All Wockhardt Hospitals in Bangalore, Kolkata and Mumbai (Only Mulund and Kalyan) are now part of the Fortis Healthcare network.

Visit New Blog at http://www.fortishospitals.wordpress.com/

Take eight glasses of water, do 30-minute physical exercise, reduce salt intake and eat healthy every day to keep your kidney fit for normal functioning.

That is what the urologists and doctors have advised on the eve of World Kidney Day.

Stressing on greater awareness to keep a healthy kidney, urologists here today outlined smoking, obesity, workplace exposure to asbestos and benzene, high blood pressure, hypertension and dialysis as risk factors for kidney cancer.

“Kidney cancer is totally curable if detected early which may have the manifestations in the shape of blood in urine, persisting ill-health, anaemia, steady weight loss, back or abdominal pain which call for periodic USG check-up,” Shibaji Basu, chief urologist and R K Gopala Krishna, consultant urologist of the Wockhardt hospital and kidney institute, told reporters here.

Incidences of kidney cancer in India are slowly rising, Basu said. .

source: http://www.ptinews.com

Scientists of Indian origin find extract of bitter gourd can cause breast cancer cells to die, leaving normal breast cells unharmed…

Bitter gourd extract, a common dietary supplement, exerts a significant effect against breast cancer cell growth and may eventually become a chemopreventive agent against breast cancer, according to results of a recent study.

“Our findings suggest that bitter gourd extract modulates several signal pathways that induces breast cancer cell death,” said researcher Ratna Ray, professor in the Department of Pathology at Saint Louis University.

“This extract can be utilised as a dietary supplement for the prevention of breast cancer.”

Results of this study are published in Cancer Research, a journal of the American Association for Cancer Research.

Previous research has shown Momordica charantia, also known as bitter gourd and bitter melon, to have hypoglycemic and
hypolipidemic effects, according to Ray. Because of these effects, the extract is commonly used in folk medicines as a remedy for diabetes in locales such as India, China and Central America, according to the researchers.

Using human breast cancer cells and primary human mammary epithelial cells in a lab, Ray and colleagues found the mechanism of bitter melon extract significantly decreased proliferation, that is, cell growth and division, and induced death in breast cancer cells. These early results offer an encouraging path for research into breast cancer.

“Breast cancer is a major killer among women around the world, and in that perspective, results from this study are quite significant,” said Rajesh Agarwal, professor in the Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences at the University of Colorado, Denver School of Pharmacy.

“This study may provide us with one more agent that could be used against breast cancer if additional studies hold true.”

According to Agarwal, the Cancer Research associate editor for this study, the simple design, clear-cut results and the importance of these findings in breast cancer prevention makes this different from previous research.

However, he stressed that “this study is only a step towards establishing the cancer preventive efficacy of bitter gourd against breast cancer.

“Additional studies are needed to further understand the molecular targets of bitter gourd extract in cancer cells, as well as for establishing its efficacy.”

Agarwal gave a note of caution, stating that while these results do provide hope as an anti-cancer agent, it is important to establish the validity of these results in animal models before adding them to one’s diet to inhibit breast cancer cell growth.

Ray and colleagues are currently conducting follow-up studies using a number of cancer cell lines to examine the anti-proliferative effect of the extract. They are also planning a preclinical trial to evaluate its chemopreventive efficacy by oral administration.

Bitter melon extract is cultivated in Asia, Africa and South America. Extract of this vegetable is being popularised as a dietary supplement in Western Countries, since it is known to contain additional glycosides such as mormordin, vitamin C, carotenoids, flavanoids and polyphenols.

Source: Mumbai Mirror.

Sudden Cardiac Deaths account for more than 40-45 % of cardiovascular deaths in India

• Sudden cardiac arrests are not random as commonly perceived, say experts at Fortis Hospitals (formerly Wockhardt Hospitals)

• 75% of the people who die of SCA show signs of a coronary artery disease

• Timely treatment helps bring back patient to their normal functioning of life

What is it?

Sudden Cardiac Arrest is a situation in which the heart beat stops abruptly and without any warning signs, which, results in no blood being pumped into the rest of the body leaving the patient in a fatal condition. It is responsible for more than half of all heart deaths in our country. Sudden Cardiac death occurs when the heart’s electrical system malfunctions and the heart stops pumping.

source:-azpremiermedicalsolutions.com

The heart has a built-in electrical system. In a healthy heart, a “pace-maker” triggers the heartbeat, and then electrical impulses run along pathways in the heart, causing it to contract in a regular, rhythmic way. When the heart contracts, blood is pumped, but in ventricular fibrillation the electrical signals that control the pumping of the heart suddenly become rapid and chaotic. As a result, the lower chambers of the heart, the ventricles, begins to quiver (fibrillate) instead of contract, and they can no longer pump blood from the heart to the rest of the body. If blood cannot flow to the brain, it becomes starved of oxygen, and the person loses consciousness in seconds. Unless an emergency shock is delivered to the heart to restore its regular rhythm, using a machine called a defibrillator, death can occur within minutes. It’s estimated that more than 70% of ventricular fibrillation victims die before reaching the hospital.

In India the annual incidence of Sudden Cardiac death accounts for 0.55 per 1000 population. Data also reveals that 80% of Sudden Cardiac Arrest victim has coronary artery disease. Sudden Cardiac Arrest is often wrongly equated with a heart attack. In fact what kills most suddenly is not artery block (which destroys the heart muscle but is not as immediately fatal), it is the ventricular fibrillation or arrhythmia which is the most common and instant killer. The survival rate of a sudden cardiac arrest is almost less than 1%. Sudden Cardiac Deaths constitute 40 -45 % of cardiovascular deaths and out of this almost 80% are due to heart rhythm disturbances or arrhythmia. “Electrophysiology a growing sub specialty of cardiology has lot of scope in saving lives in India as it  deals with Heart Rhythm disorders said “Dr Paul S Thoppil, Consultant Cardiologist & Electrophysiologist, Fortis Hospitals Bangalore.

Who Is At Risk?

It is believed that SCD often occurs in active, outwardly healthy people with no known heart disease or other health problems. But the truth is that sudden cardiac death is not a random event. Most victims do have heart diseases or other health problems, although they may not know it.
There are numerous contributors to cardiac arrest, but two of the most important ones are:
A previous heart attack: 75% of the people who die of SCD show signs of a previous heart attack.
Coronary artery disease: 80% of SCD’s victims have signs of coronary artery disease. This is a condition in which the arteries that supply blood to the heart are narrowed or blocked.

There are also a number of symptoms and signs that may indicate that a person is at increased risk for SCD. These include:

· An abnormal heart rate or rhythm (arrhythmia) of unknown cause
· An unusually rapid heart rate (tachycardia) that comes and goes, even when the person is at rest
· Episodes of fainting (called syncope) of unknown cause
· A low ejection fraction (EF): The ejection fraction is a measurement of how much blood is pumped by the ventricles with each heart beat.

A healthy heart pumps 55% or more of its blood with each beat. People at highest risk for SCD have ejection fractions of less than 40%, combined with ventricular tachycardia, an abnormally fast heart rate in the lower chambers of the heart.

Prevention

There are a number of things people can do to decrease the likelihood of becoming a victim of sudden cardiac death. To begin with, living a “heart healthy” life can help reduce the chances of dying of cardiac arrest or other heart conditions. This includes exercising regularly, eating healthful foods, maintaining a reasonable weight and avoiding smoking. Treating and monitoring diseases and conditions that can contribute to heart problems, including high blood pressure, high cholesterol and diabetes, is also important.

Scientists at the University of Liverpool and the Suranaree University of Technology, Thailand, have found that a naturally occurring steroid, present in pomegranate seed, could be used to stimulate uterine contractions.

The team identified beta-sitosterol – a steroid that can inhibit the absorption of cholesterol in the intestine – as the main constituent of pomegranate seed extract.  The research suggests that pomegranate extract could be used as a natural stimulant to encourage the uterus to contract during labour.

Pomegranate juice is thought to have a number of health benefits, from lowering cholesterol and blood pressure to protecting against some cancers, but until now there has been no evidence to demonstrate its effects on the uterus.  Researchers investigated pomegranate seed extract – more highly concentrated than pomegranate juice – and its effect on uterine smooth muscle samples.

Professor Sue Wray, from the University’s Department of Physiology, said: “Previous study has suggested that the pomegranate’s antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties have a positive impact on health. We wanted to understand its effect on uterine contractions to help us explore new ways of treating women who may experience difficult labours.  Currently the only available drug to treat women with a poorly contracting uterus is oxytocin, a hormone which only works approximately 50% of the time.

“It is important for us to investigate how the uterus works and what happens when it does not contract normally so that women experiencing problems during labour do not have to undergo major surgery to deliver a healthy baby.”

Dr Sajeera Kupittayanant, from Suranaree’s Institute of Science, explains:  “We found that beta-sitosterol was the main constituent of pomegranate extract, a steroid present in many plant species, but particularly rich in pomegranate seed.  We added the extract to uterus tissue samples from animals and found that the muscle cells increased their activity.  Our work suggests that the increase is due to a rise in calcium, which is necessary in order for any muscle to contract, but is usually affected by hormones, nerve impulses and some drug treatments.

“The next step is to investigate how beta-sitosterol in pomegranate extract could increase calcium, but it could prove to be a significant step forward in identifying new ways of treating dysfunctional labour.”

The research, published in Reproductive Sciences, will support work being conducted at a new centre dedicated to improving experiences in pregnancy and childbirth for women across the world.  The Centre for Better Births will bring together researchers and clinicians to improve understanding in areas such as premature labour, recurrent miscarriage and prolonged labour.

Note: Researchers used pomegranate seed extract, which is more highly concentrated than pomegranate juice.  More research is needed to understand if eating the fruit or drinking its juice has any impact on uterine contractions.

Source : The University of Liverpool.

Visit:http://www.thenest.co.in/

Causes Of Arthritis:

While the most common cause of arthritis is age, there are several factors that can contribute to you getting this painful illness. Past injuries, a depleting immune system, and lifestyle carelessness can bring it on too.
Besides, these factors, there are other conditions that could cause arthritis.

Here are few of them:

1.Gout. This causes crystal build-up in the joints, leading to arthritis. It usually affects the big toe.
2.Lupus. This weaken’s the body’s defense system and harms the joints, heart, skin, kidneys, and other organs.
3.Viral hepatitis. This leads to an infection of the liver, which can cause arthritis at a later stage.

Types of Arthriris:

Well, it may be arthritis. Arthritis causes pain and swelling in the joints. There are certain types of arthritis that can also affect other organs of
the body such as the eyes, skin,or chest. Broadly classified, arthritis is of two kinds:

1.Rheumatoid arthritis. It happens when your body’s defense system ceases to function properly. It affects joints, bones, organs, and limbs. This kind of arthritis may bring on a feeling of sickness or tiredness and sometimes even fever.

2.Osteoarthritis. The more common form of arthritis, it usually comes with age and most often affects the fingers, knees, and hips. It could also follow an injury to a joint which might have happened years earlier.

January  2010:
www.wockhardthospitals.net

The Bangkok based Medical Travel Quality Alliance (MTQUA) which promotes standards and practices for medical traveler’s has recognized Fortis Hospitals, Bangalore (formerly Wockhardt Hospitals) as the most preferred destination in the world for medical tourists from America. The hospital was ranked # 1 in the first list of the top 10 world’s best hospitals for medical tourists which was released at a press conference held in Bangkok on January 19, 2010. “Medical Tourism is more than getting good medical care abroad” said MTQUA founder Julie Munro who has spent many years in the medical travel industry. “Safety and security, international patient operations and protocols, transparency and professional patient facilitation are key to achieving an excellent medical outcome for International patients who are more important than just the cost of care,

” MTQUA released the ranking based on an exhaustive study across patients, hospitals and healthcare travel agencies and all the 10 selected Hospitals provide medical treatment and care of the highest quality with the most advanced technology. All hospitals have also developed outstanding local and regional reputations. According to MTQUA, the top five hospitals are: Fortis Hospitals, Bangalore (formerly Wockhardt Hospital), Gleneagles Hospital, Singapore, Prince Court Medical Centre, Kuala Lumpur, Shouldice Hospital, Toronto and Shoen-Kliniken, Munich. “It gives us great pride to make India get the top slot as the world’s leading destination for International patients” said Mr. Vishal Bali, CEO, Fortis Hospitals Group, India.” By providing a strong foundation of quality in all our patient care processes along with affordability we have delivered to both our domestic and International patients’ exceptional value” he said.

MTQUA recognized Fortis Hospitals, Bangalore (formerly Wockhardt Hospitals) as the # 1 on its list of Top 10 World’s Best Hospitals for Medical Tourists on the following criteria:

1. Medical Quality – The hospital is an excellent surgery option for medical travelers seeking joint replacement, particularly hip resurfacing and replacement. It’s also strong in cardiac surgery and neurosurgery. The hospital is internationally accredited by JCI.

2. International Patient Management -Fortis Hospitals has been sensitive to the needs of patients and families for their cultural, language, and religious requirements, their medical needs and emotional support. As the majority of its international caseload is either life-saving or life enhancing procedures, their honesty and integrity provides outstanding case management and better patient understanding.

3. International Patient Marketing – The Hospital actively supports web-based social networks, including Youtube, Facebook, and Twitter. It has its own blog. The hospital has a dedicated team of men and women available 24/7 with access to treating physicians who can respond to qualified patient inquiries.

4. Value For Services – India’s hospitals are positioned to provide value for services and will continue to do so because the number of hospitals in India seeking the American or international patient market nurtures a competitive cost structure.

5. Patient Safety And Security – The Hospital wraps the traveling patient from America in a security blanket. From the initial hospital response, Fortis assigns dedicated staff representatives to the patient throughout their hospital stay and a treating physician who directly discusses procedures and outcomes before the patient leaves their home country. Communication with the patient’s family physician is encouraged. Patients may stay in the hospital for their full recovery period to avoid moving to a hotel.

6. Transparency – Every effort is extended to ensure transparency of care, from cost to outcomes data. Patients receive a portfolio of their medical file and surgery documents including CT scans, MRI and X-rays, and operative notes to take back to their home country.

7. Attention To The Unique Needs Of The Medical Traveler – According to reports, more than 50% of Hospital’s international patients are Americans. It offers prompt scheduling of pre-surgery preparation. It provides exemplary follow up care and services to monitor American medical travelers once they return home.

MTQUA’s top 10 list of the World’s best hospitals has 6 hospitals out of Asia, 2 from Europe and 2 from North America.

Notes to Editor

About Fortis Hospitals (formerly Wockhardt Hospitals) Wockhardt Hospitals Bangalore, Mumbai and Kolkata which are now christened as Fortis Hospitals are part of the 40 hospitals chain of Fortis Healthcare. This Fortis Hospitals network consists of 11 hospitals focusing on the high end tertiary care around the specialties of cardiac care – adult and pediatric cardiology and cardiac surgery, complex brain & spine surgeries, orthopedics and joint replacement surgery and minimal access surgery. The entity consists of 2 JCI accredited hospitals located in Bangalore and Mulund. Wockhardt Hospitals Bangalore – now a network hospital of Fortis is a 400 bedded Multi specialty hospital with state of the art facility equipped with latest technology and truly World class Clinical Talent dedicated to the whole range of Cardiac, Orthopedic, Neurosciences, Minimal Access Surgery and Women & Child Services. www.wockhardthospitals.net

About Medical Travel and Health Tourism Quality Alliance (MTQUA): MTQUA (mtqua.org) promotes standards and practices, and provides training and workshops in all aspects of medical travelers’ continuum of care. MTQUA’s advisory panel includes Harvard and Johns Hopkins affiliated hospitals and established health care travel agencies. The MTQUA Seal of Quality identifies medical travel facilitators, advisors, and support services that have put or are putting processes in place that prioritize medical quality and safety outcomes for the traveling patient. This seal of quality is issued annually, and is available to any facilitator, agent or other support and service company worldwide that has demonstrated a standard of professional and caring service and support to the medical traveler. This seal assures medical tourists their medical care, safety and quality outcome always comes first.

Short stay surgeries are designed to make your stay at the hospital as short as possible. Advances in Medical technology and adequate skilled doctors  have made this possible. This is a unique offering that requires high levels of expertise and protocol that enable patients to walk out of surgery in just a couple of days.

Short stay Surgeries have grown in popularity due to the recent advances in improved technology. Wockhardt Hospitals (A Network Hospital of Fortis), Cunningham Road, Short Stay surgery centers often allow patients to get surgeries done  much faster which results in earlier recovery time.

For more click : Short Stay Surgery Programme.

The digestive system is a workhorse of the human body. When it breaks down, so do you. Here’s how to calm the most common belly beasts.

Burning in the chest
Where it hurts:  Oesophagus, possibly throat.
How it feels:  Burning pain, a sour taste in your mouth, belching and regurgitation.
DIY diagnosis:  Acid reflux, the result of stomach acid sneaking into your oesophagus.
Your strategies:  Pop a piece of (nonpeppermint) chewing gum. Chewing stimulates saliva, which is chock-full of bicarbonate, your body’s natural acid neutraliser. Feel the burn more than twice a week? You probably have gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD), which can lead to oesophageal cancer. Ask your doctor for an endoscopy to check for Barrett’s oesophagus, a collection of precancerous cells in your lower oesophagus.

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A sore gut
Where it hurts:  Appendix, the lower right abdomen.
How it feels:  Tenderness or sudden sharp pain; possible fever, nausea, swelling, vomiting or constipation.
DIY diagnosis:  Appendicitis.
Your strategy:  Head to the hospital. You need surgery to remove the offending organ.

Gurgling intestines
Where it hurts:  Tail end of the lower intestine.
How it feels:  Gurgling, cramping, gas and diarrhoea.
DIY diagnosis:  Food poisoning caused by uninvited bacteria.
Your strategy:  Have some dark chocolate. The flavonoids in it can limit the amount of fluids secreted in the small intestine, relieving mild symptoms. Add a pinch of prevention by flavouring your marinades with garlic, onion, allspice or oregano. These tasty antimicrobials kill bacteria, such as E coli.

A sour stomach
Where it hurts:  Stomach, below the rib cage.
How it feels:  Rhythmic, burning pain when you’re hungry.
DIY diagnosis:  An ulcer. Painkillers and the bacteria Helicobacter pylori could be culprits.
Your strategy:  Chuck the nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs. Aspirin and ibuprofen impair your stomach’s defences, letting acid burn through the lining. Treating pain? Take them with food.

A stitch in your side
Where it hurts:  Gall bladder, in the upper right abdomen, near the bottom of your ribs.
How it feels:  Steady, sharp pain that rapidly intensifies for 30 minutes or more.
DIY diagnosis:  Gallstones—cholesterol that has hardened to form small pellets.
Your strategy:  Sound them out— ask your doctor for an ultrasound of your gall bladder. Most stones can be removed laparoscopically. The only way to avoid surgery is to prevent them in the first place. Your best defence is your diet. Men who eat the most saturated fat (who usually have large waistlines) are at the greatest risk.

Clogged plumbing
Where it hurts:  The lower section of your intestines, just below your navel.
How it feels: Uncomfortably full, yet your bowels won’t budge.
DIY diagnosis:  Constipation.
Your strategies:  Swig soda. Drinking carbonated water relieves constipation, according to Italian researchers. And hit the road. Research from the University of Washington shows that regular exercise helps your body move stool through the intestines.

Fish oils are known for their beneficial health effects, but how and why they produce antiinflammatory effects remains uncertain. Now, British researchers claim to have uncovered a mechanism that explains why taking fish oil

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capsules can help with conditions like rheumatoid arthritis. In the new study, the research team showed how the body converts an ingredient found in fish oils into another chemical called Resolvin D2 and how this chemical reduces the inflammation that leads to a variety of diseases.

Resolvin D2 could be the basis for a new treatment for diseases including sepsis, stroke and arthritis.“We have known for some time that fish oils can help with conditions like arthritis which are linked to inflammation,” says lead researcher Mauro Perretti, Professor of Immunopharmacology at Queen Mary, University of London. “What we’ve shown is how the body processes a particular ingredient of fish oils into Resolvin D2. We’ve also looked in detail at this chemical, determining at least some of the ways it relieves inflammation. It seems to be a very powerful chemical and a small amount can have a large effect,” the expert added.