Latest news with #MedicalExpress
Daily Mail
6 days ago
- Health
- Daily Mail
Unavoidable life event that affects MILLIONS of people linked to premature death, experts warn
A new study has revealed that 'highly intense' grief can send you to an early grave. The findings come from a Danish study of 1,735 bereaved relatives, with an average age of 62, which looked at the link between mortality and intensity of grief. Researchers measured how intensely people experienced grief by using the Prolonged Grief-13 Scale. The bereaved with the highest intensity grief that persisted had double the risk of premature death over ten years. This was in comparison to those who reported experiencing the lowest levels of grief after losing a loved one. Researchers don't know the exact cause of the increased mortality observed in those with high levels of grief. But lead author of the study, Dr Mette Kjærgaard Nielsen, a public health expert at Aarhus University said: 'We have previously found a connection between high grief symptom levels and higher rates of cardiovascular disease, mental health problems, and even suicide.' They also found those with the most intense grief had been prescribed mental health treatment before they lost a loved one. So, Dr Nielsen told MedicalExpress: 'A GP could look for previous signs of depression and other severe mental health conditions.' This would allow them to refer them to the relevant secondary care or follow-up bereavement appointments focusing on mental health, she advised. The study which started in 2012, followed participants who were of an average age of 62 for ten years. It identified five 'grief trajectories' that categorised how participants experienced their grief. The most common, experienced by 38 per cent, was 'persistently low levels of grief symptoms'. Then nearly a fifth had 'high but decreasing' symptoms, while 29 per cent had 'moderate but decreasing' grief. Another nine per cent of participants began with lower levels of grief that increased, peaking at six months, before reducing. The six per cent with highest grief' symptoms that persisted over time, were those with a higher risk of an early death. Previously experts warned found that grief can cause broken heart syndrome, also known as takotsubo cardiomyopathy The life-threatening phenomenon, which affects around 2,500 Brits every year, is a reaction by the heart to a sudden release of stress hormones. This causes part of the heart to become temporarily enlarged and struggle to pump blood properly. Experts say it can cause the same symptoms and complications as a heart attack, which can be life-threatening. However, unlike those who suffer heart attacks, broken heart syndrome is not linked with blocked arteries. But it can be misdiagnosed as a heart attack, stopping patients from receiving the right treatment. Previously MailOnline reported that scientists based at the University of Aberdeen claimed the syndrome is not being treated correctly. Their five-year-study, based on 4,000 people in Scotland showed around a quarter of patients with the condition died. Analysis also showed that drugs used to prevent heart attacks did not improve the survival rate of takotsubo cardiomyopathy, despite being the go-to treatment. Their findings came after the ex-partner of Sinead O'Connor insisted that the star, 56, died of a broken 'broken heart'. Her son Shane took his own life 18 months before the singer passed. Officially, her death certificate states she died of natural causes.
Yahoo
25-04-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
DHL upgrades next-day Medical Express service for Latin America
International shipper DHL Express has grown its next-day delivery capabilities by adding a Brazil-to-U.S. lane to its Medical Express service. According to a news release emailed to FreightWaves by DHL, this new connection links South America and Puerto Rico to the U.S., with the goal of expediting deliveries to customers in pharmaceutical and clinical research sectors. 'With its Medical Express service, DHL Express expertly manages the export and regulatory requirements for urgent shipments that necessitate specific temperature controls,' the Thursday release stated. The service will help speed up transportation of samples from Puerto Rico, Brazil, Argentina, Chile, Colombia and Peru to central U.S. destination labs in less than 30 hours from the time of patient draw. It offers dry ice supply and temperature-controlled packaging fulfillment and online tools for placing bookings and ordering supplies. Additionally, DHL's network in Brazil has been upgraded with a specialized customer service center staffed with bilingual representatives. 'Given the complexities of export processes, tax payments, and ANVISA (Brazil's health regulatory agency) approvals necessary in Brazil, our integrated system allows DHL to initiate export approvals before samples arrive at our facilities,' said Brian Bralynski, senior director of life sciences and healthcare at DHL Express Americas, in the release. 'This enables DHL to extend later collection times for investigator sites, allowing more time to schedule patient visits while still exporting on the day of collection.' The release stated that since 2023, DHL-operated aircraft have departed Miami to its hub at the Cincinnati and Northern Kentucky International Airport in the morning instead of the evening. This has allowed 65% of ambient patient samples to now arrive at central U.S. labs for testing one day sooner. 'DHL Medical Express addresses a critical industry need for specialized services in the pharmaceutical and clinical research sectors,' said Andrew Williams, CEO of DHL Express Americas, in the release. 'It's a highly effective solution due to our robust international network and deep understanding of the regulatory requirements involved in the import and export of pharmaceuticals, test kits, and diagnostic specimens.' The news comes after DHL Group announced plans this month to invest over $2 billion to enhance its capabilities in the life science and health care logistics sector by 2030. The post DHL upgrades next-day Medical Express service for Latin America appeared first on FreightWaves. Sign in to access your portfolio
Jordan News
08-03-2025
- Health
- Jordan News
Secrets of the Relationship Between Sleep Patterns and Blood Sugar Disorders - Jordan News
Secrets of the Relationship Between Sleep Patterns and Blood Sugar Disorders A recent study conducted by the Westlake Life Sciences and Biomedical Laboratory in China explored the relationship between sleep patterns and fluctuations in blood sugar levels in adults. اضافة اعلان The study focused on how insufficient sleep and delayed sleep timing affect glucose regulation, aiming to understand the impact of sleep on metabolic health. Fluctuations in blood sugar levels are a crucial factor in metabolic health, as these fluctuations are linked to an increased risk of developing diabetes complications. While previous research has confirmed that lack of sleep negatively affects glucose metabolism, the long-term effects of sleep patterns on blood sugar fluctuations have not been sufficiently explored. Therefore, the research team sought to fill this gap by studying sleep patterns and their effect on blood sugar regulation over several years. The study included 1,156 participants aged between 46 and 83 years from the Guangzhou Nutrition and Health Study. Participants underwent self-reported sleep assessments through multiple visits and wore continuous glucose monitoring devices for 14 days to record real-time blood sugar fluctuations. The researchers identified four sleep patterns: severe insufficient sleep (4.7 to 4.1 hours per night), moderate insufficient sleep (6.0 to 5.5 hours), mild insufficient sleep (7.2 to 6.8 hours), and sufficient sleep (8.4 to 8.0 hours). Participants were also divided into two groups based on sleep start time: early continuous sleepers and late continuous sleepers. The results from the continuous glucose monitoring analysis showed that individuals in the severe insufficient sleep group experienced a 2.87% increase in blood sugar fluctuations and a 0.06 mmol/L increase in average daily glucose fluctuations compared to participants in the sufficient sleep group. Additionally, participants who slept late showed a 1.18% increase in glycemic variability (fluctuations in blood glucose levels over different time periods) and a 0.02 mmol/L increase in daily fluctuations. The study confirmed that individuals with both insufficient sleep and delayed sleep timing experienced greater fluctuations in blood sugar levels compared to those who had only one of these factors, indicating a compounded effect on blood sugar regulation. Thus, the findings emphasize the importance of maintaining adequate sleep duration and starting sleep earlier as key factors in improving blood sugar control and reducing the risks associated with diabetes. Source: Medical Express
