Blood triglycerides may be better heart attack predictor
Filed under: Prevention, Research
If you've had your cholesterol checked (and if you haven't, you should!), then you're probably familiar with the 12-hour fast that comes with it. Though typically not a big deal -- many patients just go in the morning before breakfast -- some people find it inconvenient. New studies, however, have shown that testing for a certain type of blood fat, triglycerides, after a person has had a meal may be a better way to assess their risk factors for heart attack and heart disease. By fasting, certain information is excluded from that test and researchers say that same information is crucial when assessing a person's risk. Your doctor may still require the fasting test, but may also want to check your triglycerides 2-4 hours after you've eaten a meal. DIY blood typing kit
Filed under: Prevention
Have you had a chance to check out our latest new blog? DIY Life highlights the best of do-it-yourself on the web, and there's some really interesting stuff over there. For example, this DIY blood typing kit is kind of neat. For less than $10, you can send away for an at-home testing kit that contains everything you need to find out your blood type. When you're finished, you can laminate the card to carry in your wallet.Knowing your blood type is typically not a top priority, but in an emergency it can be critical. Matching blood types is crucial during transfusions and certain blood types can only receive a specific type of blood. Though it's simple enough for your doctor to test your blood type, if you haven't had it done or if you don't have any blood work scheduled, this little test might be helpful.
[RESEARCH] Efficacy of self monitoring of blood glucose in patients with newly diagnosed type 2 diabetes (ESMON study): randomised controlled trial
Objectives To assess the effect of self monitoring of blood glucose concentrations on glycaemic control and psychological indices in patients with newly diagnosed type 2 diabetes mellitus.
Design Prospective randomised controlled trial of self monitoring versus no monitoring (control).
Setting Hospital diabetes clinics.
Participants 184 (111 men) people aged <70 with newly diagnosed type 2 diabetes referred to the participating diabetes clinics. Major exclusion criteria were secondary diabetes, insulin treatment, previous self monitoring of blood glucose.
Interventions Participants were randomised to self monitoring or no monitoring (control) groups for one year with follow-up at three monthly intervals. Both groups underwent an identical structured core education programme. The self monitoring group received additional education on monitoring.
Main outcome measures Between group differences in HbA1c, psychological indices, use of oral hypoglycaemic drugs, body mass index (BMI), and reported hypoglycaemia rates.
Results 96 patients (55 men) were randomised to monitoring and 88 (56 men) to control. There were no baseline differences in mean (SD) age (57.7 (11.0) in monitoring group v 60.9 (11.5) in control group) or HbA1c (8.8 (2.1)% v 8.6 (2.3)%, respectively). Those in the monitoring group had a higher baseline BMI (34 (7) v 32 (6.2)). There were no significant differences between groups at any time point (12 months values given) in HbA1c (6.9 (0.8)% v 6.9 (1.2)%, P=0.69; 95% confidence interval for difference –0.25% to 0.38%), BMI (33.1 (6.4) v 31.8 (6.0); adjusted for baseline BMI, P=0.32), use of oral hypoglycaemic drugs, or reported incidence of hypoglycaemia. Monitoring was associated with a 6% higher score on the depression subscale of the well-being questionnaire (P=0.01).
Conclusions In patients with newly diagnosed type 2 diabetes self monitoring of blood glucose concentration has no effect on glycaemic control but is associated with higher scores on a depression subscale.
Trial registration ISRCTN 49814766.
How to Reduce Blood Pressure Symptoms
By Paul J Johnson Blood pressure is the pressure exerted on the arteries. Blood pressure can differ from person to person. When your blood pressure is measured it is expressed in two numbers such as 120/80.The figure on the top denotes the pressure when the heart is pumping blood and its muscle is contracted. If [...]
[RESEARCH] Cost effectiveness of self monitoring of blood glucose in patients with non-insulin treated type 2 diabetes: economic evaluation of data from the DiGEM trial
Objective To assess the cost effectiveness of self monitoring of blood glucose alone or with additional training in incorporating the results into self care, in addition to standardised usual care for patients with non-insulin treated type 2 diabetes.
Design Incremental cost utility analysis from a healthcare perspective. Data on resource use from the randomised controlled diabetes glycaemic education and monitoring (DiGEM) trial covered 12 months before baseline and 12 months of trial follow-up. Quality of life was measured at baseline and 12 months using the EuroQol EQ-5D questionnaire.
Setting Primary care in the United Kingdom.
Participants 453 patients with non-insulin treated type 2 diabetes.
Interventions Standardised usual care (control) compared with additional self monitoring of blood glucose alone (less intensive self monitoring) or with training in self interpretation of the results (more intensive self monitoring).
Main outcome measures Quality adjusted life years and healthcare costs (sterling in 2005-6 prices).
Results The average costs of intervention were £89 (113; $179) for standardised usual care, £181 for less intensive self monitoring, and £173 for more intensive self monitoring, showing an additional cost per patient of £92 (95% confidence interval £80 to £103) in the less intensive group and £84 (£73 to £96) in the more intensive group. No other significant cost difference was detected between the groups. An initial negative impact of self monitoring on quality of life occurred, averaging –0.027 (95% confidence interval–0.069 to 0.015) for the less intensive self monitoring group and –0.075 (–0.119 to –0.031) for the more intensive group.
Conclusions Self monitoring of blood glucose with or without additional training in incorporating the results into self care was associated with higher costs and lower quality of life in patients with non-insulin treated type 2 diabetes. In light of this, and no clinically significant differences in other outcomes, self monitoring of blood glucose is unlikely to be cost effective in addition to standardised usual care.
Trial registration Current Controlled Trials ISRCTN47464659.
How to Reduce Blood Pressure Symptoms
By Paul J Johnson Blood pressure is the pressure exerted on the arteries. Blood pressure can differ from person to person. When your blood pressure is measured it is expressed in two numbers such as 120/80.The figure on the top denotes the pressure when the heart is pumping blood and its muscle is contracted. If your [...]
Colestimide to lower Blood Fats and Sugars
Filed under: Type 2, Adult Onset, Drugs, Research
A study suggests that a bile acid may be used for the treatment of obesity, insulin resistance, and type 2 diabetes. This discovery was made when researchers found colestimide, a resin that eliminates bile acids, as a cholesterol-lowering treatment.
The study was based on the fact that abnormal lipids lead to high mortality in type 2 diabetics. The researchers investigated the effects of colestimide on blood glucose levels in mice that develop a disease akin to type 2 diabetes. Colestimide treatment prevented diet-induced obesity and high blood sugar, and corrected diet-induced obesity in mice. It also showed a significant decrease in levels of "bad" LDL cholesterol without affecting "good" HDL cholesterol levels.
How about that? The unlikely path of colestimide could detour us from hitting the dead end consequences of high blood fats and obesity. All these discoveries on mice eventually will prove something remarkable for us humans. Won't they?
Hypertension - What Exactly Causes High Blood Pressure?
By Mark Littlejohn High blood pressure (hypertension) is often called the “Silent Killer” because of a distinct lack of symptoms. The first time someone finds out they may have hypertension is after a routine test at the doctor’s office. Your doctor can quickly and easily check your blood pressure, but do be warned, there is a [...]
How to Reduce Blood Pressure Symptoms
By Paul J Johnson
Blood pressure is the pressure exerted on the arteries. Blood pressure can differ from person to person. When your blood pressure is measured it is expressed in two numbers such as 120/80.The figure on the top denotes the pressure when the heart is pumping blood and its muscle is contracted. If your [...]
How to Reduce Blood Pressure Symptoms
By Paul J Johnson
Blood pressure is the pressure exerted on the arteries. Blood pressure can differ from person to person. When your blood pressure is measured it is expressed in two numbers such as 120/80.The figure on the top denotes the pressure when the heart is pumping blood and its muscle is contracted. If your [...]