Lung infections that are easily treated in
the young are a cause for great concern in elderly people such as South
Africa's 94-year-old anti-apartheid icon Nelson Mandela, experts say.
With age, muscle function declines and the nervous system that sends the
impulse to breathe becomes less responsive, meaning that less oxygen
enters the lungs on breathing in, and more carbon dioxide stays behind
on breathing out. It becomes harder to clear mucus that collects in the
lungs, especially when people lie in bed or sit for long periods -- a
high risk factor for lung infections like bronchitis or pneumonia
because of the accumulation of mucus. At the same time, a weakening
immune system means the body is less able to fight infection, according
to the US National Institutes of Health (NIH). "When we are young and
fit, we cough up (mucus) vigorously. When we are old, we cough less
easily and if we already have weakened lungs the mucus stays behind and
there is a high risk of congestion," said French pulmonologist Bertrand
Dautzenberg. "This is why old people are prone to respiratory
infections, which are a key cause of death among the elderly." Also, he
said, most people on reaching the age of 90 use about 50 per cent of
their lung capacity, compared to 20 per cent in youth. "If, in
addition, a part of one's lung has previously been damaged by
tuberculosis... one is left with very little spare capacity." According
to Dautzenberg, respiratory infections are often a contributing factor
to death in the elderly. The symptoms can be dire and resemble the
eating disorder anorexia, he said: patients stop eating and become
exhausted over time. If they suffer a shortage of oxygen, this could
affect other organs like the brain or kidneys. In hospital, though
doctors can provide oxygen and physiotherapy to loosen and expel any
mucus.
Correlating the ups and down in the Indian rupee with the stock market, Vijay Bhambwani, CEO, bsplindia.com, suggests that if the rupee continues with its downward fall, the Indian stock market may fall breach October lows and fall further. “If the rupee falls below the 53.0-53.50 mark vis-a-vis the USD, expect a mini meltdown atleast in the equity markets. In that case, the 2250 level (on Nifty) will be breached easily to form a new low. The possibility of that low being below the 2000 levels on the Nifty spot is fairly high,” he says. Bhambwani supports his outlook by comparing the value of rupee at the time of October lows. “The October 2008 lows were made with the INR at 51.20 - 51.40 band. The rupee has breached the 52 level since then. Clearly the nation’s ‘share price’ (currency) indicates weakness. The curency market is a far more accurate barometer of the nation’s health compared to the equity indices. Whether you like it or not, we are under siege. Had it not been March (NAV ...
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