Morning MEDtalks with Dr KK Aggarwal 14^th October 2018

Renal nerve denervation reduces BP in uncontrolled hypertension: Preliminary findings from the SPYRAL HTN-ON MED proof-of-concept randomised trial show that renal denervation in the main renal arteries and branches significantly reduced BP in patients with treated (1-3 antihypertensive drugs with stable doses for at least 6 weeks) but uncontrolled hypertension (systolic BP 150-180 mm Hg, diastolic BP (≥90 mm Hg) compared with sham control with no major safety events. At six months, 24-hour ambulatory BP decreased significantly in the renal denervation group (mean baseline-adjusted treatment differences in 24 h systolic BP -7·0 mm Hg; 24 h diastolic BP -4·3 mm Hg). Office BP also decreased significantly in the renal denervation group (office systolic BP -6·6 mm Hg; office diastolic BP -4·2 mm Hg). (The Lancet, June 9, 2018)

The launch ceremony of the "National Campaign on Hands-only CPR 10” is scheduled on 23rd October 2018, 4pm at Talkatora Stadium. It will be launched by Sh Amrendra Kumar Dubey, Secretary, Youth Affairs, Ministry of Youth Affairs, Govt of India.

Stop all illegal and polluting activities forthwith, recover Rs. 50000 compensation personally from parties for environment damage, directs NGT: Coming down heavily on the Delhi Pollution Control Committee (DPCC) and Delhi Police for failing to perform their statutory duties, the National Green Tribunal (NGT) has directed immediate closure of units operating illegally and creating pollution, including unauthorised workshops, carrying out servicing, repair, denting, junk dealing and like activities in the Rohini area of Delhi. The tribunal has also directed the DPCC, Delhi Police and the North Delhi Municipal Corporation to pay environmental compensation of Rs. 50000 each for “damage to the environment by their persistent defaults and inaction towards violations of the rules and directions” issued by it. The tribunal has ordered the amounts to be recovered personally from the heads of the agencies liable, which has to be deposited with the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) within a month.

“Access to medical products and creating an enabling legal and trade environment for public health are critical to achieving the Sustainable Development Goals 2030 Agenda”, said the Union Health Minister in his inaugural address at the ‘2nd World Conference on Access to Medical Products: Achieving the SDGs 2030’ on 9 October 2018 at New Delhi. The conference, organised by the Ministry of Health & Family Welfare (MoHFW), Government of India in collaboration with WHO Country Office for India, and in partnership with Indian Society of International Law, aims to achieve the SDGs 2030 agenda by taking forward the recommendations from the 1st World Conference 2017… (SEARO).

The apex consumer commission has asked LIC India to pay Rs 5 lakh to the kin of a deceased diabetes patient and made clear that insurance claims cannot be denied on the ground of common lifestyle diseases. 

Breast cancer will be the most common newly diagnosed cancer in the US in 2018, with 286,670 new cases, outstripping lung cancer (in both men and women) by more than 50,000 new cases, as per American Cancer Society. For nearly all of those breast cancers, patients will undergo surgery to remove malignancies or pre-maligancies. The large number of mastectomies and lumpectomies performed makes breast cancer surgery one of the top 20 types of surgery in the United States. And that does not factor in breast biopsies, which are even more common.

India has recorded its biggest outbreak of Zika virus to date, with 32 cases confirmed in Jaipur, capital of the western state of Rajasthan. The first case was confirmed on September 23 in the citys Shastri Nagar area, located close to some of the citys main tourist attractions (CNN).

Brintellix, a novel multimodal antidepressant, which has been specifically designed to inhibit serotonin reuptake and modulate serotonergic receptor activity of the neurons in the brain of affected patients, is approved in India.

Insurers can’t deny cover for HIV+ patients: IRDAI

The Insurance Regulatory and Development Authority of India (IRDAI) has said that HIV-positive individuals cannot be denied insurance cover, unless supported by actuarial studies. The regulator has asked insurers to stop discriminating against persons with HIV/AIDS. IRDAI has made this mandatory after ‘The Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) and Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome (AIDS) (Prevention and control) Act, 2017’ came into force from September 10. The Act bars insurance companies from discriminating against HIV-positive individuals. However, most insurance companies have stayed away from launching products for HIV/AIDS patients due to pricing-related issues... (TOI, Oct. 11, 2018)

The US Food and Drug Administration has approved ID CORE XT, a molecular-based assay used in blood transfusion medicine to help determine blood compatibility. The assay can be used to determine blood donor and patient non-ABO red blood cell (RBC) types. ID CORE XT is the second molecular assay approved for use in transfusion medicine, and the first to report genotypes as final results.

Six ways how climate change will affect your health (CNN)” A new report from the UN Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change warns of dire consequences if governments dont make "rapid, far-reaching, and unprecedented changes in all aspects of society" to stem global warming. But the planet isnt the only thing at risk as temperatures rise; your health might be in danger, too. Here are six ways that climate change might affect you:

1. An increase in disease-carrying mosquitoes and ticks
2. Contaminated water sources and dangerous bacterial infections
3. An increase in mental health issues
4. An increase in type 2 diabetes
5. Respiratory problems and stroke
6. More car crashes and fewer food inspections

Video to watch: TEDx Video: Doctor-patient relationship www.youtube(dot)com/ watch?v=i9ml1vKK2DQ

Dr KK Aggarwal

Padma Shri Awardee

President Elect CMAAO

President Heart Care Foundation of India