Medical Bulletin 15/September/2022 - Video
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Overview
Here are the top medical news for the day:
People with autoimmune disease have a higher complication rate after heart attack: Study
After a heart attack, people with an autoimmune disease were more likely to die, develop heart failure or have a second heart attack compared to people without an autoimmune disease, according to new research published today in the Journal of the American Heart Association.
Autoimmune diseases, are known to increase risk of cardiovascular disease, likely due to multiple factors. People with an autoimmune disease have a higher prevalence of traditional cardiovascular risk factors in addition to aspects of autoimmune disease that are also linked to higher cardiovascular risk and long-term use of steroid medications.
Reference:
Amgad Mentias et al,Journal of the American Heart Association DOI10.1161/JAHA.122.026411
Multivitamins taken daily may improve brain function
Could taking a daily multivitamin help maintain cognitive health with aging and possibly prevent cognitive decline? According to new research from Wake Forest University School of Medicine, conducted in collaboration with Brigham and Women's Hospital in Boston, taking a daily supplement may improve cognition in older adults. The study also showed that daily use of a cocoa extract supplement does not benefit cognition.
According to the Alzheimer's Association, more than 6.5 million Americans are living with Alzheimer's disease, and 1 in 3 seniors die with the disease or another form of dementia. The study, published in Alzheimer's & Dementia, investigated whether taking a daily cocoa extract supplement or a daily multivitamin-mineral supplement reduces the risk of developing heart disease, stroke, cancer and other health outcomes.
Reference:
Laura D. Baker et al,Effects of cocoa extract and a multivitamin on cognitive function: A randomized clinical trial, Alzheimer's & Dementia, DOI 10.1002/alz.12767
Engineered enzyme against antibiotic-resistant anthrax
Antibiotic-resistant strains of the bacteria are of growing concern, and researchers are preparing to fight back. Now, a team reporting in ACS Infectious Diseases has taken a step toward the development of a therapeutic that can treat the infection in mice without antibiotics.
One type of B. anthracis, called the Ames strain, is particularly virulent because it can wrap itself in a protective capsule of poly-D-glutamic acid that acts like a cloak of invisibility, helping the bacteria evade the human immune system.
Reference:
Patricia M. Legler et al, ACS Infectious Diseases, DOI: 10.1021/acsinfecdis.2c00227
Air pollution can lead to arrhythmias in healthy teens
Breathing particulate matter (i.e., tiny particles suspended in the air) air pollution may trigger irregular heart rhythms (arrhythmias) in healthy teenagers, according to new research published today in the Journal of the American Heart Association.
The study examined the impact of breathing fine particulate matter on heart rhythms of adolescents. Fine particulates (PM2.5) are less than 2.5 microns in size and can easily be inhaled deep into the lungs and even enter the bloodstream. Once inhaled, the pollutants irritate the lungs and blood vessels around the heart, and previous research has suggested that over time, pollutants increase the process of disease in the arteries.
Reference:
Fan He et al,Journal of the American Heart Association,DOI: 10.1161/JAHA.122.026370
Speakers
Isra Zaman
B.Sc Life Sciences, M.Sc Biotechnology, B.Ed
Isra Zaman is a Life Science graduate from Daulat Ram College, Delhi University, and a postgraduate in Biotechnology from Amity University. She has a flair for writing, and her roles at Medicaldialogues include that of a Sr. content writer and a medical correspondent. Her news pieces cover recent discoveries and updates from the health and medicine sector. She can be reached at editorial@medicaldialogues.in.