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Interview with Dr. Ryu Jae-chun: The Rising Prevalence of Heart Failure in an Aging Society

by Chief editor of world-today-news.com July 12, 2023

written by Chief editor of world-today-news.com

｜Interview]Dr. Ryu Jae-chun, a cardiologist
｜The number of patients with heart failure increases significantly with an aging society
｜Echocardiography is basic and essential for heart failure treatment

Heart failure is a functional or structural abnormality of the heart that causes problems with the pumping (expelling blood) function or filling (receiving blood) function of the ventricles. Symptoms such as shortness of breath, swelling of the legs, and fatigue appear together, and sometimes accompanied by crackles in the lungs and an increase in jugular venous pressure. The 5-year survival rate for heart failure is about 40% lower than for cancer in advanced heart failure. Learn more about heart failure with Director Ryu Jae-chun (Ryu Jae-chun internal medicine clinic).

Director Ryu Jae-chun, a cardiology specialist｜Source: Ryu Jae-chun Internal Medicine Clinic

Increased number of heart failure patients with an aging society
According to statistics released by the Korean Heart Failure Association, the prevalence of heart failure in Korea, which was only 0.77% in 2002, has tripled in 16 years to 2.24% in 2018, and the number of patients has increased significantly to 1.15 million. Director Ryu Jae-choon finds these causes in the aging population and the increase in the elderly population.

“As the average life expectancy has increased due to the development of medicine and the improvement of quality of life, it seems that the number of heart failure patients is increasing as the elderly population increases. In addition, the increase in ischemic heart disease patients is also one of the main causes worth paying attention to,” said Dr. Ryu Jae-choon. In fact, ischemic heart disease, a heart disease in which the coronary artery that supplies blood to the heart muscle is blocked, causing the heart muscle to die or not to exert its strength properly, is considered one of the leading causes of heart failure.

There are many different causes of heart failure. According to a paper published in the Journal of the Korean Society of Cardiology, a joint research team involving a number of universities including Konkuk University, Kyungpook National University, and Sungkyunkwan University, heart failure due to the above-mentioned ischemic heart disease (32.3%) was the most common, followed by cardiomyopathy (22.7%). , hypertensive heart disease (16.5%), and heart valve disease (13.5%) followed. Congenital heart disease, endocarditis, myocarditis, and other causes and underlying diseases were not clear in 15% of cases.

Echocardiography is essential for treatment and diagnosis
According to Dr. Ryu Jae-choon’s explanation, △left ventricular relaxation/contraction function △hemodynamics (measurement of pulmonary artery pressure and right ventricular pressure) △valvular structure and function abnormalities can be evaluated through echocardiography, △local wall motion disorder △pericardium and other structures Abnormality of △ The presence or absence of intracardiac shunt and congenital heart disease can be observed.

In particular, in order to diagnose heart failure with preserved ejection fraction, which accounts for 40% of all heart failures, echocardiography is used to find objective evidence of cardiac structural or functional abnormalities, such as left ventricular ejection fraction, abnormal left ventricular diastolic function, and increased left ventricular filling pressure, along with symptoms and signs of heart failure. It is important.

Dr. Ryu Jae-chun said, “The left ventricular ejection fraction measured by echocardiography is used as an index to measure the contractile function of the left ventricle. If the left ventricular ejection fraction drops below 40% on ultrasound, it is classified as heart failure with reduced ejection fraction and the ejection fraction is 50. If it is greater than 10%, heart failure with preserved ejection fraction is diagnosed.”

In addition, Dr. Ryu Jae-choon said, “The most important thing in heart failure treatment is to clearly diagnose and identify the causative disease. This is because heart failure treatment policies and effects vary depending on the cause and pathophysiology.” The role of echocardiography, which can accurately evaluate cardiac function and the prognosis of heart failure, is absolute.”

Heart failure treatment begins with finding the cause of the disease with echocardiography｜Source: Getty Image Bank

Management is important like a chronic disease…Constant medication is essential

Unfortunately, heart failure is not a curable disease. However, like chronic diseases such as diabetes and high blood pressure, symptoms can be controlled with steady management. In severe cases, medication may be required.

In the standard drug treatment for heart failure, diuretics, digoxin, and cardiotonic drugs are used to improve symptoms. To improve survival rate, four drugs, △renin-angiotensin system blocker △beta-blocker △aldosterone antagonist △sodium-glucose cotransporter 2 (SGLT2) inhibitor, are used. It is utilized.

Director Ryu Jae-choon said, “The most important part of heart failure treatment is improving the patient’s symptoms and improving the quality of life. The goal is to prevent dangerous situations such as hospitalization through periodic observation and management of the disease, reduce mortality, and prolong the patient’s life.” said.

In addition, he said, “Steady drug treatment is necessary to control symptoms. Even if symptoms improve noticeably after drug treatment and the ejection fraction of the left ventricle improves on ultrasonography, drug treatment should be maintained.” For this, it is necessary to treat the cause of the disease, take regular medications, stop smoking, stop drinking alcohol, eat a low-salt diet, control weight, exercise regularly and manage stress, etc.”

2023-07-12 10:00:00

#Heart #failure #dangerous #cancer.. #Find #disease #echocardiography #treatment #effect #good #인터뷰

July 12, 2023 0 comments

Health

Tips for Effective First Aid and Management of Burns

by Chief editor of world-today-news.com July 10, 2023

written by Chief editor of world-today-news.com

Burns are skin diseases that can cause pain as well as severe scarring. If a large scar is left, psychological pain may come. In order to prevent the pain and severe scarring of these burns, treatment and correct management are more important than anything else. Together with Haidac experts, we learned about first aid and management methods that help speedy recovery and minimize burn scars.

Image｜Source: Clip Art Korea

Q. I am curious about the first aid method for getting burned.
Applying ice directly to the wound in the early stages should be avoided as it may cause additional skin necrosis. It is recommended to cool the injured area in running water at room temperature for about 20 minutes. If the wound is exposed to air, the pain gets worse, so it is recommended to cover the wound with a foam that can absorb the exudate to block the air and take painkillers.
– Haidaq Emergency Medicine Counseling Doctor Seongho Kim (Hwain Clinic)

Q. The burn wound hurts so much. How long will it last?
Burns are a very painful disease. The degree of pain is more severe the deeper the burn and the wider the wound. At the time of initial exposure to fire, the pain is primarily severe, and if the dead skin is peeled off and the raw flesh is exposed, the pain is bound to be severe continuously. The pain will continue until eventually the burn wound is covered with skin cells, and the amount of pain you feel will decrease as the wound heals.

If, after an injury, you experience more pain than you previously felt, if the burn dressing is not well maintained, if the wound is open, if the wound is infected, or if dermatitis causes additional damage to the surrounding skin. If it is peeled off, etc., you may suspect it. Accurate judgment is a part that requires examination by a burn specialist, so please visit a nearby burn clinic.
– Director Yang Jong-min, counseling doctor, Department of Emergency Medicine, Haidak (Yonsei Cha Oreum Clinic)

Q. Can I open a blister?
Wound blisters are not recommended to be picked on purpose, and it is recommended to dress the wound daily using antibiotic ointment and polyurethane foam. If the area around the lump is swollen and the pain is severe, it is an infection and must be treated at a hospital that sees burns.
– Haidaq Emergency Medicine Counseling Doctor Seongho Kim (Hwain Clinic)

Q. How should I manage to not leave scars?
The burn scar area does not sweat, so the skin is dry. It’s dry and itchy, so it’s easy to scratch and injure. Therefore, it is important to apply baby oil from time to time to sufficiently moisturize. If there is any sign of scarring, it is recommended to attach a silicone gel sheet.
– Director Oh Du-jong, a consultant at Haidak Plastic Surgery Clinic (Oh Du-jong Plastic Surgery Clinic)

After it heals, it will look red for 2 to 3 months, but at this time, pigmentation (scars) will occur when exposed to ultraviolet rays. Therefore, when going out, please cover the wound well with sunscreen or clothes. Also, if you apply a scar ointment, you can minimize scarring, so please refer to it.
– Haidaq Emergency Medicine Counseling Doctor Seongho Kim (Hwain Clinic)

* This article has been reconstructed from a Haidak expert’s answer.

Help = Haidak Counseling Doctor Seongho Kim (Emergency Medicine Specialist, Hwain Hospital), Haidak Counseling Doctor Jongmin Yang (Emergency Medicine Specialist, Yonsei Chaoreum Clinic), Haidak Counseling Doctor, Director Oh Doo-jong (Odujong Plastic Surgery Clinic, Plastic Surgery Specialist)

2023-07-10 12:00:00

#avoid #burn #scars.. #aid #management #건강톡톡

July 10, 2023 0 comments

Health

The Link Between Insulin and Obesity: Exploring the Role of Diet and Hormones

by Chief editor of world-today-news.com July 10, 2023

written by Chief editor of world-today-news.com

Haidak Medical Reporter Director Kim Ji-seungㅣSource: Haidak

If you look at health-related news or articles these days, you can often hear that the average weight and obesity rate are gradually increasing worldwide. Medicine has developed and diet-related foods have increased incomparably to the past, so I would like to take the time to find out why this phenomenon occurs and whether there is a solution.

When we eat, a hormone called ‘insulin’ is released. You must have heard it a lot. One of the roles this insulin plays is to increase body fat. If our body is designed to store as much body fat as possible when we eat food, insulin should come out the most when we eat fat among carbohydrates, fats, and proteins. Carbohydrates and protein are 4kcal per 1g, but fat is 9kcal per 1g, which is much higher in calories, so it is much more efficient to store fat as body fat than carbohydrates and proteins.

However, when you actually check the amount of insulin secretion when you eat carbohydrates, fat, and protein, the result is that insulin secretion is much less when you eat fat than when you eat carbohydrates or protein. That said, our bodies aren’t designed to store as much body fat as possible, but rather the other way around. The human body is not designed to be obese.

So, why is the population increasingly obese? The answer is that the type of food we eat has changed. As mentioned earlier, insulin works to increase body fat, but at the same time it also lowers blood sugar. When we eat carbohydrates, the carbohydrates are converted into glucose in the body, which raises blood sugar. At this time, the hormone insulin is released to lower blood sugar. If you eat a lot of carbohydrates and your blood sugar rises a lot, you need to lower your blood sugar a lot, so a lot of insulin is released. Simply put, if you eat a lot of carbohydrates, a lot of insulin is released and body fat increases, which leads to obesity.

Simply starving yourself to lose weight is less effective and very bad for your health. Most people are thin when they are young, then they become in their 30s and 40s, and as they get older, their constitution changes, their stomachs come out and their bodies change from the old ones. The reason is insulin resistance. Insulin lowers blood sugar levels and at the same time stores fat in the body, so you shouldn’t get too much of it.

Therefore, if you take dietary herbal medicine together with a carbohydrate-restricted diet, insulin efficiency gradually improves again, and you can get the effect of reducing insulin secretion. Through this, you can think of it as going back to the body of the past.

Written = Haidak Medical Reporter Kim Ji-seung (oriental medicine doctor)

<전문가 칼럼은 하이닥 의견과 다를 수 있습니다.>

2023-07-10 02:00:00

#herbal #diet.. #main #culprit #obesity

July 10, 2023 0 comments

Health

The Negative Effects of Short-Form Viewing: Smartphone Addiction and Popcorn Brain Phenomenon

by Chief editor of world-today-news.com July 6, 2023

written by Chief editor of world-today-news.com

Digital devices are indispensable in the daily life of modern people. This series was planned to ‘log out’ from various diseases caused by digital devices and media. We deliver fruitful information to keep you healthy in a daily life obsessed with digital devices.

Recently, ‘Short-form’, which consists of short videos of about 1 minute, is popular. Short form often contains provocative content because it needs to attract viewers’ attention in a short period of time. Experts are concerned that such content could adversely affect brain development and mental health. In particular, stimulating content causes smartphone addiction and induces the popcorn brain phenomenon, so caution is required.

Short-form viewing causes smartphone addiction and popcorn brain phenomenonㅣSource: Getty Image Bank
What is ‘Popcorn Brain’?
‘Popcorn brain’ is a term coined by Professor David Levy of the Graduate School of Information at the University of Washington, USA, and was first introduced by CNN in 2011. Just as popcorn explodes when it meets heat, the phenomenon in which the brain responds only to intense stimuli and becomes insensitive to daily life is called ‘popcorn brain’.

When exposed to stimulating images, the frontal lobe of the brain responds and dopamine is secreted. The problem is that the more you are exposed to it, the more you develop a tolerance and seek greater stimulation and lose interest in your daily life. It becomes difficult to read long sentences, and symptoms of not being able to concentrate on one action for a long time appear.

In addition, short-form viewing is known to induce tic-like behavioral syndrome. This is a syndrome in which tics and similar actions are repeated unconsciously while immersed in watching.

This phenomenon becomes more severe with age. This is because the younger the brain, the more active the brain development, and the greater the effect on the frontal lobe. In particular, in infancy, when the brain is not properly developed, it slows down the emotional development of communicating with others or makes it difficult to develop concentration and patience.

It’s good to set the viewing time
In order to prevent side effects caused by short-form viewing, it is good to set a time to watch. Toddlers should not be watched for more than 30 minutes at a time and 1 hour per day. For teenagers, we recommend watching no more than 2 hours a day.

Experts cite popcorn brain as one of the causes of smartphone addiction. If your child shows symptoms of smartphone addiction, it is a good way to help parents manage their time.

The following is the ‘Adolescent Smartphone Addiction Risk Self-diagnosis Scale’ developed by the National Information Society Agency. For each question, answer △not at all (1 point) △disagree (2 points) △yes (3 points) △very much so (4 points) to add up the points. A score of 41 or less is a general user group, a score of 42 to 44 is a potential risk user group, and a score of 45 or more is a high risk user group.

Smartphone Addiction ChecklistㅣSource: Haidak

2023-07-06 11:00:00

#Shortform #viewing #creates #popcorn #brain.. #Selfdiagnosis #test #highrisk #groups #로그아웃

July 6, 2023 0 comments

Health

Preventing and Treating Feline Anemia: Causes, Symptoms, and Treatment Options

by Chief editor of world-today-news.com June 28, 2023

written by Chief editor of world-today-news.com

Feline anemia is a condition caused by a lack of red blood cells in the body. If, for some reason, your cat’s red blood cells are rapidly declining, or if their bone marrow makes fewer red blood cells than usual, they may be suffering from anemia.

Vaccination and taking repellents are essential to prevent anemia in cats｜Source: Getty Image Bank

If your gums or soles are pale, you should suspect anemia.
Symptoms of anemia in cats are similar to those in humans. Because the number of red blood cells that supplied oxygen to cells and organs decreased, they suffered from hypoxia and showed lethargy and fatigue than usual. They may also refuse to eat and have shortness of breath. Symptoms of jaundice may appear, and in some cases, bloody stools and hematuria may be seen. In addition, the inside of the gums, the soles of the feet, and the nose, which were red, become pale. If anemia is left unattended, the lack of oxygen in the body can lead to organ dysfunction, which can put the cat’s life at risk.

Anemia in cats is generally divided into two types, with different causes depending on the type. Regenerative anemia (hemolytic anemia) is a condition in which the amount of red blood cells lost is greater than the amount of red blood cells the cat’s bone marrow can produce. It is caused by congenital difficulties in red blood cell production due to genetic diseases such as Pyruvate Kinase Deficiency (PK-Def), external factors such as organ damage or traumatic bleeding, parasitic infection, etc. Anemia can also occur if the mother cat and kittens have different blood types.

Pyruvate kinase deficiency is a condition in which pyruvate kinase, an essential enzyme substance that helps maintain red blood cells, is deficient, reducing the lifespan of red blood cells and causing them to disappear quickly, causing anemia. It is mainly found in Abyssinian and Somali cat breeds, and recently there have been reports that it is also frequently observed in Singapura and Bengal cats.

Non-regenerative anemia (aplastic anemia) is a condition in which the bone marrow fails to make red blood cells properly. Compared to regenerative anemia, the symptoms are more severe and the prognosis is poor. It is caused by a lack of iron in the body due to nutrient imbalance, or infection with feline leukemia virus or immunodeficiency virus. In particular, it is known that 30 to 65% of cats with chronic renal failure experience non-regenerative anemia.

Blood transfusion is for securing treatment time…removing the cause is the top priority
Feline anemia can be diagnosed simply by checking the number of red blood cells and hemoglobin in the blood with a blood test. In healthy cats, red blood cells account for 25 to 45 percent of the blood, and in anemic cats, the amount drops to less than 25 percent. After that, ultrasound, virus/parasite test, urine test, and bone marrow test can be additionally performed to find out the cause of anemia.

Treatment is to remove the cause of anemia first, but if the number of red blood cells is low when visiting the hospital, you must receive a blood transfusion. However, the purpose of blood transfusion is to secure time to treat the cause of anemia by replenishing insufficient red blood cells rather than curing the disease. If feline anemia is detected and treated early, the prognosis is good. However, due to the nature of anemia, there are no obvious symptoms, so it is difficult for companions to notice. That is why prevention is very important.

You should regularly take vaccines and repellents to prevent infectious diseases and parasites that cause anemia, and it is good to provide a balanced diet so that you do not have enough iron to make red blood cells. In addition, it is desirable to pay attention to the surrounding environment so that the cat is not stressed.

2023-06-28 06:06:00

#cat #lethargic #usual #pale #soles.. #Suspicion #cat #anemia

June 28, 2023 0 comments

Health

Skeeter Syndrome: When Mosquito Bites Turn Into a Serious Allergic Reaction

by Chief editor of world-today-news.com June 12, 2023

written by Chief editor of world-today-news.com

Uninvited mosquitoes that came along with summer. When a mosquito bites, the bitten area swells and itches. This is an allergic reaction to the hirudin component in mosquito saliva, which naturally disappears after a certain period of time. However, there are people who have a severe allergic reaction, such as excessive swelling of the mosquito bite. In this case, Skeeter syndrome should be suspected.

Skeeter syndrome often appears in children with weakened immune systems｜Source: Getty Image Bank

Skeeter’s syndrome, which is accompanied by severe itching, can cause cellulitis if left untreated
Skeeter syndrome is a type of insect allergy, which is a local skin inflammation caused by components of mosquito saliva. Generally, mild itching lasts for 1 to 2 days after being bitten by a mosquito. However, in people with Skeeter syndrome, the entire area of the bite becomes red, visibly swollen, and severely itchy for about 10 days or longer. There are also cases where blisters form on the skin, like burns. In severe cases, secondary infections may develop into diseases such as cellulitis.

Cellulitis is one of the acute bacterial infections caused by bacteria invading the dermis and subcutaneous tissue. Fever, chills, headache, red spots, etc. appear, and when the symptoms worsen, the red spots become clear and spread to the surroundings. If you touch the spread area, you can see that it is warm, soft, shiny, and swollen. Afterwards, pus may appear, and if left untreated, skin necrosis or sepsis or osteomyelitis may cause complications.

Skeeter syndrome mainly appears in children under elementary school age whose immune system is not complete. However, even healthy adults can suffer from Skeeter syndrome if their immunity is weakened due to excessive stress or low physical strength. In addition, Skeeter syndrome is greatly influenced by genetic factors, so the risk of Skeeter syndrome increases sharply if there is a person in the family who has Skeeter syndrome.

If you have any suspicious symptoms, go to the hospital immediately.
If you suspect Skeeter syndrome after being bitten by a mosquito, it is best to see a doctor immediately. This is because if treatment is delayed, the symptoms last longer and the risk of complications due to secondary infection increases. Also, even if the itching is severe, it is best not to scratch the lesion. Excessive scratching of the lesion can damage the internal tissue and exacerbate itching by secreting more inflammatory response substances. Therefore, it is good to relieve itching with ice packs.

Since Skeeter syndrome is an allergic reaction, it may cause shortness of breath or dizziness. In this case, it can lead to anaphylactic shock and can be life-threatening, so you need to visit the hospital for treatment. Skeeter syndrome is a disease for which there is no cure yet. Therefore, prevention is best. It is good to use mosquito repellent as much as possible and to minimize exposure of limbs by wearing long, bright clothes when outdoors. In addition, since mosquitoes like sweat, it is also helpful to take a shower frequently in the summer and manage your weight if you are overweight.

2023-06-12 10:02:00

#site #mosquito #bite #suddenly #severely #swollen.. #suspect #disease

June 12, 2023 0 comments

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