Risk factors

ABSTRACTAlzheimer's disease is one of the most devastating brain disorders of elderly humans. It is a decade has witnessed a steadily increasing effort directed at discovering the etiology of the disease and developing pharmacological treatment. Recent developments include improved clinical diagnostic guidelines and improved treatment of both cognitive disturbance and behavioral problems. Symptomatic treatment mainly focusing on cholinergic therapy has been clinically evaluated by randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled, parallel-group studies measuring performance-based tests of cognitive function, activities of daily living, and behavior. The role of estrogen replacement, anti-inflammatory agents, and antioxidants is controversial and needs further study. Antidepressants, antipsychotics, mood stabilizers, anxiolytics, and hypnotics are used for the treatment of behavioral disturbance. Future directions in the research and treatment of patients with Alzheimer's disease include: applying functional brain imaging techniques in early diagnosis and evaluation of treatment efficacy; development of new classes of medications working on different neurotransmitter systems (cholinergic, glutamatergic, etc.) Keywords: Dementia, Symptoms and Stages of disease, Etiology, Pathology, Neurophysiology, Risk factors, Causes, Diagnosis, Treatment, Prevalence, 

ABSTRACTAccording to WHO cardiovascular disease (CVD) is the major cause of death in the worldwide. In India too, it has gone through a drastic lifestyle modification from traditional to western one and adapting sedentary lifestyle, consequently prone the people for CVDs. The present study was undertaken to identify the high risk individuals for CVDs in the next 10 years by using the cardiovascular risk assessment tools such as FRS and SCORE and recommendation of lifestyle modification and initiation of pharmacotherapy. A prospective observational study was conducted in patients with all possible risk factors (age, sex, high blood pressure, high HDL, TC, Smoking, and Obesity) for CVD over a period of six month in a tertiary care hospital. A total numbers of patients selected for the study was 90 among, 49 were males and 41 were females. The patients were categorized in to different risk groups. According to FRS tool, 35.5% individuals were at high risk and with SCORE tool, it was 41.1%. Whereas 33.3% individual who were under the high risk for CVDs by both the tools. The individuals’ lies between mild to moderate risk for CVDs were recommended for lifestyle modification to attenuate the triggering risk factors. Whereas high risk individual by both the FRS and SCORE tools were recommended for lifestyle modification along with pharmacotherapy in order to keep the risk factors under control. Keywords: Cardiovascular diseases; Risk factors; Assessment tools; Primary prevention.

The study was designed with the objective to find the prevalence of type 2 diabetes mellitus and risk factors among senior citizens. This hospital based, cross sectional study was conducted among 250 elderly aged 60 years and above, including senior citizens of either sex, newly diagnosed and known cases of type 2 diabetes mellitus attending community medicine and geriatric OPDs of NIUM hospital, Bengaluru during stipulated period of study. Prevalence of type 2 diabetes mellitus and risk factors were assessed. Survey data has been processed and analyzed by using the Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS) 16.0 for windows. The prevalence of type 2 diabetes mellitus was found 45.6% as a whole. The highest and lowest prevalence of type 2 diabetes mellitus found among 60-65 years and above 75 years, respectively. Prevalence among Males was 30% and Females was 15.6%. Mean ± SD of FBS and PPBS of type 2 DM were observed as 162.27 + 75.18 and 257.11 + 91.95, respectively. Higher prevalence of type 2 DM patients were found among BMI above 25 kg/m2. 38.8% of prevalence of type 2 diabetes mellitus was observed among central obese senior citizens. 26% of higher prevalence of type 2 diabetes mellitus was observed among patients had positive family history of type 2 diabetes mellitus. Results confirmed an increased prevalence of type 2 diabetes mellitus among senior citizens. Higher prevalence of type 2 DM was exhibited among senior citizens those were having obesity, overweight, hypertension and family history of type 2 diabetes mellitus. Newly screened cases of type 2 diabetes mellitus showed paramount importance of extension of screening programme in elderly.

Asthma creates a substantial burden on individuals and families as it is more often under-diagnosed and under-treated. India has an estimated 15-20 million asthmatics. Recognizing the signs and symptoms of asthma is important so that treatment and other interventions can begin early. Prospective observational study was conducted in the department of general medicine, RIMS, Kadapa for the period of 6 months aimed to assess the prevalence, risk factors and treatment in asthmatic patients. Patients were enrolled into the study on the basis of inclusion and exclusion criteria. A total of 122 asthma diagnosed patients were recruited under the inclusion criteria. Our study establishes that the prevalence of bronchial asthma was more in males 79 (64.75%) than in females 43 (35.25 %). The prevalence rate of our study was 20.71 %. Our study found that most patients (35.25%) are using multiple drug therapy, followed by triple combination therapy (33.61%). Our study concluded that the asthma has low incidence and prevalence rate among the total respiratory diseases patients admitted in the hospital with the most predominant risk factors as dust, smoke and climate variation. Most patients have used multiple drug therapy for treatment due to severity of disease.