Go for Sauna reduce risk of cardiac Arrest

Men who regularly visit saunas may live longer and are less likely to die of sudden heart attacks than those who do not, a new Finnish study claims.

The study suggests men who engaged in frequent sauna use had reduced risks of fatal cardiovascular events and all-cause mortality, researchers said.

Although some studies have found sauna bathing to be associated with better cardiovascular and circulatory function, the association between regular sauna bathing and risk of sudden cardiac death (SCD) and fatal cardiovascular diseases (CVD) was not known.

The study was conducted on a group of middle aged men from eastern Finland.

Finland is the sauna capital of the world, both because it was invented there and because it thrives as an integrated part of the Finnish lifestyle.

Jari A Laukkanen of the University of Eastern Finland and coauthors investigated the association between sauna bathing and the risk of SCD, fatal coronary heart disease (CHD), fatal CVD and all-cause mortality in a group of 2,315 middle-agedmen (42 to 60 years old).

Results show that during a median (midpoint) follow-up of nearly 21 years, there were 190 SCDs, 281 fatal CHDs, 407 fatal CVDs and 929 deaths from all causes.

Compared with men who reported one sauna bathing session per week, the risk of SCD was 22 percent lower for 2 to 3 sauna bathing sessions per week and 63 percent lower for 4 to 7 sauna sessions per week.

The risk of fatal CHD events was 23 percent lower for 2 to 3 bathing sessions per week and 48 percent lower for 4 to 7 sauna sessions per week compared to once a week.

CVD death also was 27 per cent lower for men who took saunas 2 to 3 times a week and 50 percent lower for men who were in the sauna 4 to 7 times a week compared with men who indulged just once per week.

For all-cause mortality, sauna bathing 2 to 3 times per week was associated with a 24 percent lower risk and 4 to 7 times per week with a 40 percent reduction in risk compared to only one sauna session per week.

The amount of time spent in the sauna seemed to matter too. Compared with men who spent less than 11 minutes in the sauna, the risk of SCD was 7 per cent lower for sauna sessions of 11 to 19 minutes and 52 percent less for sessions lasting more than 19 minutes.

Similar associations were seen for fatal CHDs and fatal CVDs but not for all-cause mortality events.

"Further studies are warranted to establish the potential mechanism that links sauna bathing and cardiovascular health," the study concludes.

New compound may treat HIV, drug-resistant TB

WASHINGTON: Researchers, including one of Indian-origin, have developed a new molecule that may treat multi-drug resistant tuberculosis and even HIV infection. 

While standard anti-TB drugs can cure most people of Mycobacterium tuberculosis infection, improper use of antibiotics has led to new strains of the bacterium resistant to the two most powerful medications, isoniazid and rifampicin. 

"Multi-drug resistant TB is spreading rapidly in many parts of the world," said Vasu Nair, Georgia Research Alliance Eminent Scholar in Drug Discovery in the University of Georgia College of Pharmacy. 

"There is a tremendous need for new therapies, and we think our laboratory has developed a strong candidate that disrupts fundamental steps in the bacterium's reproduction process," said Nair, lead author of the study in the journal Bioorganic and Medicinal Chemistry Letters. 

Just like other living organisms, the genetic information contained in M tuberculosis undergoes a complex process known as transcription in which the bacterial enzyme, DNA-dependent RNA polymerase, or RNAP, produces TB RNA. 

This molecule is involved in processes that produce critical bacterial proteins that the organism needs to survive. 

The compound Nair and his colleagues developed works by binding to magnesium and specific amino acids found within the bacterium, interrupting the production of RNA. 

"The compound we developed strongly inhibits the growth of the bacterium and renders it incapable of reproducing and spreading infection," Nair said. 

"More importantly, the compound shows very low levels of cytotoxicity, which means that it is not harmful to the body," he said. 

The research team members also performed studies to determine if their newly developed compound had an appropriately long half-life and could be cleared from the body through normal biochemical mechanisms. 

"All our tests were very favourable. The half-life is a little over 14 hours, and all traces of the drug are expected to be cleared through normal bodily functions," Nair said. 

Nair and his colleagues said they were surprised to discover through preliminary experiments that the compound also exhibited strong anti-HIV properties, opening the door for dual therapeutic applications. 

The risk for developing TB is between 26 and 31 times greater in people living with HIV than those without HIV infection, according to the World Health Organization (WHO). 

"This discovery of dual activity against both retroviruses and drug-resistant gram-positive bacteria is unique and opens a new chapter in drug discovery in this area," Nair said. 

Swine flu in J&K: H95 masks sold at Rs 350, public outraged

In the wake of increase in the demand of N95 masks following the spread of the H1N1 virus in Jammu and Kashmir, various chemists across the state have reportedly been selling the masks at exorbitant price. 

‘The administration seems to be sleeping while the common people are being fleeced. A simple N95 mask whose cost is below Rs 100 per piece is being sold between Rs 300 to 500 per piece’ a doctor at the Government medical college hospital said, requesting anonymity.
He alleged that several chemists across Jammu city have stocked the masks and created a virtual scarcity, and selling at exorbitant rates.
‘The chemist first said that they don’t have the mask, then he told me that he has one piece left and sold the same to me at Rs 350, I had to but it for my wife who is scared to go to her office fearing the disease,’ said Vikram Mehta, a resident of Gandhi Nagar locality. 

The health authorities in Jammu said they too have received complaints that several chemists were selling the masks at exorbitant price.
‘We too have received reports of the black-marketing of the masks by many chemists, we have requested the department of food and drug control to conduct raids on the accused chemists,’ Baljeet Pathania, Director Health Service Jammu said.

46 lakh people to be screened for diabetes

BHUBANESWAR: Amid growing concern over increasing incidence of diabetes, the state government has decided to screen around 46 lakh people in 10 districts this year. These are Cuttack, Puri, Ganjam, Khurda, Sambalpur, Rayagada, Mayurbhanj, Kalahandi, Sundargarh and Angul. 

Health minister Atanu Sabyasachi Nayak said people above 30 years will be screened in 10 districts. Besides, all pregnant women, tuberculosis patients and HIV positive individuals irrespective of age will also be examined for diabetes, as chances of the disease among them is higher, he said. Odisha doesn't have any comprehensive data on the prevalence of diabetic population. 

Nayak said the screening would be part of the central-sponsored National Programme for Prevention and Control of Cancer, Diabetes, Cardiovascular diseases and Stroke (NPCDCS) in these districts. "Those identified with diabetes will be treated for free," he said. 

During a pilot project in five districts of Nabarangpur, Malkangiri, Balangir, Nuapada and Koraput, the government screened 29 lakh people above 30 years age group in 2013-14. About 6% to 7% of them were found to be diabetic. 

According to a 1990 study in coastal Odisha, prevalence of was 0.8%. At the current 7%, it has gone up by 700 times in 20 years. Health workers and paramedical staff would be trained in using glucometers and glucostrips for screening at the sub-centres of district headquarter hospitals, the minister said. 

Diabetes has been emerging as a major public health problem. "Going by prevalence in the five surveyed districts, we apprehend over 3 lakh diabetes cases would be detected during the upcoming screening programme in the 10 districts," said state nodal officer, NPCDCS P K B Patnaik. 

The main reason for increasing incidence of diabetes in rural areas of the state may be attributed to the transition of people from being very poor to relatively well off with assured meals, said noted diabetologist Alok Kanungo. "When an underfed belly starts getting daily meals, s/he has chances of diabetes," Kanungo said, adding for urban areas the causes are sedentary lifestyle. 

Director, Regional Medical Research Centre Santanu Kar said only a statewide survey would reveal the exact disease burden though it appears it has being emerging as a big cause of mortality and morbidity.

Cigarettes kill two in every three smokers: Study

MELBOURNE: Up to two in every three smokers would die from their habit if they continue to smoke, warns a large Australian study of more than 2,00,000 people. Compared with non-smokers, smoking 10 cigarettes a day doubles the risk of dying and smoking one pack a day increases the risk four to five-fold, the findings showed. 

"We knew smoking was bad, but we now have direct independent evidence that confirms the disturbing findings that have been emerging internationally," said lead author professor Emily Banks from the Australian National University. 

"We also found smokers will die an estimated 10 years earlier than the non-smokers," said Banks. 

Until relatively recently it was thought that about half of the smokers would die of a smoking-related illness, but newer studies in British women, British doctors and American Cancer Society volunteers have put the figure much higher, at up to 67 per cent. 

"We have been able to show exactly the same result in a very large population-wide sample," said Banks. 

The research is the result of a four-year analysis of health outcomes from more than 2,00,000 men and women. 

"Higher tobacco prices have been shown to be the most effective intervention available to governments to reduce demand for tobacco," remarked Kerry Doyle, CEO, The NSW Heart Foundation, Australia. 

"With smoking being a major cause of cardiovascular disease, including heart attack, stroke and peripheral vascular disease the more deterrents people have between them and smoking, the better," said Doyle. 

The study appeared in the journal BMC Medicine.

Tips to boost your immunity

Here are some tips that will help you boost your immunity levels

With the weather changing everyday and more and more people falling prey to air-borne diseases, perhaps the best way of taking precautions is to boost your immunity system. Here are some tips for the same -

Vitamins: The most important thing your body needs is an ample supply of vitamins, especially vitamin D. If you get enough vitamin D for your body, it will help prevent every health problem - ranging from a normal cold to the fatal cancer. Regular intake of salmon and fortified milk can help in increasing your vitamin D level.

Soluble fiber: Make sure you get your daily dose of soluble fiber. Soluble fibers help in recovering from bacterial infections quickly and are also a good precautionary measure against air-borne and water-borne diseases. Make sure your daily diet includes citrus fruits, apples, beetroot, carrots beans and oats.

Weight issues: Make sure you are not overweight and if you are, exercise regularly and flaunt a lean body. People who cut their daily calorie intake and are fitter are less prone to such diseases and automatically have a powerful immune system.

Mylan to distribute Gilead Sciences' hep C drugs, Sovaldi & Harvoni in India

Mylan Pharmaceuticals Private Limited, an Indian subsidiary of Mylan Inc.  has entered into an agreement with Gilead Sciences, under which Mylan has been appointed as the exclusive distributor of Sovaldi (sofosbuvir 400mg tablets) and Harvoni (ledipasvir 90mg/sofosbuvir 400 mg tablets) for the treatment of chronic hepatitis C, in India. 

As Gilead's exclusive branded medicine distribution partner, Mylan expects to begin distribution of Sovaldi in India in Q2 2015. Sovaldi received regulatory approval in India in January 2015 - the first country in Asia to approve the medicine.

Mylan president Rajiv Malik said, "Hepatitis C is a growing public health concern, particularly in developing countries such as India where access to high quality, effective and affordable treatment remains a challenge. Mylan is proud to partner with Gilead to expand access to Sovaldi and Harvoni, life-saving medications that offer an improvement in the standard of care for the 12 million hepatitis C patients in India."
This agreement is in addition to the licensing and technology transfer agreement that Mylan entered into with Gilead, which grants Mylan the non-exclusive rights to manufacture and distribute generic sofosbuvir, ledipasvir/sofosbuvir and, upon approval, the investigational NS5A inhibitor GS-5816 and single tablet regimen of sofosbuvir/GS-5816 in 91 developing countries. Mylan also partners with Gilead on expanding access to high quality, affordable antiretrovirals for the treatment of HIV/AIDS in India and other developing countries.

Sovaldi is the latest addition to Mylan India's new gastrointestinal segment called Hepato Care. The company also offers four additional unique and innovative segments - critical care, HIV care, women's care and oncology.

Sovaldi was approved by the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) in December 2013 based on clinical studies that showed, in combination with other agents, the drug achieved very high cure rates with a course of treatment as short as 12 weeks depending on viral genotype. Sovaldi also was approved by the European Commission in January 2014 and is a recommended treatment option in the World Health Organization's first hepatitis C treatment guidelines (released in April 2014).

Harvoni was approved by the US FDA in October 2014 as a once-daily single tablet regimen for the treatment of chronic hepatitis C genotype 1 infection in adults.