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Economic Times
2 days ago
- Health
- Economic Times
27-year-old Mumbai woman's heart attack case reveals how PCOS, contraceptive pills may be putting young women at serious risk
Live Events (You can now subscribe to our (You can now subscribe to our Economic Times WhatsApp channel While many Mumbaikars dread April for its scorching heat, 27-year-old Payal (name changed), a resident of Mahim, looked back on the month with happy memories as a newlywed. But on June 2, her life took a frightening turn when she suffered a heart attack after a day of severe acidity and sharp chest pain late at night.'She showed ECG changes at 2 am that confirmed a heart attack,' said cardiologist Dr Kaushal Chhatrapati of Saifee Hospital near Charni Road. He added that he placed a stent in her circumflex artery early on June 3 to restore blood heart attack came as a shock to Payal's family, especially since she is young and women of childbearing age are generally protected against heart disease by the hormone estrogen. Estrogen helps keep blood vessels open and reduces to a TOI report quoting Dr Chhatrapati, the likely cause in Payal's case was the contraceptive pills she had been taking for polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS), a hormonal disorder causing irregular periods and ovarian cysts. Payal's father said she had battled PCOS for nearly ten years and had been on contraceptive pills for seven years.A study from Denmark published in the medical journal The BMJ in February found that the commonly used combined estrogen-progestin contraceptive pill doubled the risk of ischemic stroke and heart attack. The study estimated that for every 4,760 women using the pill for one year, there would be one extra stroke, and for every 10,000 women per year, one extra heart attack. Estrogen-containing products like vaginal rings and skin patches were particularly noted as per the TOI report, gynaecologist Dr Kiran Coelho said strokes were more common than heart attacks linked to contraceptive pills. 'I have seen women as young as 22 and 28 with PCOS suffering strokes. But many women need these pills to suppress ovulation, which reduces cyst formation in the ovaries,' she often comes with obesity and insulin resistance, which can cause dyslipidaemia, high levels of fats in the blood that increase the risk of heart disease. 'Urban women face high stress levels, and childhood obesity is rising. These factors raise the chances of PCOS, which affects one in every five adolescent girls in urban India,' Dr Coelho Rajeev Bhagwat, cardiologist at Nanavati Hospital in Vile Parle, pointed out that while contraceptive pills are known to increase the risk of blood clots, doctors should carefully review a woman's family history of heart disease before prescribing them. 'Family history is a very strong factor for heart disease in young people,' he from TOI
Time of India
2 days ago
- Health
- Time of India
27-year-old Mumbai woman's heart attack case reveals how PCOS, contraceptive pills may be putting young women at serious risk
Live Events (You can now subscribe to our (You can now subscribe to our Economic Times WhatsApp channel While many Mumbaikars dread April for its scorching heat, 27-year-old Payal (name changed), a resident of Mahim, looked back on the month with happy memories as a newlywed. But on June 2, her life took a frightening turn when she suffered a heart attack after a day of severe acidity and sharp chest pain late at night.'She showed ECG changes at 2 am that confirmed a heart attack,' said cardiologist Dr Kaushal Chhatrapati of Saifee Hospital near Charni Road. He added that he placed a stent in her circumflex artery early on June 3 to restore blood heart attack came as a shock to Payal's family, especially since she is young and women of childbearing age are generally protected against heart disease by the hormone estrogen. Estrogen helps keep blood vessels open and reduces to a TOI report quoting Dr Chhatrapati, the likely cause in Payal's case was the contraceptive pills she had been taking for polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS), a hormonal disorder causing irregular periods and ovarian cysts. Payal's father said she had battled PCOS for nearly ten years and had been on contraceptive pills for seven years.A study from Denmark published in the medical journal The BMJ in February found that the commonly used combined estrogen-progestin contraceptive pill doubled the risk of ischemic stroke and heart attack. The study estimated that for every 4,760 women using the pill for one year, there would be one extra stroke, and for every 10,000 women per year, one extra heart attack. Estrogen-containing products like vaginal rings and skin patches were particularly noted as per the TOI report, gynaecologist Dr Kiran Coelho said strokes were more common than heart attacks linked to contraceptive pills. 'I have seen women as young as 22 and 28 with PCOS suffering strokes. But many women need these pills to suppress ovulation, which reduces cyst formation in the ovaries,' she often comes with obesity and insulin resistance, which can cause dyslipidaemia, high levels of fats in the blood that increase the risk of heart disease. 'Urban women face high stress levels, and childhood obesity is rising. These factors raise the chances of PCOS, which affects one in every five adolescent girls in urban India,' Dr Coelho Rajeev Bhagwat, cardiologist at Nanavati Hospital in Vile Parle, pointed out that while contraceptive pills are known to increase the risk of blood clots, doctors should carefully review a woman's family history of heart disease before prescribing them. 'Family history is a very strong factor for heart disease in young people,' he from TOI
Time of India
3 days ago
- Health
- Time of India
Contraceptive pills linked to heart attack in young woman with PCOS
Mumbai: Unlike many Mumbaikars who disliked April for its sizzling temperatures, Mahim resident, 27-year-old Payal (name changed), has happy memories of the summer month as a new bride. That is, until June 2, when the software engineer spent a day nursing "terrible acidity" that worsened with acute chest pain in the middle of the night and turned out to be a heart attack. "She showed changes in her ECG when she was brought in at 2am that pointed to a heart attack," said cardiologist Dr Kaushal Chhatrapati from Saifee Hospital near Charni Road, who put a stent across her circumflex artery in the early hours of June 3. Payal's heart attack shocked her family because, for one, she is just 27, and for another, women are supposed to have 'protection' against heart disease/attacks during their childbearing years. The protector is the female hormone estrogen, which keeps blood vessels wide enough for blood flow and reduces inflammation. The culprit in Payal's case, according to Dr Chhatrapati, was contraceptive pills she was prescribed for polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS), a hormonal disorder characterised by irregular periods and the presence of cysts on the ovaries. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like People Born 1940-1975 With No Life Insurance Could Be Eligible For This Reassured Get Quote Undo Payal's father said she struggled for almost a decade with PCOS, and her gynaecologist prescribed the contraceptive pills for seven years. A Denmark study published in 'The BMJ' medical journal in Feb found that the most commonly used hormonal contraceptive—the combined estrogen-progestin pill —was associated with double the risk of ischaemic stroke and heart attack. The article extrapolated this to mean "one extra stroke for every 4,760 women using the combined pill for one year, and one extra heart attack for every 10,000 women per year of use." The study maintained that estrogen-containing products, in particular the vaginal ring and skin patches, were of concern. Gynaecologist Dr Kiran Coelho said strokes are more common than heart attacks due to contraceptive pills. "I have seen 22-year-old and 28-year-old women with PCOS who suffered strokes, but women need the pills to suppress ovulation, which, in turn, reduces the number of cysts in their ovaries," she said. PCOS is often accompanied by obesity and insulin resistance, leading to dyslipidaemia, a condition in which the patient has high levels of lipids (fats) in the blood that can lead to an increased risk of heart disease. "Urban women have high levels of stress, and there is a higher incidence of childhood obesity than before. These factors increase the risk of PCOS in urban India, where one in every five adolescent girls has the hormonal disorder," said Dr Coelho. Cardiologist Dr Rajeev Bhagwat from Nanavati Hospital in Vile Parle said that while it's known that contraceptive pills can increase thrombosis, it's important for doctors to know the woman's family history of heart disease before prescribing these pills. "Family history is a very strong cause for heart disease among the young," he added.
Time of India
5 days ago
- Health
- Time of India
A common drug shows promise for patients with liver disease
A recent Chinese clinical trial published in The BMJ reveals that dapagliflozin, a type 2 diabetes drug, shows promise in treating severe liver conditions like MASH and liver fibrosis. The study, involving 154 participants, demonstrated significant improvements in MASH and fibrosis among those receiving dapagliflozin compared to the placebo group, suggesting a potential new treatment avenue. Liver disease accounts for two million deaths annually. This is 4% of all deaths (1 out of every 25 deaths worldwide), as per the data from 2023. Liver disease is a growing global health concern. A new study suggests that a widely used diabetes medication may offer hope for patients suffering from progressive liver disease. A recent clinical trial conducted in China and published in The BMJ suggests that the type 2 diabetes drug dapagliflozin can help patients with severe liver conditions such as metabolic dysfunction-associated steatohepatitis (MASH) and liver fibrosis, which have limited treatment options. What does the diabetes drug do (Pic courtesy: iStock) Dapagliflozin, a sodium-glucose cotransporter 2 (SGLT-2) inhibitor, which is widely used to treat type 2 diabetes, has been shown to improve progressive liver disease. The Chinese researchers found that the drug improved metabolic dysfunction-associated steatohepatitis (MASH), a condition where excess fat accumulates in the liver, leading to inflammation and liver fibrosis (a buildup of scar tissue). MASH affects more than 5% of adults, and it is also common (30%) in people with diabetes or obesity. Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Switch to UnionBank Rewards Card UnionBank Credit Card Apply Now Undo This can progress to cirrhosis in up to 25% of individuals. Though previous studies have suggested that SGLT-2 inhibitors can improve liver fat content, liver enzymes, and liver stiffness, no trial has been carried out in patients with MASH. The study To understand the effects of dapagliflozin in patients with MASH, the researchers conducted a study. The 48-week study had 154 participants, who were diagnosed with MASH following liver biopsies at six Chinese medical centers from November 2018 to March 2023. Participants had an average age of 35, and 85% were men. Nearly half (45%0 had type 2 diabetes, and most had evidence of liver fibrosis at various stages (33% stage 1, 45% stage 2, 19% stage 3). Following an initial screening biopsy, the participants were randomly assigned to receive 10 mg of dapagliflozin or a matching placebo once daily for 48 weeks. They attended health education sessions twice a year. The researchers also recorded body weight, blood pressure, blood glucose, liver enzymes, physical activity, diet, insulin, and lipids of the participants throughout the trial. MASH improvement was defined as a decrease of at least 2 points in non-alcoholic fatty liver disease activity score (NAS) or a NAS of 3 points or less. By the end of the study, which is after 48 weeks, the researchers observed that 53% (41 of 78) participants in the dapagliflozin group showed improvement in MASH without worsening of fibrosis (defined as no increase in fibrosis stage) compared with 30% (23 of 76) in the placebo group. 23% (18 of 78) participants in the dapagliflozin group showed resolution of MASH without worsening of fibrosis, compared with 8% (6 of 76) in the placebo group. Trump Health Scare: 'Cognitive Decline' Spotted? Political Adviser's BIG Warning Amid Dementia Claim They also saw improvement in fibrosis without worsening of MASH in 45% (35 of 78) participants in the dapagliflozin group compared with 20% (15 of 76) in the placebo group. 1% (1 of 78) in the dapagliflozin group and 3% (2 of 76) in the placebo group discontinued the treatment because of adverse events. What are the experts saying Fatty liver 'Our findings indicate that dapagliflozin may affect key aspects of MASH by improving both steatohepatitis and fibrosis,' they said. They added that large-scale and long-term trials are needed to further confirm these effects. The trial was conducted in a Chinese population, which limits its broader generalisability. They also noted that with the emergence of more drugs, therapeutic decisions will likely become increasingly tailored to individual patient profiles, they write. 'Ideally, such treatments should provide cardiovascular benefit, have an established safety profile, and be accessible to broad and diverse patient populations,' they concluded. One step to a healthier you—join Times Health+ Yoga and feel the change
Jordan News
6 days ago
- Health
- Jordan News
Low-Calorie Diets May Worsen Depression Symptoms, Study Finds - Jordan News
A new study published in The BMJ has revealed a concerning link between low-calorie diets and an increased risk of depression symptoms, particularly among individuals who are overweight or obese. اضافة اعلان The research analyzed data from over 28,000 participants in the U.S. National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) from 2007 to 2018. Depression severity was assessed using a validated health questionnaire. Diet and Mental Health Scientific literature has long supported the idea that diets rich in whole foods—such as vegetables, fruits, whole grains, and lean proteins—are associated with a lower risk of depression. In contrast, diets high in processed foods, fried items, and sweets are linked to a higher likelihood of developing depressive symptoms. However, this recent study focused specifically on restrictive diets, whether in terms of calorie intake or nutrient composition. Researchers found that participants who followed low-calorie diets reported higher levels of depressive symptoms compared to those who did not follow any diet. Among overweight individuals, those on a calorie-restricted diet saw a 0.46-point increase in depressive symptom scores, while those on nutrient-restricted diets experienced a 0.61-point increase. Gender Differences in Impact The study also revealed notable gender differences in how restrictive diets affected mental health. For example: Nutrient-restricted diets were associated with greater emotional and cognitive symptoms in men than in women. All participants who followed any form of restricted diet experienced increased physical symptoms like anxiety and tension, particularly obese males. Researchers suggest these effects may stem from the brain's need for essential nutrients like glucose and omega-3 fatty acids. When diets limit these, especially in people with higher nutritional needs, mood and cognitive function may suffer. Limitations and Cautions Despite these findings, lead researcher Sumantra Ray emphasized that the results are observational and do not prove causation. While clinical trials have shown improvements in mood with calorie restriction under controlled conditions, real-life dieting can lead to nutrient deficiencies that negatively affect both physical and mental well-being. Final Recommendations The study urges caution when adopting restrictive diets, particularly for those with overweight or obesity. Consulting with registered dietitians or healthcare professionals is strongly recommended to ensure any diet plan remains balanced and nutritionally adequate, supporting both physical and mental health.
