Threats posed by pain killers
Did you know that the regular use of common pain killers like ibuprofen or aspirin-based drugs can damage the stomach lining and even cause bleeding in the stomach? Still, the non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), as the above are known, are being used by the public in an indiscriminate manner without having the potential risk evaluated.Researchers at the Standford University in California (USA) have now developed a formula called gastrointestinal score (GI Score) to predict the risk of stomach damage in people who are chronic users of NSAIDs and are preparing to use them for their chronic health problems.
According to Dr Gurkirpal Singh, a senior research scholar and the assistant professor of medicine at the department's immunology and rheumatology wing, at least 30 million people in the world are consuming such pain killers for a number of pains and aches, including arthritis. In the US, over 1,07,000 people are hospitalised every year due to NSAID-related stomach bleeding and around 12 to 15 per cent of them even die due to serious complications.
Singh and his team have now come up with a self-assessment formula that they call GI Score, which is based on data of more than 90,000 patients regularly using 16 common pain-killers. The questionnaire prepared by Dr Singh and his colleagues rates the risk perceptions to patients on the basis of their age, overall health status, previous hospitalisation and GI side effects to NSAIDs.
``Using this information, doctors can modify the dosage and prevent stomach injuries to their patients,'' Dr Singh, who was in Delhi recently, said.Ajvayan identified as heart-friendly
Ajvayan, the grandma's recipe for stomach disorders, has been identified as being heart-friendly as well. Having as much as 90 per cent fibre content, the consumption of this common kitchen item can lower the risk of heart attack by lowering the levels of blood cholesterol.
According to the Heart Care Foundation of India (HCFI), the regular use of ajvayan and two to three table spoonfuls of commonly available natural laxative, isabgol can reduce the bad cholesterol by 15 to 20 per cent, thereby considerably lowering the risk of heart attacks. ``Consumption of bran, oat, soya, methi, amla, garlic, onion, ginger, and leafy vegetables should be encouraged,'' HCFI chairman Dr K.L. Chopra said.
