Ante script: before starting this edition of “Clinical Updates” which, I hope, will be the first of many, I should clarify the scientific target and the modus operandi of this chronicle:
- The intended audience of this publication comprises all ScienceBlog readers who appreciate obtaining assembled information in a specific therapeutic area g. Cardiology, Neuroscience, Respiratory, Immunology, Oncology, etc;
- I shall focus my research on pharmaceutical industry research areas, since I am a Pharmaceutical Sciences’ student and thus it is the suitable field for me;
- If you want to submit a press release please or you have any doubt you want to clarify please contact me via email ([email protected]).
As this is my first article and I’ll write it from the bottom of my heart, it seems reasonable to start with Cardiology. But all jokes aside, even if you are not a health professional (or a future one), it is relevant to be well-informed of scientific advancements in cardiovascular-metabolic, since cardiovascular disease is the leading global cause of death, according to the WHO summary tables: 17.3 million a year, a large part of which have no previous symptoms. Particularly, U.S. has the most severe numbers.
Before you promise you won’t eat McDonald’s again (even because it’s not necessary to take such a radical position), let’s take a look at this recent article in press that may be found in The American Journal of Cardiology:
In an economic perspective, a group of scientists lead by Gregory A. Nichols, studied how the combination of 2 lowering therapies, namely Cholesterol-Lowering Therapy and Triglyceride-Lowering Therapy may affect medical costs in patients with Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus. In fact, high triglyceride levels among patients with type 2 DM are associated with higher medical costs. They analyzed the economic impact of TG-lowering therapies and whether the association between medical costs and therapy differed according to TG reduction and found a substantial economic benefit to treating diabetic patients with statin/TG-specific combination lipid therapy compared with monotherapy of either type or no lipid pharmacotherapy. A TG reduction of ≥30% produced a particularly large reduction in 1-year medical costs.
Obviously, low HDL cholesterol levels (the “good” one), high TG and hypertension constitute Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus risk factors. It is extremely important to redouble dietary care, achieved through the limitation of sugar present in simple carbohydrates such as pasta and bread, since they have a very high glycemic index. When we eat something that has a low glycemic índex, it retards the glucose absorption and consequently does not concentrate in the blood. But, when the index is high, this absorption is fast and accelerates the rise in blood glucose rate, generating hyperglycemia. Carbohydrates should make up 50-60% of the total calories consumed by the 2 DM person, preferring complex ones (nuts, whole grains, etc) that will be more slowly absorbed. It is also relevant to have a balanced diet, cutting off excess fat and prioritizing the consumption of fruits and vegetables.
If you have Diabetes Mellitus, or you know some friend or familiar who has, please make it a point to remind these advises (warnings are never excessive) and spread the cited article in order to help saving money that may be spent on a delicious happy meal (there are millions of better places to spend your money than the one you are thinking of).