Diabetic retinopathy must be detected on time to avoid loss of vision

Diabetic retinopathy must be detected on time to avoid loss of vision Many remain unaware till the issue reaches an advanced stage, where vision once lost cannot be regained New Delhi, 05 August 2017: India has already been accorded the status of the diabetes capital of the world, with about 65 million Indians suffering from this disorder. Statistics indicate that about 40% of those with diabetes will suffer from diabetic retinopathy at some point in time. As per the IMA, although diabetic retinopathy was always one of the associated complications of diabetes, its incidence has seen a rise in recent years. The condition can exacerbate if steps are not taken on time. Diabetic retinopathy occurs from damage to the tiny blood vessels that nourish the retina. They leak blood and other fluids and cause swelling of the retinal tissue thereby leading to clouding of vision. This condition usually affects both the eyes. Speaking about this, Padma Shri Awardee Dr K K Aggarwal, National President Indian Medical Association (IMA) and President Heart Care Foundation of India (HCFI) and Dr RN Tandon – Honorary Secretary General IMA in a joint statement, said, “Diabetic retinopathy is the major cause of blindness in patients with diabetes mellitus. However, it is largely a preventable or avoidable cause of blindness. Some factors that increase the risk of acquiring this condition include poor glycemic control, high blood pressure, and high cholesterol levels. In most patients, diabetic retinopathy is usually asymptomatic or may cause only very mild symptoms, to begin with. Due to this reason, many people living with diabetes remain unaware until the disease reaches an advanced stage and it becomes too late for treatment. Vision that has been lost cannot be restored. It is imperative that people with diabetes undergo regular screening to detect retinopathy. Early intervention is very important to prevent visual impairment and blindness.” Diabetic retinopathy is included in the list of eye diseases that can be prevented and treated if detected early under ‘VISION 2020: The Right to Sight’ global joint initiative of the World Health Organization (WHO) and the International Agency for the Prevention of Blindness (IAPB). Adding further, Dr Aggarwal, said, “Although its symptoms become noticeable only once the disease advances, there are some common things one can look out for including sudden changes in vision / blurred vision, eye floaters and spots, double vision, and eye pain. Laser surgery is often used in the treatment of diabetic eye disease, but each stage of diabetic retinopathy can be treated in a different way.” Few steps can reduce the chances of vision loss due to diabetic retinopathy. Controlling blood sugar levels It is good to keep blood sugar levels in a target range through a healthy diet, frequent monitoring of blood sugar levels, and adequate physical activity Control blood pressure One of the associated complications of this disorder is macular edema which occurs in those with high blood pressure. Therefore, keep the levels in the right range. Get an eye examination regularly Get your eyes checked regularly. Though screening for diabetic retinopathy and other eye problems will not prevent diabetic eye disease, it can help you in timely treatment.

All diabetics must get regular eye checkup’s done

All diabetics must get regular eye checkup’s done New Delhi, July 29, 2016: The vast majority of diabetic patients who develop diabetic retinopathy (eye involvement) have no symptoms until the very late stages (by which time it may be too late for effective treatment). Because the rate of progression may be rapid, therapy can be beneficial for both symptom amelioration as well as reduction in the rate of disease progression, it is important to screen patients with diabetes regularly for the development of retinal disease. The eyes carry important early clues to heart disease, signaling damage to tiny blood vessels long before symptoms start to show elsewhere, said Padma Shri Awardee Dr KK Aggarwal – President Heart Care Foundation of India (HCFI) and Honorary Secretary General IMA. Diabetic people with retinopathy are more likely to die of heart disease over the next 12 years than those without it. As per a study from the University of Sydney and the University of Melbourne in Australia and the National University of Singapore, people with retinopathy are nearly twice as likely to die of heart disease as people without it. People with these changes in the eyes may be getting a first warning that damage is occurring in their arteries, and work to lower cholesterol and blood pressure. Patients with retinopathy have a greater risk of incident cardiovascular disease (CVD) events, including heart attack, stroke, revascularization, and CVD death, compared with those without retinopathy.

Prevent India from becoming the heart disease capital of the world

Prevent India from becoming the heart disease capital of the world

New Delhi, June 20, 2016: Cardiovascular disease (CVD) is one of the leading causes of morbidity and premature mortality in the world contributing to over 17.5 million deaths every year. The disease poses a great risk in a developing country like India, which is not only one of the most densely populated nations in the world but is also beset with extreme differences in terms of the social, economic and regional divisions. Given the high economic burden of cardiovascular disease on the patient and his family; the increase in disease incidence runs the risk of the rich becoming poor and the poor dying just because they could not afford the treatment. India already holds the title of the diabetic capital of the world. Estimates indicate that by 2025, we will also be the CVD capital of the world with estimation of 69.8 million disease cases. While there exist various types of cardiovascular diseases plaguing the Indian society, the most rapidly growing form coronary artery disease. Speaking about this, Padma Shri Awardee Dr. KK Aggarwal, President Heart Care Foundation of India and Honorary Secretary General IMA, said, “Coronary artery disease (CAD) is caused due to the narrowing and choking of the heart artery walls over a period due to the deposit of plaque. The primary cause of this is irregularities in lifestyle. People in today's day and age are faced with high levels of stress causing them to eat an unhealthy diet, sleepless, are more dependent on toxic substances such as alcohol and cigarettes and exercise less. All these lead to an increase in the incidence of CAD.” Indians due to their genetic predisposition are anyways at a high risk of premature coronary artery disease due to the presence of high levels of lipoprotein. They further add to their misery by living an extremely unhealthy lifestyle. The risk of CAD in Indians is 3–4 times higher than Americans, six times higher than Chinese and 20 times higher than Japanese. CAD affects Indians 5–10 years earlier than any other community in the world. One can take the following steps to reduce their chances of suffering from cardiac diseases in the future · Eat healthily, sleep right: A healthy and balanced diet is key for a healthy heart. An over-dependence on junk food, consumption of saturated and trans fats, food containing high salt and sugar levels - lead an increased incidence of obesity, high cholesterol, hypertension and diabetes, all key risk factors of heart disease. A healthy diet must consist of items, which have low levels of saturated fats, fresh fruits and vegetables. · Exercise Regularly – Regular exercise is important to strengthen one's, heart, lower blood pressure, keep obesity under control, burn off stress, boost your self-esteem and help you sleep better. By regularly exercising for at least 30 minutes three to four times a week, one can keep their heart healthy. Aerobic exercise particularly is beneficial for patients with a tendency to get heart disease. · Kick the butt – Smoking damages the lining of your arteries, leading to a build-up of fatty material (atheroma), which narrows the artery. This can cause angina, heart attack or a stroke. The carbon monoxide in tobacco smoke reduces the amount of oxygen in your blood. Thus, smoking is extremely dangerous for a heart and is a leading cause of heart attacks amongst the young. · Limit the intake of alcohol - If you have to consume alcohol, drink in moderation. Drinking excessive amounts of alcohol causes raised blood pressure, which is one of the most important risk factors for having a heart attack or a stroke. Increases in your blood pressure can also be caused by weight gain from excessive drinking. Obesity too leads to cardiovascular ailments · De-stress - High levels of stress make other risk factors for heart disease such as high cholesterol or high blood pressure worse and push you to lead an unhealthy lifestyle. For instance, if you are under stress, your blood pressure goes up, you may overeat, you may exercise less, and you may be more likely to smoke. Engaging in deep breathing exercises, doing yoga all help decrease stress and the temptation to indulge in bad habits. · Get regular health check-ups - Lastly, one must get regular health check-ups to ensure that their blood pressure, hypertension, cholesterol are all under control and to rule out the risk of heart disease in the future. If at risk, necessary lifestyle changes must be made

Prevent India from becoming the heart disease capital of the world

Prevent India from becoming the heart disease capital of the world

New Delhi, June 20, 2016: Cardiovascular disease (CVD) is one of the leading causes of morbidity and premature mortality in the world contributing to over 17.5 million deaths every year. The disease poses a great risk in a developing country like India, which is not only one of the most densely populated nations in the world but is also beset with extreme differences in terms of the social, economic and regional divisions. Given the high economic burden of cardiovascular disease on the patient and his family; the increase in disease incidence runs the risk of the rich becoming poor and the poor dying just because they could not afford the treatment. India already holds the title of the diabetic capital of the world. Estimates indicate that by 2025, we will also be the CVD capital of the world with estimation of 69.8 million disease cases. While there exist various types of cardiovascular diseases plaguing the Indian society, the most rapidly growing form coronary artery disease. Speaking about this, Padma Shri Awardee Dr. KK Aggarwal, President Heart Care Foundation of India and Honorary Secretary General IMA, said, “Coronary artery disease (CAD) is caused due to the narrowing and choking of the heart artery walls over a period due to the deposit of plaque. The primary cause of this is irregularities in lifestyle. People in today's day and age are faced with high levels of stress causing them to eat an unhealthy diet, sleepless, are more dependent on toxic substances such as alcohol and cigarettes and exercise less. All these lead to an increase in the incidence of CAD.” Indians due to their genetic predisposition are anyways at a high risk of premature coronary artery disease due to the presence of high levels of lipoprotein. They further add to their misery by living an extremely unhealthy lifestyle. The risk of CAD in Indians is 3–4 times higher than Americans, six times higher than Chinese and 20 times higher than Japanese. CAD affects Indians 5–10 years earlier than any other community in the world. One can take the following steps to reduce their chances of suffering from cardiac diseases in the future · Eat healthily, sleep right: A healthy and balanced diet is key for a healthy heart. An over-dependence on junk food, consumption of saturated and trans fats, food containing high salt and sugar levels - lead an increased incidence of obesity, high cholesterol, hypertension and diabetes, all key risk factors of heart disease. A healthy diet must consist of items, which have low levels of saturated fats, fresh fruits and vegetables. · Exercise Regularly – Regular exercise is important to strengthen one's, heart, lower blood pressure, keep obesity under control, burn off stress, boost your self-esteem and help you sleep better. By regularly exercising for at least 30 minutes three to four times a week, one can keep their heart healthy. Aerobic exercise particularly is beneficial for patients with a tendency to get heart disease. · Kick the butt – Smoking damages the lining of your arteries, leading to a build-up of fatty material (atheroma), which narrows the artery. This can cause angina, heart attack or a stroke. The carbon monoxide in tobacco smoke reduces the amount of oxygen in your blood. Thus, smoking is extremely dangerous for a heart and is a leading cause of heart attacks amongst the young. · Limit the intake of alcohol - If you have to consume alcohol, drink in moderation. Drinking excessive amounts of alcohol causes raised blood pressure, which is one of the most important risk factors for having a heart attack or a stroke. Increases in your blood pressure can also be caused by weight gain from excessive drinking. Obesity too leads to cardiovascular ailments · De-stress - High levels of stress make other risk factors for heart disease such as high cholesterol or high blood pressure worse and push you to lead an unhealthy lifestyle. For instance, if you are under stress, your blood pressure goes up, you may overeat, you may exercise less, and you may be more likely to smoke. Engaging in deep breathing exercises, doing yoga all help decrease stress and the temptation to indulge in bad habits. · Get regular health check-ups - Lastly, one must get regular health check-ups to ensure that their blood pressure, hypertension, cholesterol are all under control and to rule out the risk of heart disease in the future. If at risk, necessary lifestyle changes must be made