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Healthcare online Keeping you up-to-date
VOL.  12     ISSUE:  1  January  2014 Medical Services Department

SQUARE Pharmaceuticals Ltd.

Features

EDITORIAL TEAM

OMAR AKRAMUR RAB

MBBS, FCGP, FIAGP,

P G Dip. Business Management

MAHFUZUR RAHMAN

 MBBS, MBA

 

EDITORIAL

Dear Doctor,

Happy New Year 2014 & Welcome to e- SQUARE.

In this issue, we focused on some interesting features like -
"Antidepressants Risk !", "Breast Feeding & RA !", "Smoking & Cataract !", "Mediterranean Diet !",  "Minorities, Poor Alert !", "Probiotic & Colic !".

In our regular feature, we have some new products information of SQUARE Pharmaceuticals Ltd. as well.

Please send your feedback !  We always value your comments !

On behalf of the management of SQUARE, we wish you all a very happy, healthy and prosperous life.

Click on to reply mode.

Yours sincerely,

 

Editorial Team

Reply Mode      : e-square@squaregroup.com

The views expressed in this publication do not necessarily reflect those of its editor or SQUARE Pharmaceuticals Ltd.
 Antidepressants Risk !

Antidepressants in Pregnancy Tied to Slight Risk of Lung Disorder in Babies

Taking certain antidepressants in late pregnancy more than doubles the odds of a lung complication in newborns, a new review says. Fortunately, the study also found that the absolute risk of the complication -- known as persistent pulmonary hypertension -- was still low, affecting about 3.5 out of every 1,000 births, according to study author. "Women taking these medications in pregnancy should not panic. The risk is still quite low. It should be one of the factors you consider when you decide to use medications, but it has to be balanced with the potential problems that can occur if you don't treat depression," said study author. Deciding how to treat depression during pregnancy can be difficult, the study noted. The benefits of antidepressants have to be weighed against potential harms, and compared to the potential risks of untreated depression. Persistent pulmonary hypertension is a known risk related to taking the antidepressants known as selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs). This class of medications includes fluoxetine , sertraline, venlafaxine and paroxetine . For a baby with persistent pulmonary hypertension, instead of the lungs relaxing after birth, they become resistant. That means they don't expand as they should, and the result is the baby takes in less oxygen than normal. The new study, published online Jan. 14 in the BMJ, pooled the results of seven previously completed studies on SSRI use during pregnancy and the risk of persistent pulmonary hypertension. The analysis found that taking SSRIs during early pregnancy didn't lead to a significantly increased risk of the lung condition. But, when taken late in pregnancy, these medications were linked to a 2.5 times increase in the risk of persistent pulmonary hypertension. That means that between 286 and 351 women would need to be treated with an SSRI in late pregnancy to result in an average of one additional case of persistent pulmonary hypertension, according to the study. One difficulty for the researchers was pinning down the precise meaning of "late" pregnancy, as studies in the review had varying definitions. Late pregnancy could mean anytime during or after the 20th week, or it could mean during the third trimester, among other time frames.

SOURCE: HealthDay News, January 2014

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 Breast Feeding & RA !

Breast Feeding Might Reduce Moms' Odds of Rheumatoid Arthritis

Women who breast-feed may have a lower risk of developing rheumatoid arthritis later in life, new research suggests. Researchers analyzed data from more than 7,300 women, aged 50 and older, in China who completed questionnaires that asked about their health and lifestyle, including whether they breast-fed or used birth control pills. Most of the women had at least one child, and more than 95 percent of those with children had breast-fed for at least a month. Only 11 percent used birth control pills, and mostly for only a short time. The average age for their first pregnancy was 24, and the average age at diagnosis of rheumatoid arthritis was just shy of 48. Women who breast-fed were about half as likely to develop rheumatoid arthritis as those who never breast-fed. And the longer a woman breast-fed, the lower her risk of developing rheumatoid arthritis, according to the study. While the study found an association between breast-feeding and a lowered risk of rheumatoid arthritis later in life, it did not establish a cause-and-effect link. Rheumatoid arthritis is a painful form of arthritis that causes swelling, stiffness and loss of function in the joints. It affects women more than men, and some people have the disease for a lifetime. The exact cause of rheumatoid arthritis is unknown, but genetic, environmental and hormonal factors are thought to play a role. "Replication of the association between breast-feeding and lower risk of [rheumatoid arthritis] in a different population reinforces the need for further research to understand the hormonal mechanisms involved," the researchers wrote. The researchers found no association between the use of birth control pills, which are hormone-based, and the risk of rheumatoid arthritis. In China, breast-feeding is common practice and more widespread than in many Western nations, the researchers said. They said their findings have potentially important implications for future rates of rheumatoid arthritis among women in China. "Women who took part in this study were born in the 1940s and 1950s, before China's one-child policy was introduced in the late 1970s, and at a time when breast-feeding was more prevalent," the researchers wrote. "The consequent decline in breast-feeding supports the need for prospective studies to examine whether there will be a higher incidence of [rheumatoid arthritis] in the future."

SOURCE: HealthDay News, January 2014

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 Smoking & Cataract !

Quitting Smoking May Cut Cataract Risk

Smokers who kick the habit may reduce their risk of developing the blurred vision problem known as cataracts, new research shows. This common medical condition -- in which the lens of the eye becomes progressively cloudy -- is a leading cause of impaired vision. But researchers in Sweden found that middle-aged men who smoked at least 15 cigarettes per day could lower their risk for cataracts over the course of two decades if they quit smoking. "Smoking cessation may decrease the risk of cataract, but the risk among former smokers persists for decades. Since smoking is also related to other [eye] diseases, strategies to prevent smoking and promote smoking cessation are important, and eye care professionals should encourage people to stop smoking," lead researcher and his colleagues concluded in their report. The study, published in the Jan. 2 online edition of JAMA Ophthalmology, involved a group of Swedish men ranging in age from 45 to 79 years. The researchers examined the link between quitting smoking and more than 5,700 cases of cataract removal over the course of 12 years. The study findings showed that men who smoked more than 15 cigarettes daily had a 42 percent higher risk of undergoing cataract removal than men who never smoked. Over time, however, quitting smoking can reduce that risk, the study authors pointed out in a journal news release. The researchers found that more than 20 years after quitting, men who had smoked an average of more than 15 cigarettes per day had only a 21 percent greater risk for having a cataract removed than those who never smoked.

SOURCE: HealthDay News, January 2014

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  Mediterranean Diet !

Mediterranean Diet Alone May Lower Diabetes Risk

Adults at risk for heart disease who eat a Mediterranean diet rich in olive oil can lower their chances of developing diabetes, even without restricting calories or boosting exercise, new research suggests. In the study, Spanish researchers followed more than 3,500 older adults at high risk of heart disease. The researchers assigned them to one of three groups: a Mediterranean diet with extra-virgin olive oil, a Mediterranean diet supplemented with mixed nuts, or a low-fat diet, which served as the comparison. They did not get special instructions on losing weight or increasing their physical activity. A Mediterranean diet focuses on fruits, vegetables, whole grains and fish, besides the olive oil. Those in the nut group were allowed about an ounce a day of walnuts, almonds and hazelnuts. Those in the olive oil group were allowed a little more than three tablespoons daily. The researchers followed the men and women, aged 55 to 80, for about four years, between 2003 and 2010. During the follow-up, 80 in the olive oil group developed type 2 diabetes, while 92 in the nuts group and 101 in the comparison diet group did. After adjusting for other factors affecting diabetes risk, the researchers found those in the olive oil group reduced diabetes risk by about 40 percent compared to the comparison diet group. Those in the nuts group reduced risk by 18 percent, which was not statistically significant. The oil's anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties, among other factors, may explain the link, the researchers said. However, while the finding shows an association between long-term olive oil consumption and reduced risk of diabetes, it doesn't establish a cause-and-effect relationship. People with diabetes, which has more than doubled in incidence worldwide in the past 30 years, have trouble controlling their blood sugar because they don't produce the hormone insulin or don't use it properly. The disease can lead to blindness, kidney failure and amputation.

SOURCE: HealthDay News, January 2014

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 Minorities, Poor Alert !

Minorities, Poor More Likely to Be Diagnosed With Advanced Thyroid Cancer

Minority and poor patients are more likely to have advanced thyroid cancer when they're diagnosed than white and richer patients do, a new study finds. Researchers analyzed data from nearly 26,000 patients in California who were diagnosed with thyroid cancer between 1999 and 2008. Of those patients, 57 percent were white, 24 percent were Hispanic, 15 percent were Asian/Pacific Islander and 4 percent were black. Poor patients in all racial groups had more advanced disease at the time of diagnosis than those with higher incomes, the researchers said. Black patients were more likely to have advanced disease than those in any other racial group. Even after the researchers adjusted for age, sex, health insurance and socioeconomic status, minority groups still were more likely than whites to have advanced disease at the time of diagnosis. Hispanics and Asians/Pacific Islanders seemed to survive longer than patients in other racial groups, even when they were diagnosed at a later stage of thyroid cancer. Further research is needed to learn why this is the case, the researchers said. They also found that patients who were poor and uninsured or covered by Medicaid were more likely to have advanced cancer than those with private insurance. "Race, social status, wealth and health-insurance coverage make a difference in how far a thyroid cancer has advanced by the time a patient first sees a doctor," study author said. The researchers said they hope their findings will lead to efforts to reduce disparities, provide earlier care and improve the prevention of thyroid cancer.
SOURCE: HealthDay News, January 2014

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 Probiotic & Colic !

Probiotic Drops Might Ease Colic: Study

Infants given probiotics during the first three months of life appear to have fewer bouts of colic, acid reflux and constipation, according to Italian researchers. "In Europe, probiotics are widely used to treat colic," said the study's lead author. Probiotics are friendly, live bacteria that help maintain a natural balance of organisms in the intestines, Indrio said. To see if probiotics could prevent colic and other gastrointestinal distress, the researchers gave more than 500 newborns either probiotic drops or a placebo. The results, which were published online Jan. 13 in the journal JAMA Pediatrics, showed that, over three months, the babies who got the probiotics had significantly shorter crying spells and less stomach upset than the babies given the placebo. "Parents need to be informed that probiotics possibly cure and prevent colic," lead author said. "This is something I use routinely in my practice to treat colic." However, although the treatment caused no apparent harm or side effects, study author said these findings need to be replicated before this becomes standard care. The study showed an association between probiotic use and decreased colic, but it did not prove a cause-and-effect relationship. Colic, acid reflux and constipation are the most common gastrointestinal problems infants suffer. They often result in hospitalizations, feeding changes, drugs and loss of working days for parents, the researchers said. Normally, the intestines have about 400 types of probiotic bacteria that serve to reduce harmful bacteria and keep the digestive system healthy. One of the most common probiotic bacteria is Lactobacillus, which is found in yogurt and was the bacteria given to infants in this study. During the 90-day study, parents recorded the number of times their babies vomited or had a bowel movement or an episode of inconsolable crying (as well as its duration). Parents also reported how many times they saw their pediatrician. Babies taking the probiotic had an average crying time of 38 minutes, compared with 71 minutes among the infants receiving the placebo, the researchers found. In addition, kids on probiotics vomited about three times a day on average, while kids on placebo vomited almost five times a day. Those taking the probiotic had an average of about four bowel movements a day, compared with three and a half among those taking the placebo, the researchers found.
SOURCE: HealthDay News, January 2014

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New Products of SQUARE Pharmaceuticals Ltd.
  Product Ambrisan® 
  Generic Name Ambrisentan
  Strength 5 mg
  Dosage form Tablet
  Therapeutic Category Antihypertensive
  Product Eslicar®
Generic Name

Eslicarbazepine

Strength 400 mg
Dosage form Tablet
Therapeutic Category Antiepileptic
  Product Fodexil®
  Generic Name Cefadroxil
  Strength 500 mg
  Dosage form Capsule
  Therapeutic Category Cephalosporin

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