural sciences college Weil Cornell. The results of the work published in the journal Nature.

The method of electrical stimulation of brain structures previously used to reduce tremor in patients with parkinsonism. When the state of minimal consciousness, he was tested for the first time. The essence of the method is that biologically inert electrode with millimetre accuracy is placed in a certain area of the brain (in this case - in thalamus). After that it filed graduated from the electrical impulses batteries, implanted under the skin chest. Thanks to this activity is supported by electric desired brain structure.

Before the experiment, a patient could only occasionally commit minor traffic eyes and fingers and spontaneously make a “yes” and “no”. His fed through gastric probe, and relatives. Communicate with patients in this period was impossible.

After researchers implanted electrodes in the half to hold periodic stimulation thalamus - multi-field brain responsible for the level of consciousness, sleep and activity, for redistribution and primary processing of sensory information (except the olfactory system) and some motor functions.

After 48 hours of the start of stimulation patient was able to keep their eyes open, rotate the head and pronounce words. Now he is in a position independently and drink, communicate with relatives (though still operates only sixteen words), watch television and even playing cards. Unfortunately, given the movement of patients with difficult and he could hardly walk because of muscular atrophy as a result of prolonged immobilization.

Scientists conducting the study, and the independent expert Paul Matthews, professor of Imperial College London, believe that such results can radically change the approach to patients in a state of minimal consciousness. Currently, they do not receive active therapy: treatment just to maintain vital functions.

However, researchers stress, electrical stimulation method does not apply to all patients - is a prerequisite for adequate preservation of various divisions of the brain.

There are more sceptical view. Thus, Professor Tipu Aziz, an expert on neurosurgery from Oxford University, notes that in some cases, patients spontaneously recovering after a prolonged stay in such a position, and a single case is not enough for confident conclusions.

In the opinion of all scientists, further studies are required to obtain statistically reliable data and determine the group of patients, which may apply electrostimulation brain. The Office for the Control of the U.S. Food and Drug (FDA) has approved continued research for another 12 patients in a state of minimal consciousness.

Tags: brain, health, trauma

Cheap method of detecting cervical cancer using vinegar, cotton gauze and bright light can save millions of women worldwide, the experts say.

The study of this method will be published on Friday, August 3, solid in the medical journal Lancet.

Scientists from the International Agency for Research on Cancer in France, together with their counterparts from Tamil Nadu in India say that visual screening test to detect early signs of cervical cancer will allow a quarter to reduce the number of diseases.

“This landmark study” - said Dr. Harshad Sanghvi, medical director of JHPIEGO, branch of Johns Hopkins University, which deals with prevention of cervical cancer in poor countries. Sanghvi does not connected with the research, which tells Lancet.

Cervical cancer is preventable in principle, if in time to take action. Nevertheless, from the disease each year 250,000 women die, that is, it is the second most common cancer among women after breast cancer. Almost 80% of women are dying from it in developing countries.

Standard and very simple test can make a specially trained nurse or health worker. For this spatula open uterus, and Sea-neck with the help of vinegar and gauze. After a minute of any malignant education becomes a white, and under the halogen lamp in sight of his naked eye.

Of course, the test is not perfect. He creates a lot of false alarms, so medical workers, his conducting, must be well prepared. In addition, such checks can not be held in the period after menopause a woman or those who have more than two or three children because the symptoms of cancer development entities in the cervix among these women do not usually visible.

But other analyses, such as the taking of stroke, or tracing the development of papillomas, which can cause cervical cancer, too expensive for mass use in poor countries. “Within the limits of our capabilities - visual inspection” - notes in this regard, Dr. Sanghvi. — Visual inspection would not have dramatic consequences, as complex tests, but by 70% reduces the cost of early detection of carcinogenic entities. ”

In many countries already are working on the creation of more low-cost diagnostics and vaccines for treating cervical cancer. Currently, such a dose of vaccine worth about 360 dollars. Along with the strengthening of control, doctors believed that the day when cervical cancer ceases to be a serious problem for health.

Tags: cancer, diagnose, disease

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