Tissue plasminogen activator (TPA)
There is opportunity to use alteplase (TPA) as a clot-buster drug to dissolve the blood clot that is causing the stroke. There is a narrow window of opportunity to use this drug. The earlier that it is given, the better the result and the less potential for the complication of bleeding into the brain.
Present American Heart Association guidelines recommend that if used, TPA must be given within three hours after the onset of symptoms. Normally, TPA is injected into a vein in he arm. The time frame for use can be extended to six hours if it is dripped directly into the blood vessel that is blocked. This is usually performed by an interventional radiologist, and not all hospitals have access to this technology. Read more…
A new drug derived from Magnolia tree appears to help better control the potentially dangerous complications of bleeding and clot formation during procedures to open blocked coronary arteries.
Results of the Phase II study of the drug, provisionally known as SCH 530348, by researchers at the Duke Clinical Research Institute in the US, appear in the March issue of The Lancet. An international Phase III study is now under way. Read more…
Diabetes is a serious disease. It happens when your blood levels of glucose, a form of sugar, are too high. Diabetes can lead to dangerous health problems. The good news is that high glucose levels can be managed to help control the disease and prevent or delay future problems.
Our bodies change the foods we eat into glucose. Glucose travels through the bloodstream to “fuel” or feed our cells. Insulin is a hormone that helps our bodies use glucose for energy. People with diabetes either do not make insulin, do not use insulin properly, or both. This means they have too much glucose (sugar) in their blood. As a result, they often feel tired, hungry, or thirsty; they may lose weight, urinate often, or have trouble with their eyes. In time, the high levels of this form of sugar in the blood (glucose) can hurt their eyes, kidneys, and nerves. It can also cause heart disease, strokes and even the need to remove all or part of a limb (amputation). Read more…
We live in a very narrow range of normal. In the range of normal, the body performs well, but once we slip outside the norm, the body spirals slowly out of control. We take most of the internal controls of our body for granted since they are on autopilot, but many people need to fly manually.
The body’s cells need two energy requirements to function. The blood stream delivers both oxygen and glucose to the front door of the cell. The the oxygen is invited in, but the glucose needs a key to open the door. The insulin molecule is that key. When we eat, the body senses the levels of glucose in the blood stream and secretes just the right amount of insulin from the pancreas so that cells and the body can function. Read more…
