Features

K⁺ Lowers BP !

Waist & Insulin

Electrify Teeth !

New Diabetic Guidelines

Fish & Soy Oil

Cancer Fighter !

New Products of SQUARE Pharmaceuticals Ltd.

EDITORIAL TEAM

OMAR AKRAMUR RAB

MBBS, FCGP, FIAGP,FRSH (UK)

P G Dip. Business Management

LATIFA NISHAT, MBBS

MAHBUBUR  RAHMAN, MBBS

EDITORIAL

Dear Doctor:

We hope you are enjoying 'e-SQUARE' healthcare online !

Our current issue focused on some interesting features like "K+ Lowers BP, Waist & Insulin, Electrify Teeth, New Diabetic Guidelines, Fish & Soy Oil, Cancer Fighter".

Besides we have some new products information of SQUARE Pharmaceuticals Ltd. as well.

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Yours sincerely,

Editorial Team

Reply Mode      : e-square@squaregroup.com

The views expressed in this publication do not necessarily reflect those of its editor or SQUARE PHARMACEUTICALS LTD.

Potassium, in Any Form, Lowers Blood Pressure

Potassium citrate has similar blood pressure lowering effects as the best studied potassium compound, potassium chloride, according to a UK study. Researchers from St. George's Hospital Medical School in London said the important role of potassium in regulating blood pressure has been demonstrated in carefully controlled studies using potassium chloride and inactive "placebo" tablets. But it has not been clear, until now, how far other potassium salts lowered blood pressure. "These results support other evidence for an increase in potassium intake and indicate that potassium does not need to be given in the form of chloride to lower blood pressure," researchers write in the American Heart Association's journal Hypertension. "Increasing the consumption of foods high in potassium is likely to have the same effect on blood pressure as potassium chloride," the researches say. They compared the effects of potassium chloride or potassium citrate on blood pressure in 14 adults with hypertension -- that is, with blood pressure readings above 140/90. The participants took one compound for 1 week, waited a week, and then took the other for a week. Average blood pressure at the start of the study was 151/93. It fell significantly to 140/88 with potassium chloride and to 138/88 mm Hg with potassium citrate. "Our short-term study shows that potassium citrate is as effective as potassium chloride, and this supports the evidence that the main effect of increasing fruit and vegetable intake on blood pressure is due to the increase in potassium intake," lead researcher concluded.

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Waist Measurement, A Powerful Tool

A Swedish study suggests people with a waistline of one meter (about 39 inches) or more are at serious risk of insulin resistance -- one of the first stages in the development of heart disease and diabetes. The study involved 2,746 healthy male and female volunteers between ages 18 and 72. Participants had body mass indexes between 18 and 60 kilograms per square meter and waist circumferences between 65 and 150 centimeters (about 26 and 59 inches). Height, weight, waist and hip circumference were measured, and blood samples were taken to determine insulin sensitivity. After analyzing the data, the researchers concluded waist circumference was a very strong predictor of insulin sensitivity. A waist circumference of less than 100 centimeters (about 39 inches) excluded insulin resistance in both males and females. The authors recommend waist circumference measurement as a simple tool to exclude insulin resistance and to identify those at greatest risk of developing heart disease or diabetes and also the tool could be used to identify individuals who could benefit the most from lifestyle changes.

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Electric Toothbrush, Better than Ordinary !

Researchers from the United Kingdom found over a period of a few months, powered toothbrushes with circular bristle heads that rotate in alternating brushes are better at removing plaque than ordinary toothbrushes. In their study, the rotating brushes reduced plaque by 11 percent over regular tooth-brushes and reduced signs of gum inflammation called gingivitis by 6 percent over the regular brushes. After more than three months use, powered toothbrushes reduced gingivitis by 17 percent over the manual toothbrushes. No evidence of increased gum damage was seen in electric toothbrush use.

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New Guidelines to Prevent Diabetes

The Joslin Diabetes Center, a leading diabetes research center affiliated with Harvard Medical School, released updated nutrition and fitness guidelines to combat the spreading epidemic of type 2 diabetes among Americans. Type 2 diabetes is closely linked to overweight or obesity. Currently, two-thirds of Americans are either overweight or obese, and an alarming number of adolescents are also overweight. This plague of obesity has dramatically increased the rate of type 2 diabetes. Joslin researchers estimate that more than 18 million Americans have type 2 diabetes, and another 41 million have pre-diabetes and are at risk for developing full-blown diabetes. To help people lose weight and prevent or control diabetes, the new guidelines recommend approximately 40 percent of calories come from carbohydrates, between 20 and 30 percent of calories come from protein, between 30 and 35 percent of calories come from fat, mostly mono-and polyunsaturated fats, at least 20 to 35 grams of fiber daily, moderate weight loss of one pound per week or every other week, a target of 60 to 90 minutes of moderate exercise most days of the week, with a minimum of 150 to 175 minutes of exercise per week. These guidelines were developed by a team of physicians, dietitians, exercise physiologists and educators who spent months reviewing the scientific literature for the best approach to limiting the impact of diabetes. "The search was on for guidelines that would improve insulin sensitivity, cardiovascular health and reduce body fat," said head of Joslin's clinical guidelines.

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Fish & Soy Oil  Benefits Older Heart

In elderly people, omega-3 fatty acids contained in fish and soy oil increase a measure of heart-healthiness called heart rate variability, a small study indicates. Taking a daily fish or soy oil supplement may therefore reduce the risk of developing irregular heart rhythm or succumbing to sudden cardiac death. Investigators at Emory University School of Medicine in Atlanta followed 52 people aged 60 or older who were randomly assigned to take one of the oil supplements, given as 1-gram capsules twice daily for 6 months. The heart rate variability of the participants was measured every other day. As the team reports in the medical journal Chest, fish oil supplementation increased average total variability from 3.26 units prior to supplementation to 3.54 afterwards. Soy oil increased the measure from 3.16 to 3.28. "Our study group showed improvements in heart function in as little as 2 weeks," lead researcher comments. Some participants reported discomfort with the supplements. Belching was reported by 41 percent in the fish oil group and 16 percent in the soy oil group. Corresponding rates for nausea were 12.5 percent and 8 percent. Researcher group recommends omega-3 fatty acids supplements derived from either soy oil or fish oil "in conjunction with other factors known to increase heart rate variability such as exercise, weight loss, stress reduction, and restoration of normal sleep" to improve heart health.

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Red Chili Pepper and Broccoli Fight Against Cancer

Spicy and green may be the best way to describe how to help prevent cancer. Two new studies presented this week to the American Association for Cancer Research suggest vegetables like broccoli and spices like red chili pepper could provide a cancer-fighting benefit. The studies, conducted by investigators at the University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, found the two foods may prevent or slow the growth of cancerous tumor cells. The researchers studied the effects of broccoli and chili peppers on two types of cancers with extremely poor prognoses. Lead investigator, says they wanted to know to what extent diet and nutrition contributes to the development of ovarian and pancreatic cancer. "We discovered that red chili pepper and broccoli appear to be effective inhibitors of the cancer process," says lead researcher. The first study looked at the effect of capsaicin -- the chemical that gives peppers their "fire" -- and found it has anticancer effects on pancreatic cancer cells. Pancreatic cancer is extremely aggressive. Lead researcher also added the capsaicin disrupted the mitochondrial function of human pancreatic cancer cells -- effectively killing them while not disrupting normal pancreatic cells. The second study looked at the effect of phenethyl isothiocyanate -- a chemical found in vegetables like broccoli -- on ovarian cancer cells. Ovarian cancer is often caught at an advanced stage, making it difficult to treat successfully. The researchers exposed ovarian cancer cells to levels of the broccoli chemical that could be obtained through just eating the vegetable. They found the chemical inhibited the growth of the cancer cells.

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