RESUMO
Music therapy (MT) is a music intervention involving a credentialed professional and a client, which has gained increasing recognition in current practices as an adjunct therapy for various conditions, including cardiovascular diseases (CVDs). MT demonstrates notable physiological as well as psychological effects leading to lowered anxiety, depression, and systolic blood pressure in patients with CVDs as well as having effects on heart rate and heart rate variability in healthy subjects. MT emerges as a promising adjunct in the prevention and rehabilitation of CVDs and its holistic impact on physiological and psychological parameters underscores its potential as a noninvasive, cost-effective intervention. Existing literature shows heterogeneity in methods in the studies such as the genre and quality of music utilized as well outcomes. While further research is warranted to optimize protocols and assess long-term effects, the current evidence highlights MT's substantial benefits in cardiovascular health care, making it a promising asset in modern therapeutic approaches. This comprehensive review explores the multifaceted role of MT in CVDs, discussing its mechanisms and clinical applications.
RESUMO
The use of e-cigarettes has tremendously increased in recent times due to the widespread availability of e-cigarettes in diverse flavors, reduced cost compared to regular cigarettes, and misconception of being comparatively safe, which have led to around 2.55 million US middle and high school students smoking e-cigarettes. These devices use a nicotine-rich liquid, which is aerosolized electronically, producing vapors that may also include hazardous chemicals and heavy metals. E-cigarettes are associated with e-cigarette or vaping-associated lung injury, which presents as an acute respiratory ailment mirroring various pulmonary diseases. Additionally, it causes endothelial dysfunction, alters blood lipid profile by elevating circulating levels of low-density lipoprotein cholesterol, increases sympathetic tone, and is found to correlate with arterial stiffening, hence negatively affecting respiratory, cardiovascular, and overall health. We aim to provide a comprehensive analysis of the data on e-cigarettes and their harmful effects on health in comparison to conventional cigarette use by highlighting the pathophysiology of e-cigarette-induced adverse effects and critically analyzing the data both in favor and against its use. Our review concludes that no matter how much nicotine an e-cigarette contains, evidence shows that using it increases the risk of cardiovascular disease, albeit maybe not as much as smoking regular tobacco. Nonetheless, it is crucial to note that the long-term effects of e-cigarette usage are still not fully understood, and existing data have provided opposing viewpoints.
RESUMO
A plant-based diet (PBD) includes multiple dietary patterns such as vegetarianism, veganism, lacto-ovo-vegetarianism, etc. A well-balanced PBD has positive effects on body mass index, hyperlipidemia, and type 2 diabetes, and it is associated with decreased risk of cardiovascular diseases. Due to its high fiber content, which lowers levels of low-density lipoprotein cholesterol, high antioxidant content, which prevents capillary wall damage; the presence of polyunsaturated fatty acids, which have an anti-inflammatory effect, improvement in glucose homeostasis through improved insulin sensitivity, and impact on the gut microbiota, it has been proven to be beneficial for the heart. Despite their possible benefits, PBDs can be low in essential nutrients such as vitamin B12, zinc, vitamin D, iodine, and amino acids. This review aims to analyze the influence of PBDs on the cardiovascular system and associated disease progression.
RESUMO
BACKGROUND: It has been established that identity of the trial leadership plays a role in the conduct of the trial. An estimation of the gender composition of RCT leadership in India has not been undertaken. We performed this study to quantify the gender composition of first authors of RCTs published from India for the years 2011 to 2020. METHODS: PubMed database was searched using the keyword "randomized controlled trial". We included studies that were classified as a RCT, had a first author affiliation that belonged to India and were published online between 1st January 2011 to 31st December 2020. The gender of the first authors was determined using Gender-API and manually. RESULTS: Out of the total 4136 RCTs included in our study, the gender of 4056 (98%) first authors were identified. Of the 4056 first authors, 1198 (30%) were women and 2858 (70%) were men. The mean (SD) percentage of yearly distribution of women and men as first authors was 29.53(2.23) and 70.46(2.23), respectively. We did not find any significant change in gender distribution of first authors over the course of ten years [P = 0.78]. CONCLUSION: The persistence of gender disparity in the leadership of RCTs from India demands greater efforts towards inclusion of women as leaders of clinical trials.
