Common heartburn drugs may raise stroke risk

                                     

Proton pump inhibitors are a class of drugs commonly used to treat heartburn - pain in the chest or throat caused by the rising of stomach acid into the esophagus. But new research suggests this medication should be used with caution, after finding it could raise the risk of ischemic stroke.

A new study has linked the use of PPIs - drugs that treat heartburn - to greater risk of ischemic stroke.

In a study of almost 245,000 Danish adults, researchers found the risk of ischemic stroke was increased by a fifth with the use of proton pump inhibitors (PPIs).

PPIs work by reducing the amount of acid produced in the stomach, thereby reducing the "backing up" of stomach acid into the esophagus - a condition known as heartburn. Someone who has heartburn more than twice a week may have gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD).

Lead study author Dr. Thomas Sehested, of the Danish Heart Foundation in Copenhagen, Denmark, recently presented his findings at the American Heart Association's Scientific Sessions 2016, held in New Orleans, LA.

Ischemic stroke occurs when the artery that supplies the brain with oxygen-rich blood becomes blocked, usually by a blood clot. Ischemic stroke is the most common form of stroke, accounting for around 85 percent of all strokes.

Dr. Sehested and colleagues note that previous studies have associated PPI use with vascular impairment, which led the scientists to investigate whether the drugs might raise the risk of ischemic stroke, "especially given their increasing use in the general population," notes Dr. Sehested.

Ischemic stroke risk 21 percent higher with PPI use

To reach their findings, the team analyzed data of 244,679 adults from Denmark - of an average age of 57 years - who underwent endoscopy to pinpoint the causes of their stomach pain or indigestion.

During an average of 6 years of follow-up, 9,489 patients experienced a first-time ischemic stroke.

The researchers assessed patients' use of one of four PPIs - omeprazole (Prilosec), pantoprazole (Protonix), lansoprazole (Prevacid), and esomeprazole (Nexium) - and looked at whether this was associated with ischemic stroke risk.

Overall, the team found that patients were at 21 percent greater risk of ischemic stroke when they were using PPIs, compared with when they were not using the drugs.

There was little or no greater risk of stroke with low doses of PPIs, the researchers report, and another group of medications used to treat heartburn - called H2 blockers - were not linked to increased stroke risk.

Looking at stroke risk among the highest doses of each of the four PPIs, the researchers found pantoprazole fared worst, increasing the risk of ischemic stroke by 94 percent.

Study 'questions the cardiovascular safety of PPIs'

The researchers accounted for a number of possible confounding factors, including age, gender, high blood pressure, atrial fibrillation, and use of medications that have been linked to poorer cardiovascular health.

Because the study is purely observational, the researchers are unable to prove cause and effect between PPI use and increased stroke risk. Still, they believe the results suggest patients should be cautious about using the drugs, many of which are now available over the counter.

Dr. Sehested notes that doctors should also apply caution when deciding whether to prescribe PPIs to patients and for how long. "We know that from prior studies that a lot of individuals are using PPIs for a much longer time than indicated, which is especially true for elderly patients," he adds.

The team concludes that a randomized, controlled trial of the association between PPI use and the risk of cardiovascular disease is needed.

6 Ways to Save Money on Your Prescription Medications

If you are taking a medication for a chronic condition (hypertension, high cholesterol, diabetes, etc.), there’s a chance that you might be paying more than you actually need to pay. You might be able to get the same type of drug to treat the same condition for a mere fraction of the cost. And I’m not just talking about choosing generic over brand name. There’s something that’s even better than that, something that most Singaporeans are not aware of.

1. Choosing Generic Medications

Yes, you definitely can save tons of money choosing a generic over a brand name drug. Generics have active ingredients that are chemically identical and biologically identical (this means they are made to function the same way) to their brand name counterpart. They are also manufactured and regulated under the same standards. Brand name medications are all recently patented (their “monopoly” hence gives them the ability to charge such a high price), which may imply that there is something extraordinary about their composition or formula, but many reports and studies have shown that the majority of recent brand name medications are just “me-too drugs”. These are drugs that are nearly identical to already existing drugs, but with minor changes that allow it to be classified as “novel” and hence be patentable. 

For example, when AstraZeneca’s patent for their top selling medicine Prilosec (generic name: Omeprazole) was ending, it found a way to further purify the active ingredient (changing it very slightly and insignificantly) to Esomeprazole. They gave it a new name (Nexium) and a new patent. The efficacy of the two medications are nearly identical but the new one costs a LOT more. For most conditions, generic medications are not only cheaper, they are just as good as the brand name.

2.Choosing Formulary Medications

For many medical conditions, there are a variety of prescription drugs that belong to the same class. These essentially do the same thing, but are chemically different (unlike brand and generic which are chemically identical). The formulary is a list of medications which are published on the MOH website that are subsidized for Singaporeans and PRs. Those which are on Standard Drug List #1 are capped at $1.40 per week and $2.10 per week for Singaporeans and PRs, respectively. Those which are on Standard Drug List #2 are subsidized by 50% and by 25% of the retail price for Singaporeans and PRs, respectively. Keep in mind that each polyclinic and specialist outpatient clinic may stock different medications and implement this differently, but this formulary will at least give you a starting point. If you have a chronic medical condition, more than likely there is a medication on the formulary that you can switch to that is highly subsidized. According to MOH, the formulary covers about 90% of the total volume of medication prescriptions. For example, if you have hypertension, and you choose a generic drug, you will still have a big price difference between generic drugs of the same class. Losartan 100mg is $0.40 per pill and Candesartan 16mg is $1.10 per pill. But Losartan is on the formulary Stardard Drug List #2 while Candesartan is not. So that means if you’re Singaporean, Losartan is only $0.20 per pill. Despite both medications being generic medications, one will cost more than $400 per year and the other will only be $73. Choosing generic medications does save you money, but choosing formulary medications can save you even more!

3.Splitting your pills

Many pills cost the same despite how much active ingredient there is in the pill. For example, Amlodipine 5mg is $0.20 and Amlodipine 10mg is also $0.20. If you need only 5mg, why not just buy the 10mg and split the pill in half? Many tablets can be split in half, but do not try to split capsules or any time-released or coated medications. If the pill is not scored, always check with your doctor or pharmacist to make sure it is safe to split the pill.

4.Choosing Not to Combine Medications

Combination medications are great for convenience, but many of these tend to be brand name medications, such as Caduet, in which Pfizer just put two already available generic drugs together (Amlodipine plus Atorvastatin) to patent a “new” drug. You may want to ask your doctor whether you can take the medications separately, which may allow you to save money, especially since both generic drugs (as in this example) are on the MOH formulary list.

5.Shopping Around

As with everything, you should shop around and call your pharmacy since prices will vary. You may be wondering why prices vary in the first place. Like other commodities, the institution or business which purchases the goods have different price arrangements with the suppliers. Larger institutions, in general, have more buying power. There may be other special discounts or costs that affect the price of the medication.

6. Visit Pharmacy in Malaysia, Johor Bahru

Usually, medicine in malaysia is selling at lower price compare to Singapore. Can refer below link for reference.

Crestor, Lipitor, Nexium,Yasmin,Ventolin, Propecia and Plavix price in Johor Bahru (JB)

Why doesn’t my doctor just give me the less expensive drug?

Many people think that doctors purposely prescribe the most expensive drug because they get financial incentives. For the vast majority of doctors, this is not the case. Yes, there are some that get kickbacks, but those working in the public institutions are strictly prohibited from this (this is one reason I avoid private hospitals and clinics). The prescribing habits of doctors are just that – habits. They prescribe what they are comfortable with and what they have prescribed in the past. They also place a higher priority on what works for their patients, and have less interest in knowing what cheaper alternatives are out there. It’s like when I ask people which place has the best laksa, they each have their own preference and some places will be a lot more expensive than others. No one ever tells me the cheapest place, unless they extensively research this. There also may be a good reason why your doctor wants you on a more expensive drug. The key is to ask your doctor and engage him/her in a conversation to discuss possible less expensive alternatives. The prices of drugs prescribed for common conditions can be found on the Pharmaceutical Society of Singapore website.

Of course, the best way to save money on medications is to live a healthy lifestyle so you won’t need to be on the medications. Most chronic conditions can be managed or even reversed with lifestyle modifications. How we eat, move, sleep, think, and interact with others can significantly change our health, our savings, and our life.

Source: http://frugalinsingapore.com

Do NOT put makeup on children, say health experts

            

“Children have a 10 to 20 per cent higher absorption rate compared with adults due to their high metabolism. Unfortunately, their bodies cannot differentiate between good and bad chemicals.

KUALA LUMPUR: AN uncontrolled “backyard” cosmetics industry, where little safeguards are in place, may cause the health of the county’s future generation to be compromised.

Health experts, in calling for the industry to be tightly regulated, said while cosmetics loaded with deadly chemicals are a major concern, their adverse affects on “involuntary” users, including children and unborn babies, must not be taken lightly.

A health expert, who has been studying the correlation between heavy metals and their effects on humans, said parents should refrain from applying make-up on their children at all costs because the damaging impact of harmful chemicals will be greater on them.

Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia Medical Centre’s environmental health physician and toxicologist, Associate Professor Dr Mohd Hasni Ja’afar, said this is because children have a much higher metabolism rate and their bodies can absorb almost 100 per cent of the chemicals applied on them.

“Children have a 10 to 20 per cent higher absorption rate compared with adults due to their high metabolism. Unfortunately, their bodies cannot differentiate between good and bad chemicals.

“All they can do is to absorb whatever is being applied on their bodies... and more worryingly, the effects will become evident in the future,” he said.

Dr Hasni also has an issue with parents applying lipstick on their children, whose bodies were especially vulnerable to toxic metals found in those cosmetics.

“Your children may look adorable and beautiful with lipstick on, but the lips are considered mucous membranes and will absorb whatever chemicals put on it at an accelerated rate,” he said, adding that the relevant authorities should seriously consider a stricter monitoring mechanism for the industry.

He said mercury, now commonly found in skin-whitening products, is highly absorbent — even in topical applications — and its traces will not only accumulate in the body’s main organs, but will also be passed onto the foetus of a pregnant woman.

According to the World Health Organisation (WHO), transplacental exposure is the most dangerous stage as the developing fetal brain is sensitive to toxins and heavy metals.

Among the neurological effects are mental retardation, seizure, vision and hearing loss, delayed development, speech disorder and memory loss.

The doctor said with almost 80 per cent absorption rate, mercury will normally be deposited into the kidneys, brain and bones.

“Although mercury has about 80 per cent absorption rate, the level of absorption also depends on other factors, including age and amount of makeup applied."

Small traces of the metal in the body will be eliminated through a process known as “bio-transformation”, whereas the rest will be stored.

Dr Hasni added that high levels of mercury in the brain can also cause Minamata disease, a neurological syndrome that can disrupt cognitive abilities and motor sensors.

“What makes mercury particularly dangerous as compared with other heavy metals is that it can be passed on from mother to child... and it can continue to the next generation.

“Mercury has a significant effect on babies as their blood-brain barrier — the dynamic interface that separates the brain from the circulatory system and protects the central nervous system from harmful chemicals — is not fully developed.

“Children exposed to mercury risk developing mental problems, including intellectual disability and autism. A thorough study, however, should be done on the correlation between the exposure of heavy metals with the number of chronic illnesses in the country,” he said.

Source: http://www.nst.com.my/

Why buying medicine in Malaysia is cheaper than in Singapore ?

You may have noticed that some commonly prescribed drugs for long-term conditions such as diabetes and high blood pressure cost more in Singapore than across the Causeway in Malaysia, or other parts of the world. There are a number of reasons why the same drugs are priced differently across countries. 

Drugs fall into two broad categories – generic drugs and branded drugs. Generic drugs, which are copies of branded drugs whose patents have expired, are generally inexpensive throughout the world. Branded drugs are much more expensive because of the start-up investment, research, and marketing expenses that go into producing a new drug from scratch and bringing it onto the market.

Most pharmaceutical companies set the price for a branded drug based on a country’s ability to pay for that drug. So, it can cost more in one country than in another.

Drug makers expect countries with a high per capita GDP to pay more for branded drugs than countries with a low per capita GDP. This can lead to a huge price differential between countries. This price differential is further amplified by the difference in foreign exchange rates. 

Focused on getting a handsome return on their investments, pharmaceutical companies are keen to sell branded drugs at the highest price a market can bear. Say, for example, the best available treatment for a particular condition is surgery that costs $30,000, and there is a 5 per cent risk that the patient undergoing the surgery may die. Now, if a pharmaceutical company develops a drug that is as effective and has only a 1 per cent mortality risk, even if that drug costs 30 cents to produce, the company will price its new drug regime higher than $30,000, because the best available treatment is the benchmark, explains Dr Jeremy Lim. Dr Lim, the principal consultant at Insights Health Associates in Singapore, is the author of the book, Myth or Magic: The Singapore Healthcare System, which will be available in bookstores in mid-September. 

“The pharmaceutical company would think that, if, its drug is as effective as the current surgical treatment and has five times lower mortality risk, it deserves to charge a premium. Hence, the company would charge $30,000 plus whatever premium it deems to be appropriate,” says Dr Lim, whose previous experiences include being a senior consultant with the Ministry of Health (MOH) in Singapore, and director of research and education at SingHealth, Singapore’s largest healthcare group.

Another reason why branded drugs cost less in some countries, and more in others, is that, in certain countries, people can buy prescription drugs over the counter because of lax regulatory controls. Although laws in those countries may state that certain medicines are to be made available by prescription only, or by a registered pharmacist, in practice, it is often possible to get those drugs over the counter. This means, a patient does not have to bear the costs involved in having the drug prescribed to him.

“When it is a prescription-only drug, the administrative cost goes up because you need a doctor to prescribe the medicine, a pharmacist to dispense it and the storage of the drugs needs to be audited and monitored, and you need paper trails. The control mechanisms are tighter and they cost money,” says Dr Lim.

A third reason why drug prices vary from country to country is limited economies of scale resulting from smaller volume drug purchases. The more a healthcare provider, whether it is the government or a private hospital, buys of a particular drug, the cheaper the price gets.

Government subsidies for drugs also play a role in price differences. The Singapore government does not subsidize branded drugs unless they fall within the Standard Drug List maintained by MOH, or come under one of the government’s subsidy schemes. Patients taking a non-subsidized branded drug would therefore have to pay the full price of that drug, and hence, would end up paying more than patients in a country where that drug is heavily subsidized, Dr Lim notes.

Even within a single country, the same drug can cost differently at different hospitals. One reason for this is that hospitals buying more of a particular branded drug can benefit from economies of scale. According to Dr Lim, hospitals mark up the selling price of their drugs up to about 35 per cent to defray operating costs. 

“While this percentage formula is administratively easy for hospitals and healthcare facilities, it can lead to substantial cost pressures on patients. A 30 per cent mark-up of a one-dollar drug is 30 cents, but the same mark-up for a thousand-dollar drug is $300,” he adds.

Related link,

Crestor, Lipitor, Nexium Plavix & Propecia price in Johor Bahru (JB)

Source: http://theindependent.sg

Men with anxiety are more likely to die of cancer

While men are less likely than women to have generalised anxiety disorder, those who do are more likely to die of cancer than women with the same disorder. — Fotolia

Men over 40 who have anxiety disorders are more than twice as likely to die of cancer than are men who do not have the mental affliction, new research finds.

But for women who suffer from severe anxiety, the research found no increased risk of cancer death.

That finding, presented recently at the European College of Neuropsychopharmacology Congress in Vienna, Austria, emerges from the largest study ever to explore a link between anxiety and cancer.

It tracked 15,938 Britons aged over 40 for 15 years.

Even after researchers took account of factors that boost the risk of cancer, including age, alcohol consumption, smoking and chronic diseases, men with a diagnosis of generalised anxiety disorder were 2.15 times as likely to die of cancer than were those with no such diagnosis.

Generalised anxiety disorder – a condition marked by excessive, uncontrollable worry about many areas of life – affected women more commonly than it did men.

Among women in the large cohort studied, 2.4% suffered from the disorder. Among men in the cohort, 1.8% did.

The authors of the new research acknowledge that the findings do not reveal how cancer and anxiety are related, and do not show that anxiety causes cancer.

Men with anxiety may engage in behaviours that increase cancer risk.

But the two diseases may also spring from common origins, including, possibly, higher rates of systemic inflammation.

Whatever the relationship, said the study’s lead author Olivia Remes of Cambridge University’s Institute of Public Health in Britain, the new findings identify extremely anxious men as a population whose mental and physical health should be closely tracked.

“Society may need to consider anxiety as a warning signal for poor health,” she said. “With this study, we show that anxiety is more than just a personality trait”, but rather, a disorder linked to real and serious health risks.

Imperial College London psychiatrist Dr David Nutt, who was not involved in the new research, said the intense distress suffered by those with anxiety comes with insomnia and widespread physical stress.

“That is bound to have a major impact on many physiological processes, including immune supervision of cancerous cells,” said the former president of the European College of Neuropsychopharmaco-logy.

“As a psychiatrist who used to run one of the very few clinics in the UK specialised in the treatment of people with severe anxiety disorders, these results do not surprise me,” he added. – Los Angeles Times/Tribune News Service

Teens are using medicines to commit suicide

Teens are using prescription drugs for suicide.

Suicide is a leading cause of death for teens worldwide, and the odds of suicide attempts may be higher when adolescents abuse prescription drugs, a Chinese study suggests.

To explore the connection between suicide risk and misuse of prescription opiates and sedatives, researchers surveyed about 3,300 Chinese teens once when they were about 14 years old and again a year later.

Teens who said they used prescription drugs for non-medical reasons at the start of the study were almost three times as likely to report a suicide attempt a year later, and the risk was more than tripled for youth who abused opiates, researchers report in JAMA Pediatrics.

“Baseline opioids misuse, sedatives misuse, and nonmedical use of… prescription drugs were positively associated with later suicidal ideation,” said lead study author Dr Lan Guo of Sun Yat-sen University in Guangzhou.

Those thoughts were more likely to turn into suicide attempts with “baseline opioids misuse and nonmedical use of any prescription drugs,” Guo added.

Less than 3 per cent of the teens reported misuse of any prescription drugs, with 1.8 per cent saying they used opiates or stimulants for nonmedical reasons and about 1 percent reporting abuse of sedatives.

it’s possible that prescription drugs may alter teens’ moods or lower inhibitions.

Overall, 17 per cent of the participants reported suicidal thoughts, and 3 percent reported suicide attempts in the survey at the end of the study.

The link between drug abuse and suicide persisted even after researchers accounted for teens who reported experiencing depression at the start of the study.

While the study doesn’t examine why abuse of prescriptions and other drugs might be linked to a greater suicide risk, it’s possible that these drugs might alter teens’ moods or lower inhibitions in a way that allows suicidal impulses to flourish, the authors conclude.

Limitations of the study include its reliance on teens to accurately report and recall both drug use and suicidal thoughts or suicide attempts, the authors note.

It’s not surprising, however, that the same teens who are prone to abusing drugs would also be susceptible to suicidal thoughts, said Dr Bernard Biermann, an adolescent psychiatry researcher at the University of Michigan’s C.S. Mott Children’s Hospital in Ann Arbor.

“Substance abuse can be associated with causing depression and distress, but it’s also a means of self-medicating,” Biermann, who wasn’t involved in the study, said in a phone interview.

It’s essential that parents keep an eye on teens for changes in behavior that go beyond temporary moodiness to suggest a bigger problem, said Dr Benjamin Shain, a researcher at the University of Chicago and head of child and adolescent psychiatry at NorthShore University HealthSystem.

“Growing up has always been difficult and life now is even more complicated,” Shain, who wasn’t involved in the study, said by email. “Parents should take seriously severe or persistent distress and changes in behavior, such as isolation or falling grades, and bring their teen to their primary care physician or a mental health professional with any signs.”

Parents should also try to make it harder for teens to get their hands on things to harm themselves, said Dr Yolanda Evans, an adolescent medicine specialist at Seattle Children’s Hospital who wasn’t involved in the study.

“When possible, avoid having things readily available that teens may impulsively use to end their life,” Evans said by email. “Old narcotics or medications should be discarded (look for pharmacy take back options).” – Reuters/Lisa Rapaport

Can Pokemon Go help you lose weight and gain health? Scientists say YES

Scientists believe that the game Pokemon Go can get people to be more active and may help fight type 2 diabetes and obesity.

A specialist diabetes researcher sees Pokemon Go – the virtual character-hunting game with millions of players worldwide – as an excellent means of tackling rising levels of obesity and type 2 diabetes.

Pokemon Go has now piqued the interest of the medical world. The smartphone-based character-hunting craze that’s sweeping the world has caught the attention of a researcher at the University of Leicester, in Britain, specialising in international diabetes research. 

In fact, Dr Tom Yates sees the application as a potential means of tackling sedentary lifestyles and obesity, which can lead to type 2 diabetes.

The augmented reality mobile game has so far been downloaded 75 million times worldwide, and sees users chase Pokemon characters through the streets. The famous little “Pocket Monsters” who sprung up in the 1990s appear on users’ smartphone screens superimposed on real-world locations.

One of the main recommendations in the prevention and treatment of diabetes is regular physical exercise, totalling at least two and a half hours per week.

A previous study from the University of Leicester, published in the journal Diabetes Care, concluded that integrating five-minute breaks every half hour into inactive lifestyles during prolonged periods of sitting significantly reduced blood sugar and insulin levels. 

The breaks were used to introduce five minutes of walking or other forms of movement. Pokemon Go is an interesting solution since players can cover several kilometres without even realising.

Pokemon Go may be able to make people more active and avoid a sedentary lifestyle.

According to Dr Tom Yates, “If there is something out there which is getting people off the sofa and pounding the streets then this game could be an innovative solution for rising obesity levels. Walking is hugely underrated yet it is man’s best and the cheapest form of exercise. It’s an easy and accessible way to get active and help maintain a healthy body.”

Experts suggest this fun and non-violent game can be a good form of exercise and can be played by the whole family. However, users should take care not to let their Pokemon hunt lead to dangerous behaviour – avoiding playing while driving or crossing roads, for example, and steering clear of venturing into dark, isolated areas.

Risk factors for diabetes include genetic predisposition and family history, but above all obesity, lack of physical exercise and sedentary lifestyles.

Type 2 diabetes accounts for 90% of diabetes cases worldwide. – AFP Relaxnews

Scientists have found a new antibiotic, and it is in your nose

Researchers have found an antibiotic in the human nose. Photo: AFP/Istock

Biologists on the hunt for new medicines to fight a growing epidemic of drug resistance said they found an antibiotic in an unexpected place – the human nose.

The promising compound is produced by a nose-dwelling bacterium, and is able to kill a disease-causing, antibiotic-resistant superbug, they reported.

“It was completely unexpected to find a human-associated bacterium to produce a real antibiotic,” said study co-author Andreas Peschel of the University of Tubingen in Germany.

“We have started a larger screening programme and we are sure there will be many additional antibiotics that can be discovered from these sources.”

Antibiotic compounds are usually obtained from bacteria which live in the soil.

But more and more disease-causing bugs are developing resistance to existing antibiotics, turning previously minor infections into potentially deadly ones.

According to some estimates, drug-resistant bacteria may within decades be causing more deaths than cancer.

image: http://www1.star2.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/07/smile-nose-lips-teeth-pixabay-191626_1280aa.jpg

The newly discovered antibiotic cleared or improved skin infections in lab experiments, researchers say, apparently without any toxic side-effects.

Resistance is caused, among other things, by doctors over-prescribing antibiotics, and patients not taking the correct doses. Some germs, including those that cause tuberculosis, can be resistant to multiple drugs. Peschel and a team examined why 30 per cent of people have Staphylococcus aureus bacteria in their nose, and 70 per cent do not.

S. aureus is one of the most frequent causes of severe bacterial infections, and claims many human lives. A strain of S. aureus has developed antibiotic resistance.

The researchers discovered that a different bacterium called Staphylococcus lugdunensis, which is more commonly found in some noses than others, produces an S. aureus-fighting antibiotic. They christened the compound Lugdunin.

In mice, the newly discovered antibiotic cleared or improved skin infections in lab experiments, the team reported, apparently without any toxic side-effects.

These were “very unexpected and exciting findings that can be very helpful, we think, for new concepts for the development of antibiotics,” Peschel told journalists ahead of the study being published by British journal Nature.

A lot more study is needed, he added.

“We are at the very beginning. The pre-clinical and later clinical development is a matter of many years and a matter of a lot of money that needs to be raised…. We will need partners from the pharmaceutical industry.”

There are more than 1,000 microbe species living in the human body, raising the possibility of many more antibiotic-producing bacteria just waiting to be discovered.

The researchers concluded that “human microbiota should be considered as a source for new antibiotics.” – AFP Relaxnews

Your period may be linked to how long you’ll live

The years a woman starts her period until menopause can indicate her lifespan, says study.

According to new research, women who begin menstruating after the age of 12 and enter menopause after the age of 50 are more likely to live to 90 years old.

A team of researchers from the University of California San Diego School of Medicine in the US have linked female life expectancy to the length of their reproductive span.

After studying 16,000 women for 21 years, the scientists’ findings – published in the journal Menopause – show that women who started menstruating after the age of 12 and entered menopause after the age of 50 were more likely to live to 90, especially those with more than 40 reproductive years between their first and final menstrual periods.

Years of fertility between the ages when menstruation starts and menopause may indicate female life expectancy.

Note that the average age of menopause is 51, but women can enter this phase of life between the ages of 40 and 55.

Dr Aladdin Shadyab and colleagues found that this group of women were at lower risk of cardiovascular disease and aged in better health, which could explain their longevity. They also tended to be non-smokers – since smoking can lead to earlier menopause – and were less likely to have a history of diabetes. Menopause generally occurs one to two years earlier in smokers than non-smokers.

A second study of 124,000 women, published in the same journal, found that late onset of menopause – after the age of 55 – increased the risk of developing type 2 diabetes by 12%. According to the study, the risk was lowest for women entering menopause between 46 and 55 years old.

Lifestyle factors can affect the age at which women experience menopause. Improving diets, lifestyles and quality of life in Western countries have generally pushed back the age of onset.

Further studies are now required to understand how genetic, environmental and lifestyle factors can explain the link between reproductive span and life expectancy. – AFP Relaxnews

Do you even know what an allergy is?

When asked what allergy triggers concerned respondents the most, the answers were pollen (63.1%), cigarette smoke (59.3%), environmental pollutants such as haze (56.3%), antibiotics (53.6%) and house dust mites (40%). Even though the level of pollen exposure in Malaysia is lower than other countries, it still topped the list. Photo: TNS

More than 50% of Malaysians think there is a cure for allergies, when in fact, there is no known cure.

Results of the first Allergy-Free Nation survey released recently revealed that a further 28% don’t know whether there is a cure for allergies.

Allergies are reaching epidemic levels both locally and globally, yet statistics show that we are woefully ignorant when it comes to allergy awareness.

“These statistics suggest that the public perceive that seeing a healthcare professional will provide a cure. This indicates allergy awareness on prevention is low in Malaysia and highlights the importance of implementing a Malaysian Allergy Roadmap,” says consultant paediatrician and clinical immunologist/allergist Dr Amir Hamzah Abdul Latiff.

The nationwide survey, a collaboration between The Malaysian Society of Allergy and Immunology (MSAI) and Universiti Putra Malaysia (UPM), is the first of its kind here.

The preliminary data involved 7,132 respondents, and was compiled over a period of four months (December 2015 to March 2016).

To gather more data, the survey is still ongoing at more than 250 obstetric and gynaecological, and paediatric clinics across Malaysia, 40 child enrichment centres in the Klang Valley, and online via the MSAI website.

The initiative seeks to change the allergy landscape in Malaysia and address how allergies are both identified and diagnosed.

Allergy awareness on prevention is low in Malaysia and highlights the importance of implementing a Malaysian Allergy Roadmap, says Dr Amir. Photo: ROHAIZAT MD DARUS/The Star

In Malaysia, it is estimated that four out of five children are at risk of developing allergies when both parents have a pre-existing allergy.

Dr Amir, who is also the president of MSAI, says, “Prevention is the best way to manage allergies via breastfeeding and using hydrolysed formula when breastfeeding is not possible. The benefits of breastfeeding are indisputable as it offers the best source of nutrition, and may even help reduce the risk of allergies for those who breastfed for at least four months.

“Mothers are encouraged to exclusively breastfeed for six months of life and to continue up to two years of age or more. In instances where breastfeeding is not possible, it appears that a clinically-proven partially-hydrolysed protein can offer some advantages to reduce the risk of eczema.”

The top few identified allergies include food allergies (55.2%), eczema/atopic dermatitis (42.4%), rhinitis/hay fever (29.1%) and asthma (27.4%).

Interestingly, almost half the participants (45.4%) believe that food intolerance is one of the allergic diseases, when it is not.

When asked what allergy triggers concerned respondents the most, the answers were pollen (63.1%), cigarette smoke (59.3%), environmental pollutants such as haze (56.3%), antibiotics (53.6%) and house dust mites (40%).

Even though the level of pollen exposure in Malaysia is lower than other countries, it still topped the list.

Food allergies were given a relatively low ranking of concern at 29%.

“This signifies a big gap between ‘awareness’ of the allergy and their ‘concern’ with respect to the impact it will have on their lives or that of their family members.

“With food allergies set to reach epidemic levels, more needs to be done to raise awareness in this area,” says Dr Amir.

Common food allergens Malaysians know of include seafood (89.9%), followed by tree nuts (47%) and soy (44.3%). The awareness of cow’s milk as a food allergen is still low at 8.31%.

Dr Amir points out, “Cow’s milk is actually the most common food allergen in young children and the allergy awareness survey shows we still have a lot more work to do to increase the public understanding of food allergy. In these children, eating the food allergen can trigger eczema.”

The survey suggests that consulting an allergist (55.7%) was the preferred choice of parents, although a high 47.9% said they sought treatment from a holistic medicine practitioner, while 45.8% consulted a general practitioner (GP).

“We know allergists play a leading role, but so do the obstetricians and gynaecologists (ObGyns), GPs and paediatricians. ObGyns play a role in caring for the mother and foetus, and that’s the first step for early intervention. The paediatricians care for the infant, while GPs play a role in caring for the entire family unit,” says Dr Amir.

Dr Woo says that food allergies are now very prevalent. Photo: ROHAIZAT MD DARUS/The Star

According to Assoc Prof Dr Intan Hakimah Ismail, head of UPM’s Department of Paediatrics and lead investigator of the survey, people tend to think allergies are physical in nature, but in reality, it is a lot more psychological.

“Many food allergies start when you’re a baby and go off, but may come back later in life as allergic rhinitis or asthma. You can even develop an allergy to foods you have eaten for years with no problems,” she says.

Consultant allergist and immunologist Dr Kent Woo adds, “Food allergies are now very prevalent. Before, it was mostly asthma and the occasional peanut allergy. But now, there is a landmark study that shows that if you introduce peanuts and other potentially allergy-causing foods to a child at an early age, they don’t develop allergies.”

The study for the UK Food Standards Agency published in The New England Journal Of Medicine earlier this year found that children who were introduced to peanut and egg-white proteins from the age of three months had a lower chance of developing food allergies than those who were only introduced to them at six months old – but only if the recommended quantity of allergenic food was consumed.

Scientists found that weekly consumption of the equivalent of approximately one-and-a-half teaspoons of peanut butter and one small boiled egg would lead to the prevention of an allergy to those food substances.

The research compared those infants who were breastfed and consumed allergenic foods from three months, with those solely breastfed and given foods at six months.

In the MSAI survey, 71% of respondents did not know what an anaphylatic reaction is.

Anaphylaxis is a serious, potentially life-threatening allergic response that is marked by swelling, hives, lowered blood pressure and dilated blood vessels. In severe cases, a person will go into shock.

“If an anaphylactic shock isn’t treated immediately, it can be fatal. With allergies on the rise, anaphylaxis education should become part of an allergy awareness programme,” says Dr Amir.