ABSTRACT
Lack of physical activity along with improper diet, stress, sleep deprivation and habits like smoking negatively affects a corporate employee's long-term well-being. With repeated waves of COVID-19 pandemic happening, the proportion of those working from home in this group is rapidly increasing. It makes them more prone to a sedentary lifestyle thus raising the risk of future cardiovascular issues. Resting Heart Rate (RHR) is an established indicator of cardiac fitness. The aim of this study is to evaluate the effect of minimal lifestyle modification on RHR and thus the cardiac health of corporate employees. The study was conducted on 10 previously sedentary corporate employees who shifted to work from home mode post the pandemic. Participants incorporated a minimum of 30 minutes of moderate to vigorous intensity physical activity into their daily lifestyle according to the recommendations of the World Health Organisation (WHO). In addition, they were also advised to implement other lifestyle modifications such as dietary alteration, sleep regularity, etc. Measurement of the RHR of each participant was done regularly for a period of three months and an overall analysis was done at the end of the study. A total of 90 data sets were analysed. It was found that RHR decreased in all the participants by the end of the study duration. In addition, it was seen that endurance training combined with other lifestyle modifications gives a greater reduction in RHR in comparison with other modes of exercise. This study concluded that incorporating the WHO recommended physical activity in daily routine greatly helped in improving the cardiac health of previously sedentary work from home corporate employees. © 2022 IEEE.
ABSTRACT
Cardiovascular disease is the leading cause of death in women. Pulmonary embolism (PE) is the third most-common cause of cardiovascular death, after myocardial infarction (MI) and stroke. We aimed to evaluate the attributes and outcomes of PE specifically in women and explore sex-based differences. We conducted a systematic review of the literature using electronic databases PubMed and Embase up to 1 April 2022 to identify studies investigating PE in women. Of the studies found, 93 studies met the eligibility criteria and were included. The risk of PE in older women (especially >40 years of age) superseded that of age-matched men, although the overall age- and sex-adjusted incidence of PE was found to be lower in women. Risk factors for PE in women included age, rheumatologic disorders, hormone replacement therapy or oral contraceptive pills, pregnancy and postpartum period, recent surgery, immobilization, trauma, increased body mass index, obesity, and heart failure. Regarding pregnancy, a relatively higher incidence of PE has been observed in the immediate postpartum period compared to the antenatal period. Women with PE tended to be older, presented more often with dyspnea, and were found to have higher NT-proBNP levels compared to men. No sex-based differences in in-hospital mortality and 30-day all-cause mortality were found. However, PE-related mortality was higher in women, particularly in hemodynamically stable patients. These differences form the basis of future research and outlets for reducing the incidence, morbidity, and mortality of PE in women.