Around the globe

Morning Health Talk :

New Delhi, July 28,2018 :

There has been great interest in inhibiting sodium-glucose cotransporters (SGLT1 and SGLT2) as a treatment for diabetes. SGLT2 is mainly expressed in the renal tubule and SGLT2 inhibitors can cause glycosuria and thus lower blood glucose. SGLT1 is mainly expressed in the small intestine, and inhibitors for this transporter are being developed that can lower blood glucose peaks.
Nearly four million adults in the United States use probiotics or prebiotics products that contain live organisms, according to the National Center for Complementary and Integrative Medicine. The products may be used for a wide range of illnesses, including gastrointestinal conditions, eczema, asthma, infections, weight loss, depression and more.
Prescribing hypnotics such as zolpidem (multiple brands), zopiclon (Lunesta, Sunovion), or zaleplon (Sonata, Pfizer) to treat sleep problems in dementia patients significantly increases fracture risk in this vulnerable population, new research shows. These so-called Z drugs were found to increase overall fracture risk by 40% and the risk for hip fracture by 59% (Alzheimer’s Association International Conference )
American Academy of Neurology: People who feel faint, dizzy or lightheaded when standing up may be experiencing a sudden drop in blood pressure called orthostatic hypotension. Now a new study says middle-aged people who experience such a drop may have a greater risk of developing dementia or stroke decades later.
PLos: It is well known that glucose levels above or below certain thresholds can cause damage to organs; however, a new study reveals that ‘normal’ blood glucose levels are often not normal at all; they stray much farther from the healthy ranges than we assumed.
Gluten-sensitive people test negative (normal) for celiac disease and yet they get symptoms (including bloating, diarrhea or crampy abdominal pain) whenever they eat foods that contain gluten. One cause is wheat allergy, a disorder that can be diagnosed by skin testing. But for many, the diagnosis remains uncertain. Some have begun calling this non-celiac gluten hypersensitivity.
Mayo Clinic’s new, state of the art, Proton Beam Therapy Facility delivers radiation oncology in a way that promises lower side effects and higher cure rates, often for patients whose cancers cannot be treated safely any other way.
The All India Organisation of Chemists and Druggists (AIOCD) has urged Drugs Controller General of India (DCGI) to ensure supply of generic drugs sold at Jan Aushadhi stores to pharmacies which will make generics accessible to patients across the country.
In patients with acute metabolic acidosis, an arterial pH 7.1 to 7.2, and severe acute kidney injury give intravenous sodium bicarbonate therapy, rather than no alkali therapy. Do not give sodium bicarbonate to patients with arterial pH 7.1 or higher if they do not have severe acute kidney injury.
In the USA, it is estimated that more than 50 percent of outpatient-prescribed antibiotics are inappropriate, predominantly among patients seeking treatment for acute respiratory infections, which are most often caused by viruses, such as those causing cold and flu. The CDC has stated that to slow the spread of antibiotic-resistant infections the number of inappropriate and unnecessary antibiotic prescriptions in humans and animals must be reduced.

Dr KK Aggarwal
Padma Shri Awardee
Vice President CMAAO
President HCFI