The New Nation - Internet Edition

Heart needs healthy vessels to function normally

Cardiovascular disease is a broad term used to describe a range of diseases that affect your heart or blood vessels. The various diseases that fall under the umbrella of cardiovascular disease include coronary artery disease, heart attack, heart failure, high blood pressure and stroke.

The term "cardiovascular disease" is often used interchangeably with heart disease because both terms refer to diseases of the heart or arteries. By whatever name you call it - cardiovascular disease or heart disease - it's clear that diseases of the heart and blood vessels are serious problems. Cardiovascular disease is the No. 1 worldwide killer of men and women, including in the United States. For example, cardiovascular disease is responsible for 40 percent of all the deaths in the United States, more than all forms of cancer combined.

Brushing up on some basic terminology about cardiovascular disease can help you stay more informed, which pays off whether you're watching the news or meeting with your doctor.

Causes of cardiovascular disease: While cardiovascular disease can refer to many different types of heart or blood vessel problems, it's used most often to describe damage caused to your heart or blood vessels by atherosclerosis. This is a disease that affects your arteries. Arteries are blood vessels that carry oxygen and nutrients from your heart to the rest of your body. Healthy arteries are flexible, strong and elastic.

Over time, however, too much pressure in your arteries can make the walls thick and stiff - sometimes restricting blood flow to your organs and tissues. This process is called arteriosclerosis, or hardening of the arteries, and atherosclerosis is the most common form of this disorder. So if atherosclerosis is the most common cause of cardiovascular disease, you may wonder what ultimately causes atherosclerosis. The culprits are the same risk factors you've heard mentioned in connection with heart disease and cardiovascular disease: An unhealthy diet (lots of saturated fats), lack of exercise, being overweight and smoking. All of these are major risk factors for developing atherosclerosis and, in turn, cardiovascular disease.

Some forms of cardiovascular disease aren't caused by atherosclerosis. Those forms include diseases such as congenital heart disease, heart valve diseases, heart infections or disease of the heart muscle called cardiomyopathy.

Types of cardiovascular disease: Your cardiovascular system consists of your heart and all blood vessels throughout your body. Diseases ranging from aneurysms to valve disease are types of cardiovascular disease. You may be born with some types of cardiovascular disease (congenital) or acquire others later on, usually from a lifetime of unhealthy habits, such as smoking, which can damage your arteries and cause atherosclerosis.

So, now that you know a little bit about cardiovascular disease and its causes, here are some specific terms used to describe the various forms of cardiovascular disease:

Coronary artery disease: This is a common form of cardiovascular disease. Coronary artery diseases are diseases of the arteries that supply the heart muscle with blood. Sometimes known as CAD, coronary artery disease is the leading cause of heart attacks. It generally means that blood flow through the coronary arteries has become obstructed, reducing blood flow to the heart muscle. The most common cause of such obstructions is a condition called atherosclerosis, a largely preventable type of vascular disease. Coronary artery disease and the resulting reduced blood flow to the heart muscle can lead to other heart problems, such as chest pain (angina) and heart attack (myocardial infarction).

Heart attack: A heart attack is an injury to the heart muscle caused by a loss of blood supply. The medical term for heart attack is "myocardial infarction," often abbreviated MI. A heart attack usually occurs when a blood clot blocks the flow of blood through a coronary artery - a blood vessel that feeds blood to a part of the heart muscle. Interrupted blood flow to your heart can damage or destroy a part of the heart muscle.

Cardiomyopathy: Cardiomyopathy means diseases of the heart muscle. Some types of cardiomyopathy are genetic, while others occur for reasons that are less well understood. Types of cardiomyopathy include ischemic, which is caused by loss of heart muscle from reduced coronary blood flow; dilated, which means the heart chambers are enlarged; hypertrophic, which means the heart muscle is thickened; and idiopathic, which means the cause is unknown. One of the most common types of cardiomyopathy is idiopathic dilated cardiomyopathy - an enlarged heart without a known cause.

Congenital heart disease: Congenital heart disease refers to a form of heart disease that develops before birth (congenital). Congenital heart disease is a broad term and includes a wide range of diseases and conditions. These diseases can affect the formation of the heart muscle or its chambers or valves. They include such conditions as narrowing of a section of the aorta (coarctation) or holes in the heart (atrial or ventricular septal defect). Some congenital heart defects may be apparent at birth, while others may not be detected until later in life.

Aneurysm: An aneurysm is a bulge or weakness in a blood vessel (artery or vein) wall. Aneurysms usually get bigger over time. Because of that, they have the potential to rupture and cause life-threatening bleeding. Aneurysms can occur in arteries in any location in your body. The most common sites include the abdominal aorta and the arteries at the base of the brain.

Valvular heart diseases: These are diseases of the heart valves. Four valves within your heart keep blood flowing in the right direction. Valves may be damaged by a variety of conditions leading to narrowing (stenosis), leaking (regurgitation or insufficiency) or improper closing (prolapse). You may be born with valvular disease, or the valves may be damaged by such conditions as rheumatic fever, infections (infectious endocarditis), connective tissue disorders, and certain medications or radiation treatments for cancer.

Pericardial diseases: These are diseases of the sac that encases the heart (pericardium). Pericardial disorders include inflammation (pericarditis), fluid accumulation (pericardial effusion) and stiffness (constrictive pericarditis). These can occur alone or together. The causes of pericardial disease vary, as do the problems they may lead to. For instance, pericarditis can occur after a heart attack and, as a result, lead to pericardial effusion or chest pain.

Heart failure: Heart failure, often called congestive heart failure, is a condition in which the heart can't pump enough blood to meet the needs of your body's organs and tissues. It doesn't mean your heart has failed and can't pump blood at all. With this less effective pumping, vital organs don't get enough blood, causing such signs and symptoms as shortness of breath, fluid retention and fatigue. "Congestive" heart failure is technically reserved for situations in which heart failure has led to fluid buildup in the body. Not all heart failure is congestive, but the terms are often used interchangeably. Heart failure may develop suddenly or over many years. It may occur as a result of other cardiovascular conditions that have damaged or weakened the heart, such as coronary artery disease or cardiomyopathy.

High blood pressure: High blood pressure (hypertension) is the excessive force of blood pumping through your blood vessels.

It's perhaps the most common form of cardiovascular disease in the Western world, affecting about one in four Americans. Although potentially life-threatening, it's one of the most preventable and treatable types of cardiovascular disease. High blood pressure also causes many other types of cardiovascular disease, such as stroke and heart failure.

Stroke: A stroke occurs when blood flow to the brain is interrupted (ischemic stroke) or when a blood vessel in the brain ruptures (hemorrhagic stroke). Both can cause the death of brain cells in the affected areas. Stroke is also considered a neurological disorder because of the many complications it causes. Other forms of cardiovascular disease, such as high blood pressure, increase your risk of stroke.

Peripheral arterial disease and claudication: You may be more familiar with the term "claudication" - which usually refers to pain in your legs during exercise - than you are the term "peripheral arterial disease." Strictly speaking, claudication is a symptom of peripheral arterial disease. However, claudication is often referred to as a disease itself. Peripheral arterial disease is a disorder in which the arteries supplying blood to your limbs - usually your legs - become narrowed or blocked. When this happens, your legs receive less blood than they need to keep up with demand. Claudication may then develop. When the obstruction is mild, you may have such symptoms as pain in your legs only during strenuous exercise. As the disease progresses and arteries become more obstructed, you may have pain or cramping in your legs even at rest.

Arrhythmias: Heart rhythm problems (arrhythmias) occur when the electrical impulses in your heart that coordinate your heartbeats don't function properly, causing your heart to beat too fast, too slow or irregularly. Other forms of cardiovascular disease can cause arrhythmias.

Staying informed about cardiovascular disease: You may be surprised how many different diseases fall under the umbrella of cardiovascular disease. The thing to remember is most forms of cardiovascular disease are often related to preventable risk factors.

For example, an unhealthy diet, smoking and lack of exercise can all lead to atherosclerosis, which in turn can cause one or more types of cardiovascular disease. Learning how cardiovascular disease is described and what the various terms mean can help you become more informed as you take charge of your health.

(Easir Abedin, M.Sc Microbiology (D.U), MBA is Assistant Manager, Quality Control, NOVO Healthcare and Pharma Ltd.)

Quality kidney treatment available in country

The National Institute of Kidney Diseases and Urology (NIKDU) began transplantation of kidney this year raising a hope among patients, said Professor Shamim Ahmed, Director of the NIKDU at Sher-e-Bangla Nagar while talking to this correspondent on Monday.

Lack of coordination among different departments, internal politics and unethical profiteering mood among doctors, high cost of transplantation, etc delayed the transplantation process at the institute, said doctors and staff of the institute, sources said.

However, Professor Dr Shamim Ahmed claimed that the institute first transplanted kidney in April and till today doctors of NIKDU successfully transplanted kidneys among three patients who are now leading almost normal life.

Dr Shamim, also a reputed physician (nephrology) of the country, said the NIKDU is now well prepared to transplant kidney regularly (subject to availability of patients, kidney and necessary money) and claimed that the institute has a pool of trained surgeons to perform the major surgery. Kidney transplant is highly expensive. Not only that relatives of the patients need to collect kidney of a healthy person whose kidney must match with that of the patient, said a doctor of the institute. Under 1999 Human Organ Act, only donation by family members is currently legal in Bangladesh. The number of kidney transplantation is very negligible in Bangladesh compared with that of India and Pakistan. In a conservative and religious society, doubts have been expressed about the influence of religion on transplant. No religion would either endorse or prohibit organ transplantation, because the idea of transplanting human organs did not exist when any of the major religions was preached, a professor said. In this country political, social, cultural and religious leaders and physicians should launch a movement in favour of donating kidney, opined a surgeon. Social movement and consciousness, motivation among educated people, as kidneys have to be preserved within an hour of expiry of a patient, said a Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujib Medical University (BSMMU) professor.

In 1988 Islamic jurists of Saudi Arabia, the birthplace of Islam, and other Arab counties accepted the concept of brain death, and gave nod to cadaver or deceased organ transplant.

Under Amman declaration in 1984, kidney donation by other than relatives is allowed and even the Majlis-e-Sura in Saudi Arabia has permitted organ donation.

Dr Kamrul, an urologist of the NIKDU, said non-availability of kidney, social taboo, lack of mass awareness and religious superstition are some of the barriers to transplant kidneys in Bangladesh. Dr Manash Saha of NIKDU, said a national commission with representative of various professionals can be reconstituted that should be empowered for collecting kidneys beyond blood relatives. In Bangladesh, donation of kidney beyond relatives is prohibited that is one of major barriers to availability of the vital organs in the country. Dr Saha said availability of kidneys can be increased if organs of cadaver patients (also called 'brain death patients or patients kept alive with life support device) are collected with cooperation and consent of patients relatives'). He said a massive social campaign should be launched both in print and electronic media in donating kidneys of cadaver patients that in turn will increase availability of the organs.

India, through massive social campaign, has motivated several thousand people to donate their vital organs during 'brain deaths' that in turn also helped raise the kidney transplantation.

Professor Jahangir Kabir of the BSMMU, who was earlier director of the NIKDU, said only 5.00 per cent of nearly 20,000 kidney patients can do dialysis or some of them can transplant their kidney with rest die from renal failure every year.

He opined that at least one per cent of the national budget is required to treat some 20,000 kidney patients who need dialysis or transplantation, said a surgeon of the institute, said The government at present cannot even spend even 0.05 per cent of the total budget required in the treatment of kidney patients and in the third world countries including Bangladesh, kidney transplantation is more cost effective than dialysis as the latter is expensive even in the mid- or long-term, said the doctor.

Meanwhile, Kidney Foundation, a non-profit organisation organization at Dhanmondi, since its inception in September 2006, in one year period transplanted 48 kidneys with every transplant cost nearly Taka 200,000. The number of kidney transplant was only 11 at BSMMU. A professor of the BSMMU complained that some senior doctors are discouraging patients to transplant kidneys in the university because of their unethical profiteering mindset.

Drug used for therapeutic purpose

Md. Morshed Alam

Drug is any biological substance, synthetic or non-synthetic, that is taken primarily for non-dietary needs. It is usually synthesized outside of an organism, but introduced into an organism to produce its action. Any substance which when absorbed into a living organism may modify one or more of its functions. The term is generally accepted for a substance taken for a therapeutic purpose, but is also commonly used for abused substances, synonymous with medicine, pharmaceutical etc. Simply drug is a molecule used to diagnose, treat, mitigate, or prevent disease.

Drugs are mainly classified basis on the effects or causing dependency.

Effects on CNS (central nervous system) are classified four ways:

Stimulant

Depressant

No effect

Complex effect

1. Stimulants: Amphetamines, Caffeine, Nicotine Cocaine

Excite arousal, increase alertness, elevate mood. Speed up signals to the brain. (Some newer drugs (Prozac) work mainly as mood elevators and do not (supposedly) produce the other effects).

2. Depressants

Analgesics: relieve pain (block signals?)

Narcotics: Opiates and Opioids

Non-narcotics: Aspirin, etc.

Sedative Hypnotics: relax, induce sleep

Alcohol (ETOH)

Anti-anxiety agents, tranquilizers

Non-Barbiturates: Qualude, Halcion

Long acting Barbiturates: Phenobarbital

Short acting Barbiturates: Seconal

3. Anti-Psychotics: Thorazine

4. Anti-Depressants: Prozac, Lithium

5. Hallucinogens

6. Marijuana /cannabis

7. Inhalants

Effects of drugs on body

Drugs such as marijuana, heroin, and LSD, used especially by the younger generation to produce a so-called "high" or "trip," are by far the most dangerous. To understand why the young person is susceptible to the use of these mind-boggling drugs, it is necessary to understand that he recently may have acquired the desire body (at about age 14) or the mind body (at about the age 21). This is a time for him to determine the limits of his ability and to see how far he can challenge the status quo. Many young people are wilting to test the limits of their adaptability. Others desire spiritual revelation, which they believe can be induced by the use of drugs. At this critical period in the life of the individual, he often lacks the confidence and warmth of an elder companion, one who can guide him through this trying time. For too many of today's youth it is a time of trial and error, a period of blind growth. Drugs offer a way out, but as time wilt reveal, it wilt be the wrong way. Being hallucinatory, they do not bring about the desired results; instead, they put the aspirant in danger of being controlled by undesirable spirits, of undermining the physical body, and of exposing himself to extremely harmful effects on his spiritual bodies. Any damage to these vehicles may require many lifetimes to restore them to the adaptability they originally had. This means a decided setback in evolution. A person, therefore, who made much progress in former embodiments, could lose the value of previous hard work by seriously affecting the present life instruments.

Like all drugs, those used to control nutritional problems can have side effects. This page has information on those side effects. There are sections on side effects of

Appetite stimulants

Steroids

Appetite stimulants

The side effects of the appetite stimulants megesterol acetate and medroxy progesterone acetate are usually very mild and many people do not have any side effects at all. But they can cause

Feeling and being sick

Headache

Ankle swelling from fluid retention (mild)

Abdominal pain

Breast tenderness

Mood changes (rare)

Blood clots (this is rare)

Vaginal bleeding

Impotence in men

People who are diabetic need to monitor their blood sugar levels more closely when taking these drugs.

You may need to adjust the dose of your diabetes medication. If you are pregnant or thinking about getting pregnant you should not take these drugs.

Steroids

The most likely side effects when you first start taking steroids are

Difficulty sleeping

Indigestion

High blood sugar levels, especially if you are already diabetic

In Bangladesh commonly uses

alcohol

cannabis

heroin

Effects of alcohol on human body

Short-term Effects

Reduces sensitivity to pain.

Affects vision in the following ways: narrows the visual field, reduces resistance to glare, interferes with the ability to differentiate intensities of light, and lessens sensitivity to colors.

Long-term Effects

Damage to vital organs; including liver, heart and pancreas.

Linked to several medical conditions; including gastro intestinal problems, malnutrition, high blood pressure, and lower resistance to disease. Also linked to several types of cancer; including esophagus, stomach, liver, pancreas and colon.

Effects of heroin on human body

Heroin is a drug made from morphine, a natural substance in the seedpod of the Asian poppy plant. Heroin usually appears as a white or brown powder. Heroin can be injected, smoked or snorted. Heroin abuse is a serious problem in the United States. Major health problems from heroin include miscarriages, heart infections and death from overdose. People who inject the drug also risk infectious diseases, including HIV/AIDS and hepatitis.

Short-Term Effects:

¦ "Rush"

¦ Depressed respiration

¦ Clouded mental functioning

¦ Nausea and vomiting

¦ Suppression of pain

¦ Spontaneous abortion

Long-Term Effects:

¦ Addiction

¦ Infectious diseases, for example, HIV/AIDS and hepatitis B and C

¦ Collapsed veins

¦ Bacterial infections

¦ Abscesses

¦ Infection of heart lining and valves

¦ Arthritis and other rheumatologic problems

Effects of cannabis on human body

Cannabis, common name for a drug made from the dried leaves and flowering tops of the Indian hemp plant Cannabis sativa (see Cannabis). People smoke, chew, or eat cannabis for its hallucinogenic and intoxicating effects. It is known by a number of slang names, including "pot," "grass," "reefer," "weed," and "Mary Jane." ) Specific forms of Cannabis

a) Ganja / Barbiturates.

b) Chorosh

c) Marijuana

d) Bhang

Cannabis has psychoactive and physiological effects when consumed, usually by smoking or ingestion. The minimum amount of THC required to have a perceptible psychoactive effect is about 10 micrograms per kilogram of body weight (which, in practical terms, is a varying amount, dependent upon potency). A related compound, ?9-tetrahydrocannabivarin, also known as THCV, is produced in appreciable amounts by certain drug strains. This cannabinoid has been described in the popular literature as having shorter-acting, flashier effects than THC, but recent studies suggest that it may actually inhibit the effects of THC. Relatively high levels of THCV are common in African dagga (marijuana), and in hashish from the northwest Himalayas.

Our youth generation is greatly endangered in drug abuse. Drug can cause great hammarage in our personal and national life. So our government should need to take proper stapes on drug business and abusers.