Atrial Fibrillation: Pathogenesis, Predisposing Factors, and Genetics

Atrial fibrillation (AF) is the most frequent arrhythmia managed in clinical practice, and it is linked to an increased risk of death, stroke, and peripheral embolism. The Global Burden of Disease shows that the estimated prevalence of AF is up to 33.5 million patients. So far, successful therapeutic techniques have been implemented, with a high health-care cost burden. As a result, identifying modifiable risk factors for AF and suitable preventive measures may play a significant role in enhancing community health and lowering health-care system expenditures. Several mechanisms, including electrical and structural remodeling of atrial tissue, have been proposed to contribute to the development of AF. This review article discusses the predisposing factors in AF including the different pathogenic mechanisms, sedentary lifestyle, and dietary habits, as well as the potential genetic burden.

A comparative study on antibiotics and no antibiotics in clean surgical cases

Background: Surgical wound infection is one of the most commonly occurring complications and its incidence has been lowest in clean surgical cases. Prophylactic antibiotics are routinely used in all surgical cases. But this is not indicated in clean surgical cases. Due to undue fear of infections, many practicing surgeons use antibiotics in clean surgical cases. Misuse of antimicrobials leads to drug toxicity, super infections, high health care cost and colonization of wards by highly resistant microbes. Objective of the study is to compare the frequencies of wound site infections in patients undergoing clean elective general surgery operations with no antibiotics and single dose prophylactic antibiotics.Methods: A comparative study of 100 patients undergoing elective clean surgeries at Victoria Hospital from November 2012 to October 2014 was undertaken. Data was collected by history taking, clinical examination, hematological and microbiological investigations and follow up.Results: Two cases in each group had post-operative infections noticed on the day 2 wound examination. All the four cases had culture positive with isolates being S. aureus in three and E. coli in single case.Conclusions: Post-operative wound infections noted in two cases in both the groups do not have any clinical and statistical significance; hence single dose of prophylactic antibiotics is not required in all the clean surgical cases. A simple size of large number is required in this area of research to conclude with statistical significance.

Significant metabolic improvement by a water extract of olives: animal and human evidence

ABSTRACTDyslipidemia and impaired glucose metabolism, are main health issues of growing prevalence and significant high Health Care cost, requiring novel prevention and/or therapeutic approaches. Epidemiological and animal studies revealed olive oil as an important dietary constituent for normolipidemia. However, no studies have specifically investigated the polyphenol rich water extract of olives (OLWPE), generated during olive oil production. Here, we explore OLPWE in animals and human metabolic parameters. High fat-fed rats developed a metabolic dysfunction, which was significantly impaired when treated with OLWPE, with decreased LDL and insulin levels and increased HDL. Moreover, they increased total plasma antioxidant capacity, while several phenolic compounds were detected in their blood. These findings were also verified in humans that consumed OLWPE daily for four weeks in a food matrix. Our data clearly show that OLWPE can improve glucose and lipid profile, indicating its possible use in the design of functional food and/or therapeutic interventions.