Depression and Anxiety can be as Harmful to Health as Smoking

A recent study has revealed that people who have high anxiety levels as well as depression are at 65% higher risk of developing a heart condition, 64% at a higher risk of developing a stroke, 50% high risk of developing high blood pressure and 87% higher risk of developing arthritis.

Comparatively, even people who smoke and are obese are at the same level of risk thus pointing out the importance of mental health condition with respect to physical health. The lead author Andrea Niles of the University of California San Francisco said that hence smoking and obesity as well as mental health conditions like depression and anxiety pose the same risk.

Depression and Anxiety can be as Harmful to Health as Smoking

Yet, cancer is not included in the list of conditions that are a result of depression and anxiety. The co-author Aoife O Donovan from UCSF has said that the study is similar to the other studies in terms of the psychological distress being a strong predictor of many types of cancers. She also asked people not to attribute cancer diagnosis to stress, depression and anxiety history.

Niles also said that the study was the first one that compared between anxiety and depression with smoking and obesity as potential risk factors for health conditions that could be life threatening.

In a nutshell, the study is only brings to light the fact that mental health is to be cared for equally and has the ability to do equal harm as addictions or unfit habits do. And that it is time that people shun away the taboo around mental health and habits and take a step to consult mental health practitioners if they are facing issues like depression, anxiety or more so that they can be treated not only for it but also to avoid their physical health being affected.

 

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*Sourced from the Internet

Genetically Modified Virus Effective in Cancer Treatment – An Overview

The study published in the journal for Cancer Research states that scientists have developed a new technique in which they use a genetically modified virus for killing cancer cells and even has the ability to destroy their hiding places. Named as the enadenotucirev, this novel dual action virus targets cancer cells as well as the healthy cells that are tricked into cancer cell protection by the immune system of the body called fibro-blasts.

Genetically Modified Virus Effective in Cancer Treatment

The therapy used presently for killing the tricked viruses of cancer may also kill the fibroblast cells leading to toxicity. Carcinomas, the most common kind of cancer are found to start in the cells of the skin or in the tissues covering or lining internal organs like lungs, pancreas, breasts, colon, prostate and ovaries.
As per Kerry Fisher of Britain’s University of Oxford there hasn’t been any way where you can kill the cancer cells and the fibroblasts that are known to protect them as well, without causing any harm to the other parts of the body. Therefore, this technique that can be used for targeting the cancer cells as well as the fibroblasts is definitely cited as a vital development in reducing the suppression inside the carcinomas as well as initiating the normal immune process.

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The team included some genetic instructions before publishing the study in the journal order the infected cancer cells to produce a protein called bispecific T cell engager, that has the ability to bind and stick two cells together. Here the first end is fibroblasts and the second end is T cells – a kind of immune cell that kills defective cells. The result, T cells started killing attached fibroblasts. The team also carried out the testing of the virus on a human bone marrow successfully to find that the process did not result in creating any toxicity to the rest of the body or any inappropriate activation of T cells.

The clinical trials of Enadenotucirev have already started for carcinoma treatment and in the upcoming year it will begin its clinical trials of finding out the safety and affectivity of it on people suffering from cancer.

 

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*Sourced from the Internet

All You Need to Know About Terminal Illness

The term terminal illness means disease that is not curable and is expected to result in death of the patient over a course of time. It is a commonly used term for illnesses like cancer, heart disease of advanced stage, to name a few. When a person is said to be suffering from a terminal illness, there is near certainty that the patient is going to die in a course of time irrespective of the treatment. Once diagnosed with a terminal condition the patient knows that death is certain and the doctor informs the patient about the time left, in days, weeks, months or years.

Once a patient is diagnosed for terminal illness, the disease management process is decided. The options for it include continual of treatment, caregiving, hospice care and even physician assisted suicide. The decision making is done keeping the patient as well as the family in loop. Many a time patients with terminal illness experience anxiety around the nearing death as well as depression and hence requires psychotherapeutic treatment to help them deal with the same.

On the flip side, knowing about the terminal illness condition gives them time to get ready for advance treatment and care procedures as well as living will, to help them deal with end of life care effectively. Let us run through the different disease management or end of life care procedures for terminal illness patients.

Terminal Illness

Treatment Continuation

Palliative Care – Palliative care is more about after care of the physical needs of the patients post diagnosis. This includes emotional support, management of pain, psychological and spiritual care. It is a methodology that concentrates on improvement of quality of life of the patients and satisfaction besides helping family members deal and cope with the difficult situation.

Care Giving – Care giving is an integral part of terminal disease management. It involves keeping a nurse to take care of the person suffering from the condition. The care givers provide support like psychological support, food, assistance with movement and routine activities on a day to day basis.

Medications – Terminal patients who suffer from cancer related pain, need medications for relief. The medication prescribed varies based on the pain severity as well as status of disease. One of the common symptoms that terminal illness patients experience is dyspnea viz. breathing issues.

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Hospice Care – There is a misconception that people choosing hospice care live less compared to others, but study has proved that patients with hospice care live for the same span than others. It includes spending more time with family, friends or other inmates undertaking hospice disease management procedures. They usually stay away from a hospital at home or at an inpatient hospice facility.

Physician assisted Suicide (PAS) – This concept is legally approved only in a few countries in the world. It is when a patient decides to die with dignity that he or she opts for physician assisted suicide. The decision could be based on various different reasons like avoiding pain, disability, healthcare costs, family impact, personal and religious beliefs, to name a few. The patient has to give request in writing as well as orally after which the physicians offer them lethal drugs to help them die.

Well, some terminally ill patients stop all the treatments that they are undergoing to avoid side-affects while some go for even more aggressive treatment in a hope to increase their life span to the maximum. Some also opt for alternative methods of treatment that are non-proven as well as diet changes that are required.