Get to know glaucoma and its treatment

Health - Glaucoma is a group of eye diseases that cause damage to the optic nerve, which can lead to vision loss and even blindness if left untreated. It is usually caused by increased pressure within the eye, although it can also occur when the optic nerve is damaged due to other factors.

There are several types of glaucoma, but the two main categories are open-angle glaucoma and angle-closure glaucoma. Open-angle glaucoma is the most common type and develops slowly over time, while angle-closure glaucoma is less common but can develop quickly and cause sudden vision loss.

Glaucoma risk factors include age, family history of the disease, high eye pressure, thin corneas, and certain medical conditions such as diabetes and high blood pressure. 

Get to know glaucoma and its treatment

Treatment options for glaucoma include eye drops, oral medications, laser surgery, and traditional surgery, with the goal of reducing eye pressure and preventing further damage to the optic nerve. Regular eye exams are important for the early detection and treatment of glaucoma.

The treatment for glaucoma depends on the type and severity of the disease. The goal of treatment is to lower the pressure inside the eye, which helps to prevent further damage to the optic nerve and preserve vision.

Treatment options for glaucoma include:

1. Eye drops: Medications in the form of eye drops are commonly used to lower intraocular pressure. They work by reducing the amount of fluid produced in the eye or by increasing the drainage of fluid from the eye. Eye drops need to be taken regularly and as prescribed to be effective.
2. Oral medications: If eye drops are ineffective or tolerated, your doctor may prescribe oral medications to lower the pressure inside your eye.
3. Laser surgery: Laser trabeculoplasty is a type of laser surgery that can be used to treat open-angle glaucoma. The laser is used to improve the drainage of fluid from the eye, which can help to lower intraocular pressure.
4. Traditional surgery: In cases where eye drops or laser surgery are not effective, traditional surgery may be necessary. The most common type of traditional surgery for glaucoma is called trabeculectomy, which involves creating a new drainage channel in the eye to allow fluid to flow out and lower the intraocular pressure.

It is important to note that there is no cure for glaucoma and treatment is aimed at managing the disease to prevent further vision loss. Regular eye exams are important for the early detection and management of glaucoma.

DO THIS FOR heart attack first aid

A heart attack, also known as a myocardial infarction, is a medical emergency that occurs when the blood flow to a part of the heart muscle is blocked, usually by a blood clot. This blockage prevents oxygen and nutrients from reaching the heart muscle, which can cause damage or death to the heart tissue.

The most common cause of a heart attack is a condition called atherosclerosis, which is the build-up of plaque inside the coronary arteries that supply blood to the heart muscle. Plaque is made up of cholesterol, fat, and other substances that can narrow the arteries and restrict blood flow.

Symptoms of a heart attack may include chest pain or discomfort, shortness of breath, nausea or vomiting, sweating, lightheadedness, and discomfort or pain in the arm, jaw, neck, or back. However, some people may not experience any symptoms, which is why it's important to know your risk factors and get regular checkups with your healthcare provider.

Prompt medical attention is crucial in the case of a heart attack, as early intervention can help to prevent further damage to the heart muscle and improve the chances of survival.

If someone is experiencing symptoms of a heart attack, it is important to act quickly and seek medical attention immediately by calling emergency services in your area. In the meantime, you can provide some basic first aid to the person:

• Help the person to rest comfortably and calm down.
• Loosen any tight clothing, such as a tie or shirt collar, to ease breathing.
• If the person has medication for angina or a heart condition, such as nitroglycerin, assist them in taking it.
• Call for emergency medical assistance immediately, whether by calling an ambulance or local emergency services.
• If the person becomes unresponsive, start CPR immediately, or as directed by emergency medical services.
• Stay with the person until emergency services arrive and follow any additional instructions provided by the operator or emergency personnel.

Remember, time is of the essence in a heart attack situation, so acting quickly can help to improve the chances of a positive outcome.

Why does breast cancer come back? How to prevent recurrence?

Health Teknoiot - As a breast cancer survivor, you need to be wary about tracking any change that may happen in your body. Even after initial treatment is completed and tests like PET scans show no evidence of disease, there is a chance that breast cancer may return. Even women with early breast cancer often develop local recurrence within the first five years of treatment. On average, around seven to 11 percent of women with early breast cancer experience local recurrence during this time. For patients with a family history of breast cancer or BRCA1 or BRCA2 mutation, the rate is even higher.

Types of recurrence

The recurrence is usually of three types: Local, when it comes back to the same breast, regional, when it comes back in the nearby areas in the chest wall and distant recurrence, which is also called metastatic cancer, when cancer cells from the original tumor in the breast travel to other parts of the body via lymphatics or bloodstream. These may reach bones, liver, lungs, and brain.

Why does breast cancer return?

Cancer returns because some cancer cells may be still present but dormant and may not be seen on microscopy or on imaging like PET scan or mammography but become apparent with time. Some cancer cells could have already spread from the original tumor site and reached other parts of the body but lie in a state of dormancy, meaning they are able to grow and divide with certain triggers. Sometimes, many years after the initial cancer treatment, dormant cells can reawaken and give rise to new tumors in different parts of the body. These tumors may also be of a different kind compared to the original one — for example, they may have different receptors that make them more aggressive.

Usually, this happens within the first three or four years but sometimes in hormone receptor-positive cancers, it can come back even after 10 to 12 years. Rarely will it be new cancer developing in the breast rather than a recurrence of original cancer?

What are the signs and symptoms of recurrence?

It all depends upon where cancer recurs. You might not see or feel any sign of local recurrence and if you do, it will probably be a slight change in and around your breast or underarm area. More often than not, it may be a finding by the physician during a physical exam or a mammogram.

A distant recurrence will typically produce some symptoms but because many of those breast cancer symptoms are related to other health problems, it can be hard to tell if they are due to recurrence or something else, so one must discuss the symptoms with your cancer specialist, especially if they last for more than two or three weeks. Beware of the following symptoms:
1) Weight loss without trying
2) Headaches
3) Bone pains or any new or different pain that you can’t explain
4) Shortness of breath or wheezing
5) Seizures
6) Fever, chills, or a cough that won’t get better 7) Jaundice
8) Easy bruising or bleeding
9) Digestive issues like nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, loss of appetite, or trouble swallowing
10) Blood in urine or stones
11) Any lumps or areas of swelling

How can you prevent cancer from coming back?

1) First of all, follow the treatment your physician recommends to a T.
2) Eat a balanced diet, full of fruits, vegetables, and fibre.
3) Avoid too much oily and sugary food to avoid obesity.
4) Exercise on most days of the week.
5) Have a strong support system with a circle of friends and family.
6) Don’t skip follow-up care. The follow-up may not prevent cancer from coming back but can help detect it at an earlier stage than when you become symptomatic, which might be too late.

Treatment protocols

If it’s a local recurrence after a lumpectomy, most probably you would need a mastectomy. If it’s a regional recurrence, it will require the excision of the nodes or chest wall nodule. If it’s a distant recurrence, the patient will need only systemic therapy and local treatment like surgical excision will be for symptomatic care only.

Theories about the factors that may reawaken them range from exposure to stress at the cellular level, the erosion of a kind of collagen “blanket” that surrounds dormant cells, and the protective effect of the micro-environment.

Ref: Indianexpress

Which supplements are good for heart health, which are not?

Health Teknoiot - With a substantial rise in several cardio-metabolic diseases over the years, questions regarding which food supplements to take and which to avoid have become relevant, diet and nutrition being two of the most important factors in causing and preventing several long-term ailments. And it all begins with demolishing the devil called cholesterol.

Cardiometabolic diseases are a variety of common yet preventable ailments, including cardiovascular events like heart attack, stroke and metabolic disorders like diabetes, insulin resistance and non-alcoholic fatty liver disease among others. 

These present some of the most serious health challenges for the global healthcare system in the 21st century with cases rising rapidly every year. But research, technology and treatment modules have also evolved at a brisk pace over the years, making the conditions not only curable but also preventable.

Several studies have suggested that diets rich in antioxidants, minerals and vitamins lower the risk of cardiovascular diseases (CVD) and Type-2 diabetes. On the contrary, diets rich in saturated fat and sodium up the threat quotient. Micronutrients consist of various vitamins and minerals like Omega-3 and Omega-6 fatty acids, which tend to reduce the risk of CVD mortality, heart attacks and other heart diseases due to their anti-inflammatory effect while folic acid decreases the risk of strokes by lowering the blood total homocysteine (tHcy) concentrations. 

Being a key family of polyunsaturated fats, Omega-3 fats not only prevent heart diseases and strokes but also help in controlling lupus, eczema and rheumatoid arthritis while playing a major role in cancer and other conditions.

Polyphenols like curcumin, genistein and quercetin have shown health benefits for preventing cardiovascular diseases as well as reducing HbA1c (a measure of longer-term blood sugar levels) and fasting blood insulin levels. 

And although several micronutrients have various health benefits, others like vitamin C, E and selenium have a neutral effect on cardiovascular and metabolic diseases. It is also worth noting that Vitamin D reduces oxidative stress and improves cardiometabolic outcomes but still studies have been inconclusive about whether it can prevent heart disease.

In fact, Johns Hopkins researchers say that consuming too much of certain vitamins can be harmful. Too much calcium and vitamin D are associated with an increased risk of cardiovascular disease.

Nutrients like magnesium play a major role in muscle and nerve functioning. The heart is a muscle which requires a large amount of magnesium to keep the contractions and rhythms going. 

Magnesium supplements are known to boost everyday wellness along with better sleep, increased energy levels and improved mood. These also have specific health benefits like lower blood pressure, reduced risk of heart disease and improvement in migraines.

Prescription fish oils are used but they are more effective, according to Johns Hopkins researchers, for triglycerides than cholesterol. Omega-3 therapy with prescription fish oil can reduce triglycerides by 30 to 50 per cent in those with levels that are at 500 mg/dL or more, and who are at an increased risk of pancreatitis. Besides, over-the-counter fish oil supplements may contain large amounts of other unwanted saturated fats, which could increase your bad cholesterol.

But micronutrients like Beta-carotene, when taken in a supplement form, are known to raise the risk of CVD mortality. Beta-carotene is a precursor of Vitamin-A. The human body converts beta-carotene into Vitamin A when needed. Antioxidants like Beta-carotene, Vitamin C and E help in preventing the cell membrane from weakening, protecting it against rogue compounds trying to get inside. Oxidative damage can indirectly lead to diet-related chronic disease like CVD.

Also, beta-carotene is known to increase the risk of cardiometabolic diseases under certain circumstances. For example, if a person consumes higher than normal levels of beta-carotene, it becomes dangerous and can result in higher mortality. 

Also, beta-carotene is known to have a different effect on male and female patients, smokers and drinkers. Another reason could be that it runs the risk of converting into a pro-oxidant and becoming harmful for the body.

As beta-carotene supplements are also linked with an increased risk of lung cancer, especially among smokers, it is suggested that micronutrients should be taken as a whole food instead of a supplement. The human body can have several benefits when nutrients are consumed as a whole food compared to when they are isolated and put into a supplement form.

But as these studies are relatively new and done among a fixed number of people, it is important to characterise specific dosage.

Ref: Indianexpress

5 simple and healthy diet swaps to manage your cholesterol levels

Health Teknoiot - Managing cholesterol is an essential part of maintaining overall health, especially for those who struggle with keeping their numbers in the right place.

Quoted from Boston-based registered dietitian-nutritionist Nikita Kapur told Fox News Digital that high cholesterol can lead to cardio-metabolic risk factors such as heart disease, diabetes and atherosclerosis (a buildup of plaque in and on the artery walls).

Heightened LDL levels, also known as "bad cholesterol," can put the body at risk for these complications, which is often genetic but can also be manipulated by diet and lifestyle factors.

"Sometimes we see very stubborn levels of high cholesterol that don't necessarily respond favorably to diet and lifestyle," she said in an interview.

Diet Food/Pixabay

 
"But there are always benefits to focusing on those lifestyle factors."

Kapur, lead dietician at Compass Nutrition, explained that a mindful diet in terms of managing cholesterol first involves incorporating food sources rich in soluble fibers.

These are present in plant foods such as legume beans, nuts, seeds, fruits, vegetables and whole grains.

"The goal is to improve soluble fiber, which a lot of us don't get these days," she said. "And the recommendations tend to be anywhere from 25 to 30 grams."

Omega-3s and healthy fats found in fish, seeds and oils are also good for lowering cholesterol.

If this seems like a lot to chew on — here are five quick diet swaps to help manage cholesterol levels.

1. Swap sugary cereal for a high-fiber alternative

Instead of reaching for a bowl of Reese’s Puffs, try cereal alternatives that are higher in fiber and lower in sugar.

Kapur encouraged consumers to focus on fiber content and the "quality of carbohydrates" instead of calories.

"Plain, old-school Cheerios we know have very high concentrations of oats," she said.

"And then oats have a lot of beta-glucan and fiber that can be beneficial for reducing cholesterol."

Oatmeal can be another great swap for cereal, as well as high-fiber, sprouted-oats bread.

2. Replace white rice with brown rice

Achieving a cholesterol-conscious diet includes a consistent focus on whole grains.

White rice eaters should try switching to brown rice or other alternatives with a little more nutritional value like farro, barley or quinoa, she suggested.

The whole grain, high-fiber swap can also be done by switching out flour tortillas for corn tortillas or simply leaving the skins on potatoes, which adds more fiber.

Today, she said, "we have a lot of high-fiber packaged products as well, like pastas or breads."

It's important to build a diet that ensures "food is still satisfying" while also not breaking the bank, Kapur added.

"Bean-based pastas and whole grain-based pastas do have more protein," she said.

"But we want sustainable behaviors — so if that's something you have to force yourself to eat, there are other ways to get those benefits."

3. Sub in one plant-based meal

Plant-forward eating is a recent trend, which is a plus for people looking to clean up their diet.

Although some new plant-based food products can be synthetic and heavily processed, Kapur suggested consumers focus on "humble" plant products made of beans, tofu and edamame.

Kapur recommended subbing in one plant-based meal per day to help lower cholesterol.

"If you're someone who is doing eggs for breakfast, chicken for lunch and turkey for dinner, that would be a good place to swap and add black beans instead of turkey [for] one meal," she said.


"You still get to eat your animal proteins, but you're making room for those plant nutrients."

4. Try seeds if fish isn’t your thing

While a variety of fish are high in omega-3s — a great resource for keeping bad cholesterol at bay — not everyone is a fish fan.

Kapur suggested swapping fish for various nuts and seeds such as flax, chia, hemp, sesame, sunflower and pumpkin seeds, as well as almonds and walnuts.

"They will try to mimic some of that omega-3 profile," she said.

For those who eat fish but can't spend a fortune, Kapur suggested trying smaller fish such as sardines and mackerel, which are more affordable and available at most food stores.

5. Switch regular peanut butter for unsalted, no-sugar-added nut butter

Peanut butter can sometimes get a bad rap in diet discussions, but Kapur said there’s no need to ditch it.

The better option is to swap any kind of nut butter — peanut, almond, sunflower and others — for unsalted and no-sugar-added nut butter.

Maintaining a balanced diet is key, Kapur emphasized — and too much of anything isn’t beneficial to our overall health.

"An easier way to organically focus on making sure that quantity is not an issue is by eating a wide variety of foods, making sure that you are eating consistently and balancing your meals."

"They all matter," she said.

"We don’t want to be fearing the fats we get from nuts and seeds and olives and avocados."

Ref: Foxnews

WHO to use 'mpox' for monkeypox to tackle stigma

Health teknoiot - The World Health Organization said on Monday it would start using a new preferred term, "mpox", as a synonym for monkeypox and urged others to follow suit after receiving complaints that the current name for the disease was racist and stigmatising.

"Both names will be used simultaneously for one year while 'monkeypox' is phased out," the WHO said in a statement.

The WHO launched a public consultation process to find a new name for the disease earlier this year and received more than 200 proposals. The US, which was among the countries and bodies supporting the name change, welcomed the announcement.

monkeypox

"We must do all we can to break down barriers to public health, and reducing stigma associated with disease is one critical step in our work to end mpox," said US Health and Human Services Secretary Xavier Becerra.

One of the more popular public suggestions was "mpox" or "Mpox", put forward by men's health organisation RÉZO among others. Its director said at the time that the removal of monkey imagery helped people take the health emergency seriously.

Some ideas were farcical such as "Poxy McPoxface" which alluded to Boaty McBoatface - the choice of a public vote on the name of a British polar research vessel, before a decision to give it another name - Sir David Attenborough.

The WHO said global experts settled on "mpox" after considering the scientific appropriateness, extent of current usage as well as pronounceability among other factors.

Mpox, discovered in 1958 and named after the first animal to show symptoms, mostly spread in a group of countries in west and central Africa until this year.

Around 100 countries where mpox is not endemic have now reported outbreaks of the viral disease.

The WHO has a mandate to assign new names to existing diseases under the International Classification of Diseases.

Generally, it seeks to avoid associating any disease or virus with a country, region, animal or ethnic group.

Last year, it assigned the letters of the Greek alphabet to new coronavirus variants to stop a practice of linking them with specific countries.

Reference: Malaysianow

Unintended Pregnancy May Increase Risk of Postpartum Depression, Study Finds

Health.com - The risk of experiencing symptoms of postpartum depression (PPD) may be higher in women who give birth resulting from unintended pregnancies, according to a study published in Social Science & Medicine. While women who conceive via fertility treatments may not be at an increased risk, the type of treatment used to conceive may impact outcomes.

The prevalence of PPD, defined as a major depressive episode during the postpartum period, is an estimated 13% in the United States, and the condition can be debilitating to mothers. PPD also affects their children and entire family system, and lately, it has been more directly addressed by medical organizations via policies and recommendations.

Identifying key risk factors is a priority in PPD research and can help shape initiatives for prevention, treatment strategies, or policies and practices related to PPD. Most factors of interest in PPD research are biological, including hormone changes and a genetic predisposition, or contextual, such as mental health history, pregnancy intention, or stress.

Photo illustration by Pixabay

As fertility treatments have been used more often to conceive, determining the risk of PPD with these methods has become important. The study aimed to determine the prevalence in PPD in 4 groups: women who conceived spontaneously and unintentionally, women who conceived spontaneously and were unsure if they wanted to conceive, women who conceived intentionally while using fertility treatments, and women who conceived spontaneously and intentionally.

A secondary aim of the study was to explore the impact of specific fertility treatments— including fertility-enhancing medications prescribed by a doctor only, insemination procedures with use of fertility-enhancing medications, or assisted reproductive technology (ART)—on PPD risk. Research in this context has often focused on the impact of the social experience of infertility and its potential effects on PPD risk.

“Many fertility treatments alter hormones, such as progesterone and estrogen. These alterations are occurring in the preconception period and early in pregnancy,” the authors wrote. “The literature, to our knowledge, has not investigated how these early hormonal manipulations may or may not impact postpartum mental health, and it is unclear whether there are physiological pathways for how they may do so.”

Data from the Pregnancy Risk Assessment Monitoring System (2012-2019), which is a cross-sectional survey given to women throughout the United States who have recently given birth, were used to assess PPD risk across the study cohorts.

A total of 125,702 women in the study sample conceived spontaneously and intentionally; 70,505 had unintended pregnancies; 40,527 were unsure about their pregnancy intention; and 6943 conceived with fertility treatments. Overall, 13.9% of the women in the study sample had symptoms of PPD.

In an adjusted regression analysis, women who conceived unintentionally had higher odds of PPD than those who conceived spontaneously and intentionally (odds ratio [OR], 1.32; 95% CI, 1.26-1.39; P = .01). Those who conceived unintentionally were also more likely to experience PPD vs those who were unsure about their intention to conceive (OR, 1.30; 95% CI, 1.23-1.38; P < .01). However, women who conceived while on fertility treatments were not at higher odds of elevated PPD symptoms (OR, 0.97; 95% CI, 0.84-1.10; P = .61).

The analysis of fertility treatment type and PPD outcomes included 2210 women. Fertility-enhancing drugs were used by 31.4% of the group, 14.9% used medicated insemination, and 53.7% used ART. An adjusted logistic regression model showed that women using fertility-enhancing drugs were at a higher risk of PPD compared with those using ART (OR, 2.0; 95% CI, 1.24-3.24; P < .01). Those using medical insemination had similar odds as the ART group.

The findings suggest that pregnancy intention, rather than fertility treatment use or type of fertility treatment, may have the greatest impact on PPD from among the variables considered in the study. The authors note that US reproductive policies making abortion access more difficult may lead to increased rates of PPD, as there is an increase of unintended children carried to term. Screening for PPD, especially in those with unintended pregnancy, is an important step in identifying those who are at an increased risk.

“While the experience of undergoing fertility treatments can be stressful, based on a nonclinical sample of women who recently gave birth in the US, our results suggest that women who conceived with fertility treatments were not at a higher risk of PPD,” the authors wrote. “Women who had unintended and unsure pregnancies were more likely to have elevated PPD symptoms relative to those who had spontaneous, intended pregnancies.”

Reference

Barber GA, Steinberg JR. The association between pregnancy intention, fertility treatment use, and postpartum depression. Soc Sci Med. Published online October 13, 2022. doi:10.1016/j.socscimed.2022.115439

Link reference: AJMC