The report, published in the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s weekly report on death and disease stated that obese H1N1 flu patients without any previous health conditions may be at risk of developing severe complications such as multiple organ failure and blood clots.
Obese H1N1 patients
Health officials cited the cases in a Michigan hospital as basis of their report. Seven out of ten patients in the said hospital had to be put on mechanical ventilators; three of them were not able to survive. Out of the three who died, two had no pre-existing health problems.
Nine out of the ten patients were obese, with seven out of those nine being extremely obese. Two out of the three who died were also identified to be extremely obese.
Severe complications were also seen in the sample population studied. Nine out of ten had multiple organ failure which can occur in other influenza cases. However, there were five who had blood clots and six who suffered from kidney failure, complications which were not predominant to H1N1 patients.
Link between obesity and complications still unknown
Dr. Tim Uyeki, a flu expert from the CDC and co-author of the study said, “What this suggests is that there can be severe complications associated with this virus infection, especially in severely obese patients." He added that, "Clinicians need to be aware that severe complications can occur in patients with the novel H1N1 virus, particularly in extremely obese patients.”
The study has noted that none of the patients suffering the complications has fully recovered as of the moment.
Despite the findings of the study, scientists are still at a loss on how obesity leads to severe complications of H1N1. Dr. Uyeki stated, "We don't know if it is necessary for a higher dose of the drug to be given to patients who are obese.”
Increasing cases
Also on Friday, the CDC reported that the number of H1N1 cases in the country is now more than 37,000 with 211 deaths. This is a big increase from the 34,000 cases and 170 deaths reported last week.
The drug of choice for the H1N1 flu remains to be oseltamivir known by the brand name Tamiflu.
health care costs-obesity
Perhaps a plague of H1N1 hitting the U.S. this fall will result in such high rates of mortality in obese people that health care costs will plummet?
VITAMIN D-FICIENCY IS GLOBAL HEALTH PANDEMIC
A SIMPLE SEARCH for "Vitamin D Deficiency" from any search engine will help you become an educated citizen and improve your health. It is up to the private citizen to learn more about this very serious problem, as this is new information for most doctors and it takes 15-18 YEARS for new medical information to make it into mainstream practice.
An excellent overview is available from the Linus Pauling Institute: http://lpi.oregonstate.edu/infocenter/vitamins/vitaminD/. Also, www.vitamindhealth.org New England Journal of Medicine article and "Presentation to ECTS" entertaining video, and finally, www.vitamindcouncil.com
Humane assistance to obese and other immune compromised people
HEALTH CARE COSTS WOULD PLUMMET IN THE U.S. AND EVERY COUNTRY ON THE PLANET IF the existing Vitamin D deficiency pandemic were turned around. Scarce health care dollars would be saved by individuals, companies contributing to employee health insurance, and insurance companies paying for treatment for all of the illnesses set in motion by insufficient Vitamin D. Vitamin D deficiency can actually TRIGGER obesity. Our bodies cannot absorb Calcium if we are deficient in Vitamin D. Therefore, our bodies will leach calcium from our bones and teeth to meet the needs of vital organs. *As soon as Vitamin D levels goes down, and ionized calcium goes down, calcium sensors in parathyroid glands pick it up and increase parathyroid hormone and you wind up with secondary hypoparathyroidism. *Holick You can read this at www.vitamindhealth.org. And, guess what happens when calcium is drawn out of your bones? Very painful bones, osteomalacia, and/or osteoporosis will result.
Vitamin D deficiency is killing more people right now (obese and not obese) due to all of the illnesses that are triggered when our immune systems are non-functional due to low Vit D than this plague will likely kill. Smart people will get free treatment by getting out in the sun (cover your face) for 10 minutes (set a timer!) every few days. Then put on your sunscreen. Or, take a vitamin D supplement. New research substantiates that a higher dose is now recommended. Adults can get 1,000 iu in most grocery or drugstores. Certain medical associations have just raised the recommended number for vitamin D supplementation, including Amer Assoc of Pediatrics - check their website for new recommendation for babies and children. My wish is for improved health for everyone.
SECRET to why obese are more susceptible to flu + other illness
This is no mystery. There is a Vitamin D pandemic in the world RIGHT NOW. Read Dr. Michael Holick's New England Journal of Medicine article (external link on his website, www.vitamindhealth.org) and also view his highly entertaining video presentation to the European Calcified Tissues Symposium. Vitamin D TURNS ON OUR IMMUNE SYSTEMS. Obese people cannot make vitamin D from the sun because the fat obstructs it. 1/2 of the world population is Vitamin D deficiency right now! Also read important info from www.vitamindcouncil.com. It takes 15-18 YEARS for new medical information to make it into mainstream practice. People are succombing to all sorts of cancer, diabetes, osteoporosis, OBESITY, multiple sclerosis and other terrible diseases DUE TO VIT D DEFICIENCY. Camilla, it is time for one capable journalist to take the lead that will save the lives of millions of people. Write something that will appear on the main page of Google News and other news outlets about this terrible medical condition. Please, please watch Dr. Holick's video. He is the world's renown leader on Vitamin D deficiency. (Top 10 Vit D scientists are listed on the Vit D Council website, including Dr. Holick.) Every cell in our body has Vit D receptors. . .for a reason!
The safe, sure, fast way to reduce obesity
People who are overweight/fat/obese are sensitive to salt, which for them can result in sodium and water retention and therefore, obviously, weight gain. This in turn can result in calcium deficiency, which causes fat retention. Reducing salt intake reduces both the fluid retention and the fat retention. - Reducing calories does not address the fluid retention problem at all and that is the explanation for the fact that diets don't work.
Prescription drugs including many steroids, many antidepressants, anti-psychotics and epilepsy drugs as well as other pharmaceuticals, are a major cause of fluid retention/obesity/salt sensitivity and especially of morbid obesity. - Avoid taking prescription drugs unless they are absolutely necessary.
Lose weight, reduce your risk of most cancers, high blood pressure, type 2 diabetes, heart disease, heart attack, vascular dementia, stroke, osteopenia, osteoporosis, hypercholesterolaemia, depression, liver damage and kidney problems, and improve your health in many other ways without drugs, hunger or expense by eating less salt! - Try it! - You will feel so much better! See my website www.wildeaboutsteroids.co.uk
The site does not sell anything and has no banners or sponsors or adverts - just helpful information.
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