Smoking cessation and even smoking reduction result in substantial health benefits. It is one of the leading preventable causes of death and is responsible for more than six million deaths worldwide. Patients who reduce the number of cigarettes by 50% reduce their risks of getting cardiovascular diseases by 27%. Currently, 21% of men and 15% …
Hemochromatosis is a condition resulting from an excess of iron in the body. It can be a primary disorder that is hereditary and runs in families or secondary to excess iron ingestion and repeated blood transfusion. Symptoms of hemochromatosis may be subtle and may take months to years before the diagnosis is made. Iron-overload conditions …
Healthy habits may be linked to a long lifespan. Some may talk about getting fewer diseases. For others, healthy habits may be just the looks (fat, skinny, tanned, bald, etc). Still, others may link “healthy habits” to being tall, with good muscles (for men), shiny and silky hair (for women especially), shiny teeth, a moist …
Healthy habits and practices – How to live a better life! Read More »
Multiple Myeloma is the clonal proliferation of plasma cells in the bone marrow. The signs and symptoms of multiple myeloma are very non-specific, however, skeletal-pains is among the most common presenting features. Multiple Myeloma Symptoms: Multiple Myeloma is a disease of old individuals. Thus, patients are usually more than 50 years of age. Very rarely, …
An elderly patient was referred to Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences OPD for the work-up of hepatomegaly and weight loss. The patient, aged 65 years, with no previous premorbid conditions, was alright 8 months back when he developed abdominal pain. The pain was diffuse, moderate in intensity, and dragging in nature. It was associated with …
Acute Intermittent Porphyria is an autosomal dominant disorder resulting from a partial deficiency of PBG (porphobilinogen deaminase). Acute intermittent porphyria affects the central nervous system, peripheral, somatic and autonomic nervous system. Patients may present with intermittent attacks which may be life-threatening at times. Clinical features of Acute intermittent porphyria: Acute intermittent porphyria as the name …
Duchenne Muscular dystrophy is an X-linked congenital disorder where the genes are inherited from an affected parent. It is a disorder affecting primarily the skeletal muscles leading to progressive muscle weakness. Since the dystrophin gene is present on the X chromosome, it mainly affects the males. A young child with Duchenne muscular dystrophy A 13 …
Duchenne Muscular dystrophy – Diagnosis & Treatment Read More »
ARNI – AR stands for Angiotensin receptor blocker and NI stands for Neprilysin Inhibitor. In patients with heart failure, the levels of atrial and brain natriuretic peptides rise when the cardiac muscles are stretched because of fluid overload. An increase in ANP and BNP levels in the blood results in a diuretic effect. Thus, these …
ARNI (Valsartan complexed with Sacubitril)- Entresto Read More »
Diabetes is a hyperglycemic syndrome affecting almost every organ system of the body. The three diabetes types are: Type 1 Diabetes Type 2 Diabetes, and Gestational Diabetes The primary defect in diabetes is either an absolute or relative insulin deficiency or insulin resistance or both. Treatment goal of any diabetic patient is maintaining normal or …
Diabetes Types – What’s really new in the new classification Read More »
Dapagliflozin and empagliflozin are the two SGLT2 inhibitors currently available in Pakistan. Worldwide, among the SGLT2 class of medicines, apart from dapagliflozin and empagliflozin, canagliflozin is also being used to treat type 2 diabetes patients. Which patients should be prescribed SGLT2 inhibitors? SGLT2 inhibitors can be used as monotherapy or in combination with metformin, insulin …
SGLT2 inhibitors – Dapagliflozin vs Empagliflozin Read More »