OTC Drugs May Increase Heart Disease Risks

A new scientific report from the American Heart Association has found that many common drugs overthe- counter (OTC) medications can cause or worsen heart problems.
To this end, the study authors have suggested that healthcare providers should talk to heart failure patients during every visit about all prescription and over-the-counter medications they are taking, as well as nutritional supplements and herbs.
These are the findings of a new American Heart Association (AHA) report published in the advocacy organisation’s journal ‘Circulation’. Heart failure is the leading cause of hospitalisation for seniors, and the average heart failure patient takes an average of seven prescription medications per day, according to the AHA.
A third of heart failure patients also take herbal supplements, two thirds take vitamins, and seven out of eight use over-thecounter medications.
The study found that wide range of over-thecounter drugs which raises the risk of heart problems include antacid for heartburn, ibuprofen for a headache, an overthe- counter allergy remedy, among others.
Similarly, the study found that even herbal products can interact negatively with heart medications. So, it is important for patients to tell doctors about everything they are taking, according to the AHA report’s authors.
“Since many of the drugs heart failure patients are taking are prescribed for conditions such as cancer, neurological conditions or infections, it is crucial but difficult for healthcare providers to reconcile whether a medication is interacting with heart failure drugs or making heart failure worse,” said Robert L. Page II, a co-author of the report and professor in the Department of Clinical Pharmacy at the University of Colorado Schools of Pharmacy and Medicine, University of Colorado Hospital.
To lower patient risks, the AHA has compiled a comprehensive guide to prescription medications, over-the-counter drugs, and complementary and alternative medicine products that can worsen heart failure.
According to the report, non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, including commonly used painkillers such as ibuprofen, can trigger or worsen heart failure by causing sodium and fluid retention and making diuretic medications less effective.
“Over-the-counter medications that treat acid reflux often contain significant amounts of sodium, which can boost blood pressure and is usually restricted in patients with heart failure and those on low-salt diets.
“Certain OTC medications that knock down allergy and cold symptoms (including antihistamines and decongestants) — for example, those containing pseudoephedrine or similar components — may cause increases in heart rate or blood pressure that could exacerbate some cardiac conditions.”
They may also contain sodium, the report added. According to the United States (U.S) Food and Drug Administration risk-assessment reports, the commonly used nutritional supplements and alternative medicines were generally far safer than prescription medications. But some can cause or worsen heart failure when taken with cardiovascular medications.
Among them: Products containing ephedra (which raises blood pressure) and others that can interfere with heart failure medication, including St. John’s wort, ginseng, hawthorn, danshen, and green tea. According to the AHA, such medications and remedies can cause problems by being toxic to heart muscle cells or changing how the heart muscle contracts, interacts with medications used to treat heart failure, so that some of their benefits are lost and contains more sodium than advised for patients with heart failure.

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The Link Between Obesity and Multiple Cancers - New Study

An international team of researchers has raised the alarm over newly found dangers inherent in excess weight, saying they have identified eight additional types of cancer linked to excess weight and obesity. According to the findings, published yesterday in ‘The New England Journal of Medicine’,  the cancers are stomach, liver, gall bladder, pancreas, ovary, meningioma (a type of brain tumour), thyroid cancer and the blood cancer multiple myeloma.
To this end, the data suggested limiting weight gains over the decades, adding that it could help to reduce the risk of these cancers. Obesity is a condition where a person has accumulated so much body fat that it could have a negative effect on their health.
If a person’s bodyweight is at least 20 per cent higher than it should be, he or she is considered obese. If the Body Mass Index (BMI) is between 25 and 29.9, the person is considered overweight.
The study is based on a review of more than 1,000 studies of excess weight and cancer risk analysed by the World Health Organisation (WHO) International Agency for Cancer on Research (IARC), based in France.
Reacting to the development, a Cancer Prevention Expert, Graham Colditz, MD, DrPH, at the Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis, who chaired the IARC Working Group, said, “The burden of cancer due to being overweight or obese is more extensive than what has been assumed.
“Many of the newly identified cancers linked to excess weight haven’t been on people’s radar screens as having a weight component.”
Science daily reported that the findings could have a significant bearing on the global population. Worldwide, an estimated 640 million adults and 110 million children are obese, including one-third of adults and children in the United States. In 2002, the same group of cancer researchers found sufficient evidence linking excess weight to higher risks of cancers of the colon, esophagus, kidney, breast and uterus.
“Lifestyle factors such as eating a healthy diet, maintaining a healthy weight and exercising, in addition to not smoking, can have a significant impact on reducing cancer risk,” Colditz said. “Public health efforts to combat cancer should focus on these things that people have some control over.”
“But losing weight is hard for many people,” he added. “Rather than getting discouraged and giving up, those struggling to take off weight could instead focus on avoiding more weight gain.
In Nigeria, obesity is fast becoming a challenge for elite living in the cities. this is due to the lifestyle of the people involved, most of whom are from the upper rung of the society.

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The Relationship Between Breastfeeding And A Premature Child`s IQ

Premature babies, who predominantly receive their nutrition from breastfeeding, have higher intelligent quotients (IQs) in later life than those who did not. Paediatrics have alerted parents and care givers on the positive impact of breast milk to child development while showing that premature babies, who are breastfed during their first month have higher intelligent quotients (IQs) later in life.
They disclosed this in a study that is published in ‘The Journal of Paediatrics’. According to the researchers, the infants have been found to have larger volumes of certain brain regions at term equivalent and have better IQs, academic achievement, working memory and motor function. Breastfeeding or nursing is the feeding of babies and young children with milk from a woman’s breast.
The World Health Organisation (WHO) recommends that breastfeeding begin within the first hour of a baby’s life and be allowed as often and as much as the baby wants.
The world body similarly advocates that babies should be breastfed exclusively for six months after which both complementary feeding would be continued with breastfeeding thereafter until the child is weaned.
Reacting to the study, Researcher Mandy Brown Belfort said: “Many mothers of preterm babies have difficulty providing breast milk for their babies, and we need to work hard to ensure that these mothers have the best possible support systems in place to maximise their ability to meet their own feeding goals. It is also important to note that there are so many factors that influence a baby’s development, with breast milk being just one.”
This information was subsequently cross referenced with data related to regional brain volumes measured by MRI scans at each baby’s term equivalent age and again at seven years old.
They conducted further analysis on cognitive capabilities, including IQ, reading, maths, attention, working memory, language and visual perception. The researchers followed 180 premature infants from birth until they turned seven. They identified babies which had received breast milk as more than 50 per cent of their nutritional intake from birth to 28 days of life.
This information was subsequently cross referenced with data related to regional brain volumes measured by MRI scans at each baby’s term equivalent age and again at seven years old. Story By JOHNSON OKPUSA OBASI

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New Discovery Raises Hope For Childless Couples

As the number of people with infertility continues to rise globally, scientists have developed a ‘potent’ new fertility treatment said to be cheaper and less invasive than Invitro Vertilisation (IVF). IVF is the long established process of fertilisation by manually combining an egg and sperm in a laboratory dish, and then transferring the embryo to the uterus.
It increases the likelihood of a couple being able to have a child.
However, going by the new findings, Australian and Belgian scientists have discovered how to improve a woman’s chances of becoming pregnant, using a less invasive and cheaper alternative.
The new method, which has already undergone pre-clinical testing, uses growth factors to enhance an existing fertility treatment known as in-vitro maturation (IVM).
The results show improved egg quality and a 50 per cent increase in embryos, with minimal use of drugs.
Researchers said the advance has ‘significant implications’ for fertility treatment worldwide.
Infertility is a common problem in Nigeria. It is estimated that one in four couples may have difficulty achieving conception. Standard in-vitro fertilisation (IVF) requires women to take Follicle Stimulating Hormones (FSH) to stimulate egg cell growth before they are removed from the ovary.
In the IVM process, eggs are removed from the ovaries when they are still immature.
They are then matured in the laboratory before being fertilised. The difference between IVM and conventional in vitro fertilisation (IVF) is that the eggs are immature when they are collected. This means the woman does not need to take as many drugs before the eggs can be collected as she might if using conventional IVF, when mature eggs ar. Story By JOHNSON OKPUSA OBASI

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Lassa Fever Kills Doctor In Delta State

Lassa fever has once again staged a come-back as the Delta State Ministry of Health has confirmed a medical doctor dead and 32 other contacts on surveillance following the reported case of disease . The state Commissioner for Health, Dr Nicholas Azinge, in a statement on Monday in Asaba, said that the state recorded one death from Lassa fever after a medical doctor in the state died from the disease. “On Aug. 18, 2016, one case of Lassa fever was reported in Delta State. The confirmed case was a medical doctor resident in Asaba who hailed from Anambra State. “He was first admitted in a private Hospital in the state and was later referred to the Nnamdi Azikiwe University Teaching Hospital (NAUTH), Nnewi, Anambra State. The patient’s condition deteriorated and he died after three hours on admission,’’ Azinge said. The commissioner said that blood sample earlier collected from the victim was confirmed to be positive for Lassa fever after laboratory analysis at the Institute of Lassa Fever, Irrua in Edo State. He also disclosed that following the incident, the state government took immediate action to forestall the spread of the disease by shutting down the late doctor’s hospital in Umuaji quarters in Asaba. “Following the discovery, we also ensured that the hospital where he was treated at Bonsaac area was also shut down and fumigated. His wife’s blood sample was taken and tested at the Institute of Lassa fever; it, however, came back negative. So far, a total of 32 persons have been placed on surveillance; These include 11 persons from the immediate family of the deceased. Eighteen persons at the private Hospital where the patient was first admitted and 3 other persons who made contact with the deceased,’’ Azinge said. The commissioner also disclosed that two local government Disease Surveillance Officers in Oshimili South and Oshimili North were actively involved as part of the state response team. “The Surveillance Officers have been monitoring the temperature of those under surveillance and this will be done for a period of 21 days.

·  Lassa fever is an acute viral haemorrhagic illness of 2-21 days duration 

·  The Lassa virus is transmitted to humans via contact with food or household items contaminated with rodent urine or faces, especially those of rats.

·  Person-to-person infections and laboratory transmission can also occur, particularly in hospitals lacking adequate infection prevent and control measures  By JOHNSON OKPUSA OBASI

The Delta State Ministry of Health has confirmed one person dead and 32 others on surveillance following the reported case of Lassa fever. The state Commissioner for Health, Dr Nicholas Azinge, in a statement on Monday in Asaba, said that the state recorded one death from Lassa fever after a medical doctor in the state died from the disease. “On Aug. 18, 2016, one case of Lassa fever was reported in Delta State. The confirmed case was a medical doctor resident in Asaba who hailed from Anambra State. “He was first admitted in a private Hospital in the state and was later referred to the Nnamdi Azikiwe University Teaching Hospital (NAUTH), Nnewi, Anambra State. “The patient’s condition deteriorated and he died after three hours on admission,’’ Azinge said. The commissioner said that blood sample earlier collected from the victim was confirmed to be positive for Lassa fever after laboratory analysis at the Institute of Lassa Fever, Irrua in Edo State. He also disclosed that following the incident, the state government took immediate action to forestall the spread of the disease by shutting down the late doctor’s hospital in Umuaji quarters in Asaba. “Following the discovery, we also ensured that the hospital where he was treated at Bonsaac area was also shut down and fumigated. “His wife’s blood sample was taken and tested at the Institute of Lassa fever; it, however, came back negative. “So far, a total of 32 persons have been placed on surveillance; These include 11 persons from the immediate family of the deceased. “Eighteen persons at the private Hospital where the patient was first admitted and 3 other persons who made contact with the deceased,’’ Azinge said. The commissioner also disclosed that two local government Disease Surveillance Officers in Oshimili South and Oshimili North were actively involved as part of the state response team. “The Surveillance Officers have been monitoring the temperature of those under surveillance and this will be done for a period of 21 days. “The State Lassa Fever Response Team has been reactivated while sensitisation of health workers in the state is ongoing.’’ Azinge said the health workers were being sensitised to the need for preventive measures when managing infectious cases. According to him, the ministry has also embarked on awareness creation through the mass media, to enlighten the public on the mode of transmission of the disease and the preventive measures, to forestall its spread. The commissioner also said that prevention materials had been sent the various local governments prone to high-risk disease outbreak in the state. “Personal Protective Equipment (PPE), non-contact thermometers and other items have been distributed to the Disease Surveillance and Notification Officers in all of the 25 local governments by the state Ministry of Health. “The drug, Rivabirin has been procured for immediate case management while the Federal Ministry of Health and the Nigeria Medical Association in Delta have been contacted and are collaborating with us,’’ he said. The commissioner gave assurance that the situation was under control and appealed to the public not to panic.

Read more at: http://www.vanguardngr.com/2016/08/lassa-fever-kills-doctor-delta-32-others-surveillance/

The Delta State Ministry of Health has confirmed one person dead and 32 others on surveillance following the reported case of Lassa fever. The state Commissioner for Health, Dr Nicholas Azinge, in a statement on Monday in Asaba, said that the state recorded one death from Lassa fever after a medical doctor in the state died from the disease. “On Aug. 18, 2016, one case of Lassa fever was reported in Delta State. The confirmed case was a medical doctor resident in Asaba who hailed from Anambra State. “He was first admitted in a private Hospital in the state and was later referred to the Nnamdi Azikiwe University Teaching Hospital (NAUTH), Nnewi, Anambra State. “The patient’s condition deteriorated and he died after three hours on admission,’’ Azinge said. The commissioner said that blood sample earlier collected from the victim was confirmed to be positive for Lassa fever after laboratory analysis at the Institute of Lassa Fever, Irrua in Edo State. He also disclosed that following the incident, the state government took immediate action to forestall the spread of the disease by shutting down the late doctor’s hospital in Umuaji quarters in Asaba. “Following the discovery, we also ensured that the hospital where he was treated at Bonsaac area was also shut down and fumigated. “His wife’s blood sample was taken and tested at the Institute of Lassa fever; it, however, came back negative. “So far, a total of 32 persons have been placed on surveillance; These include 11 persons from the immediate family of the deceased. “Eighteen persons at the private Hospital where the patient was first admitted and 3 other persons who made contact with the deceased,’’ Azinge said. The commissioner also disclosed that two local government Disease Surveillance Officers in Oshimili South and Oshimili North were actively involved as part of the state response team. “The Surveillance Officers have been monitoring the temperature of those under surveillance and this will be done for a period of 21 days. “The State Lassa Fever Response Team has been reactivated while sensitisation of health workers in the state is ongoing.’’ Azinge said the health workers were being sensitised to the need for preventive measures when managing infectious cases. According to him, the ministry has also embarked on awareness creation through the mass media, to enlighten the public on the mode of transmission of the disease and the preventive measures, to forestall its spread. The commissioner also said that prevention materials had been sent the various local governments prone to high-risk disease outbreak in the state. “Personal Protective Equipment (PPE), non-contact thermometers and other items have been distributed to the Disease Surveillance and Notification Officers in all of the 25 local governments by the state Ministry of Health. “The drug, Rivabirin has been procured for immediate case management while the Federal Ministry of Health and the Nigeria Medical Association in Delta have been contacted and are collaborating with us,’’ he said. The commissioner gave assurance that the situation was under control and appealed to the public not to panic.

Read more at: http://www.vanguardngr.com/2016/08/lassa-fever-kills-doctor-delta-32-others-surveillance/

The Delta State Ministry of Health has confirmed one person dead and 32 others on surveillance following the reported case of Lassa fever. The state Commissioner for Health, Dr Nicholas Azinge, in a statement on Monday in Asaba, said that the state recorded one death from Lassa fever after a medical doctor in the state died from the disease. “On Aug. 18, 2016, one case of Lassa fever was reported in Delta State. The confirmed case was a medical doctor resident in Asaba who hailed from Anambra State. “He was first admitted in a private Hospital in the state and was later referred to the Nnamdi Azikiwe University Teaching Hospital (NAUTH), Nnewi, Anambra State. “The patient’s condition deteriorated and he died after three hours on admission,’’ Azinge said. The commissioner said that blood sample earlier collected from the victim was confirmed to be positive for Lassa fever after laboratory analysis at the Institute of Lassa Fever, Irrua in Edo State. He also disclosed that following the incident, the state government took immediate action to forestall the spread of the disease by shutting down the late doctor’s hospital in Umuaji quarters in Asaba. “Following the discovery, we also ensured that the hospital where he was treated at Bonsaac area was also shut down and fumigated. “His wife’s blood sample was taken and tested at the Institute of Lassa fever; it, however, came back negative. “So far, a total of 32 persons have been placed on surveillance; These include 11 persons from the immediate family of the deceased. “Eighteen persons at the private Hospital where the patient was first admitted and 3 other persons who made contact with the deceased,’’ Azinge said. The commissioner also disclosed that two local government Disease Surveillance Officers in Oshimili South and Oshimili North were actively involved as part of the state response team. “The Surveillance Officers have been monitoring the temperature of those under surveillance and this will be done for a period of 21 days. “The State Lassa Fever Response Team has been reactivated while sensitisation of health workers in the state is ongoing.’’ Azinge said the health workers were being sensitised to the need for preventive measures when managing infectious cases. According to him, the ministry has also embarked on awareness creation through the mass media, to enlighten the public on the mode of transmission of the disease and the preventive measures, to forestall its spread. The commissioner also said that prevention materials had been sent the various local governments prone to high-risk disease outbreak in the state. “Personal Protective Equipment (PPE), non-contact thermometers and other items have been distributed to the Disease Surveillance and Notification Officers in all of the 25 local governments by the state Ministry of Health. “The drug, Rivabirin has been procured for immediate case management while the Federal Ministry of Health and the Nigeria Medical Association in Delta have been contacted and are collaborating with us,’’ he said. The commissioner gave assurance that the situation was under control and appealed to the public not to panic.

Read more at: http://www.vanguardngr.com/2016/08/lassa-fever-kills-doctor-delta-32-others-surveillance/

The Delta State Ministry of Health has confirmed one person dead and 32 others on surveillance following the reported case of Lassa fever. The state Commissioner for Health, Dr Nicholas Azinge, in a statement on Monday in Asaba, said that the state recorded one death from Lassa fever after a medical doctor in the state died from the disease. “On Aug. 18, 2016, one case of Lassa fever was reported in Delta State. The confirmed case was a medical doctor resident in Asaba who hailed from Anambra State. “He was first admitted in a private Hospital in the state and was later referred to the Nnamdi Azikiwe University Teaching Hospital (NAUTH), Nnewi, Anambra State. “The patient’s condition deteriorated and he died after three hours on admission,’’ Azinge said. The commissioner said that blood sample earlier collected from the victim was confirmed to be positive for Lassa fever after laboratory analysis at the Institute of Lassa Fever, Irrua in Edo State. He also disclosed that following the incident, the state government took immediate action to forestall the spread of the disease by shutting down the late doctor’s hospital in Umuaji quarters in Asaba. “Following the discovery, we also ensured that the hospital where he was treated at Bonsaac area was also shut down and fumigated. “His wife’s blood sample was taken and tested at the Institute of Lassa fever; it, however, came back negative. “So far, a total of 32 persons have been placed on surveillance; These include 11 persons from the immediate family of the deceased. “Eighteen persons at the private Hospital where the patient was first admitted and 3 other persons who made contact with the deceased,’’ Azinge said. The commissioner also disclosed that two local government Disease Surveillance Officers in Oshimili South and Oshimili North were actively involved as part of the state response team. “The Surveillance Officers have been monitoring the temperature of those under surveillance and this will be done for a period of 21 days. “The State Lassa Fever Response Team has been reactivated while sensitisation of health workers in the state is ongoing.’’ Azinge said the health workers were being sensitised to the need for preventive measures when managing infectious cases. According to him, the ministry has also embarked on awareness creation through the mass media, to enlighten the public on the mode of transmission of the disease and the preventive measures, to forestall its spread. The commissioner also said that prevention materials had been sent the various local governments prone to high-risk disease outbreak in the state. “Personal Protective Equipment (PPE), non-contact thermometers and other items have been distributed to the Disease Surveillance and Notification Officers in all of the 25 local governments by the state Ministry of Health. “The drug, Rivabirin has been procured for immediate case management while the Federal Ministry of Health and the Nigeria Medical Association in Delta have been contacted and are collaborating with us,’’ he said. The commissioner gave assurance that the situation was under control and appealed to the public not to panic.

Read more at: http://www.vanguardngr.com/2016/08/lassa-fever-kills-doctor-delta-32-others-surveillance/

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Contact Lenses Could Damage The Eye

Health officials in the United States (U.S) have raised the alarm on the improper use of contact lenses (CL) and warned it can lead to serious eye infections and long-term damage.
The warning is contained in a new report from the U.S. Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), which was released at the weekend. The FDA regulates contact lenses as medical devices.
A contact lens is a thin lens placed directly on the surface of the eye. CLs are considered medical devices and can be worn to correct vision, or for cosmetic or therapeutic reasons.
In 2004, it was estimated that 125 million people use CL worldwide. According to the World Health Organisation (WHO), approximately 90 per cent of visually impaired people live in developing countries.
However, considering that globally, 80 per cent of all visual impairment can be prevented or cured, efforts to reduce poor vision are at country and continental levels.
According to the new report, nearly one in five contact lens-related eye infections reported to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) over the last decade resulted in eye damage.
The report reviewed 1,075 reported contact lens-related infections between 2005 and 2015. The patients in those injuries said they had a scarred cornea, needed a corneal transplant or suffered a reduction in vision. According to report the CDC said, “More than 10 per cent of the patients sought emergency care…”.  The Director of CDC’s Healthy Water Program, Michael Beach said, “Contact lenses are a safe and effective form of vision correction when worn and cared for as recommended. However, improper wear and care of contact lenses can cause eye infections that sometimes lead to serious, long-term damage.” As part of the strategy to prevent damage including poor vision, the CDC further urged contact lens users not to sleep wearing contact lenses. “Always use fresh contact lens solution, and replace lenses often,” the statement added.    Story By JOHNSON OKPUSA OBASI

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Long life depends on lifespan of parents

A study, believed to be the largest of its kind ever conducted, has shown that the longer parents live, the longer their offspring are likely to live. The research, released yesterday by the Medical Research Council (MRC) in London, also indicated that children of long-lived parents are more likely to stay healthy in their 60s and 70s.
The eight-year study, led by the University of Exeter, also involved an international team of academics from the University of Cambridge. Also involved in the research, are UConn Centre on Aging at UConn Health in Connecticut, U.S., the French National Institute of Health and the Indian Institute of Public Health. The researchers noted that those with longer-lived parents had much lower rates of heart conditions and cancers.
They said that the study, funded by the MRC and involving almost 190,000 participants in the United Kingdom Biobank, was the largest of its kind. “It found that chances of survival increased by 17 per cent for each decade that at least one parent lives beyond the age of 70. It found evidence showing for the first time that knowing the age at which parents died could help predict risk not only of heart disease, but many aspects of heart and circulatory health,” they said.
The researchers disclosed that they used data on the health of 186,000 middle-aged offspring aged 55 years to 73 years, followed over a period of up to eight years.
The team found that those with longer livedparents had lower incidence of multiple circulatory conditions, including heart disease, heart failure, stroke, high blood pressure and high cholesterol levels.
It found that the risk of death from heart disease was 20 per cent lower for each decade that at least one parent lived beyond the age of 70 years. In addition, those with longer lived-parents also had reduced risk of cancer; a seven-per cent reduced likelihood of cancer in the follow-up per longer-lived parent.
It, however, noted that although factors such as smoking, high alcohol consumption, low physical activity and obesity were important, the lifespan of parents was still predictive of disease onset after accounting for these risks. Dr. Janice Atkins, a Research Fellow in the Epidemiology and Public Health group at the University of Exeter Medical School and lead author on the paper,said that the research was intensive.
He said that the research showed that “the longer your parents live, the more likely you are to remain healthy in your sixties and seventies.” Atkins said that the study was built on previous findings published by the University of Exeter Medical School researchers earlier this year, which established a genetic link between parents’ longevity and heart disease risk.
Professor David Melzer, leader of the Research Programme, said that it had been unclear why some older people developed heart conditions in their 60s while others only developed these conditions much later in life or even avoid them completely.
He said that the research showed that, while avoiding the well-known risk factors such as smoking, it is very important that there are also other factors inherited from parents. “As we understand these parental factors better, we should be able to help more people to age well,” Melzer said.

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Red Alert: Smallpox May Soon Come Back! - Experts

Medical experts have raised the alarm over the possible return of smallpox – a deadly disease eradicated from the world in 1977.
That is as frozen tundra of Siberia melts and releases the virus from the corpses of people, who died in a major epidemic about 120 years ago.
Smallpox is a disease caused by the Variola major virus. Some experts say that over the centuries, it has killed more people than all other infectious diseases combined.
The disease was once one of the most feared in the world. According to the World Health Organisation (WHO), up to 30 per cent of people who caught smallpox would die after experiencing symptoms including a high fever and the characteristic pus-filled spots.
The pores of potentially fatal anthrax from dead people and reindeer that had been entombed in the permafrost are already thought to have infected 24 patients currently in hospital in Salekhard near Russia’s north coast, reports the independent uk. But health experts told the Siberian Times this was a warning sign that there could be worse to come.
Boris Kershengolts, of the Siberian branch of the Academy of Sciences, said: “Back in the 1890s, there occurred a major epidemic of smallpox.
There was a town where up to 40 per cent of the population died. Naturally, the bodies were buried under the upper layer of permafrost soil, on the bank of the Kolyma River.
“Now, a little more than 100 years later, Kolyma’s floodwaters have started eroding the banks.”
The melting of the permafrost has speeded up this erosion process.
After anthrax spores have been found in Yamal peninsula near Salekhard, experts from the Novosibirsk- based Virology and Biotechnology Centre have been testing for other diseases. They found corpses that bore sores that look like the marks left by smallpox. While the experts – dressed in protective clothing because of the risks – did not find the virus itself, they did detect fragments of its DNA. Story By JOHNSON OKPUSA OBASI

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Hidden Tooth Infections Could Raise Heart Disease Risk

An undetected infection at the root of a tooth could put one at the risk of heart disease. This is the outcome of a Finnish study published in the latest issue of the ‘Journal of Dental Research’.
According to Researcher John Liljestrand, “Acute coronary syndrome is 2.7 times more common among patients with untreated teeth in need of root canal treatment than among patients without this issue.”
An abscessed tooth is a painful infection at the root of a tooth or between the gum and a tooth. It is most commonly caused by severe tooth decay. Other causes of tooth abscess are trauma to the tooth, such as when it is broken or chipped, and gingivitis or gum disease.
The study included 508 Finnish patients with a mean age of 62, who were experiencing heart symptoms at the time of the study. Gum disease, such as periodontitis, is regarded as an independent risk factor for coronary artery disease and diabetes.
Infections of root tips have been studied relatively little in this context, even though they appear to be connected with low-grade inflammation as well. Cardiovascular diseases cause more than 30 per cent of deaths globally.
They can be prevented by a healthy diet, weight control, exercise and not smoking. With regards to the health of the heart, measures should be taken to prevent or treat oral infections, as they are very common and often asymptomatic. Root canal treatment of an infected tooth may reduce the risk of heart disease, but the researchers note that more research is needed.
The newsmaxHealth reported that the coronary arteries of the patients were examined using angiography, and 36 per cent of them were found to be suffering from stable coronary artery disease, 33 per cent were undergoing acute coronary syndrome, and 31 per cent did not suffer from coronary artery disease to a significant degree.
Their teeth were examined using panoramic tomography of the teeth and jaws. As many as 58 per cent were found to be suffering from one or more inflammatory lesions.

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The Dangers Of Taking Paracetamol Pregnancy

Pregnant women who take paracetamol are more likely to have children with behavioural problems.
This is the result of a new study by scientists at the University of Bristol in the United Kingdom (UK).
According to the study, scientists found an association between mothers who took the drug in the first and third trimester of pregnancy and hyperactivity and emotional problems in their sevenyear- old children. The first trimester begins on the first day of your last period and lasts until the end of week 12.
This means that by the time a woman knows for sure that she is pregnant, she might already be five or six weeks pregnant. A lot happens during these first three months.
On the other hand, the third trimester of pregnancy is from week 29 to week 40. Paracetamol is the world’s most popular painkiller and is the only one deemed safe to take during pregnancy.
However, there is a growing body of research suggesting it could affect the development of children in the womb, with studies linking it with conditions as diverse as asthma, infertility and autism.
Pregnant women have been told there is no need to panic – they should continue to take the lowest dose needed for the shortest time possible and see their doctor if they have any concerns.
In the latest research, carried out by the University of Bristol in the United Kingdom (UK), scientists analysed records of 7,796 mothers in the UK. The mothers had been asked at 18 weeks and 32 weeks of pregnancy whether they had taken any paracetamol.
They and their partners were asked again about their paracetamol use when the child was 61 months old. Children were then tested at seven years old to see if they had any emotional or behavioural problems. Just over half of mothers had used the painkiller at 18 weeks, with 42 per cent using it at 32 weeks. Following birth, 84 per cent of mothers and their partners used it.
Around five per cent of the children studied had behavioural problems. The results showed a link between use of the drug at 18 weeks with increased risk of conduct problems and hyperactivity symptoms in children, while taking paracetamol at 32 weeks was linked with emotional symptoms and overall difficulties. Researchers suggested that paracetamol could affect a mechanism in the womb which affected brain development.
Author Dr. Evie Stergiakouli, said the extent of the results was ‘surprising’. She added: “We found that maternal prenatal (paracetamol) use at 18 weeks was associated with higher odds of the offspring having conduct problems as well as hyperactivity symptoms. “(Paracetamol) use at 32 weeks was associated with higher odds of emotional symptoms, hyperactivity, as well as total difficulties.’
The study found the link between taking paracetamol and multiple behavioural and emotional problems was strongest when mothers took it in the third trimester of pregnancy. Story By JOHNSON OKPUSA OBASI

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Coffee Reduces Cardiac Damage

Drinking at least one cup of coffee a day could boost survival after a heart attack. These are the findings of a study published in the journal ‘Coronary Artery’. According to the researchers, patients who drink one to two cups a day are 20 per cent less likely to die prematurely from heart damage than those who never touch coffee, while those downing more than two are nearly half as likely to die early.
The findings, by the British team at York University in Canada, support other recent research suggesting coffee – once considered a potential danger to the heart – may actually have a protective effect when drunk in moderation. Although, around 70 million cups of coffee are consumed every day in the United Kingdom (UK), not as much is consumed in Nigeria.
Many Nigerians are also not only known to drink coffee, some are addicted to it. Coffee is slightly acidic and can have a stimulating effect on humans because of its caffeine content. Coffee is one of the most popular drinks in the world, after water.
The popular beverage has been shown to protect against liver cancer, Alzheimer’s disease and even strokes. Last year, experts at the renowned Harvard School of Public Health in Boston in the United States (U.S), found three to five cups a day reduced the risk of dying from heart disease, as well as incurable conditions like Parkinson’s, according to reports.
Now a British team has found coffee may also help those who have already had a heart attack. The findings are potentially very significant because this group of patients is at high risk of another heart attack, or developing heart failure as a result of severe scarring in the cardiac muscle.
The team tracked 3,271 victims across the UK, including 604 who survived but later died as a result of their condition. The patients had all taken part in research which chronicled their coffeedrinking habits as part of a wider lifestyle study. ‘Light’ drinkers, who got through just one or two daily were also at much lower risk of an early death, with the dangers reduced by about a fifth.
Few studies have looked at how coffee might improve the health of this large group of patients. The York researchers said it’s still not entirely clear how coffee might boost the heart but noted there were a host of potentially beneficial ingredients in coffee beans, not just caffeine. These include healthboosting plant chemicals, called flavonoids, as well as compounds called melanoidins, which can reduce the build-up of fatty deposits.

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Low Sperm Count May Lead To Bone Fracture, Diabetes

A new report by Swedish researchers has indicated that men with infertility problems have a heightened risk of developing other diseases later in life.
This is the finding of a study published by Skane University Hospital in Stockholm, Sweden.
According to the researchers, men with fertility problems were more likely to suffer bone fractures and may also be more susceptible to diabetes later in life.
Infertility refers to an inability to conceive after having regular unprotected sex.
Infertility can also refer to the biological inability of an individual to contribute to conception, or to a female who cannot carry a pregnancy to full term.
According to the researchers, the findings was the result of research carried out on 192 men with sub-average sperm counts.
While a complete absence of sperm is called azoospermia, sperm count is considered lower than normal if it is fewer than 15 million sperm per milliliter of semen.
Having a low sperm count decreases the odds that one’s sperm will fertilise the partner’s egg, resulting in pregnancy.
It said that men with fertility problems were more likely to suffer bone fractures and may also be more susceptible diabetes later in life.
The study registered that a third of men aged below 50 with low sperm counts suffered from testosterone levels below average.
Testosterone is a steroid hormone from the androgen group and is found in humans and other vertebrates.
In humans and other mammals, testosterone is secreted primarily by the testicles of males and, to a lesser extent, the ovaries of females. Story By Johnson OKPUSA OBASI

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WHO's Recommended Excercis333e Too Low To Beat Deseases

In order to reduce the risk of five common chronic diseases, researchers from the United States (U.S) and Canada have urged the world community to engage in higher levels of physical activities far above the recommended levels by the World Health Organisation (WHO).
According to the researchers, when the level of total physical activity per week is five to seven times the minimum level recommended by the WHO, there would be a lower risk of stroke and of contracting breast and bowel cancer, diabetes and heart disease.
Chronic diseases are long-term medical conditions that are generally progressive. Some examples of chronic diseases include heart disease, diabetes, stroke, and chronic respiratory problems.
At present, these are the major causes of disability and death globally. In effect, the study findings show that higher levels of physical activity can achieve bigger reductions in the risk of the five highlighted common chronic diseases, but only if people engage in levels far above the recommended minimum exertion.
An analysis of 174 studies found that gardening, household chores and more strenuous activities, when done in sufficient quantities, were strongly associated with a lower risk of stroke and of contracting breast and bowel cancer, diabetes and heart disease.
At present, the WHO recommends that people conduct at least 600 metabolic equivalent minutes (MET minutes) of physical activity – the equivalent of 150 minutes each week of brisk walking or 75 minutes of running.
But the new study suggested most health gains were achieved at 3,000 to 4,000 MET minutes per week. Reacting, the lead author, Hmwe Kyu, from the University of Washington, said: “Major gains occurred at lower levels of activity. The decrease in risk was minimal at levels higher than 3,000 to 4,000 MET minutes per week.
“A person can achieve 3,000 MET minutes per week by incorporating different types of physical activity into the daily routine – for example, climbing stairs 10 minutes, vacuuming 15 minutes, gardening 20 minutes, running 20 minutes, and walking or cycling for transportation 25 minutes on a daily basis would together achieve about 3,000 MET minutes a week.
Analysing studies published between 1980 and 2016, the researchers found the pattern highlighted was most prominent for ischemic heart disease and diabetes and least prominent for breast cancer.
For example, individuals with a total activity level of 600 MET minutes per week had a two per cent lower risk of diabetes compared with those reporting no physical activity. An increase from 600 to 3,600 MET minutes reduced the risk by an additional 19 per cent.
The same amount of increase yielded much smaller returns at higher levels of activity. “With population ageing, and an increasing number of cardiovascular and diabetes deaths since 1990, greater attention and investments in interventions to promote physical activity in the general public is required,” they wrote. “More studies using the detailed quantification of total physical activity will help to find a more precise estimate for different levels of physical activity.” Story By JOHNSON OKPUSA OBASI

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Breastfeeding Prevents Cancers In Mothers - UNICEF

Nursing mothers now have a strong reason to take the issues of breastfeeding very seriously as UNICEF has said that nursing mothers who breastfeed their children exclusively in the first six months of their lives stand a chance of being protected against breast cancer and cancer of the uterus.
Speaking at a press conference to commemorate the 2016 World Breastfeeding Day, Chief of Kaduna UNICEF Field Office, Utpal Moitra, said breastfeeding within 30 minutes of childbirth equally saves mothers from maternal death.
Explaining how exclusive breastfeeding reduces some health risks, Kaduna State Nutrition Officer, Mrs. June Gwani, stated that constant breastfeeding of the baby protects nursing mothers against cancer of the uterus and breast cancer, such that it equally helps the mothers’ uterus to return to its position quickly after delivery.
Speaking further, Moitra said the 2016 World Breastfeeding Week was targeted at creating awareness on the relationship between breastfeeding an infant and young child feeding as a key component of sustainable development goals.
According to him: “Initiation of breastfeeding within 30 minutes after birth saves mothers from the risk of post-partum haemorrhage and maternal death and exclusive breastfeeding on demand in the first six months of life without water or any other food starts every baby on healthy path in life, providing all the nutrients the baby requires for optimum growth and development.
Gwani said that against the general belief of mothers that a baby needs water, all a baby needs in the first six months of life is in breast milk.
According to her, breast milk contains 85 per cent of water; so there is no fear of absence of water in the breast milk. “The feeding of the colostrums serves as the first immunisation against a host of diseases the mother must have been exposed to while continuing breastfeeding up to two years and beyond.”

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