Diabetics, who take a fixed combination of two blood pressure lowering drugs, could cut their risk of death due to the disease by almost one-fifth, according to a study released here today.

The study says the drugs could potentially save millions of lives over the next decade if the treatment was implemented.

The study, which was presented today at the European Congress of Cardiology in Vienna and reported in the Journal “Lancet”, also said that the drugs also cut at the risk of heart and kidney diseases.

“These results represent an important step forward in healthcare for millions of people with diabetes worldwide,” said Prof Stephen MacMahon, from the Gerorge Institute for International Health at the University of Sydney, which plans to soon launch an office in Hyderabad.

The trial, co-ordinated by the Institute, involved 11,140 patients from 20 countries, including India, who were already on medication for diabetes, cholesterol and blood pressure.

For the trial, half of the patients were given an extra tablet containing two blood pressure-lowering drugs (Perindopril and Indapamide), apart from their normal medications, while the rest took a placebo.

The additional drugs were found to lower blood pressure even more and reduced the risk of death from any cause by 14 per cent, and the risk of death from cardiovascular disease by 18 per cent, the study showed.

“In absolute terms, one death would be avoided for every 79 patients treated with the fixed combination of the two drugs for five years,” the study said.

“The risk of coronary heart disease events was reduced by 14 per cent and the risk of new or worsening kidney disease was reduced by 21 per cent,” it said.

The study was conducted by an international group of researchers with support from Servier Laboratories, the manufacturers of the two drugs, and the National Health and Medical Research Council of Australia.

Professor Nikhil Tandon of the All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS), who played a key role in the investigations, said “the study is the largest clinical trial ever performed on patients. This is important as India is estimated to have 30-35 million persons with diabetes”.

Approximately 250 million people are living with diabetes across the world, most of whom will eventually be dead or disabled by the complications of their condition, it said.

Prof John Chalmers, the author of previous international guidelines for the treatment of high-blood pressure and chairman of the study management group, said “the results clearly demonstrate that we have the tools to blunt the impact of the global diabetes epidemic facing rich and poor countries alike”. — PTI

Chandigarh, September 3
Living up to expectations, Chandigarh state champion Farheen of St Stephen's School, Sector 45, clinched top honours in both the women’s and girls' junior categories during the 10th edition of the Rajkumar Babuta Memorial Prize Money Carrom Ranking Tournament, which concluded at St Stephen's School, here today.

In the women’s section, Farheen beat Aakanksha 10-13, 20-17, 25-02 in a well-contested match to win the title. Again, in the junior singles’ final, Farheen defeated Aakanksha 25-4, 25-3.

The men’s singles title was won by Asif Iqbal, thrashing Neeraj Bharti 25-20, 25-03. In the semifinals, Asif Iqbal ousted Anuj Kumar Sinha in a nail-biting contest.

Hassan, a student of Sikhiya - the School of Learning, won the boys' junior title, defeating Mohammad Talib of BMD Public School 25-4, 25-21.

The annual tournament is being held in memory of late Rajkumar Babuta. The prizes were given away by chief guest S.P. Babuta.

Results: Men’s singles (final): Md Asif bt Neeraj Bhart 25-4, 25-24; (semifinals): Md Asif bt Anuj Sinha 7-25, 25-22, 25-8; Neeraj Bhart bt Gagandeep 25-20, 25-3; for the third position: Anuj Kumar Sinha bt Gagandeep 25-17, 11-25, 25-10.

Boy’s junior singles (final): Md Hassan bt Md Talib 25-4, 25-21; (semifinals): Md Hassan bt Md Aarish 25-0, 25-12, Md. Talib bt Md Saquib 25-17, 25-9; for the third position: Md Saquib bt Md Aarish 25-11, 25-14.

Women’s singles (final): Farheen bt Aakanksha 10-13, 20-17, 25-2; (semifinals): Farheen bt Anjali Yadav 24-4, 25-8, Aakanksha bt Harshpreet 25-8, 21-8; for the third position: Anjali Yadav bt Harshpreet 23-17, 25-15.

Girls’ singles junior (final): Farheen bt Aakanksha 25-4, 25-3; (semifinals): Farheen bt Tuba 25-0, 18-16, Aakanksha bt Anjali Taneja 6-21, 25-4, 25-3; for the third position: Tuba bt Anjali Taneja 22-13, 21-10.

Chandigarh, September 3
Mahilpur Football Academy (MFA), Punjab, thrashed Chhattisgarh Football Association 7-0 (Group B) on the third day of the u-17 All-India Football Tournament for the 5th Administrator's Challenge Cup at the Sports Complex, Sector 42, here today. The tournament is being organised by the Chandigarh Sports Department.

The winners of other matches were the Jammu and Kashmir Football Association, the Chandigarh Football Academy (CFA) and the Delhi Soccer Association.

In a Group-A match, the Delhi Soccer Association (DSA) routed Rajasthan Football Association 3-0.

The state-run CFA got a walkover against Andhra Pradesh Football Association as the team did not turn up for their Group-A encounter at the Football Stadium in Sector 17.

In a Group-C match between the Jammu and Kashmir Football Association and the Haryana Football Association (HFA), the former got the better of HFA 2-1.

The Group-D match between Cantonment Board Senior Secondary School, Jalandhar Cantonment, and local outfit Sanjay Public School Academy, was washed out by heavy rains. The match will be rescheduled.

Chandigarh, September 3
Trials to select the Chandigarh Women’s Senior Cricket team (affiliated to the PCA) will be held on September 6 at 3 pm at Guru Nanak Public School, Sector 36, here.

The team will take part in the Punjab State Inter-district Senior Women's Cricket Tournament, starting from September 10 at different district headquarters.

Players residing, studying or working in the city can take part in the trials.

Chandigarh, September 3
The Chandigarh State Sub-junior and Junior Athletics Championships-2007 for boys and girls will be held at Athletic Complex, Sector 7, here, on September 5 and 6. The championships are being organised by the Amateur Athletic Association, Chandigarh. Only bonafide athletes (residents/students) of the city can participate in the championship.

Interested persons can submit their entries to S.K. Joshi, UT athletics coach, at the complex latest by 9 am. The events will start at 10 am.

The Chandigarh state junior athletics’ team will be selected during the meet. The team will participate in the 19th North Zone Junior Athletics Championships-2007 to be held at Chandigarh from September 25 to 27.

Competitions will be held in the following categories: u-14 (born on or after October 12, 1993); u-16 (born on or after October 12, 1991); u-18 (born on or after October 12, 1989); u-20 (born on or after October 12, 1987).