Cannabis tied to severe heart attack risk in younger adults

Teens and young adults who use cocaine, amphetamines and cannabis are more likely to be hospitalized for heart attacks by early adulthood than their counterparts who don’t use these drugs, a recent study suggests.

Researchers examined data from 2010-2014 on 1,694 patients ages 15 to 22 who were hospitalized for heart attacks, plus almost 9.4 million patients this age who were hospitalized for other reasons. Overall, the risk of a heart attack hospitalization was 3.9 times higher for cocaine users, 2.3 times higher for amphetamine users, and 30% higher for cannabis users than for non-users of these drugs… (Reuters, November 26, 2019)

Healthcare News Monitor

Indian scientists artificial enzymes may help treat heart diseases

ET Healthworld – PTI

Nano molecules that may help treat cardiovascular diseases, one of the top killers in India, as well as conditions such as hypertension are being “synthesised” in a Bengaluru lab under the watchful eye of an Indian scientist. Professor G Mugesh and his team at the Indian Institute of Science are working on synthetic molecules such as artificial enzymes, which may help develop novel ways to tackle cardiovascular disorders, including heart attacks. “What we do is, we synthesise these compounds in a chemistry lab, and study them for biological applications, particularly keeping in consideration their potential use in some major diseases,” Mugesh told PTI in an interview. Endothelial dysfunction, a risk factor for plaque build-up inside arteries, and hypertension are also on the list of “cures”. The team started with basic research on cellular studies in the lab, and is now planning to carry out animal studies. Their research on the biological properties of novel small molecules and nanomaterial for use in biomedical research is the subject of global attention. According to a study in The Lancet journal in August 2018, India accounts for about a fifth of cardiovascular deaths globally.

Minister informs Parliament about steps taken to promote affordable generic drugs

Business Medical Dialogues

The Minister in the Ministry of Chemicals and Fertilizers D V Sadananda Gowda recently informed the Parliament about the steps taken by the Government to promote the use of domestically manufactured drugs and medicines. This comes while responding to queries raised by Ajay Nishad during a Lok Sabha session seeking the steps taken /proposed to be taken by the Government for monitoring the medicines prescribed by the doctors or sold by the pharmacies if the Government proposes or has made it mandatory for the doctors to prescribe only the low priced generic medicines for the patients. Nishad further asked if the Government has taken any steps to encourage the use of Indigenous manufactured medicines. In response to this, Gowda furnished the below-mentioned details for the steps taken by the Government to promote the use of domestically manufactured drugs and medicines:

Petition urges Tamil Nadu government to direct doctors to touch patients while examining them

ET Healthworld- TNN

SALEM: A resident of the city on Monday petitioned district collector S A Raman requesting him to direct doctors in government hospitals to touch the patients while examining them. In his petition, Hari Muni Chakravarthi of Kannankurichi said his father Muniappan was admitted to the Salem Government Mohan Kumaramangalam Medical college Hospital on November 11 after his health condition deteriorated. Hari alleged that the doctors who visited the male ward to examine Muniappan, refused to touch him even at the time of treatment. "The doctors even did not respond to my questions when asked about my fathers condition," he said. After two days, Hari discharged his father from the government hospital and admitted him in a private hospital at Seelanaickenpatty for further treatment. Ironically, Hari said, one of the doctors who refused to touch his father at SGMKMCH visited the same private hospital and carried out the treatment procedures by touching him. "The doctors who refused to tell the exact health condition of my father at SGMKMCH, explained it in detail in the private hospital," he said. However, Muniappan died on November 19 without responding to treatment. Hari said, "I would have saved my father if doctors had informed me about his actual health problem when we he was getting treatment in the government hospital."

Patna: Low-cost drug store to open at PMCH today

ET Healthworld- TNN

PATNA: Patients and their attendants at Patna Medical College and Hospital (PMCH) will now be able to buy medicines and implants at the rates cheaper than open market from low-cost drug store under ‘Amrit (affordable medicine and reliable implants for treatment)’ scheme of the Centre from Wednesday. “This medical store will have about 500 generic and branded medicines as well as implants required for different treatments,” PMCH superintendent Dr Rajiv Ranjan Prasad said on Tuesday. Situated near gate number 3 of PMCH, adjacent to the eye department, this medical store would remain open for customers round the clock on all seven days. Dr Prasad said the new medical store on the hospital campus was being opened under a government of India scheme to make medicines available at cheaper rates. “Some years back, there were two medical stores on the PMCH premises, but they were closed by the hospital administration,” he added. While the medicines, including injectable ones available under Amrit scheme, would cost 5% to 50% cheaper than the open market, implants needed in surgical, orthopaedic, cardiac, dental, burn eye and ear would cost almost half the price in the open market.

UP recalls substandard cardiac medicine from govt hospitals

ET Healthworld- Shailvee Sharda

LUCKNOW: Atorvastatin, a commonly used drug to manage cardiac ailments, supplied to over 160 government hospitals in Uttar Pradesh failed on quality parameters fixed under Indian Pharmacopia. Taking a note of the same, use of the medicine has been banned by the UP State Medical Supplies Corporation. Besides, an order to recall the entire batch of the medicine was also issued. "We have also issued a show-cause notice to the Hyderabad-based supplier firm,” said health department spokesperson adding that arrangements are being made to provide additional stock to meet the high demand of the medicine. The extent of the demand may be gauged from the fact that Shyama Prasad Mukherjee Civil Hospital alone needs about 25,000 tablets of the medicine every month. The demand for a year jumps to three lakh units. The medicine was supplied to over 160 district hospitals besides being sent to district health offices for community health centres. Its demand can also be gauged from the fact that the number of persons with cardiac ailments heading to the government sector is increasing since the national programme to control non-communicable diseases (NCD) picked up in February 2017. According to the National Health Profile, 2019, number of persons heading to the NCD clinics with cardiac ailments has gone up from 20,000 in 2017 to 28,000 in 2018. This is in addition to the patients seen in the general out-patient department.