HealthTalk
Doctor ’ s notes
Dr Rik Heymans is a general practitioner in Nerja and writes on developments in the world of medicine
Wound healing
Wound healing requires complex cellular and molecular interactions that can lead to either accelerated or delayed healing , the latter of which can result in chronic wounds which heal with great difficulty - if at all . Although air pollution containing fine dust particles is gaining attention worldwide , little is known about the exact effects of such pollutants on diabetic wounds - or any wound healing at all .
Air pollutants from diesel exhaust particles ( DEPs ) cause , and worsen inflammation in the body - and thus in any wound . In urban areas obviously more than in rural areas , DEPs can induce inflammatory disease , as well as prompting allergic respiratory disease . Exposure to DEPs has been associated with several adverse health effects in vivo and in vitro : recent evidence suggests exposure to DEPs can increase the risk of fatal stroke , cerebrovascular damage , and neural inflammation .
Since wound healing is such a complex process , it becomes clear , as a research has shown , that Chronic diabetic ulcers would definitely have delayed healing times when exposed to these DEPs . This is a finding which is not surprising : it is a well-known fact that smokers have a similar delayed healing time , partly due to the reduced oxygen levels in the blood and tissues , and also due to the increased inflammatory response in their bodies .
measures of drug dispensing or drug prescribing , but not actual drug intake : did these patients actually take these NSAIDs ? It was also noted that ibuprofen estimates may be “ more fragile ” because it ’ s available over the counter and in this analysis its use “ when needed ” rather than “ continuously or for a specific duration ” was more prevalent than for other NSAIDs . And a very important point to consider is that for most patients , the risk is very small . If you make an average of people with different baseline heart risks , the risk specifically attributable to an NSAID is only about 1 % per year , meaning that out of 100 people treated continuously for a year , there will be one extra heart attack .
Mediterranean diet and gout
Eating a low-salt , fruit- and vegetable-rich , and low-red-meat diet may reduce the risk of developing gout , according to the results of a large prospective study published in May . Alternatively , individuals who follow a more traditional US diet that is high in carbohydrates and meat may have an elevated risk for the condition .
Gout is a common and painful form of arthritis caused by excessive levels of uric acid in the blood , which leads to the formation of uric acid crystals in the joints . At this time , gout is
Anti-inflammatory drugs
You probably will have read in the press about the fact that new research has found that the use of nonsteroidal antiinflammatory drugs ( NSAIDs ) is associated with a significantly increased risk for myocardial infarction ( MI ). Use of higher doses were also associated with increased MI risk . Use for 8 to 30 days at a high dose was particularly harmful for all these drugs . But a longer duration of treatment generally did not seem to be associated with greater probability of increased risk for MI . For duration of treatment , it was observed that the risk doesn ' t go away , but it does not increase further .
However , before one starts panicking and following the advice of the press , one should take a few points into consideration : as with all studies sourced from databases , this analysis used often treated with medications or it is recommended that patients follow a diet that is low in meats and other foods that are high in a compound called purine . Purine is broken down into uric acid in the body .
However , a low-purine diet is not very palatable , and is difficult to follow . Also , it also may inadvertently increase the consumption of complex carbohydrates and unhealthy fats , which may worsen cardiovascular and metabolic health . The Mediterranean diet which is universally recommended for heart disease , has the drawback of increasing the risk of developing gout …
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© Dr RIK HEYMANS c / Angustias 24 , Nerja
Tel : 95 252 6775