IPL And Heart Attacks

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The IPL is back with a bang, though personally I think that is debatable...But yes, Season 2 is very much underway, and of course that means a lot of excitement, packed with surprises we least expect. Now you and I may not be celebrity owners of IPL teams but we sure have some stake, it's our favourite teams playing out there. But here's the surprise twist -- we may actually be putting our health at stake too! I don't mean to scare you but yes, consider this a warning. Relevant studies have suggested that the stress and excitement of major sporting events can trigger heart attacks among fans, especially those with known heart conditions, or those who are prone to anxiety attacks. The real question is whether following the IPL can also cost you your health. A greater concern (and the thrust of this blog) is that a....

The Dance of Democracy, Healthcare and You

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Good health usually is on the top of our wish list and of course we Indians love to wish each other the same at the drop of a hat!!! But what I want to know, as a doctor, is where healthcare will stand on the incoming government's priority list. As we step into yet another phase of Indian politics and watch as they say the "dance of democracy," let's take a look at what the new government is going to have to do, to fulfill their loud agenda of "Health for all" in political campaigns. First, I want to bring your attention to the general problems we face in India when it comes to healthcare, and second, some possible solutions. The problems range from poor infrastructure, demand and supply gap to low levels of public expenditure on healthcare and of course, lack of quality. You don't....

Chicken Pox- Know It, Prevent It!

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There have been a lot of cases of chicken pox in the last couple of weeks. In Delhi alone, more than 1200 cases of chickenpox have been reported this year. As the virus now recedes, there are chances that you might catch it even now... because some of you are either in close contact with the infected or haven't got vaccinated. To start with, there is a vaccine available and you can get the shot at any age. The symptoms of chicken pox include fever, tiredness, lack of appetite, sore throat followed by rashes and red spots all over the skin that keep developing for the next five to seven days. The spots go through blistering, bursting, drying, and crusting over the next few days. Though chickenpox is usually mild, it can be serious or even fatal in adults and young infants. It can lead to severe skin infection,....

Meningitis: How to handle it

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This week I are focusing on Meningitis, thats raised its ugly head in the capital once again. I am going to tell you what YOU need to know about this potentially DEADLY condition. To start with, what is meningitis? It's an infection of the areas covering the brain and spinal cord... most often hitting children, teens and young adults...though those with a weakened immune system are also at risk. You can get viral OR bacterial meningitis... Viral meningitis tends to be more common and while it doesn't usually cause serious illness...it can cause prolonged fever and seizures. But it's bacterial meningitis that can be scarier, and lead to brain damage or death, if it's not treated right away. Adding to the danger - meningitis IS contagious. An infected person can spread germs through coughing, sneezing and close contact. BOTH types of meningitis have the....

Fact Sheet: Flu and Colds in Children

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Children are at high risk of complications and serious illness from the flu. Indeed, only elderly people over age 74 are at higher risk than kids!!! Fact: Children under 2 years old -- even healthy children -- are more likely than other children to be hospitalized from the flu. Flu season spans November through March. How can you tell if your child may have the flu? Flu symptoms are more severe than those with colds and tend to come on abruptly. Flu symptoms in children may include:

• A sudden fever (usually above 101)
• Chills and shakes with the fever
• Extreme tiredness
• Headache and body aches
• Dry, hacking cough
• Sore throat
• Vomiting and belly pain
• Stuffy nose

Emergency Contraception

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Recently there has been a lot of publicity about the launch of a pill which can prevent unwanted pregnancy. A lot of viewers have asked about the safety profile of such drugs. I though it would be prudent to examine this today and try to answer some commonly asked questions. Emergency contraception - also called post-coital contraception - is a form of birth control that may be used by women who have had unprotected sex or if a contraceptive method fails. The treatment generally is reserved for emergency situations and is not a regular method of birth control. How Does It Work? Emergency contraception may prevent pregnancy by temporarily blocking eggs from being produced, by stopping fertilization, or keeping a fertilized egg from becoming implanted in the uterus. Emergency contraception can be provided in two ways: using hormonal contraceptive pills or inserting a copper-releasing IUD (intrauterine device).

• Emergency Contraceptive Pills....
  
  
  Monday , October 15, 2007

  Your Top 6 Hospital Risks

  
  

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  It's a fact of life: people checking into the hospital face risks. Expecting to get better, some actually wind up getting worse. While you might feel out of control when you go into the hospital, you're really not. So what can you do to cut your risks? Here's a list of the six top hospital risks and - more importantly - what you can do to avoid them. Hospital Risk No. 1: Medication Errors Far and away, the most serious hospital risk is a medication error. A 2006 report from the Institute of Medicine estimated that every year, there are 450,000 injuries resulting from medication errors in hospitals, and perhaps many more that are unreported. But there are things you can do to reduce this hospital risk. Before surgery, you need to make sure that your doctor, your surgeon, and everyone else involved in your care know about....

  
  
  Sunday , September 23, 2007

  Calcium Inhibits Bone Loss

  
  

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  One of the often asked questions by my patients across all age groups is with related to whether calcium supplements and vitamin D supplements actually protect the bones? People aged 50 and older who take calcium supplements are 12 per cent less likely to fracture a bone than their peers who don't take those pills and that protection rate doubles when calcium supplements are taken correctly. A recent study in the esteemed medical journal Lancet claims that for best therapeutic effect, the recommended minimum doses of 1200 milligrams [mg] of calcium, and 800 IU [international units] of vitamin D (for combined calcium plus vitamin D supplementation. During that time, people who took calcium supplements were not only less likely to fracture their bones, they also slightly reduced their rate of bone loss from their hip and spine, compared with people who didn't take calcium supplements. Taking....

  
  
  Monday , September 17, 2007

  Why is my baby blue?

  
  

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  Last week I got a frantic call from a friend who had just delivered a "healthy baby". Over the past couple of days she had noticed that the tips of the fingers and toes had a bluish discoloration. I asked her to see her pediatrician the next morning and if he heard a heart murmur to request for a echocardiography to rule out a heart defect. 1% of all children born anywhere in the world may have a congenital heart defect or are born with a heart abnormality. The reasons are multiple and include a host of reasons ranging from genetics to maternal dietary deficits. Parents should investigate a bluish color they spot on their baby's skin. Blue skin means the underlying blood has a blue cast, rather than the nice pink color of blood with lots of oxygen in it. Fortunately, in most cases it's quite normal and....

  
  
  Monday , September 10, 2007

  Lead Poisoning: What It Is, How to Test, What to Do

  
  

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  The news networks were all ablaze last week as how Chinese made toys were recalled because of high lead content. It made me realize that while lead poisoning is a huge issue in the US, we in India are relatively umaware of the effects! Lead poisoning -- at levels that do not cause immediate symptoms -- can permanently damage kids' brains. Before their second birthday, children are particularly susceptible to lead poisoning. They are, of course, more likely than older children to put lead-contaminated hands or toys or paint chips in their mouths. Moreover, a child's gastrointestinal tract also absorbs lead more readily than does the adult gut. Most importantly, a child's rapidly developing brain is highly vulnerable to lead toxicity. I strogly brlieve that it is better to be conservative and safe and not ever sorry about excessive lead exposure. Lead poisoning is almost never a....