Noncommunicable Disease Articles

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Influence of Distance Between Residence and Health Facilities on Non-Communicable Diseases: An Assessment Over Hypertension and Diabetes in Bangladesh

Non-communicable diseases have been the focus of many medical studies for its detrimental effects, both social and economic, in developing countries. One of the unexplored aspect of these diseases is how they are affected by the distances between potential patients’ residence and... Read more »

Seven-Year Longitudinal Change in Risk Factors for Non-Communicable Diseases in Rural Kerala, India

Every year an estimated 38 million deaths occur globally due to non-communicable diseases, namely cancer, cardiovascular disease, chronic respiratory diseases, and diabetes. Read more »

Profile of Risk Factors for Non-Communicable Diseases in Punjab, Northern India

The Punjab is a large state in northern India (population of 2.7 million as per 2011 census) which enjoys the reputation of being the ‘food basket’ of nation with a medium human development level. It is witnessing a disturbing growth in NCDs related mortality... Read more »

Indians predisposed to population-specific genetic diseases

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Researchers are better connecting the science of population genetics to population health and complex diseases. Scientists are observing an increase in recessive disorders and complex genetic diseases in Indian populations. Key Point: India consists of a large number of small, generally un-integrated communities. The genetic makeup of different communities is...  Read more »

Chronic Respiratory Disorders Create Significant Health Care Burden

Key Point: See the questions below to ask your patients to better assess the risk factors contributing to CRD and help them with the preventative process to avoid the disease altogether. Chronic Respiratory Disorders (CRDs), including asthma, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), and chronic bronchitis create a significant health care...  Read more »

Patient-reported severe hypoglycemia increases mortality risk

For the first time ever, a newly published retrospective study has established a significant correlation between patient-reported severe hypoglycemia and increased mortality in patients with diabetes. Key Point: Patients with diabetes who self-report severe episodes of hypoglycemia have a higher risk of mortality. It’s important to question them about hypoglycemic...  Read more »

Flexible sigmoidoscopy a reliable diagnostic tool for colorectal cancer screening

Screening using flexible sigmoidoscopy significantly reduced the incidence of colorectal cancer and mortality, according to a recently published large prospective randomized study. Overall, colorectal cancer mortality was reduced by 26% in patients assigned to sigmoidoscopy (2.9 vs 3.9 deaths per 10,000 person-years) in the study. A 50% reduction in death...  Read more »

Diabetes increases risk of premature mortality, including mortality from several specific types of cancer

Diabetes is associated with an increased risk of death, including death from several specific forms of cancers, according to an analysis from the Cancer Prevention Study-II. India is the country with the greatest number of diabetes patients in the world, according to the International Diabetes Federation (IDF). Read more »

Study finds exercise may reduce depression in heart failure patients

Cardiovascular disease has emerged as the number one killer in both urban and rural areas of India. The Indian population is particularly susceptible to cardiovascular disease (CVD) risk factors; however, there are few large studies that have examined CVD risk factors in the Indian population. Depression is associated with an...  Read more »

Statin benefits in primary prevention outweigh risk of diabetes

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The benefit of preventing vascular events outweighs the increased risk of new-onset diabetes in patients without cardiovascular disease but with an elevated level of high-sensitivity C-reactive protein (hs-CRP), researchers have found. India is the country with the greatest number of diabetes patients in the world, according to the International Diabetes...  Read more »

Widespread use of statins for primary prevention could reduce risk of vascular events

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Even patients with a 5-year risk for major vascular events <10% may benefit from primary prevention using statin therapy, according to the results of a large meta-analysis. This study may hold particular significance for patients in India, where genetic susceptibility results in a higher rate of vascular events, and where...  Read more »

Risk of bleeding with daily aspirin may offset benefit in low-risk patients

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Chronic use of low-dose aspirin, defined as 300 mg/day or less, is associated with an increased risk of major gastrointestinal (GI) or cerebral bleeding, a recent review of administrative data found. Patients with diabetes also were found to have a high rate of bleeding, irrespective of aspirin use. Key Point:...  Read more »

Elderly hypertensive patients with cardiovascular disease may benefit from combination antihypertensive therapy

Adding a second antihypertensive medication appears to be more beneficial than increasing the dose of a single antihypertensive in reducing all-cause mortality cardiovascular outcomes in patients with cardiovascular disease (CVD). This was the main finding of a recent randomized trial that sought to determine the efficacy of high-dose angiotensin receptor...  Read more »

Type 2 diabetes treated with insulin increases lung cancer risk in postmenopausal women

Postmenopausal women with type 2 diabetes that requires treatment with insulin demonstrated an increased risk for developing lung cancer, according to an analysis of the Women’s Health Initiative (WHI) study. “Physicians in India should screen diabetes patients, especially women, for lung cancer, particularly those on insulin therapy.” -Vijay Viswanathan, MD,...  Read more »

Type 2 diabetes increases risk for gastrointestinal cancers in postmenopausal women

Postmenopausal women with type 2 diabetes demonstrated an increased risk for cancers of the liver, pancreas, colon, and rectum, according to an analysis of the Women’s Health Initiative (WHI) study. It was estimated that 41 million people in India had type 2 diabetes in 2006, according to a 2010 report...  Read more »

Childhood CT scans tied to increased risk of leukemia and brain cancer

The use of CT scans is rising in India and throughout the rest of the world. Computed tomography (CT) scans can expose the body to relatively high doses of radiation, to which children are particularly sensitive. Exposure to 50 mGy and 60 mGy of radiation during childhood CT scans may Read more »
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