Pathophysiology, Diagnosis, and Management of Proteinuria – JAAPA

/ SupremeCmdr / Leave a comment

KEY POINTS

Microalbuminuria tends to occur long before clinical proteinuria becomes evident.

Proteinuria results when the glomerular basement membrane allows excess proteins into the tubular filtrate and when the proximal tubules are unable to reabsorb low-molecular-weight proteins.

False-negative dipstick results may occur if the urine is dilute or if protein loss is mild.

Correlation between the urine protein-creatinine ratio (UPCR) and the 24-hour urine collection has been demonstrated in several diseases, and recent evidence indicates that the UPCR ratio is more accurate than the 24-hour measurement.

The albumin-to-creatinine ratio is more sensitive than the UPCR.

Renal biopsy should be considered in adults with persistent proteinuria because results are likely to guide specific therapy.

via The pathophysiology, diagnosis, and management of proteinuria – JAAPA.

Health Toll of Fast Food Spreads Eastward

/ SupremeCmdr / Leave a comment

Eating Western-style fast food on a regular basis significantly increased the risk of diabetes and coronary heart disease in a large Asian cohort, investigators reported.

The diabetes odds increased by 27% and CHD risk by 56% among Singapore residents who ate fast food at least twice a week.

The results changed little with overall dietary pattern, energy intake, or body mass index (BMI), as reported online in Circulation.

via Medical News: Health Toll of Fast Food Spreads Eastward – in Cardiovascular, Atherosclerosis from MedPage Today.

Red Yeast Rice: An Introduction NCCAM

/ SupremeCmdr / Leave a comment

Some red yeast rice products contain substantial amounts of monacolin K, which is chemically identical to the active ingredient in the cholesterol-lowering drug lovastatin. These products may lower blood cholesterol levels and can cause the same types of side effects and drug interactions as lovastatin.

Other red yeast rice products contain little or no monacolin K. It is not known whether these products have any effect on blood cholesterol levels.

Some red yeast rice products contain a contaminant called citrinin, which can cause kidney failure.  In a 2011 analysis of red yeast rice products sold as dietary supplements, 4 of 11 products were found to contain this contaminant.

via Red Yeast Rice: An Introduction | NCCAM.

Personally, I’m sticking with a statin.

Consider Loneliness in Senior Health Assessments

/ SupremeCmdr / Leave a comment

Researchers evaluated six years of data on 1,604 people 60 and older and found that 43% were classified as lonely. Compared with other study participants, those individuals were more prone to have their mobility decline, lose upper body strength, have trouble climbing stairs and decrease their daily activities. Loneliness also was associated with an increased risk of death, the study said.

A separate study of 8,594 adults 45 and older found that those between age 45 and 65 who live alone have significantly increased risk of mortality — and particularly cardiovascular-related death — than those who don’t live alone. That study also was published online June 18 in Archives of Internal Medicine.

via Doctors asked to consider loneliness in senior health assessment – amednews.com.

Aviva Update – 07.05.2012

/ SupremeCmdr / Leave a comment

Aviva Plc, the U.K.’s second-biggest insurer by market value, plans to exit almost a third of its units to bolster capital reserves and limit the impact of further turmoil in the euro region.

The insurer plans to sell 16 non-core divisions including U.K. bulk-purchase annuities, its South Korean unit and some partnerships in Italy, the London-based firm said in a statement today. The company is aiming to bring its capital levels in line with other insurers to between 160 percent and 170 percent of reserves required by regulators from 140 percent today.

via Aviva to Exit a Third of Business as Insurer Boosts Capital – Insurance Networking News.