Insomnia could moderately raise your heart attack risk

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Having trouble sleeping? If so, you could have a moderately higher risk of having a heart attack, according to research reported in Circulation: Journal of the American Heart Association.

In a recent study, the risk of heart attack in people with insomnia ranged from 27 percent to 45 percent greater than for people who rarely experienced trouble sleeping.

Researchers related heart attack risks to three major insomnia symptoms. Compared to people who reported never or almost never having these problems, people who:

• had trouble falling asleep almost daily in the last month had a 45 percent higher heart attack risk;
• had problems staying asleep almost every night in the last month had a 30 percent higher heart attack risk; and
• didn't wake up feeling refreshed in the morning more than once a week had a 27 percent higher heart attack risk.

"Sleep problems are common and fairly easy to treat," said Lars Erik Laugsand, M.D., lead researcher and internist from the Norwegian University of Science and Technology Department of Public Health in Trondheim. "So it's important that people are aware of this connection between insomnia and heart attack and talk to their doctor if they're having symptoms." Heart attack risk also increases with each additional insomnia symptom, researchers said.

The study was based on 52,610 Norwegian adults who answered questions about insomnia as part of a national health survey in 1995-97.



Researchers examined hospital records and Norway's National Cause of Death Registry to identify 2,368 people who had first-time heart attacks during the following 11 years.

The researchers used survival analysis to adjust for factors that could influence the results such as age, sex, marital status, education level, blood pressure, cholesterol, diabetes, weight, exercise and shift work. They also considered depression and anxiety, both of which can cause insomnia.

Up to 33 percent of people in the general population experience at least one insomnia symptom, according to researchers. Previous smaller studies have linked insomnia to heart disease, including high blood pressure and heart attacks.

Every year, about 785,000 Americans have a first-time heart attack. It's unclear why insomnia is linked to higher heart attack risk. Some suggest sleep problems affect heart attack risk factors such as high blood pressure and inflammation.

Researchers didn't adjust for obstructive sleep apnea, and results may not apply to Americans because their daylight hours and sleep patterns differ from Norwegians, said Laugsand, noting that further study is needed.

Provided by American Heart Association (news : web)

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M'sia Govt Dept paid RM11,800 for RM3,400 laptop and printer!

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PETALING JAYA: The Marine Parks Department (JTLM) overpaid between 177% and 2,805% for equipment on a new boat and was not even supplied some items, the Auditor-General's Report stated.

It said JTLM did not conduct market research when it agreed to the price listed in the contract for these items, resulting in an additional cost of RM172,501.

The glaring differences included paying 2,805% more or RM56,350 for a night vision marine binoculars although the estimated market rate for the item was RM1,940.

However, what was supplied was not the RM56,350 binoculars but a non-night vision marine binoculars worth RM1,069.

Other price differences of equipment included a night vision Bushnell binoculars for RM56,350 which was a 1,893% increase from the market price of RM2,827; RM16,100 for a LCD television and DVD player which was 638% more than the market rate of RM2,182; and RM11,845 or 246% more for a laptop and a colour printer although their market price was RM3,428.

However, the audit found that the DVD player that was supplied was only worth RM195 and the laptop and colour printer that were supplied was only worth RM2,137.



Other items that were quoted beyond the estimated market price was for a colour marine radar for RM47,725 or 478% more compared to RM8,255 and a hand-held portable VHF transceiver for RM4,324 or 177% more compared to RM1,561.

JTLM had signed a RM7.51mil 12-month contract with a company to design, build, install, test and deliver an all-weather aluminium enforcement boat by July last year.

“There was no evidence that JTLM had conducted the necessary market research.

“The procurement management needs to be handled in a more organised manner by officers who have the expertise and experience in handling Government procurement.

“Contract terms on the design and quality testing were not followed and the equipment was not supplied according to specification.

“Yet payment was fully made without any price adjustments,” the report said.

The Treasury replied that the estimates for the contract were based on a verbal market research with experts from the Fisheries and Marine Department as well as reference to previous tenders from the Marine Department.

It added that there was a one-year gap between the tender offer date and the supply of items resulting in some items being supplied that were not according to specifications.

However, JTLM said the change in brands did not affect the quality, function and specification of the items.

The Star

Malaysia's public debt rises to RM407bil

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By EUGENE MAHALINGAM eugenicz@thestar.com.my

PETALING JAYA: Malaysia's public debt level rose 12.3% to RM407.11bil in 2010 from RM362.39bil a year earlier, according to the Auditor-General's Report 2010.

National debt grew 12% to RM390.36bil in 2010 from RM348.60bil a year earlier while foreign debt grew 21.5% to RM16.75bil from RM13.79bil in the previous corresponding period, said the report released yesterday.

In 2010, unresolved public debt both at the national and foreign level grew by RM41.76bil and RM2.96bil respectively compared with 2009.

“The national debt level totalling RM390.36bil accounts for 95.9% of the Federal Government's total debt,” auditor-general Tan Sri Ambrin Buang said in the report.

He pointed out that the ratio of the Federal Government's debt to gross domestic product at the end of 2010 was 53.1%, which was over 50% for the second year in a row.

The national debt level is governed by various laws that impose a debt ceiling for the Government. Under Act 637 of the Loan (Local) Act 1959, and Act 275 of the Government Investment Act 1983, it is stated that the combined loans raised domestically should not exceed a ceiling of 55% of the nation's GDP.

Meanwhile, Act 403 of the External Loans Act 1963 limits external loan exposure to RM35bil.

The report also revealed that in 2010, the Government received revenue totalling RM159.65bil, which was an increase of RM1.01bil (0.6%) compared with RM158.64bil in 2009.

Accounts receivable for 2010 stood at RM20.37bil while the Government approved allocation amounting to RM149.06bil for operating expenditure. “However, the said allocation was insufficient to cover the expenses amounting to RM151.63bil,” said the report.



The report also revealed the implementation of a rating system based on an accountability index.

“Through this rating system, marks will be given for the compliance if regulations of six main elements in financial management, namely management controls, budgetary controls, receipt controls, expenditure controls, management of trust funds and deposits as well as management of assets and stores.

“The federal ministries and departments rated as excellent become a role model and this would motivate others to diligently improve and enhance their financial management,” it said.