Morning MEDtalks with Dr KK Aggarwal 21st October 2018

Harm Reduction: People who use drugs are offered only two choices: Get sober or die. Safe injection—that’s the message behind the Church of Safe Injection. The “church” is a harm reduction initiative in Portland, Maine—with plans for offshoots in other cities

Cleveland Clinic researchers have found that better cardiorespiratory fitness leads to longer life, with no limit to the benefit of aerobic fitness.

First time in the world, rhythm ECG screening attempt for 25,000 people: Heart Care Foundation of India and SanketLife-World’s only Pocket 12-lead ECG device will mass screen visitors to the MTNL Perfect Health Mela from 23-27th October at Talkatora Stadium in Delhi. The idea is to detect the prevalence of atrial fibrillation (AF) in the society, which if not detected timely can cause paralysis. An ECG can help detect the arrhythmia at an early stage.

Agatsa, a start-up based in India, has developed a totally made-in-India product, “SanketLife” a pocket-sized lead-less ECG device, which can measure ECG and stress/HRV levels by using just a thumb-touch. With the help of an algorithm, SanketLife can detect arrhythmia or irregular heart beat or atrial fibrillation at early stage apart from doing a full 12-lead ECG. With SanketLife, a quick ECG can be taken even in a sitting position. The ECG reports are immediately displayed on a mobile screen and can be shared with anyone across the globe using WhatsApp, email or even SMS.

Fertility rates have declined in the US and women are giving birth for the first time later and later, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). The results came after researchers from the National Center for Health Statistics analyzed birth data compiled by the National Vital Statistics System from 2007 to 2017

If you have problems sleeping through the night, you may be at risk for atrial fibrillation (AF), an irregular heart rate that may cause heart palpitations and is a leading cause of stroke. A study published online by HeartRhythm reviewed four studies and found a link between AF and poor sleep.

Some peoples microbiota resists colonization with probiotics, but others microbiomes change in response to probiotics, and sometimes in different ways at different points along the gastrointestinal tract.

Physical activity is inversely associated with all hypertension phenotypes in children: Physical activity is inversely associated with all hypertension phenotypes in children, says the Healthy Growth Study. Increased physical activity was found to be associated with 33–54% lower risk of all hypertension phenotypes. Sedentary behavior was associated with 11-13% higher risk for isolated systolic hypertension (ISH) and systolic and diastolic hypertension (SDH) in boys. Increased moderate-to-vigorous physical activity was associated with 41-65% lower risk of all phenotypes in girls and ISH and SDH in boys. According to the study, cut-off points of 12,378 steps/day, 47.3 min/day of MVPA and 2.9 h/day sedentary behaviors identify children at increased risk of hypertension (Journal of the American Society of Hypertension, October 2018).

US launches reducing food waste initiative. The US Department of Agriculture (USDA), the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), and the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) today announced the signing of a joint agency formal agreement under the Winning on Reducing Food Waste initiative. The agreement is aimed at improving coordination and communication across federal agencies attempting to better educate Americans on the impacts and importance of reducing food loss and waste. In the United States, food waste is estimated at between 30-40% of the food supply. Wasted food is the single largest category of material placed in municipal landfills and represents nourishment that could have helped feed families in need. Additionally, water, energy, and labor used to produce wasted food could have been employed for other purposes.

Concerns remain about bisphenol A safety, despite FDA declaration: A growing body of research indicates bisphenol A (BPA) levels in food containers present a public health risk. Despite this evidence, the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) continues to assert that BPA is safe for use in food packaging, based on an initial report conducted as part of the Consortium Linking Academic and Regulatory Insights on BPA Toxicity (CLARITY-BPA). The CDC estimates that more than 96% of Americans have BPA in their bodies. The chemical is found in a variety of food containers, including polycarbonate plastic water bottles and can linings.

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