Osteoporosis, the next big health worry for India (Oct 20 is World Osteoporosis Day)

It is expected to affect 36 million Indians by 2013 but osteoporosis - a disease associated with brittle bones, fractures and painful recovery - remains one of the most undermined diseases in the country.
Going by figures from the Arthritis Foundation of India, it will become the next big health worry.
“The number of cases of osteoporosis has almost doubled in the last 10-15 years,” Rajeev K. Sharma, senior consultant, orthopaedics, and joint replacement surgeon at Delhi’s Indraprastha Apollo hospital, told IANS.
Almost one in three urban Indian women past the age of 45 has osteoporosis. Even men are not immune to it, as doctors say those in their old age do face the problem.
“It’s a myth that men are immune to it,” says Raju Vaishya, president of the Arthritis Care Foundation.
“Average life expectancy, which was around 46 in 1947, has increased to around 70 now. As life expectancy increases, diseases related to old age are also increasing,” he says.
Doctors blame fast changing lifestyles, poor dietary habits and lack of exercise along with heredity.
“Dietary habits are changing very fast. More and more people are relying on junk or processed food instead of regular balanced diet which has calcium, Vitamin D and other minerals,” says Vaishya.
Ashok Kumar, director, rheumatology at Delhi’s Fortis Hospital, says: “A thin and small body frame, family history of osteoporosis, cigarette smoking, excessive alcohol consumption and low calcium diet form major factors leading to osteoporosis.”
Apart from these, women in the post menopausal phase are most prone to the disease due to a decrease in the amount of oestrogen hormone which plays a vital role in maintaining bone density.
Unfortunately, osteoporosis can be detected through an X-ray only after 30 percent of the bone calcium is already gone. Doctors say prevention therefore largely depends on improving lifestyles.
“Between the age of 30 and 40, one should start taking care to avoid osteoporosis,” says Sharma.”
“Weight bearing exercises need to be done regularly. One should either go for weight training, yoga, push ups or exercises like swimming and cycling,” he says.
On the dietary side, food rich in calcium, Vitamin D and minerals is required. A 20- minute exposure to sunlight is required daily for the body to start synthesising Vitamin D, fulfilling our body’s requirement for it in a natural way.
“Ideal requirement of calcium for a woman is 400 mg/day, which can be obtained from best food sources such as milk and other dairy products as well as legumes such as pulses and kidney beans,” says Ruhi Dewan, clinical nutritionist at Fortis.
Vaishya says, “Check up of bone strength, bone density and level of calcium etc should be done post 40, specially in menopausal women.”
“Correcting lifestyle may help avoid osteoporosis.”
“Although early detection and timely treatment of osteoporosis can substantially decrease the risk of future fractures, it is difficult to completely rebuild bone that has been weakened by osteoporosis. Therefore, prevention of osteoporosis is as important as treatment,” adds Kumar.

Women more prone to heart problems than men: Doctors

Women are equally if not more prone to heart attacks even though traditionally they were thought to be relatively immune to cardiac ailments, doctors say. Cardiovascular diseases claim 17.3 million lives a year according to the World Health Organization (WHO).
“Over the last few years, more women patients are coming with heart problems,” Praveer Agarwal, interventional cardiologist of Fortis Escorts Heart Institute, told IANS ahead of World Heart Day that will be celebrated Thursday.
According to WHO statistics, the number of coronary diseases in women have increased by 300 percent in the last five years.
“Previously women’s health was not given equal importance. Genetically males and females are equal, so heart problems affect both,” Agarwal said.
Doctors say that women have always been prone to heart problems but the changing lifestyle has exposed them to it further.
Working women have to suffer from dual stress. Women who smoke and drink, those who have high blood pressure and diabetes or take oral contraceptives, and those in post menopausal stage, are most prone to heart problems, doctors say.
Nearly nine million women across the world die of heart problems, and this is a third of all causes of death in women, according to Anil Dhall a senior interventional cardiologist in Delhi’s neighbouring Gurgaon. Nearly three million die of stroke.
“Contrary to popular belief, nearly 45 percent women die in a year after the first heart attack compared to 25 percent men. They therefore have double the risk of dying after a heart stroke,” Dhall noted.
“The problem was always there, but earlier, women did not go for check-ups and their condition was not diagnosed,” Agarwal said.
Popular belief has it that women in their reproductive years are at a lower risk of heart problems due to oestrogen, a hormone that protects them from certain heart conditions.
Doctors agree but add that changing lifestyles have reduced the effect of this factor.
“If a woman smokes, the effect of oestrogen is negated,” said Praveen Chandra, chairman of interventional cardiology at Medanta hospital on the outskirts of Delhi.
“Oral contraceptives also have negative effect,” he added.
Lack of awareness and self-care makes women even more vulnerable.
“Heart problems in women usually are under reported. Traditionally people think women don’t need regular health check-ups… no one thinks of their mother going for an angioplasty or bypass surgery,” Dhall pointed out.
“Another reason why heart diseases in women go unreported is that they may not display the symptoms. There are certain conditions which go undiagnosed,” he added.
The precautions are simple - exercise, stress management and regular care.
“Exercise, walk, diet, stress management, avoiding smoking and drinking and regular health and heart check-ups are important,” Chandra added.
World Heart Day was kick-started in 2000 to inform people around the world about heart ailments and strokes, according to the World Heart Federation.
In partnership with the WHO, the World Heart Federation organizes awareness events in more than 100 countries.

Fortis Healthcare tie-ups with OP Jindal Hospital and Research Centre Raigarh

Fortis Healthcare Ltd, one of the fastest growing chain of hospitals in the country said that it has tie-upped with 100 beds O.P. Jindal Hospital and Research Centre, Raigarh, in an effort to provide superior healthcare services in the eastern region of the Chhattisgarh State.
The addition of O.P. Jindal Hospital takes the Fortis network to a total of 50 hospitals. This move is in line withDr. Raajiv Singhal, Director of Fortis Escorts Heart Institute, New Delhi during the inauguration function of OP Jindal Hospital Blood Bank in Raigarh, Chhattisgarh Fortis’ strategy to strengthen its presence in India’s tier II cities.
Dr. Raajiv Singhal, Director of Fortis Escorts Heart Institute, New Delhi informed during inauguration function of OP Jindal Hospital Blood Bank in Raigarh on Monday. Dr. Raajiv Singhal informed about collaboration of OP Jindal Hospital with Fortis Health Care.
“Fortis will leverage its tertiary care expertise to enhance the medical programme in the hospital and implement systems and processes designed to bring about high levels of clinical quality and compassionate patient care.” He added.
It is to be noted that Fortis Healthcare Limited is committed to clinical excellence and patient-centric healthcare, which is manifest in hospital design, patient services, medical programmes and the compassionate approach of medical and non-medical hospital staff.
The hospital is located within the campus of Jindal Steel and Power Limited and caters to their employees, families and general population of Raigarh and surrounding areas.
Dr Arvind Dayal, Head of Medical Services, OP Jindal Hospital & Research Centre informed  the 100 beds multi-speciality secondary care hospital offers services in Ophthalmology, Internal medicine, Obstetrics & Gynaecology, ENT, General Surgery, Orthopaedics and Paediatrics, in addition to primary healthcare services. The hospital has four well-equipped Operation Theatres, a dialysis unit, a blood bank, well equipped Medical ICU, Surgical ICU, a Burns ICU and a Neo-natal ICU.
O.P. Jindal hospital plans to expand its medical programmes by upgrading its clinical services in minimal access surgery, critical care, cardiology, nephrology and neurosciences and introduce high end imaging services like CT Scan, MRI and other investigation facilities.
Addressing the gathering Chief Guest of the function Health Minister, Chhattisgarh Amar Agrawal Agrawal praised the interest taken and encouragement given by Member of Parliament and Jindal Steel and Power Limited Executive Vice Chairman & Managing Director Shri Naveen Jindal, in establishing this facility for the welfare of the people of the region. The blood bank is another Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) initiative in Raigarh region.
Dr Arvind Dayal said that OP Jindal Hospital & Research Centre (OPJHRC) was established three years ago by the Jindal Education and Welfare Society (JEWS), a non-profit organization promoted by the Jindal Steel and Power Limted.
“The Society is active in providing education, training and health care. OPJHRC provides support to the various rural health care initiatives of the Group. These include health camps, population stabilization activities, eye camps, village school dental health programme, for the population in and around Raigarh and surrounding districts. Located in well endowed premises OPJHRC caters to the primary and secondary healthcare needs of those working in the various JSPL plants in the region and also of the general public.” He added