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Introduction: Diabetes mellitus is the commonest endocrine disorder in population. This clinical syndrome is due to either absolute or relative insulin deciency. Currently number of diabetics worldwide is 422 million. In India the projected increase is from 20 to 62 million, The term diabetes is derived from Greek words Dia meaning “through”, and Bainein meaning “to go”. This disease causes loss of weight as if the body mass is passed through urine. It is a disease known from ancient times. Charaka in his treatise, elaborated this disorder as “Madhumeha” (meaning sweet urine) around 400 BC. Aim & Objective: The level of fasting insulin and serum c-peptide in individual with high BMI /sedentary life style; newly diagnosed cases of hypertension / type2 DM; and old cases of diabetes mellitus. Raised level of serum insulin and c-peptide as a cause of progressive diabetes which can lead to cardiovascular complications and help to prepare patient. Materials And Methods: It is an observational cross sectional study done in the diabetic outpatient clinic of our hospital. 60 diabetic patients were evaluated for fasting plasma glucose level, post prandial glucose level, Glycosalated haemoglobin HbA1c, fasting Insulin and fasting C-peptide level. Results And Analysis: From the above table it was inferred that there is very strong positive correlation of HbA1c with C-PEPTIDE and INSULIN ( r > 0.7 and p value = .000 ). From the table it is inferred that there is a very strong positive correlation of INSULIN with C-PEPTIDE ( r > 0.7 and p value =.000 ). From table it is inferred that C-PEPTIDE has a strong negative correlation with SBPand DBP. (r value > 0.7 and p = .000 ). From table it is inferred that INSULIN has a strong negative correlation with SBPand DBP. ( r value > 0.7 and p =.000). Summary & Conclusion: The level of serum insulin and c-peptide is found to be higher in “newly diagnosed” cases than that of “old diagnosed” cases and this can be explained by the fact that treatment modies the course of disease and slows its progression. With passage of duration, hypertension starts to build up in established cases of diabetes. C-peptide and serum insulin testing should be done in patients with poor blood glucose control to decide treatment modalities and to create awareness about lifestyle modications and education to Prevent progression of prediabetic stage to diabetic and further to its complicated stage.

As the world advances, living standards are getting changed with inclination more toward sedentary life style and junk food, we are seeing a worldwide increased incidence of coronary artery disease. A 73 year of age gentleman with progressive shortness of breath NYHA-II/III since last 6 months and epigastric discomfort with effort angina CCS-III. Was having no other co-morbidities, except of 35 pack years of smoking. On evaluation his Coro-angiogram revealed Diffuses TVCAD with Lad diffusely diseased throughout its middle course >90%, LCX 80%, RCA mid-Course critical discrete lesion of 90%. His 2D, TTE showed normal valvular apparatus and ejection fraction of 55%. Literature review further furnishes the fact that LAD is most commonly being affected by atheroma formation hence making it the most common site for endartrectomy, though peri-operative MI is still a grave concern, but half dose protamine slow reversal of the heparin and keeping ACT at 150-160 sec greatly reduces the incidence of peri-operative MI.

The article reviews the relationship between type 2 diabetes and obesity. This also includes types of obesity and it's genetic predisposition. The modern generalization of sedentary life style and caloric abundance has created new physiological conditions capable of changing the level of expression of a number of genes involved in fuel metabolism and body weight regulation. In this article, we underscore the importance of obesity in relation to disorders of diverse etiologies characterized by disturbances of free fatty acids, visceral adiposity and insulin resistance. Further, we have investigated the role of selecting the traits to be subjected to quantitative genetic analysis in the occurrence of obesity.KYAMC Journal Vol. 4, No.-1, July 2013, Page 357-361

Hyperlipidemia is emerging big problem in present society, which is now increasing day by day because of sedentary life style of people, consumption of junk food, aerated cold drink and high level of stress are further detoriating the conditin. Hyperlipidemia is a major cause in major illness such as HTN, Obesity, acute MI, IHD, CCF and DM-2. Previous studies of hyperlipidemia shows that reduction of fractions of lipids levels reduce rate of morbidity in individual with DM-2, HTN, CAD. In Ayurveda hyperlipidimia showes close resembalance with Medoroga as per Ayurveda. Lekhaniya Gana is specifically indicated in Ayurveda literature for management of Medoroga. In current case study 54 yrs female K/C/O DM type 2 came with gross elevation of total cholesterol, triglicerides, LDL, VLDL levels. Lekhaniya Ghanavati with proper Pathya Ahara was adviced to patients for 2 months. Highly significant reduction was observed in total cholesterol level, triglyesrides, LDL, VLDL levels.

Despite health policies as well as clinical and research efforts, diabetes prevalence is still rising around the world. A multitude of causes have been suggested for this increase, mostly related to familial background, the occidental diet which is rich in fat/carbohydrates, and sedentary life style. Type 2 diabetes involves malfunctions of the primary pancreatic beta-cells, usually attributed to local damage; however, it can be associated with other stressful environmental agents, such as chemical contaminants from food, plastic and air, among others. Indeed, exposure to these chemical agents during perinatal and adolescent life can increase the risk of developing cardiometabolic diseases later in life. This review explores data showing which environmental chemical agents may produce injury in beta-cells and further impair the insulinotropic process of type 2 diabetes. Additionally, it points the need to also consider unusual causes of metabolic diseases, such as environmental contaminants.

Obstructive Diseases of Lungs such as Bronchial Asthma and Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD) are public reason of ill health and death in India. The methodology to study drug use can be used as a tool to recognize whether medication use is as appropriate in management of specific subject. Chronic Respiratory Diseases (CRD) such as Bronchial Asthma and Chronic Obstructive Lung Disease (COLD) may account for a predictable encumbrance of about one hundred million individuals in India. The procedure of drug utilization review (DUR) can arrange for worthwhile means of determining whether drug use is as proper in cure of single patient. Objectives: The foremost goals of this study are to evaluate the demographic particulars of patients with obstructive disease of lungs and to study the drug utilization pattern in obstructive lung ailment and respiratory infections in patients. Study Design: A Cross Sectional study was carried out in the General Medicine Department in a Tertiary Care Teaching Hospital, Karnataka, using a well-designed patient data collection form. Results: Among 102 cases of obstructive lung diseases and respiratory tract infections analysed, 65(63.36%) patients were males and 74 (36.64%) were females. 49 patients (48.03%) were found to be smokers, 41 (40.19%) were ex-smokers, 55 (53.9%) were alcoholics (16%), 12 were non-smokers (11.76%) and 29 were non-alcoholics (28.43%) and 18 was ex-alcoholic (17.68%). The class of drugs prescribed mostly were antibiotics (100%), followed by anti-cholinergics (78.43%), Short acting β-2 agonists (92.15%), inhaled corticosteroids (26.47%), Methylxanthines (69.60%), systemic corticosteroids (32.35%), Long acting β-2 agonist (9.80%) and secretolytic agents (18.6%), antihistamines (27.45%), combination of short acting β-2 agonist + Long acting β-2 agonist (26.47%). Conclusion: Obstructive Lung diseases are more prominent in smokers when compared to nonsmokers. The pattern of drug utilization is inadequate. GOLD guidelines can be properly followed for prescribing drugs for obstructive lung diseases and can achieve total control.

Background Healthcare professionals are usually exposed to job stress which impacts their health. Adult eating behaviour questionnaire was used to check the eating behaviour and the brief job stress questionnaire was used to check the stress level in obese and non obese healthcare professionals. Physical activity of the participants is noted to correlate with the eating behaviour. Aims To determine the correlation between body mass index to job stress and adult eating behaviour in health care professionals. Methods The present observational study was conducted among 262 participants which included both males and females healthcare professionals who were 22 years and above with normal, overweight and obese category of body mass index. The participants were given adult eating behaviour questionnaire and brief job stress questionnaire. Scoring of each participant was entered in the excel sheet and physical activity frequency was noted down. Findings 262 participants found weak correlation of body mass index to eating behaviour and job stress. The participants with high eating behaviour fall under normal category of body mass index as they perform some amount of physical activity. It was found that stress was more in physiotherapy professionals; it was not related with eating behaviour. Conclusion Participants with sedentary life style tend to have high eating behaviour and higher body mass index. Job stress is not related to body mass index.

Introduction The 2012 Consensus of the Brazilian Society of Rheumatology (SBR) for the treatment of Rheumatoid Arthritis (RA) recommends that patients should regularly perform physical exercises. There have been no studies in Brazil on physical activity among patients with early RA. Objective To investigate the physical activity practice among patients with early RA and the possible association between physical activity, disease activity and functional disability. Methods Cross-sectional study of patients from the Brasilia cohort of early RA. Demographic data (sex, age and level of schooling), physical activity practice, Disease Activity Score 28 (DAS 28), functional disability (Health Assessment Questionnaire - HAQ), as well as data on smoking status, alcohol consumption, comorbidities and RA treatment were analyzed. Results A total of 72 patients were evaluated, 90.27% females, mean age 50.2 ± 13.3 years, mean DAS 28: 3.66 and HAQ: 0.69. Of them, 43.05% were regularly active, with walking being the most often practiced exercise (80.64%). The mean duration of exercise was 48.22 ± 27.18 min, with a frequency of 3.7 ± 1.64 times per week. There was no association between physical activity and gender, age, educational level, disease activity, functional disability, alcoholism or smoking, presence of comorbidities and treatment with drugs that alter the course of disease. Conclusion Given the importance of regular physical activity practice, it is necessary to recommend it to patients, especially resistance physical activities, which are not frequent among the patients in our study.

Backgound: The number of hypogonads is increasing day by day. It may be due to sedentary life style with increased obesity, increased tension or stressed lifestyle among all groups of populations. Visceral obesity is associated with insulin resistance, diabetes mellitus and also with hypogonadism. Objective: This study was carried out to determine the proportion of insulin resistance among male subjects with hypogonadism in different age groups along with status of erectile quality among diabetics and non diabetics. Materials and method: This cross sectional study among 161 adult male subjects aged ≥ 20 to ≤ 60 years were purposively selected from Bangladesh Institute of Research and Rehabilitation in Diabetes Endocrine and Metabolic Disorders (BIRDEM), Dhaka, Bangladesh between May 2009 to September 2010. Glycemic status and insulin resistance (by HOMA-R) were done and relevant history were documented. Results: The highest proportion (38.9%) of hypogonadism was in ≥ 50 years age group whereas highest proportion (39.6%) of the eugonads was in the age group of 40 to 49 years. More than half of the hypogonad subjects had weak erectile quality (54.0%) which were followed by absent erectile quality in 32.7% and 13.3% subjects had normal erectile quality. Among the eugonad subjects 41.7% had normal erectile quality, 41.6% subjects had weak erectile quality and 16.7% subjects had no erectile quality. More than ninety percent of the hypogonad subjects and about 60% of the eugonad subjects had insulin resistance. The average HOMA-R was more in the subjects with hypogonadism with diabetes which was highly significant (p-value < 0.001). Conclusion: Hypogonadism is associated with insulin resistance. DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.3329/dmcj.v1i1.14968 Delta Med Col J. Jan 2013;1(1):3-7

Sedentary life style may degrade bone mass and microstructure resulting in osteoporosis. We characterized trabecular bone structural properties to determine if the LRP5 G171V mutation will protect against disuse-related bone loss. Forty-eight adult male mice representing three genotypes (WT = wild type, KO = LRP5-knockout +/-, HBM = High bone with the LRP5 G171V mutation) were each randomly divided between control and disuse (4 week hindlimb suspension) groups. Trabecular bone volume fraction (BV/TV) declined in all the three genotypes. Trabecular thickness was lower in the HBM and LRP5 (+/-) KO disuse groups when compared to their respective controls. While the remaining measures of bone structure (Trabecular number, connectivity density, apparent and tissue density) were lower, the trabecular separation increased in the LRP5 (+/-) with disuse. Although the absolute loss in BV/TV was similar, the relative loss due to disuse was far greater in the LRP5 (+/-) mice (67%) than in the HBM mice (14%). The disuse caused 20% decrease in trabecular number and thickness for LRP5 (+/-), while the decline was between 6 and 11% for the HBM and WT mice.

The present cross sectional study was carried out on 787 type 2 diabetic subjects from tertiary health care hospitals to identify the prevalence and predictors of depression in diabetes. Depression was tested using Patient Health Questionnaire-9. Of the study participants, 199 (25.29%) met the criteria for mild to moderate depression, 252 (32.02%) were severely depressed and 336 (42.69%) were clinically non-depressed. The prevalence of depression was 65.02 % in women, which is 1.87 fold higher (p0.0001) than men (49.87%). Depression was observed to be strongly associated with advancing age30 years (p0.05), low income (p = 0.0001), sedentary life style (p = 0.001), Plasma levels of low density lipoproteins (LDL)100 mg/dl and triglycerides (TG)150 mg/dl (p0.05), drinking alcohol (p0.001), statin use (p0.001), BMI35-39.9 kg m(-2) (p = 0.018), WHR0.9 cm (p0.0001), Glucose levels125 mg/dl (p0.0001) and duration of diabetes 2-4 years (p = 0.003). In multivariate logistic regression model, risk factors such as, being a woman, duration of diabetes ≥10 years, BMI ≥30 kg m(-2), LDL100 mg/dl, TG150 mg/dl and sedentary life style emerged as independent predictors of depression in diabetes. In the present study, 86.4 % diabetic subjects were not diagnosed for depression prior participation. In conclusion, the present study revealed that higher prevalence of depression in diabetes was evident in population of Punjab, especially in women and majority of these patients remain undiagnosed for depression.

Diabetes mellitus is one of the most widespread metabolic diseases in Western industrial countries with increasing prevalence due to a progressively aging population that is also characterized by increasing obesity and a sedentary life style. Cardiovascular conditions are the major prognostic complications of diabetes. Cardiologically, diabetic cardiopathy may become manifest on different structural and functional levels of the heart. Disorders may involve the micro- and macrocirculation (angiopathy), ventricular function (cardiomyopathy) and the intracardial nervous system (autonomous neuropathy). The following survey summarizes the cardiovascular risk with particular attention to the pathogenesis, diagnostics and therapy of diabetes mellitus related coronary disease and diabetic cardiomyopathy.

INTRODUÇÃO: O Consenso 2012 da Sociedade Brasileira de Reumatologia para Tratamento da Artrite Reumatoide (AR) recomenda que os pacientes realizem exercícios físicos de forma regular. Não há estudos no Brasil sobre a prática de atividade física entre pacientes com AR inicial. OBJETIVO: Investigar a prática de atividade física entre pacientes com AR inicial e a possível relação entre atividade física, atividade da doença e incapacidade funcional. MÉTODOS: Estudo transversal incluindo pacientes da Coorte Brasília de AR inicial. Foram analisados dados demográficos (sexo, idade e escolaridade), prática de atividade física, índice de atividade da doença (Disease Activity Score 28 - DAS 28), incapacidade funcional (Health Assessment Questionnaire - HAQ), além de dados sobre tabagismo, etilismo, presença de comorbidades e tratamento da AR. RESULTADOS: Foram avaliados 72 pacientes, sendo 90,27% do sexo feminino, com média de idade de 50,2 ± 13,3 anos, média do DAS 28: 3,66 e a do HAQ: 0,69. Estavam regularmente ativos 43,05%, sendo que a caminhada foi o exercício mais praticado (80,64%). A média de tempo de exercício físico foi de 48,22 ± 27,18 min, periodicidade de 3,7 ± 1,64 vezes na semana. Não houve associação entre atividade física com sexo, idade, escolaridade, atividade da doença, incapacidade funcional, tabagismo ou etilismo, presença de comorbidades e tratamento com drogas modificadoras do curso da doença. CONCLUSÃO: Dada a importância da prática regular de atividade física, há necessidade de orientação dos pacientes, em especial quanto à prática de atividades resistidas, pouco frequente entre os pacientes do nosso estudo. INTRODUCTION: The 2012 Consensus of the Brazilian Society of Rheumatology (SBR) for the treatment of Rheumatoid Arthritis (RA) recommends that patients should regularly perform physical exercises. There have been no studies in Brazil on physical activity among patients with early RA. OBJECTIVE: To investigate the physical activity practice among patients with early RA and the possible association between physical activity, disease activity and functional disability. METHODS: Cross-sectional study of patients from the Brasilia cohort of early RA. Demographic data (sex, age and level of schooling), physical activity practice, Disease Activity Score 28 (DAS 28), functional disability (Health Assessment Questionnaire - HAQ), as well as data on smoking status, alcohol consumption, comorbidities and RA treatment were analyzed. RESULTS: A total of 72 patients were evaluated, 90.27% females, mean age 50.2 ± 13.3 years, mean DAS 28: 3.66 and HAQ: 0.69. Of them, 43.05% were regularly active, with walking being the most often practiced exercise (80.64%). The mean duration of exercise was 48.22 ± 27.18 min, with a frequency of 3.7 ± 1.64 times per week. There was no association between physical activity and gender, age, educational level, disease activity, functional disability, alcoholism or smoking, presence of comorbidities and treatment with drugs that alter the course of disease. CONCLUSION: Given the importance of regular physical activity practice, it is necessary to recommend it to patients, especially resistance physical activities, which are not frequent among the patients in our study.

It is known that a sedentary life style diminishes life expectancy and worsens existing chronic illnesses. Exercise not only promotes health but also prevents illness and can be used in the treatment of most of the well-known metabolic and chronic diseases. It reduces insulin resistance, helps regulate blood glucose, lowers uric acid and triglycerides and leads to an increase in the HDL/LDL cholesterol ratio [Banfi et al., 2012].

A hipertensão arterial é uma doença multifatorial que sofre grande influência do meio ambiente no seu desenvolvimento. Pacientes com predisposição genética à hipertensão arterial poderão desenvolver a doença na idade adulta, se mantiverem um estilo de vida que inclua ingestão excessiva de carboidratos, sal e álcool, além de vida sedentária e competitiva. É importante que, na abordagem terapêutica do paciente hipertenso, tenhamos sempre em mente a necessidade de estimular a mudança de estilo de vida, através de modificações dietético-comportamentais, que contribuirão, em muito, para o melhor controle da pressão arterial.

Coronary heart disease has become a medical and public health issue associated with multiple risk factors such as age, diet, and sedentary life style. Associations between hypertension and atherosclerosis have been extensively studied, and several trials have demonstrated antiatherosclerotic properties in some of the most widely used antihypertensive agents. Hence, calcium channel blockers, angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors, and angiotensin receptor blockers have been the target for a number of controlled randomized trials studying its effect on atherosclerosis progression. Carotid intima-media thickness measurement by ultrasound is used as surrogate of atherosclerosis in most of these controlled trials. This review of the literature aims to summarize the most significant controlled trials involving antihypertensive therapy and atherosclerosis regression based on the carotid intima-media thickness measurement.

Background Obesity and osteoporosis, two possibly related conditions, are rapidly expanding health concerns in modern society. Both of them are associated with sedentary life style and nutrition. To investigate the effects of diet-induced obesity and voluntary physical activity we used high resolution micro-computed tomography (μCT) together with peripheral quantitative computed tomography (pQCT) to examine the microstructure of the distal femoral metaphysis in mice. Methods Forty 7-week-old male C57BL/6J mice were assigned to 4 groups: control (C), control + running (CR), high-fat diet (HF), and high-fat diet + running (HFR). After a 21-week intervention, all the mice were sacrificed and the left femur dissected for pQCT and μCT measurements. Results The mice fed the high-fat diet showed a significant weight gain (over 70% for HF and 60% for HFR), with increased epididymal fat pad mass and impaired insulin sensitivity. These obese mice had significantly higher trabecular connectivity density, volume, number, thickness, area and mass, and smaller trabecular separation. At the whole bone level, they had larger bone circumference and cross-sectional area and higher density-weighted maximal, minimal, and polar moments of inertia. Voluntary wheel running decreased all the cortical bone parameters, but increased the trabecular mineral density, and decreased the pattern factor and structure model index towards a more plate-like structure. Conclusions The results suggest that in mice the femur adapts to obesity by improving bone strength both at the whole bone and micro-structural level. Adaptation to running exercise manifests itself in increased trabecular density and improved 3D structure, but in a limited overall bone growth

Background Clinicians generally agree on the association between depression and hypertension. Less clear is if the nature of the link is direct or indirect and if this should be considered confined only to syndromal forms or if it concerns also subsyndromal affective presentations. This study investigated the nature of the association between hypertension and subsyndromal depression in hospitalized hypertensive patients. Methods 196 hypertensive and 96 non hypertensive inpatients underwent a SCID interview, to exclude patients positive for any Axis I or Axis II diagnosis. Symptomatic Subsyndromal Depression (SSD) was identified according to criteria proposed by Judd. Psychopathological assessment was performed with Anxiety Sensitivity Index (ASI) and Hopkins Symptom Checklist-90 (SCL-90). Clinical assessments included blood pressure measurement, evaluation of general health conditions and screening cardiovascular risk factors (smoke, alcohol, body weight, sedentary life style). Results Hypertensives met more frequently criteria for SSD. They also scored higher on ASI and SCL-90. However, those with more severe physical conditions, if compared with more healthy patients, did not show increased psychopathological severity. Similarly, psychopathological symptom severity did not differ among hypertensives positive for other cardiovascular risk factors, commonly more frequent among depressed subjects. Limitations Further analyses are needed to explore the potential advantage obtained on blood pressure control by treating SSD. Conclusions Hospitalized hypertensives, more frequently satisfied criteria for Symptomatic Subsyndromal Depression. These milder affective forms are probably directly linked to the presence of hypertension, rather than being indirectly associated to physical impairment or to higher prevalence of other cardiovascular risk factors.

Background. A community-based study put the prevalence of hypertension in Nigeria at 32.8%. Market workers in Nigeria lead sedentary life style and often depend on salt-laden fast food while at work.Method. An unselected population of market workers were screened for hypertension and its risk factors by a pretested, structured questionnaire, clinical examination, and laboratory investigation. Hypertension was defined as BP ≥ 140 and/or ≥ 90 mmHg or being on drug therapy.Results. Forty-two percent of the screened population were hypertensive. Of this number, 70.6% did not know they were hypertensive before the screening. More males than females () were hypertensive. Prevalence of hypertension increased with age from 5.4% in the age group Conclusion. The prevalence of hypertension in market workers in this study was 42%, and the majority of them were unaware of their disease.

An improvement of lifestyle is always the first step in lipid management and should always be continued and checked as long as the patient is under supervision for lipid management. This is emphasised by all guidelines and is called TLC by ATP III.

Atherosclerosis, a pathology affecting arterial blood vessels, is one of most common diseases of the developed countries. We present studies on the increased atherosclerosis risk using an agent based model of atherogenesis that has been previously validated using clinical data. It is well known that the major risk in atherosclerosis is the persistent high level of low density lipoprotein (LDL) concentration. However, it is not known if short period of high LDL concentration can cause irreversible damage and if reduction of the LDL concentration (either by life style or drug) can drastically or partially reduce the already acquired risk. We simulated four different clinical situations in a large set of virtual patients (200 per clinical scenario). In the first one the patients lifestyle maintains the concentration of LDL in a no risk range. This is the control case simulation. The second case is represented by patients having high level of LDL with a delay to apply appropriate treatments; The third scenario is characterized by patients with high LDL levels treated with specific drugs like statins. Finally we simulated patients that are characterized by several oxidative events (smoke, sedentary life style, assumption of alcoholic drinks and so on so forth) that effective increase the risk of LDL oxidation. Those preliminary results obviously need to be clinically investigated. It is clear, however, that SimAthero has the power to concretely help medical doctors and clinicians in choosing personalized treatments for the prevention of the atherosclerosis damages.

Myocardial velocity gradient (MVG) derived from Doppler myocardial imaging and standard echocardiographic parameters were used to investigate whether age-related left ventricular (LV) functional and/or structural changes are different in long-term training athletes than in those leading a sedentary life style. Eighty-nine athletes (64 men, mean age 38 years, range 18 to 64) and 105 age-matched sedentary normal subjects were enrolled into the study. The MVG was analyzed in all patients throughout the cardiac cycle, and peak values were measured in systole and in diastole during both rapid ventricular filling and atrial contraction. No differences were found in LV systolic and late diastolic function between athletes and sedentary normal subjects. However, athletes had higher peak E waves in early diastole (73 +/- 10 cm/s vs 68 +/- 10 cm/s, p0.001) and rapid ventricular filling MVG (10.2 +/- 1.5 s(-1) vs 7.2 +/- 2.8 s(-1), p0.001) than sedentary normal subjects, suggesting a better early relaxation pattern. From LV diastolic indexes, the rapid ventricular filling MVG age-related decrease was less pronounced in athletes than in sedentary normal subjects (r = -0.39 vs r = -0.91; p0.01). All other diastolic variables, including transmitral Doppler inflow, had a similar degree of age-related changes in both study groups. Thus, athletes, compared with those leading a sedentary lifestyle, have higher early diastolic performance, which is less affected by the physiologic aging process. It would appear that MVG derived from Doppler myocardial imaging may play an important role in the assessment of LV functional and/or structural changes.

Introduction:Age-related macular degeneration (ARMD) is a leading cause of blindness in the elderly population. Objective:To frame a profile of patients with ARMD and find out the factors associated with it Materials and methods: A cross-sectional study was carried out including a total of 75 patients with ARMD presenting to the out-patient department of a tertiary level ophthalmic center in Kathmandu. The data pertaining to their demography, ocular and systemic history and the findings of clinical examination and laboratory investigations were analyzed. The quality of life was assessed based on their dependability on the others for daily activity. Results: Mean age of presentation of ARMD was 73 years ±7.93. Of the total, 44 were male and 31 female. Smoking was significantly associated with ARMD (p

It is known since long time that Coronary Heart Disease (CHD) morbidities and mortalities show large variations in different countries of the world (1).

In order to assess the relative influence of age, resting heart rate (HR) and sedentary life style, heart rate variability (HRV) was studied in two different groups. The young group (YG) consisted of 9 sedentary subjects aged 15 to 20 years (YG-S) and of 9 nonsedentary volunteers (YG-NS) also aged 15 to 20. The elderly sedentary group (ESG) consisted of 16 sedentary subjects aged 39 to 82 years. HRV was assessed using a short-term procedure (5 min). R-R variability was calculated in the time-domain by means of the root mean square successive differences. Frequency-domain HRV was evaluated by power spectrum analysis considering high frequency and low frequency bands. In the YG the effort tolerance was ranked in a bicycle stress test. HR was similar for both groups while ESG showed a reduced HRV compared with YG. Within each group, HRV displayed a negative correlation with HR. Although YG-NS had better effort tolerance than YG-S, their HR and HRV were not significantly different. We conclude that HRV is reduced with increasing HR or age, regardless of life style. The results obtained in our short-term study agree with others of longer duration by showing that age and HR are the main determinants of HRV. Our results do not support the idea that changes in HRV are related to regular physical activity.