Health

Amid the growing use of weight loss medications, a new study has raised concerns about declining skeletal muscle health caused by the popular drugs. In a recent commentary published in The Lancet journal, researchers from the US and Canada highlighted the critical importance of skeletal muscle mass in the context of medically induced weight loss, particularly with the widespread use of GLP-1 receptor agonists. While the drugs have shown extreme potential in treating obesity -- a precursor for many diseases like diabetes, hypertension, and cancer -- they can also lead to substantial muscle loss as part of the weight loss process, argued researchers from Pennington Biomedical Research Center in the US, Universities of Alberta and McMaster in Canada. They noted that muscle loss -- measured...

In a medical achievement, a 33-year-old Mumbai woman suffering from a rare esophageal disorder was successfully treated using an innovative endoscopic suturing technique. Surbhi Galaiya, a resident of Jamnagar, had been battling life-threatening lung complications and the inability to swallow due to a rare condition that caused an abnormal connection between her oesophagus and lungs. As a result, everything she consumed would end up in her lungs, posing a severe risk to her health. After several failed treatments, including an unsuccessful attempt to close the connection with a metallic clip, she was reliant on a nasogastric tube for survival. Dr. Amit Maydeo, Chairman, Institute of Gastrosciences, HN Reliance Foundation Hospital, and his team performed a pioneering endoscopic procedure,...

Amidst India`s escalating tobacco epidemic, where four out of 10 households grapple with smoking addiction, a new report on Friday revealed that 65 per cent of healthcare professionals in the country call for safer novel tobacco alternatives to save lives.  The report from the Doctors Against Addiction (DAAD) survey, in collaboration with Saizen Global Insights and Consulting, revealed a pivotal shift in the perspectives of healthcare professionals with 65 per cent of doctors supporting integrating safer cessation alternatives, such as nicotine replacement therapies and heat-not-burn products, into smoking cessation efforts. They emphasised the need for further efficacy research of these alternatives. The finding marks a significant moment in India’s ongoing battle against tobacco addict...

Even as India celebrates a decade of being polio-free, it is important to identify areas with low polio vaccination coverage to protect children from the devastating disease, and pave the way for a healthy future, said experts on World Polio Day on October 24.  World Polio Day is celebrated on October 24 every year to raise awareness about polio -- a viral disease that mainly affects children below the age of five. India has achieved a significant milestone in eradicating polio with the country declared free of polio by the World Health Organization in 2014. However, polio remains a threat, and the pace of the polio vaccine has also slowed down in India, with the coverage levels being poorest in the north-east, as seen in recent data from the National Family Health Survey. This is also...

Corneal blindness is on the rise in India, with the country seeing an estimated 20,000 to 25,000 new cases every year, claimed Dr. Smit Bavaria, Cataract Surgeon, Dr. Agarwal’s Eye Hospital, Mumbai, on Thursday. October is observed as Blindness Awareness Month every year to highlight the issues faced by blind and visually challenged people, and raise awareness about preventable factors leading to the condition. Addressing a press conference on this important issue, Dr. Bavaria stated, “The causes of corneal blindness have shifted in recent years from infectious diseases like keratitis to eye trauma and other eye complications, but the burden remains substantial, especially in rural areas where access to eye care is limited.” What is corneal blindness? Corneal blindness refers to the da...

With the advent of the digital revolution that ushered in a huge market for online casino and sports betting market, an estimated 80 million people globally experience gambling disorder or problematic gambling, with adolescents being the most affected, according to research published in The Lancet Public Health Commission on Friday. The Commission noted that children and adolescents are routinely exposed to advertising of gambling products in "unprecedented ways" and are the most affected. It is because children and adolescents remain "particularly vulnerable to the allure of easy money and the game-like designs of online gambling." They called for stronger global regulatory controls to reduce the impact of commercial gambling on worldwide health and wellbeing. An international team of ...

Even as air quality in the national capital continues to be in the `very poor` category, health experts on Thursday said that prolonged exposure to air pollution may be detrimental to the brain.  According to Central Pollution Control Board data (CPCB), the air quality index (AQI) was 336 at 7.30 a.m. Various monitoring stations across the national capital recorded the air quality in the `very poor` category -- between 301 and 400. During the day, the air quality is expected to drop to the `severe` category at places where the AQI is near 400, as per the CPCB. A recent study, published in The Lancet Planetary Health, showed short-term air pollution exposure claimed 33,000 lives annually in 10 cities in India, and Delhi topped the list with 12,000 deaths every year. Dr PN Renjen, senior...

While breast cancer is often perceived as a women`s disease, men also suffer from the deadly disease. However, stigma delays their diagnosis and treatment, potentially worsening outcomes, said experts on Wednesday. October is marked as Breast Cancer awareness month. According to the World Health Organization (WHO), approximately 0.5–1 per cent of breast cancers occur in men. While this percentage may seem small, it translates to thousands of men worldwide facing this diagnosis each year. “Despite its rarity, breast cancer in men is often diagnosed later than in women. Many men are unaware that they can develop breast cancer, leading to delayed detection. However, early detection significantly improves survival rates,” Dr. Ramesh Sarin, Senior Consultant, Surgical Oncology, Apollo Cancer...

Even as air quality in Delhi fell to the ‘very poor’ category, city doctors on October 22 reported a 30 per cent surge in respiratory diseases like asthma and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD).  A thick layer of smog enveloped Delhi on the morning as the city’s air quality deteriorated to the ‘very poor’ category. According to the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB), 27 monitoring stations in the national capital fell in the red zone, with an Air Quality Index (AQI) of 317 recorded around 9:00 a.m. The health experts blamed changing weather and pollution levels for the rise in respiratory disease. Children, pregnant women, and the elderly are at the highest risk. Dr. Vikas Maurya, senior director and HOD Pulmonology, Fortis Hospital said that as winter is approaching and p...

Long-term exposure to arsenic in drinking water may increase the risk of cardiovascular disease even at exposure levels below the regulatory limit, according to a new study on Wednesday.  The study led by researchers at Columbia University in the US is the first to describe exposure-response relationships at concentrations below the current regulatory limit (10 micrograms per litre). It also substantiates that prolonged exposure to arsenic in water contributes to the development of ischemic heart disease. For the study, published in the journal Environmental Health Perspectives, the team compared various time windows of exposure. “Our findings further reinforces the importance of considering non-cancer outcomes, and specifically cardiovascular disease, which is the number one cause of d...