Hong Kong News Network

Preventing aging is better than treating critical illness

Studies have found that delaying aging is more valuable than curing individual critical diseases. For Americans, delaying aging and increasing life expectancy by ten years is worth more than $7 trillion per year!

When I was in graduate school, my professor at the University of Chicago, Kevin Murphy, was studying the economic contribution of medical innovation. He found that in the thirty years since the 1970s, the decline in heart disease mortality alone had made Americans life expectancy increased by more than 3 years. Coupled with the prevention and treatment of cardiovascular disease and various cancers, the average life expectancy is increased by about 5 years. Human life has a price, and the economic contribution of these medical innovations brings a return worth more than $3 trillion to the United States every year, which is equivalent to half of GDP!

Yes, after the “epidemiological transition” of the last century, the epidemics that threaten humanity have shifted from infectious diseases that threaten younger generations to chronic diseases that threaten older generations, and dealing with cardiovascular diseases and For chronic diseases such as various cancers, the mainstream medical response is that treatment is better than prevention. Just imagine that the more successful the investment in treating heart disease is, the higher our chances of surviving to the age of 60 will be, and the greater the risk of various cancers. As a result, the demand for prevention and treatment of various cancers will be greatly increased. Think about it, when cancer doesn’t kill us, prevention and treatment of neurodegenerative diseases like Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s will only become more valuable. Therefore, I think the most important economic revelation of health capital in the twentieth century is the increasing returns on health investment, and this increasing return is due to the complementary relationships between different health capital investments.

Let’s test everyone, who is the number one killer and the highest risk factor for cardiovascular disease? Is it high blood sugar? Or high blood pressure or hyperlipidemia? No, the answer is advanced age! It turns out that older age is the highest risk factor for all chronic diseases. To tell the story of longevity in the 21st century, experts from two major disciplines recently jointly published an article “The Economic Value of Targeting Aging”. The article pointed out: In the 21st century, extending healthspan is more valuable than purely extending lifespan. , and delaying aging is more valuable than curing individual critical diseases. Delaying aging and increasing life expectancy by ten years is estimated to be worth more than 7 trillion U.S. dollars in return per year. By resisting aging, we can ultimately meet all our health needs.

The author is the chief economist of Orientis (studied from the Chicago School of Economics, and excels in business because he believes that business practice is the best standard for testing market truth.)

2024-02-21 20:30:16

#Preventing #aging #curing #critical #illness #am730

Weight management methods include multiple surgeries to shrink the stomach and keep you from being hungry

Weight management is popular nowadays, and there are many methods. Dr. Wong Kin-hung, Honorary Clinical Associate Professor of the Department of Surgery, Faculty of Medicine, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, pointed out that weight can generally be managed through diet and exercise, followed by medication. When medications and diet are not effective, other auxiliary methods may be needed, including surgery and non-surgery.

Huang Jianhong pointed out that there are surgical and non-surgical methods to help patients with diseases caused by obesity manage their weight.

Who needs weight management? Huang Jianhong said that the simplest indicator is the BMI body mass index, which is weight (kg) / height (meter) 2. “Theoretically, the normal BMI level for Asians is 23, and if it exceeds 28.5, it is defined as obesity. Although BMI is just a number , but if obesity has caused internal medical diseases in the body, such as high blood pressure, sleep apnea, fatty liver, etc., weight management needs to be seriously considered.” When drugs and diet are not effective, you can consider the following three commonly used aids method.

The first step in weight management is improving your eating habits.

Water balloon placed in the stomach: 10% to 14% weight loss

Huang Jianhong said that this is a non-surgical treatment. “It mainly uses a gastroscope to put the capsule into the patient’s stomach through the esophagus. Some patients can swallow the capsule on their own. Then about 500 ml of water is injected into the capsule to expand it into a water balloon. The water balloon is then left in In the stomach, on the one hand, it makes the stomach itself feel full for a long time. On the other hand, when a certain amount of food is eaten, the water ball will move and block the gastric outlet like a valve, so that the patient can no longer eat too much, thereby controlling the food intake to achieve reduction. Serious effects. Of course, at the same time, guidance and assistance from a nutritionist is also needed to adjust a suitable diet.”

The water balloon is always a foreign object and is not permanent. It needs to be removed in about 4 months to a year. Generally, it can reduce 10% to 14% of the body weight. Patients need to improve their overall lifestyle habits such as diet and exercise during the period when the water balloon is placed, and maintain it after the water balloon is removed, in order to achieve sustained weight loss. “There are also cases where water balloons are removed and then supplemented with weight loss drugs. In addition, water balloons can also be used as auxiliary treatment before surgery. It is easier to achieve the desired effect by losing part of the weight first and then performing ‘gastric reduction surgery.'” Huang Jianhong said.

Gastric reduction surgery: reduce body weight by 20% to 30%

Gastric reduction surgery is a permanent treatment. “Simply put, it involves endoscopic resection of the “greater curvature” of the stomach, changing its shape from a bag to a tube-like shape. There is no place for food storage, leaving only a passage for food. , the purpose is to reduce the capacity of the stomach. Secondly, the greater curvature of the stomach itself secretes hunger hormone (ghrelin). This hormone is greatly reduced after resection, and it is not easy to feel hungry even if the food intake is small. Many patients only eat food every day after surgery You won’t feel hungry even if you eat 800 to 1,000 calories, and you won’t be looking for something to eat everywhere, so the weight loss effect is more significant, and you can generally reduce your weight by 20% to 30%.”

Gastric reduction surgery is permanent. Some patients are more likely to suffer from acid reflux after surgery. Generally speaking, as long as they gradually develop new living habits and cooperate with eating speed and weight, acid reflux will be alleviated. Although the surgery itself is minimally invasive, it also requires general anesthesia and carries certain risks. Not every patient may accept it. Therefore, there is another surgery that falls somewhere between water balloon and gastric shrinkage: endoscopic gastric suturing.

Endoscopic gastric suturing: still secretes hunger hormone

Huang Jianhong pointed out that endoscopic gastric suturing is also a permanent method. “The method is to extend the endoscope into the stomach and tie up the greater curvature of the stomach, thereby narrowing the gastric capacity. The advantage is that there is no need to remove the greater curvature of the stomach. , there are no wounds, it is a choice between surgery and non-surgery, and it requires general anesthesia. Also, because the greater curvature of the stomach is still there, that is, ghrelin is still secreted, so the patient’s feeling of hunger will be stronger, depending on the patient’s condition. choose.”

2024-02-15 20:29:52

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Seek medical attention early if you have severe cough and thick phlegm due to sequelae of pneumonia.

Recently, due to the attack of the new coronavirus and the flu, many people have a few coughs. If the condition is not properly treated, it is more likely to develop into pneumonia. In severe cases, it can lead to long-term lung damage, reduced lung function and other sequelae. Therefore, if you have cough symptoms, especially if you cough up thick, yellow-green or bloody sputum, you must seek medical advice as soon as possible.

Respiratory system specialist Dr. Tan Zijun said that pneumonia refers to the infection and inflammation of lung tissue, which can affect a single lobe or both lungs. “The most common cause is bacterial infection, such as pneumococcus, Legionella and Mycobacterium tuberculosis. Secondly, it is viral infection. Others can also cause pneumonia due to fungal, parasitic infection, or inhalation of harmful substances.”

Tan Zijun said that children, the elderly and patients with chronic diseases are at greater risk of contracting pneumonia.

or chest pain accompanied by fever

Having an upper respiratory tract infection does not necessarily lead to pneumonia, but it can increase your risk. As for how patients can tell whether their lungs are infected, Tan Zijun said, “Upper respiratory tract infections are often accompanied by nasal congestion, sore throat and cough, and the cough may be dry or have a small amount of phlegm. Pneumonia coughs usually contain phlegm and are more common. It is sticky and may be accompanied by symptoms such as fever, chest pain and difficulty breathing. Please note that cough alone may not be able to accurately distinguish, and if you have any suspicion, you should seek medical advice as soon as possible.”

If fibrosis occurs in the lungs, it will reduce lung capacity and affect lung function.

Lung function or impairment

Pneumonia can cause a variety of complications, which are more likely to occur in the elderly, patients with chronic diseases or those with compromised immune function, such as pneumonitis, sepsis and respiratory failure, which can lead to serious consequences and even death. Tan Zijun continued, “Even if they can recover from pneumonia, some patients still have to face sequelae.”
‧Pulmonary fibrosis: Lung tissue becomes fibrotic due to infection and inflammation, that is, connective tissue hyperplasia, leading to impaired lung function.
‧Lung abscess and empyema: A mass of pus forms in the lung tissue. Empyema is a condition in which pus accumulates around the lung membrane.
‧Bronchiectasis: Bronchiectasis makes the respiratory tract susceptible to infection and inflammation.

Recoverable with appropriate treatment

Pneumonia treatment depends on the cause of the pneumonia. Doctors will also use tools such as the Pneumonia Severity Index and CURB-65 scoring system to assess the patient’s risk and formulate a personalized treatment plan. Tan Zijun explained, “Bacterial pneumonia is usually treated with antibiotics, while viral pneumonia is mainly treated with supportive symptoms. Adequate rest, adequate fluid intake, antipyretic drugs, and symptom-relieving drugs may be used to relieve symptoms. In severe cases, will require hospitalization. Most healthy people can recover with appropriate treatment, but recovery time varies depending on the severity of the condition and the individual’s health. During treatment, it is very important to follow your doctor’s instructions and complete the entire course of treatment. important.”

good personal hygiene

To prevent pneumonia, you can get pneumococcal vaccine and influenza vaccine to reduce the risk of infection, especially the elderly, young children, long-term smokers or people with chronic diseases. In addition, although it is a cliché, maintaining good personal hygiene, washing hands frequently, avoiding contact with sick people, maintaining social distance, and regularly cleaning and disinfecting frequently touched surfaces can all help prevent infection. Maintaining a balanced diet, adequate sleep, moderate exercise and stress reduction can enhance personal immunity.

2024-01-18 20:28:41

#Seek #medical #attention #early #severe #cough #thick #sputum #due #sequelae #pneumonia #am730