FORMULAS AND RULES FOR PREVENTION OF HEART ATTACKS Akshaya Srikanth*, Chandra Babu.Singanamala

One can prevent heart attacks. Nine preventable risk factors are responsible for 90% of heart attacks. They are (in order of importance) 

1. Increased LDL/HDL ratios (elevated bad LDL and low good HDL cholesterol levels)
2. Smoking
3. Diabetes
4. Hypertension
5. Abdominal obesity
6. Psychosocial (stress or depression)
7. Failure to eat fruits and vegetables daily
8. Failure to exercise
9. Failure to drink adequate water

One can prevent heart attack by following Doctors excellence formula of eighty

1. Keep lower BP, bad cholesterol levels, resting heart rate, fasting sugar and abdominal girth levels all less than 80.
2. Keep kidney and lung functions more than 80%.
3. Engage in recommended amounts of physical activity (minimum 80 minutes of moderately strenuous exercise per week). Our recommendation is to walk 80 minutes a day and for 80 minutes per week the speed should be 80 steps per minute
4. Eat less and not more than 80 gm or ml of caloric food each meal.  Follow a healthy diet (high fiber, low saturated fat, zero trans fat, low refined carbohydrate, low salt, high in fruits). Refined carbohydrates are white rice white maida and white sugar.
5. Observe cereal fast 80 days a year.
6. Doing 80 cycles of pranayama a day
7. Spend 80 minutes to yourself every day (relaxation, meditation, helping others etc)
8. Do not smoke or be ready to spit out 80,000 Rs for treatment. Not smoking or else you will have to spend 80,000 on your illness.
9. Those who drink, does not want to stop and there is no contraindication, limiting alcohol use to no more than 80 ml per day for men (50% for women) or 80 grams per week. 10 grams of alcohol is present in 30 ml or 1 oz of 80 proof liquor.
10. Take 80 mg of aspirin if prescribed for prevention.
11. Tale 80 mg atorvastatin for prevention when prescribed.

One can prevent diabetes by controlling five lifestyle factors. They are

1. Follow a healthy diet
2. Maintain an optimal body weight (less than 23 x height in meters x height in meters)
3. Engage in recommended amounts of physical activity.
4. Limiting alcohol to recommended amount.
5. Not smoking.

Rules

1. Rule of 30 seconds: Chest pain, burning, discomfort, heaviness in the center of the chest lasting for over 30 seconds and not localized to a point unless proved otherwise is a heat pain.
2. Rule of pin pointing finger: any chest pain which can be pin pointed by a finger is not a heart pain.
3. Rule of forty: First onset acidity or first onset asthma after the age of 40, first rule out heart attack or heart asthma
4. Rule of 300:  Chew a tablet of water soluble 300 mg aspirin and take 300 mg Clopidogrel tablet at the onset of cardiac chest pain. You will not die.
5. Rule of ten:   Within ten minute of death for the next ten minutes do effective chest compression with a speed of (10 x10) 100 per minute. 80% people can be saved.
6. Rule of 180: Reach hospital within 180 minutes in heart attack for receiving clot dissolving angioplasty or clot dissolving drugs

Prepared and Presented by
Akshaya Srikanth, Dr.S.Chandra Babu*
Pharm.D* Internee, Asst.Prof of Medicine
RIMS MEDICAL COLLEGE, KADAPA, A.P

India

APPSC DRUG INSPECTOR IN A.P. DRUGS CONTROL ADMINISTRATION SERVICE

Recruitment applications are invited On-line through the proforma Application to be made available on WEBSITE (www.apspsc.gov.in) in from 22/02/2012 to 22/03/2012 (Note: 20/03/2012 is the last date for payment of fee) for recruitment to the post of Drug Inspector in A.P. Drugs Control Administration Service

WRITTEN TEST PATERN
WRITTEN (OBJECTIVE TYPE) EXAMINATION

1 GENERAL STUDIES & MENTAL ABILITY	150 Marks	150 Questions.	150 Minutes
2 SUBJECT (ONE PAPER)	300 Marks	150 Questions	150 Minutes

TOTAL: 450 Marks

Syllabus:
GENERAL STUDIES & MENTAL ABILITY
1. General Science – Contemporary developments in Science and Technology and their implications including matters of every day observation and experience, as may be expected of a well-educated person who has not made a special study of any scientific discipline.
2. Current events of national and international importance
3. History of India – emphasis will be on broad general understanding of the subject in its social, economic, cultural and political aspects with a focus on AP Indian National Movement.
4. World Geography and Geography of India with a focus on AP.
5. Indian polity and Economy – including the country’s political system- rural development – Planning and economic reforms in India.
6. Mental ability – reasoning and inferences.
7. Disaster Management (Source : CBSE Publications) Concepts in disaster management and vulnerability profile of India / State of A.P. Earth quakes / Cyclones / Tsunami / Floods / Drought – causes and effects. Man made disasters – Prevention strategies. Mitigation strategies / Mitigation measures.

SUBJECT
1. Importance of various Pharmacopeas with special reference to Indian Pharmacopoes, British Pharmacopea, Unites States Pharmacopoea and International Pharmacopoes.
2. Sources of drugs: Plant, Animal, Mineral, Synthetic and Biotechnological drugs.
3. Preparation of Infusions, Decoctions, Tinctures, Solutions, Soft and Dry extracts. Introduction and classification of various pharmaceutical dosage forms.
4. Various parts of “Prescription” handling of prescriptions preliminary knowledge of important Latin terms useful in interpretation of prescription and their translation into English.
5. Posology: Calculation of dosage for infants, children adults and elderly persons. Alcohol dilutions, Proof spirit, Isotonic solutions, Displacement value
6. Brief outline of communicable diseases, their causative agents, modes of transmission and their prevention
7. First Aid: Emergency treatment of shock, snake-bites, burns, poisoning and fractures.
8. Classification of microbes their structure and identification. Bacterial growth, nutritional requirements and staining.
9. Contamination of pharmaceuticals in hospital and community environments by microbes.
10. Sterilization: Definition, types, procedure and testing.
11. Sterilization of materials, equipments and utencils used in hospitals, centralized and decentralised sterilization. Drug distribution system in hospitals for out-patients and inpatients.
12. Opthalmic preparations: formulations, methods of preparation, containers and evaluation.
13. Collection, processing, storage and evaluation of blood, blood products and plasma – substitutes
14. Surgical products: Surgical cotton, surgical guazes, bandages, sutures, ligatures and catguts.
15. Definition and types of incompatibilities (Physical Chemical and Therapeutic), correction of incompatibilities.
16. Anatomy and physiology of Cardio-vascular system and related common disorders like hypertension, hypotension, angina, myocardial infarction and congestive heart failure.
17. Anatomy and physiology of Digestive system and related disorders like peptic ulcers, constipation, diarrhoea and jaundice.
18. Functions of different parts of Brain and spinal cord, Neuohumoral transmission in the central nervous system and autonomic nervous system.
19. Drugs, acting on cardiovascular system: Digitalis and other cardiac glycosides, antihypertensive drugs, anti-anginal and vasodilators including calcium channel antagonists.
20. Drugs acting on Gastro-intestinal tract: antacids, anti-ulcer drugs, anti-emetics, laxatives and anti diarrhoeal drugs.
21. Drugs acting on central nervous systems: Sadatives, hypnotics, anti-anxiety agents, centrally acting muscle relaxants, anti-epileptics, analgesic, anti-phyretic and antiinflammatory drugs.
22. Antigens, anti-bodies, antigen-anti body reactions, hypersensitivity active and passive immunity types of vaccines.
23. Historical development of antibiotics. Isolation of fermentation products with special reference to pencillins and tetracyclines.
24. Carbohydrate metabolism: Glycolysis, glucogenesis, glucogenolysis, glycogen formation, pentose phosphate pathway, uronic acid pathway, abnormalities of carbohydrate metabolism.
25. Introduction and principles of anti-microbial therapy Cotrimoxazole, fluorauinelones, newer pencillins, broad spectrum antibiotics, cephalosporins, macrolides, anti-tubercular, antileprotic, antifungal and anti-viral drugs.
26. Anti protozoan and anthelmintic drugs. Chemitheraphy of neoplastic diseases.
27. Salient features of Drugs and Cosmetics Act, 1940 and Rules, 1945 with special reference to Duties and powers of Inspectors. Composition and functions of statutory bodies.
28. Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic substances Act, 1985 with special reference to procurement and utilization of dosage forms.

The health benefits of breakfast... that I miss every day

Breakfast schmeckfast, some of you may say. If you're one of the many breakfast poopoo-ers out there, you probably repeat your reasons why you skip out on a morning meal. Do you say "I don't have time!" or "I'm just not hungry that early"? Two words in response to those two quite common excuses: wake up!

When you shake your head "no" to an AM nosh, you also send a negative message to your body. Here's what you're telling it:

• Nah, I'd rather remain in a mental fog while my brain starves for energy it needs to raise my blood sugar levels that have dipped low while I slept.
• No thanks, I'd rather my muscles continue sleeping even though I have to muscle through a full day of work and responsibilities.
• I'll pass on the kind of nutrients that can help me deal with the day's stress.
• Nope, I actually prefer a slow metabolism. Oh, and throw in some mean cravings for sugar that will send me to the snack machine by midmorning.

Your body needs breakfast, whether you want it or not. Think about it this way: You've been asleep for about 8 hours, during which your body has been on a fast. At the same time, your body has also kept quite busy. You may have been horizontal, but your body worked quietly and diligently to repair the damage you'd done to it earlier in the day, rebuilding tissue and storing away energy in your muscles for tomorrow.

By feeding your body after you've gotten out of bed, you will have more energy and be more alert and able to concentrate, solve problems, handle stressful moments, and to get the physical activity you need to stay fit.

You're also more likely to get your fill of the necessary vitamins and minerals for the day. Folks who eat healthy breakfasts regularly consume less fat and cholesterol on average. Breakfasters also tend to better control their weight and not give into bad-snack temptation. They also reduce their risk of developing insulin resistance, which can lead to diabetes, and have lower cholesterol, which can reduceheart disease risk.

So, what are the components of this must-have meal? A healthy breakfast should provide you with plenty of protein, fibre, and just enough fat to keep you feeling full for a few hours.

To meet those needs, fill your breakfast plate (or bowl) with:

• Lean protein: Protein provides that feeling of fullness that can sustain you until lunchtime without giving in to empty-calorie snacks or sugary sweets. You may think "meat" when you see the word protein, but you don't have to be a carnivore first thing in the morning if you don't want to. In addition to traditional but more fattening breakfast meats, like sausage and Canadian bacon, protein can be had in eggs and in low-fat dairy items like milk, nuts and seeds, and peanut butter.
• Low-fat dairy: Even that half cup of low-fat milk poured over a bowl of granola will supply about 25% of your daily calcium. But don't let your mind stall out at "milk on my cereal" when pressed for dairy options! You could also melt a slice of your favourite low-fat cheese atop a whole grain bagel and crown it with an antioxidant-rich tomato wedge. Reduced-fat cottage cheese or yogurt makes great grab-and-go options, or you can boost their flavour with a handful of blueberries or sunflower seeds.
• Whole grains: You could meet your whole grain quota with a bowl of oatmeal or cereal. Toast two slices of whole grain bread, roll an egg and a slice of low-fat cheese into a whole grain tortilla, or stuff a whole grain pita full of scrambled tofu. In a rush? Toss a few whole grain crackers and a few chunks of low-fat cheese into a baggie and go.
• Fruits and/or vegetables: Fruits seem a more natural match to breakfast appetites - bananas chopped into cold cereal, berries atop yogurt, apples chunked into oatmeal for crunchy texture, a cold glass of orange or mango juice. But there's nothing out there saying you can't fill a pita with stir-fried or steamed veggies and call it breakfast!

A special note about eggs: Eggs developed a bad reputation because of their cholesterol content. But they are a super easy way to start your day off with a protein punch. What to do? As long as you limit the amount of cholesterol you get from other foods, one egg per day is fine. As part of an overall low-fat diet, some evidence suggests eggs eaten at breakfast may even support healthy weight loss because they fill you up and keep you full for the same number of calories as, say, a bagel. If you are still concerned about cholesterol, then use egg whites, which contain no cholesterol.

by

Akshaya Srikanth

Published in MedHeallth

Over 100 'traditional' drugs found unsuitable for humans sold openly in India

It's shocking, but true. Hundreds of popular ayurvedic, homoeopathic and Unani medicines, which have been declared as either "unfit for human consumption", or have otherwise failed to pass essential quality tests for becoming eligible to be exported, are being freely sold in medical stores in Delhi and elsewhere.

Even more shockingly, these drugs have been certified unsafe by a government testing lab. But the Delhi government authority responsible for ensuring compliance with the rules on the part of manufacturers and sellers - the drug control department - professes to be unaware of the practice! "We have no information of such a practice. We will look into the matter seriously," said Ravi Kant, drug controller of Delhi AYUSH (ayurveda, Unani, Siddha and homoeopathy), department of the ministry of health and family welfare.

Nevertheless, scores of such formulations, which have failed to meet the export quality test, are doing brisk business in Delhi drugstores.

According to documents available, over 100 medicines failed to pass quality tests due to "substandard" quality, presence of heavy metals, or prohibited drugs and/or prescription allopathic drugs in alleged "herbal" medicines, are all being openly sold in the market.

Such prohibited content can have adverse and serious effects on the human body on consumption, health experts confirmed.

For instance, 'Missile Power' capsules and 'Xtra Power' capsules, tested at the government of India's Pharmacopoeial Laboratory for Indian Medicine in Ghaziabad, were found to contain Sildenafil Citrate, the chemical in prescription drug Viagra.

This is not allowed in Ayurveda products, but both were found to be readily available in medical stores visited by this correspondent.These capsules are consumed for enhancing sexual performance.

Even drugs meant for children were not spared. 'N Tone' syrup (a paediatric tonic for newborns) manufactured by On Ayurvedics, when tested, was found unfit for human consumption as it contained suspended particles.

The tonic is easily available on the internet and in homeopathic stores.

'Mrit Sanjivani Sura', medicinal syrup manufactured by Dabur India Limited, was found exceeding the legal limit of alcohol content, 16 per cent. The tested sample was found to contain 20.56 per cent alcohol.

Samples from other manufacturers of the same syrup, namely Leo Pharma and Rajan Ayurvedics, also failed to pass alcohol limit test. Woodland's medicated Gripe Water, manufactured by Tilak Pharmaceuticals Delhi, which claims to have 'soya seed', failed as there were no soya seeds in it.

While some like ' Panchskar churna' by Sahay Ayurvedic Pharma, failed as the composition and ingredients were not mentioned on the label, others like 'Doctor's Pudin Hara', manufactured by Bandish Chemicals, and Zinzoxin and Fenu Green by Bajaj Herbocare, failed because of prohibited substances, like Methanol, in them.

'Brahmi Vati' by Universal Medicaments, failed as it contained prohibited concentrations of heavy metals. The popular ayurveda medicine 'Rasayan Vati' was found to have exceeded the limit for Cadmium.

'Metascab' ointment was found exceeding limits of Lead and Arsenic, while Debbix tablets were found exceeding limits of lead and cadmium.

Homeopathic medicines Elixir Vita 8 manufactured by Welmans's Homeopathy Delhi and Gastrocin which are used in gastric disturbances, was found to contain alcohol in excess of permissible limits. Alfalfa Q for tiredness and fatigue also failed in alcohol content. Many homeopathic drugs were found in contravention of the Drugs and Magic Remedies (Objectionable Advertisements) Act 1954, like Gro-T Tablet by Holistic Remedies, Bio force AG and Heightex.

According to the act, treatment for certain diseases cannot be offered through advertisements. These drugs were found claiming to offer treatment by mere consumption of these drugs. The authorities only appear to be concerned about preventing such medicines from being exported, since overseas health regulations do not permit such formulations.

"We have strictly issued a circular that herbal medicines found with heavy metals would not be exported to other countries. There is no regulation to curb the practice in India. Other countries refused to accept the India-made Ayurveda medicines with metals," said a senior official with the department of drug controls for alternative medicine, AYUSH. The government has fixed the permissible limits of heavy metals in ayurveda and Unani medicines with only herbal ingredients, which are in line with World Health Organisation and US Food and Drugs Administration norms. These limits are 10 parts per million (ppm) for lead, 0.030 ppm for cadmium, 3.0 ppm for arsenic and 1 ppm for mercury.

The Centre, vide its order dated October 14, 2005, has made testing for heavy metals, namely arsenic, lead, mercury and cadmium, mandatory for export purposes in respect of every batch of purely herbal ayurveda, Siddha and Unani medicines by every licensee.

In view of the regulatory requirements of the importing country, the manufacturer is supposed to submit batch- wise testing reports from approved laboratories certifying that the medicines contains heavy metals within permissible limits.

Only after obtaining the certificate can manufacturers export these medicines to other countries. These tests reports were revealed in an RTI reply to Ramesh Verma an RTI activist. "Someone informed me about this rampant practice. I wanted to expose these manufactures so, I filed the RTI," said Verma.

"Drugs that attract the magic remedies acts are mostly the drugs that claim to increase masculine power. These are easily available in the market and are fooling people.

Published in India today

May 30 2011,

by

Akshaya Srikanth

Top health happenings in 2011 in India

January 24: Eminent Hindustani classical vocalist Pandit Bhimsen Joshi died of old age related ailments.

January 26th: Renowned gynecologist Indira Hinduja, cardiologist Jose Chacko Periappuram, orthopedican S P Mandal, cardiologist Mansoor Hasan, endrocrinologist Sivapatham Vittal, gastroenterologist Madanaur Ahmed Ali and A Marthanda Pillai, a neurologist from Kerala were awarded Padma awards.

April 5: Anna Hazare did a fast from 5 April 2011 to 9 April 2011.

April 24: In Prashanti Nilayam Specialty Hospital Sri Sathya Sai Baba died at 7.40 a.m. due to cardiorespiratory failure and multi organ failure. He was terminally on prolonged ventilator.

May 16: The Union Health Ministry reconstituted the Board of Governors for the Medical Council of India with Professor K.K. Talwar former Director, Post Graduate Institute of Medical Education and Research, Chandigarh as the Chairman.

June 1: 44-year-old Sunita got a heart transplant at Ganga Ram Hospital.

June 9: MF Hussain, one of India’s best-known artists, died of a heart attack at the Royal Brampton Hospital in London.

June 12: Baba Ram Dev was in the news because of failure of continuing Satya Graha for more than seven days despite being a Yogi. He broke his fast over black money on June 12 in Haridwar.

June 15: In Dehradun, Swami Nigamananda, an ascetic who valiantly fought against the stone quarries and pollution of River Ganga, by observing a fast for 114 days, died at Himalayan Institute of Medical Science.

August 4: Sonia Gandhi got treated in US for an unknown illness.

August 14: Shammi Kapoor died of chronic renal failure at age 79. He was on ventilator.

August 20-28: Anna Hazare did his fast at Ramlila Maidan in New Delhi. He lost 7.5 kg and was very dehydrated after the 288 hour long fast.

August 20-28: Dr Naresh Trehan in the news for treating Anna Hazare.

September 7: Amar Singh, a kidney transplant patient, was sent to jail.

September 7: Eleven people were killed and 62 injured in a powerful blast outside Delhi High Court gate.

September 23: Mansur Ali Khan Pataudi, who overcame an impaired eye to become a visionary and pioneering captain of the Indian Test team, has died in Delhi at the age of 70.

October: Perfect Health Mela this year was organized at multiple locations.

November 5: Celebrated Indian folk singer and composer Bhupen Hazarika, known as the Bard of Brahmaputra, died at the age of 86.

November 11: Fourteen persons died and 40 others suffered injuries when a major fire engulfed a congregation of eunuchs at a community centre in an east Delhi.

November 16: Aishwarya Rai Bachchan gave birth to a baby girl at age 38.

November 26: Yuvraj in the news for NHL, chest tumor.

December 1: Aamir Khan and his wife Kiran Rao became parents to a baby boy born to a surrogate mother.

December 3 : Dev Anand died in his room at the Washington Mayfair Hotel in London at the age of 88 (4 December 2011 by Indian Standard Time) of a cardiac arrest.

December 8-11th: Emedinews brought out daily newsletter for cardiological society of India 63rd annual conference in Mumbai.

December 9: 89 people, most of them patients, died when fire swept through a Kolkata AMRI hospital.

December 13: Government postponed the NEET UG test by another year after opposition from several states like Maharashtra, Andhra Pradesh, Gujarat, West Bengal, Goa etc.

December 21: A decision to implement the Clinical Establishments (Registration and Regulation) Bill, 2010 in Delhi was taken.

December 21: Delhi to have three more new medical colleges.

December 23:  The National Commission for Human Resources for Health Bill, 2011, to bring all independent bodies such as Medical Council of India (MCI), Dental Council of India (DCI), Pharmacy Council of India and Nursing Council of India under one umbrella, was passed.

ch as Medical Council of India (MCI), Dental Council of India (DCI), Pharmacy Council of India and Nursing Council of India under one umbrella, was passed.

December 24th: The fear of Japanese Encephalitis was in the news. On Dec 24th the government announced a national programme to the tune of nearly Rs 2,000 crore to combat Japanese Encephalitis and Acute
Encephalitis Syndrome (AES) in the upcoming Union budget.

December 27: Anna Hazare began a 3-day hunger strike at MMRDA ground

December 27: Sachin Tendulkar was in the news for his nervous nineties.

December 28: Anna Hazare called off his 3-day fast due to ill health.

The winter this year was the coldest winter in the last 10 years.

Nothing happened in the sector of Anti-Quackery Bill.

by

Akshaya Srikanth

Managing editor,

Aala times

British National Formulary 61 – March 2011 Edition

This essential reference provides up-to-date, practical guidance on prescribing, dispensing, and administering medicines.

The BNF evaluates clinical evidence from diverse sources with information validated by a network of clinical experts and published under the authority of a Joint Formulary Committee. The BNF reflects current best practice as well as legal and professional guidelines relating to the uses of medicines.

Contents:

Guidance on the drug management of common conditions

Details of medicines prescribed within the UK with special reference to their uses, cautions, contra-indications, side-effects, doses and relative costs

Guidance on prescribing, monitoring, dispensing and adminstering medicines

http://www.filesonic.com/file/1054819651/British_National_Formulary_61.pdf

Rang & Dale’s Pharmacology: with STUDENT CONSULT – May 2011 Edition

Rang & Dale’s Pharmacology provides you with all the knowledge you need to get through your pharmacology course and beyond. Drs. Humphrey P. Rang, Maureen M. Dale, James M. Ritter, Rod Flower, and Graeme Henderson present a clear and accessible approach to the analysis of therapeutic agents at the cellular and molecular level through detailed diagrams, full-color illustrations, and pedagogical features. Plus, USMLE-style review questions and additional learning tools online at studentconsult.com make this the perfect resource to turn to for a full understanding of key concepts in pharmacology.

• Access the fully searchable text online at studentconsult.com, along with 500 USMLE-style multiple-choice review questions, downloadable images, and online onlyreferences.
• Find and cross-reference information quickly using a color-coded layout that makes navigation easy.
• Effectively understand and review key concepts through detailed diagrams and full-color illustrations that clarify even the most complex concepts.
• Reinforce your learning with key points boxes and clinical uses boxes that highlight crucial information and clinical applications.
• Apply current best practices and clinical applications through thoroughly updated and revised drug information.
• Stay current with the latest developments in the field thanks to major updates in chapters such as How Drugs Act; Amino Acid Transmitters; Analgesic Drugs; Antidepressant Drugs; and Drug Addiction, Dependence & Abuse.
• Tap into comprehensive content tailored to your courses with new and reorganized chapters on Host Defense; Inflammatory Mediators; Pharmacogenetics, Pharmacogenomics & Personalized Medicine; Hydroxytoptomine & The Pharmacy of Migraine; and Purines.

http://www.filesonic.com/file/1537932601

The most useful book for the Pharm.D students

http://www.filesonic.com/file/1600210134/Applied_Therapeutics__The_Clinical_Use_of_Drugs_9th_Edition.chm