Health

Hospitalisations due to severe Covid-19 infection, a family history of sudden deaths, as well as lifestyle behaviours are some of the reasons behind the unexplained sudden death, according to a study led by the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR). The peer-reviewed study published in the Indian Journal of Medical Research explored factors associated with unexplained sudden deaths among adults aged 18-45 years in India. It showed that Covid vaccination was not responsible for sudden and unexplained deaths seen among young and healthy individuals. The study was conducted in 2023, following anecdotal reports of sudden, unexplained deaths in India`s apparently healthy young adults, which were linked to Covid-19 infection or vaccination. "Covid-19 vaccination did not increase the risk...

Women`s mental and physical health took a severe toll than men during the deadly Covid-19 pandemic, finds a study. The study, published in the journal Social Science and Medicine, showed that psychological distress increased for both women and men during the pandemic, with women experiencing a greater rise. The link between health behaviours and mental health weakened for women during the pandemic, with a healthy lifestyle no longer showing a significant connection to mental health. In contrast, these relationships remained consistent for men. Before the pandemic, health behaviours offered greater protective benefits for women`s mental health, but during the pandemic, this protective effect became stronger for men, revealed researchers from the University of Aberdeen in Scotland. "We f...

One in every four school-going adolescents is at risk of developing mental health illness, according to a recent study, that stressed the need for early interventions. The study, led by researchers at the Indira Gandhi Medical College and Research Institute in Puducherry, called for significant intervention at school and home. “Adolescence is a crucial period during which biological and psychosocial changes occur in an individual. One-fourth of the adolescents were found to be at risk of mental health illness, so periodic screening could be done at schools, for early identification and proper treatment of mental disorders,” said researchers including Kavita Vasudevan, Head of Community Medicine at the institute. The study aimed to determine and compare the prevalence and risk factors as...

Scientists from the Centre for Nano and Soft Matter Sciences (CeNS), Bengaluru, have developed a new low-cost sensor that can help detect toxic sulphur dioxide (SO2) gas responsible for respiratory irritation, asthma attacks, and long-term lung damage, at extremely low concentrations, said the Ministry of Science and Technology on Friday.  CeNS, Bengaluru is an autonomous institute of the Department of Science and Technology (DST), under the Ministry. SO2 is a toxic air pollutant commonly released from vehicles and industrial emissions, and even minute exposure can cause serious health issues and long-term lung damage. It is hard to detect before it has an adverse effect on health. While real-time monitoring of SO2 levels is essential for human health and environment existing technologi...

US researchers have developed a new artificial intelligence (AI) model that significantly outperforms current clinical guidelines in identifying patients at high risk of sudden cardiac death.  The AI system, known as Multimodal AI for Ventricular Arrhythmia Risk Stratification (MAARS), integrates cardiac MRI images with a wide range of patient health records to detect hidden warning signs, offering a new level of precision in cardiovascular risk prediction, Xinhua News Agency reported. The study, published in the journal Nature Cardiovascular Research, focused on hypertrophic cardiomyopathy -- one of the most common inherited heart conditions and a leading cause of sudden cardiac death in young people. "Currently we have patients dying in the prime of their life because they aren`t prot...

Women with poor cardiovascular health may be at a higher risk of developing gestational diabetes and coronary artery calcium (CAC) in midlife, according to a study. CAC refers to the buildup of calcium deposits in the walls of the coronary arteries, which supply blood to the heart. It is a significant indicator of heart disease risk. The findings, published in JAMA Cardiology, suggest that gestational diabetes is a marker of pre-pregnancy cardiovascular health. It also underscores the importance of healthcare providers in helping patients improve their cardiovascular health both prior and after pregnancy. "We need to optimise cardiovascular health early in the life course," said lead author Natalie Cameron, instructor in the Department of Medicine`s Division of General Internal Medicine...

The widespread belief that left-handed people are more creative may not be true, according to researchers who analysed studies published since the 1900s that examined the relationship between handedness and creativity. Researchers from Cornell University in the US and The Chinese University of Hong Kong discovered that right-handed individuals may be more creative. The findings were published in the journal `Psychonomic Bulletin and Review`. Left-handed individuals, often referred to as "lefties", make up about 10 per cent of the global population and are frequently perceived as more creative, the researchers claim. This perception may stem from the idea that both left-handedness and creative genius are rare, leading to the assumption that one explains the other. Moreover, left-handed ...

As the days go by, more doctors stress on the need to take care of one’s health, which can get affected in so many different ways today. While some find the strength to deal with the challenges, it often takes a toll on many people and their families, who are also a part of the journey with them.  Many may often lose hope but hope but even as life gets tougher, there are many inspiring medical miracles that are taking place across the city, and India, giving a new lease of life to people that are not only young but also old, helping them to look forward to a brighter future.  Mumbai doctors save terminal prostate cancer patient`s life with lutetium therapyDoctors at a Mumbai hospital have successfully treated a 66-year-old man suffering from advanced metastatic prostate cancer, deliverin...

Adopting a healthier lifestyle is more effective than using the anti-diabetes drug metformin, with the benefits persisting over 20 years later, according to a study. The US Diabetes Prevention Program, launched in 1996, enrolled 3,234 patients with prediabetes from 30 institutions across 22 states. The study aimed to compare the benefits of metformin and a lifestyle modification that included exercise and a healthy diet. Researchers from The University of New Mexico, US, found that making lifestyle changes lowered the development of diabetes by 24 per cent, while the anti-diabetes drug lowered it by 17 per cent. The findings are published in The Lancet Diabetes and Endocrinology journal. The team noted that differences between the two approaches -- taking metformin and adopting a healt...

Researchers at the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Bombay have identified a previously unknown trigger of diabetes in collagen -- the most abundant protein in the human body -- that is also worsening the blood sugar condition.  The study, published in the Journal of the American Chemical Society, showed how collagen accelerates the clumping of hormones in the pancreas, finding a potential new drug target. In Type 2 diabetes which affects more than 500 million people worldwide, either not enough insulin -- a hormone essential for regulating blood sugar levels -- is produced, or the body’s cells become less responsive to it, resulting in high blood sugar levels. And when the body tries to release more insulin, it also ends up making more amylin -- another hormone that helps control b...