'Stomach pain could signal life-threatening condition'
Kolkata:
Do not ignore stomach pain as it could indicate a critical ailment that often
leads to death but goes unnoticed in 70 percent of cases, a senior cardiologist
cautioned Thursday.
"Abdominal aortic aneurysm (AAA) is largely asymptomatic. But abdominal pain and back pain in people who are above 60 years of age, with a history of hypertension, should not be taken lightly. It could be a sign for AAA," said S.B.Roy, director and head of the department of interventional cardiology of the Belle Vue Clinic here.
"Abdominal aortic aneurysm (AAA) is largely asymptomatic. But abdominal pain and back pain in people who are above 60 years of age, with a history of hypertension, should not be taken lightly. It could be a sign for AAA," said S.B.Roy, director and head of the department of interventional cardiology of the Belle Vue Clinic here.
The aneurysm occurs when the region of the aorta (the largest artery in the human body) that supplies oxygen-rich blood to the abdomen, pelvis and legs becomes abnormally large or balloons outwards.
Such a condition becomes fatal when the expanded blood vessel ruptures, causing a large quantity of blood to spill out in the abdominal cavity.
Although AAA has a very low incidence rate in India (500 to 700 cases reported every year), factors like hypertension and age itself predispose one to the ailment.
"Aneurysm
kills people mostly in the age group of 65 to 75 years especially smokers. So
age itself is one of the factors," Roy said.
Roy
had detected the aneurysm in a 71-year-old patient who underwent a
revolutionary surgery at the private hospital, with a new technique called
endovascular aneurysm repair or EVAR.
To prevent fatalities, Roy advised routine abdominal ultrasounds in senior citizens.
To prevent fatalities, Roy advised routine abdominal ultrasounds in senior citizens.
06.09.2013
Household air pollution major contributor to NCDs: WHO
New
Delhi: Household air pollution (HAP) which is a major contributor to lower
respiratory tract infections in children and chronic obstructive pulmonary
disease in adults, remains a neglected issue, WHO said Thursday.
Reduction in HAP will be added as the tenth target in the global action plan for prevention and control of non-communicable diseases (NCDs), said World Health Organisation (WHO) in a statement.
The target calls for 50 per cent reduction in households using solid fuels like wood, crop residue, dried dung, coal and charcoal as primary cooking source, it said.
Other adverse effects of HAP include tuberculosis, cataract, cerebrovascular disease and poor maternal outcome including still births, WHO said adding that an estimated 3.5 million deaths in 2010 were attributed to HAP globally.
The other nine voluntary global targets stress on 25 per cent relative reduction in overall mortality from cardiovascular disease, cancer, diabetes or chronic respiratory disease, at least 10 per cent reduction in harmful use of alcohol, 30 per cent reduction in tobacco use in persons aged over 15 years and a halt in rise of obesity. All these targets are to be achieved by 2025, the statement said.
According
to WHO, four major NCDs like cardiovascular diseases, chronic respiratory
diseases, cancer and diabetes together kill the largest number of people in the
region.
"NCDs
take a huge toll on national economies and disproportionately affect poor,
impoverished families and are a growing burden on health systems," said Dr
Samlee Plianbangchang, WHO Regional Director for South-East Asia.
"These
targets are ambitious goals and demonstrate that governments are serious about
reducing NCDs," he added.
Health
ministers from 11 countries will meet at the 66th session of WHO`s Regional
Committee for South-East Asia here between September 11 and 13 to chalk out an
action plan for prevention and control of NCDs.
06.09.2013
They are able because they think they are able
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