HIGH STRAIN JOBS LEAD TO A HIGHER RISK OF STROKE

HIGH STRAIN JOBS LEAD TO A HIGHER RISK OF STROKE

Today's job requires working long hours, often stretching into late nights. Several jobs also require doing night shift duties. With increased internet connectivity, there is a boon to communication. However, it has also blurred the boundaries of "work time" and "leisure time". It is common to see people bringing work to home. At home, instead of relaxing, they remain busy on "business calls" on their smartphones, or work on "projects" on their laptops. While all these long and unearthly hours of work have increased their productivity making these employees "valuable assets" to the company; it has also taken a big toll on their health.

A recent study, published in NEUROLOGY Journal (Nov 2015) has shown a significantly higher risk of brain stroke in people with high strain jobs. The risk was higher for ischemic stroke (where the blood supply to a part of brain gets blocked), resulting in paralysis, impaired speech, blindness, and so on. The risk of brain stroke due to high strain jobs was found to be higher in women as compared to men.

Several reasons may be involved in increasing the risk of brain stroke in high strain jobs:

1. Work strain may lead to unhealthy lifestyles such as increased smoking, reduced physical activity, unhealthy eating habits, untimely meals, reduced sleep, lack of health check ups, etc. All of them are risk factors for stroke.

2. Work stress is often associated with certain cardiovascular risk factors, such as metabolic syndrome, high body mass index (obesity), impaired glucose metabolism (diabetes), and dyslipidemia (high cholesterol), which are also known to be risk factors for stroke.

3. Work stress can also lead to neuro-endocrine disturbances, leading to increased inflammation and plaque destabilization, leading to ischemic brain stroke.

Therefore, one needs to maintain a good work-leisure balance. Maintaining good work out put and efficiency are important, however, it should not be at the cost of strain and stress.

1. Working hours should be restricted to 8-10 hours per day.

2. Work should not be brought home.

3. There should be adequate time left (after work) to spend with family; and exercise on a regular basis.

4. Smartphones and laptops should be in silent mode during sleep, so that sleep is not disturbed.

5. Avoid night shift duties as much as possible.

6. Avoid excess travel, as it leads to disturbed sleep rhythm, as well as increased strain.

7. Periodic breaks and vacations with family are advisable, to get relaxed and recharged.

DR SUDHIR KUMAR MD (Medicine) DM (Neurology)
Senior Consultant Neurologist
Apollo Hospitals, Jubilee Hills, Hyderabad
Email: drsudhirkumar@yahoo.com
Phone: 040-23607777/60601066

Online Consultation: http://bit.ly/Dr-Sudhir-kumar

UPDATE ON POLIO INFECTION AND VACCINATION

UPDATE ON POLIO INFECTION AND VACCINATION

1. Polio virus infection was a common cause of paralysis of legs and arms in many people across the world (including India) until the last decade.

2. As of January 2016, polio has been eliminated from all countries of the world except Pakistan and Afghanistan. The last case of Polio in India was seen in 2011.

3. There are 3 types of polioviruses called as types 1, 2 and 3. No polio infection has occurred due to type 2 poliovirus since 1999. The last case of Type3 virus-related polio was seen in 2012. So, at present, all polio infections are caused by type 1 poliovirus.

4. So, now, there is no need to use vaccine against all three types of viruses. The current oral polio vaccine (bivalent oral polio vaccine) gives protection against types 1 and 3 poliovirus types, and that is sufficient.

5. It is important to avoid using the older trivalent polio vaccine (which gave immunity against all three polio virus types), as older vaccine was responsible for rare complications called as vaccine associated paralytic polio (VAPP). In India, trivalent polio vaccine will be removed from April 2016, and only bivalent OPV would be available.

6. There are two types of polio vaccines- inactivated polio vaccine (IPV) and oral polio vaccine (OPV). As the name suggests, in IPV, the virus is in inactive state, and there is no risk of VAPP with this. So, in countries with no polio infection, it is better to use IPV. However, IPV does not prevent outbreaks of polio. So, in countries where polio infection is still present or there is a risk of epidemic, OPV is preferred.

7. In India, OPV is the vaccine of choice, given at birth, 6 weeks, 10 weeks and 14 weeks of age to children. IPV is optional and can be taken at 14 weeks of age along with third dose of DPT and OPV.

8. World Health Organization (WHO) has planned comprehensive strategies aiming eradication of polio to make the world free of polio by 2018. When this happens, polio would become the second infection to be eradicated (after small pox). The last case of small pox occurred in 1975 in Bangladesh.

DR SUDHIR KUMAR MD (INTERNAL MEDICINE) DM (NEUROLOGY)

SENIOR CONSULTANT NEUROLOGIST

Apollo Hospitals, Jubilee Hills, Hyderabad-500096

Phone- 0091-40-23607777/60601066

Email: drsudhirkumar@yahoo.com
Online consultation:  http://bit.ly/Dr-Sudhir-kumar