Not to mention the label of ‘self-rewards’ and ‘cheating day’ that often lies on a thin line of permissiveness in unhealthy food and beverages consumption under the pretext of ‘reward’ for jobs or diet they performed. People could order online food delivery multiple times a day that contains high sugar and sodium level. According to the nutritionist of Universitas Sebelas Maret (UNS) Surakarta Hospital, Banun Ma’rifah Fatshidi, S.Gz., this behavior is unhealthy because of high sugar and sodium levels in foods and beverages could lead to numerous illnesses.

“The risk of high sugar is diabetes mellitus,” Banun stated as reported by uns.ac.id from UNS Hospital YouTube channel on Monday (14/2/2022). In comparison, high sodium intake increases the risk of high blood pressure.

Controlling Sugar and Sodium Level

Because sugar and sodium intake are often ignored by people, Banun shared tips to control both food components. First, she suggested that people obey the direction of sugar, sodium, and fat consumption from the Ministry of Health of the Republic of Indonesia Decree (Permenkes) Number 30 of 2013 concerning the Disclosure of Sugar, Sodium, and Fat and Health Notes on Processed and Ready Foods. “The guideline is G4 G1 L5,” Banun stated.

G4 G1 L5 refers to 10% of total daily calory needs or 200 kcal from sugar. “Sugar four dessert spoons per person or equal to 50 grams per person per day,” she explained.

Then 2,000 mg sodium or one teaspoon per person per day. For household needs, it is equal to 50 grams per person per day. Besides G4 G1 L5, Banun also asked people to track their food intake.

“If you drink sweet tea in the morning, you need to track that you don’t consumer sweet foods or beverages in the afternoon and evening,” Banun added.

She explained that, in general, sugar is the result of carbohydrate metabolism with complex chemical structures. While salts with sodium and Banun asked people to limit their intake of excessively seasoned foods. Humas UNS

Reporter: Y.C.A. Sanjaya
Editor: Dwi Hastuti

The post Healthier During Pandemics? Suggestions from UNS Hospital Nutritionist on Sugar and Salt Intake that You could Try appeared first on Universitas Sebelas Maret.

Congenital heart disease is a structural and functional abnormal condition of the heart from birth. It covers various types and abnormalities that could be categorized into two main conditions, critical and non-critical abnormalities. The critical abnormalities require immediate intervention in the first month to a year of one’s life to ensure survival. Examples of critical heart abnormalities are tricuspid atresia, coarctation of the aorta, dan Hypoplastic Left Heart Syndrome (HLHS). As a comparison, the non-critical abnormalities could be further clinically categorized into significant and non-significant abnormalities. Examples of non-critical abnormalities are Atrial Septal Defect (ASD) and Ventricular Septal Defect (VSD). Another classification for this condition is whether it causes cyanosis.

Another speaker in the event, dr. Maria Galuh K. S, Sp. A, M. Kes, UNS Hospital Pediatrician, explained that congenital heart condition could be detected as early as pregnancy through Ultrasound (USG) detection. An early symptom of this condition in infants is shortness of breath when breastfed and discomfort that makes them stop. However, dr. Galuh reminded that people should not self-diagnose and conclude that all shortness of breath is due to heart issues. The real issue should be analyzed. It is merely a symptom that parents should be aware of. “Another symptom is (baby’s) weight that does not match the recommendation,” she added. Other symptoms that are often found in clinical practice are recurring cough, cold, and inflammation.

Ninety percent of congenital heart condition has no clear causes or risk factors. However, research has determined several most common risk factors, such as genetic factors or the factor from pregnant mothers who have diabetes mellitus, consume alcoholic beverages, smoke, and consumption of a certain type of drugs, such as lithium that is used in mental disorders treatment. Exposure to cigarette smoke is also detected as the cause of congenital heart defects. Research has found that nicotine could cause a decrease in oxygen level up to 30-40%, interfering with nutrient absorption that plays a crucial role in an infant’s heart formation in the first trimester of pregnancy. In newborns or children, nicotine could lead to problematic weight and stunting, and at a later age, preventing the bones growth.

As one of the most common causes of newborn death, critical heart abnormalities could be detected using oximetry screening on 24-48 hours old babies’ right hand and feet. However, in some cases, there are no detectable signs that are only detectable later in life. “Often time, people with congenital heart abnormalities only realize their condition during their pregnancy, they found the symptoms, and echocardiographic examination revealed ASD and high lung pressure,” dr. Myrtha explained. dr. Galuh added that there are cases that congenital heart defects could be detected in newborns from the mentioned symptoms. However, many are quiet and undetected by a physician during the early examination.

There are diverse therapies and interventions for congenital heart defects depending on the types of abnormalities. In several cases, abnormalities like a hole in the heart could recover naturally at a certain age. However, in the case that such natural recovery does not occur, surgery and non-surgery options are available to treat the condition. There are also additional screenings for the condition, such as chest echocardiography, CT scan, or MRI. Children diagnosed with congenital heart defects need continuous monitoring of their condition, the severity of their symptoms, discipline in medication, and other available therapy. Some heart defects only require oral medicines to ease the symptoms; others require serious intervention. In any case of heart defects, parents are suggested to monitor their children’s growth through available growth graphics or through PrimaKu app from www.idai.or.id. Any mismatch between children’s growth and suggested growth criteria demands further attention from parents and routine health screening to receive early treatments.

There is no difference in terms of vaccination for children with congenital heart defects. However, more screening on their current condition before the vaccination is needed. Some vaccinations with active viral components such as BCG, polio, Measles and Rubella (MR), varicella vaccine, and Japanese Encephalitis (JE) need to be postponed for children with severe symptoms. Humas UNS

Reporter: Erliska Yuniar Purbayani
Editor: Dwi Hastuti

The post UNS Hospital Physician Shared Early Detection of Congenital Heart Condition appeared first on Universitas Sebelas Maret.

The Omicron cases spike in Indonesia attracted public attention immediately since the cases increased after 110,620,807 Indonesian citizens received their 2nd dose of Covid-19 vaccination. Additionally, public concerns about Omicron began to emerge because news circulated that the Covid-19 vaccines, which are currently available, were not effective against Omicron. So, is it true?

A Clinical Pathology Specialist in Universitas Sebelas Maret (UNS) Hospital, Surakarta, dr. Tonang Dwi Ardyanto, Sp.PK(K), Ph.D., FISQua ., states that the current Covid-19 vaccine only focuses on severe symptoms and death. If we wish to get a Covid-19 vaccine that can prevent infection in the upper respiratory tract, of course, it will take longer. “In countries facing Omicron, for example, the UK, vaccination coverage is already high. When Omicron spread, numerically, it was greater than the number of vaccinated groups. However, if it is proportional or in percentage, it (the Omicron case) is more than the group that has not been vaccinated,” explained dr. Tonang, Monday (12/27/2021).

Considering the rapid increase in Omicron cases in the UK, he explained that the risk of a Covid-19 vaccinated person being hospitalized when infected with Omicron is only 31-45 percent. Meanwhile, for those who have not received their Covid-19 vaccine shots, the risk of undergoing hospitalization in an isolation room when infected with Omicron increases to 50-70 percent.

dr. Tonang added that the Omicron hospitalization percentage for a vaccinated person was lower compared to the Delta variant, which spread in the middle of this year. “Meanwhile, for those recovering from Covid-19 infection but yet to get vaccinated, the risk is 11 percent compared to the Delta variant. This means that it is 4-7 times higher than the vaccinated group against Covid-19,” added dr. Tonang.

If you look at the Covid-19 vaccination coverage in Indonesia, the percentage of complete vaccine injections had reached 40.65 percent. Around 17 percent of the people have just received the first dosage, while around 42.3 percent have not received any dosage of Covid-19 vaccine. Based on this data, dr. Tonang is worried that the un-vaccinated groups against Covid-19 will be more prone to contracting Omicron.

“One point to remember is that the person who gets infected faster is the one with the laxest health protocol, those who do not wear a mask and do not wash their hands regularly. For those who have antibodies, the virus will clear faster. However, those who have yet to develop the antibodies against Covid-19 will need 14 days for the virus to disappear after the initial infection,” said dr. Tonang.

Do we need to use a booster?

Because the currently available Covid-19 vaccines are still not able to prevent people from the new SARS-CoV-2 variant, there has been discoursed for a booster shot(s). On a side note, the booster is different from the third dose, which many people have misinterpreted. Booster is an additional vaccine to ensure that the two doses of the Covid-19 vaccine that have been injected have formed immunity. Meanwhile, the third dose is a vaccine that must be injected and is the central part of the Covid-19 vaccine, like the first and second doses.

Furthermore, dr. Tonang said that the necessity of injecting a booster needs further investigation, considering that the report is still based on laboratory research. “We called it in vitro. Nothing wrong; however, a careful interpretation in the field is needed. The reports (on booster shots) are from countries with 70-80 percent vaccination rate, but in Indonesia, it is only around 40 percent,” added dr. Tonang.

He said, even though someone is at risk of contracting Omicron, it does not mean the effectiveness of the Covid-19 vaccine is lost. dr. Tonang dismissed this assumption and emphasized that the effectiveness of the Covid-19 vaccine was only decreasing. Instead of focusing on discussing the need for boosters, dr. Tonang asked the government to immediately intensify the injection of the second dose of the Covid-19 vaccine. “This is more important, more meaningful, and has a stronger communal effect against whatever Covid-19 variants that still exist and may exist,” he added.

When can a booster be given?

dr. Tonang explained that the World Health Organization (WHO) and the Indonesian Ministry of Health (Kemenkes) agreed that booster injections could be carried out when 50 percent of the population had been vaccinated against Covid-19. “Using an assumption that the proportion of survivors who have not been vaccinated is around 20 percent, most of the survivors have been vaccinated, then with 50 percent vaccination rate along with the 20 percent vaccinated survivor, vaccination rate can reach around 70 percent,” said dr. Tonang.

After reaching this percentage, he said the Ministry of Health could consider delivering a booster, given that the primary Covid-19 vaccination must still be carried out and boosters are addressed for high-risk groups.

“With the average speed of administering vaccines in the last seven days, we can reach 50 percent vaccination rate in about 30-50 days,” he concluded. Humas UNS

Reporter: YCS Sanjaya
Editor: Dwi Hastuti

The post UNS Hospital Clinical Pathology Specialist Answers Doubts about Vaccine Effectiveness Against Omicron appeared first on Universitas Sebelas Maret.