Lloyds Pharmacy investigated for breaching advertising regulations

The Advertising Standards Agency (ASA) have begun an investigation into Lloyds Pharmacy over suspicions they have been advertising prescription-only medicines.

The advertising in question that raised the concerns was a newspaper advert for a male impotence service offered by Lloyds Pharmacy. The ad was labelled “lost the perk-in your gherkin”, depicting an image of a drooping skyscraper, which left little to the imagination as to what the picture was meant to be.

Accompanying this was an offer for an erectile dysfunction pill that could be purchased online for £6, suggesting this was a low price to patients.

According to section 12.12 of the UK Code of Non-broadcast Advertising, Sales Promotion and Direct Marketing, prescription-only medicines and prescription-only medical treatments are forbidden from being advertised to the public.

The advert, currently being assessed by ASA’s Compliance team, was featured last month in London’s Evening Standard.

Pharmacist Cathryn Brown, spotted the advertisement and perhaps justifiably deemed it to be “essentially an advert for a prescription-only medicine”.

Speaking about her reasons for bringing the ad to the attention of the ASA, Ms Brown said: “It’s a valuable thing to highlight awareness that there are treatments available for erectile dysfunction and you don’t have to go to your GP. But advertising it on the basis of price per tablet doesn’t imply a professional service.”

What Ms Brown didn’t highlight is the fact the offer in the advertisement is perhaps not as impressive as first seems. When you take into account with Medical Specialists Pharmacy you can obtain Cialis Daily tablets (boxed in 28s) from as little as £2.92 each, or Sildenafil tablets from as little as £4.12 each (both obtainable following a doctor’s consultation and approval), maybe £6 per pill isn’t all it’s cracked up to be.

The ASA replied to Ms Brown via an email last month, conceding the pharmacist had made a “valid point”, adding there was a “clear issue” with the fact the advert had broken advertising regulations. The ASA said in the email that the case is now in the hands of their advertising practice compliance team.

“The team will work to address the problem and ensure these ads, where they appear to advertise prescription-only medicines rather than the service generally, no longer appear,” the ASA said.

An apple-a-day almost as good as statins for cardiovascular health

An apple-a-day really could keep the doctor away, as the old saying goes, after Oxford University scientists found that eating one apple each day could be comparable to taking a statin in the battle to stave off heart attacks and strokes.

In fact, the scientists behind the new research – based on modelling and not an actual clinical study – claim that if every person over the age of 50 ate just one apple per day, there could be as many as 8,500 heart attack and stroke deaths avoided in the UK each year.

Amazingly, this is almost on par with the figure for if everyone over the age of 50 was prescribed statins, according to the findings published in the British Medical Journal.

This would then result in an additional 17.6 million people on statin medication and a potential 9,400 more deaths avoided each year in the UK. Doctors have previously spoken of their belief that a great number of the population would benefit massively from taking statins, with one American doctor last year arguing that a ‘statins for all’ approach should be considered.

“Statins and apples are both iconic,” lead researcher Dr Adam Briggs, of the British Heart Foundation Health Promotion Research Group at Oxford University said.

“An apple a day is known throughout the English-speaking world as a saying for health, and statins are now some of the most widely prescribed drugs in the world. So, when you now have a debate in the medical world about increasing the amount of statins prescribed for primary prevention, we wanted to look at what that would mean for population health and if there were other ways of doing it.”

Those behind the analysis say that theoretically, any fruit should suffice, but getting people to eat more fruit would be a challenging task for anybody. Past population surveys seem to suggest that as many as two-thirds of adults in the UK are simply not getting their 5-a-day portion of fruit and vegetables.

Nine in 10 of us do consume at least one portion a day, according to Dr Briggs, but he says we would all benefit greatly from eating more.

Dr Briggs says: “What we’re trying to say from this analysis is that dietary changes initiated at the population level can have a really meaningful effect on population health,” he said. “And second, so can increasing drug prescriptions. Now, we’re not trying to say that people should be swapping their statins for apples; that’s not where we’re going. However, if they want to add an apple to that as part of disease prevention, then by all means do so, because you’ll be further along in reducing your risk of fatal heart attacks and strokes.”

Interestingly, the cost of statin therapy from the drug alone would only be £180 million and around £260 million for the apples. The authors do say however that the NHS may be able to negotiate a freeze on the cost of apples, “although defrosted apples may not be so palatable,” they state.

Vitamin supplements: Just a dangerous waste of time and money?

Vitamin supplements are a waste of your money, unnecessary, offer very little in the way of health benefits, and could even be harmful, according to a group of scientists in the USA.

These damning conclusions were drawn up by academics from the University of Warwick and the Johns Hopkins School of Medicine in Baltimore, USA.

They studied almost 500,000 people across three separate research papers, counteracting the continuous claims that are made by the vitamin supplement industry – thought to be worth around £738 million in the UK alone last year and predicted to rise to £788 million by 2017.

One of the research papers included a retrospective study of 24 past trials comprising of 450,000 people, concluding there seemed to be no beneficial impact on mortality after a long-term intake of vitamin supplements.

A second paper looked at cognitive decline in 6,000 male doctors aged at least 65, summarising there seemed to be no benefits following 12 years of half taking a daily multivitamin containing vitamins A, B, C, E and beta carotene, and half a placebo.

In addition, a third saw no difference in 1,700 men and women over the age of 50 with heart problems over an average study of five years.

Those featured in the third paper had all suffered a heart attack six weeks prior to half being administered a high dose of multivitamins and minerals, coming in the form of a tablet that contained 28 components, whilst the remaining half were given a placebo.

During the next four and a half years, any subsequent deaths were recorded, or second heart attacks, strokes or hospital treatment for angina or surgery. There appeared to be no difference in the two groups.

The scientists said the daily taking of multivitamins is simply not justified, writing: “These vitamins should not be used for chronic disease prevention. Enough is enough.”

They said a typical Western diet should suffice in providing the vital vitamins that our bodies require.
Edgar Miller, of the Johns Hopkins School of Medicine, said: “There are some that advocate we have many nutritional deficiencies in our diet. The truth is though we are in general overfed, our diet is completely adequate.”

He added: “These companies are marketing products to us based on perceptions of deficiencies. They make us think our diet is unhealthy, and that they can help us make up for these deficiencies and stop chronic illnesses. The group that needs these is very small. It’s not the general population…There’s something for everything: preventing joint pains, stopping heart disease. If you’re going to spend your money on something every month, is this really the best option?”

Previous statistics have shown that over a third of Brits are taking a vitamin tablet each day, but the numbers are decreasing.

Research company Mintel estimated that 41% of the population were regularly taking dietary supplements in 2008, but that number had dropped to 35% in 2012.

Maybe this is partly an after-effect of the crippling financial crisis that has gripped Britain in recent years, or it could be down to changing attitudes towards the benefits of vitamin supplements, especially when you consider the fact that in 2012 there was a 5% rise on the year before in the spending on fruit and vegetables in Britain.

What the future holds for an industry that is churning out these vitamin pills by the millions remains to be seen. Many would argue there is no good substitute for nutritious food within a healthy diet. With supplements you are plunging high levels of vitamins and minerals into your body that you would not normally get, or sometimes even need, and people often forget there is actually  a serious danger of having too much of a good thing so to speak.

It then starts getting messy when everything is loaded into one tablet as different components fight for absorption. For example, excessive amounts of calcium result in your body struggling to absorb iron, whereas high levels of iron mean you won’t absorb zinc.  The best thing to do before taking any supplements is to speak to your own GP and discuss what, if anything, you actually need. It could be that your diet alone is providing your body with sufficient vitamins and minerals.

Doctor to be sentenced after forging Viagra prescriptions – all for himself

We heard in October of this year how a clumsy patient attempted to forge a Viagra prescription – and inevitably failed after stupidly writing “100ml” instead of the correct dosage of 100mg.

However, shockingly it has come to light that a doctor has been forging his own prescriptions for the widely used erectile dysfunction medication. The reason? He was too embarrassed to request a prescription for the drug from his own GP, a court has heard.

Dr Mansoor Kassim, 37, of Ilford, Essex, was enduring problems in his marriage during the time when he produced fake Viagra prescriptions, which were tallied up to total £340.67.

Dr Kassim conjured up fictitious names – such as ‘Ravi Kumar’ – of both doctors and patients that supposedly were in need of the anti-impotence medication, known as ‘the little blue pill’ to millions around the world who take it.

After this, Dr Kassim went along to a local chemist with the intention of collecting the tablets for his own personal use.

As Dr Kassim actually worked within a trauma and orthopaedic unit, where patients usually wouldn’t require or be prescribed erectile dysfunction drugs. This immediately triggered suspicions amongst staff at the chemist.

Handwriting experts were drafted in by health officials and it was established than the stolen prescription scripts were all filled in by the same person – Dr Kassim.

The court at Caerphilly was told Dr Kassim was working as a senior doctor on the verge of becoming a consultant at the time he illegally obtained the Viagra; the offences occurred between the time of February 25 and October 24 this year. He was employed by the Aneurin Bevan University Health Board, working at Ystrad Fawr Hospital at Caerphilly, South Wales.

The doctor could now face being struck off and will soon have to attend a hearing with the General Medical Council (GMC); the independent regulator for doctors in the UK.

Chairman of the bench David Wall told Dr Kassim: “These are serious allegations. You were in a high position of trust. We don’t feel we can deal with the matter without further investigation.”
The doctor has been freed on bail until next month, when he will receive his sentence.

Martyn Edwards, head of counter fraud with Aneurin Bevan University Health Board, said: “The NHS and the public in general are entitled to expect the highest levels of integrity from clinicians. In this instance, the conduct of Dr Kassim fell far short of those expectations. The NHS has absolutely no tolerance for dishonest abuse of a position of trust of this nature.”

Defending Dr Kassim, David Welch said: “He had marital difficulties which led him to seek out the medication. Dr Kassim was embarrassed to admit his problem to another doctor and so faked the prescriptions himself. He’s said this is the most stupid thing he’s done in his entire life. He’s now seeking counselling to look at really why he did what he did, given so much that was put at risk.”

However, self-prescribing via forged prescriptions could be viewed as indefensible and stupid simultaneously, especially in the 21^st century when any male suffering with impotence problems can quickly go onto the internet to a fully-registered and legitimate online pharmacy to obtain Viagra, following an online consultation of course with a doctor registered with the GMC. It saves any potential embarrassment of a face-to-face visit with your own GP, with the medication arriving the next day (within the UK) to a destination of your choice, whether this be at home or your place of work.

Spironolactone could reduce the pain for millions with arthritis

The potassium-sparing diuretic Spironolactone may have another use in the near future after scientists found that it could help the millions of people around the world suffering with debilitating arthritis.

Now commonly referred to as a ‘water pill’, due to the fact it can treat fluid retention (edema) caused by various conditions such as kidney or liver disease, Spironolactone was initially developed more than 40 years ago as a treatment for high blood pressure and heart failure.

However since then, the capabilities of Spironolactone have been revealed and the medication can now be prescribed as an acne treatment (for women only). For over 20 years, Spironolactone has been a popular anti androgen in the treatment of acne and hirsutism, becoming the most widely prescribed medication for these problems in the USA.

If all that wasn’t enough, new research has shown a breakthrough that could benefit the estimated 6 million Brits who are struggling with osteoarthritis – the most common type of arthritis in the UK – forcing 1 million people in the UK to see their GP about it each year.

The first study, led by Professor Marion McMurdo, head of ageing and health at Dundee University, was conducted earlier this year and assessed the effects of whether taking 25mg of Spironolactone daily for a duration of 5 months would provide any relief for osteoarthritis sufferers.

The results have been published in the American Journal of Medicine, and report that many patients said they had a decrease in pain levels.

Those behind the study believe that Spironolactone reduced pain by suppressing a hormone called aldosterone, previously linked to inflammation in the joints, or could increase levels of cortisol, a hormone lessens the body’s sensitivity to pain.

The next stage for Professor McMurdo and her team will be the monitoring of 86 patients aged 70 or over, all of whom suffer with severe knee pain. Participants will either be given Spironolactone or a ­placebo, daily for 12 weeks. Pain will be analysed and their joint inflammation will be measured before and after the trial.

Professor McMurdo said: “Osteoarthritis affects over half of the older population and there is no cure, so the goal is to reduce pain and stiffness. Older people are particularly prone to drug side effects. Most commonly used painkillers cause side effects – like confusion and constipation – and can cause bleeding from the stomach. Such bleeds are much more serious in an older person. So fresh drug approaches to managing osteoarthritis in older people are urgently required. If effective, Spironolactone would provide a safer, more economical prospect than many modern anti-inflammatory drugs. It only costs £1 a week and we know from its use as a heart treatment that it is relatively safe.”

Professor Alan Silman, medical director of Arthritis Research UK, has put his faith into Spironolactone being a successful and viable treatment option for arthritis in the future, even pledging £135,000 to help cover the research cost.

Professor Silman commented: “Spironolactone has been around for decades so we know it is safe.”

New cases of cancer now over 14 million

The number of people dying from cancer each year has increased, according to the World Health Organisation’s International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC).

The global death toll went up by 8%, increasing from 7.6 million – calculated in a 2008 survey – to the figure of 8.2 million that was estimated for 2012.

In respect of just actual diagnoses of cancer, this has also increased, with over 14 million being diagnosed with cancer in 2012. This marks a significant increase from the 12.7 million cases that were recorded in 2008.

Last year, an estimated 1.7 million women were given new a new diagnosis of breast cancer, according to the World Health Organisation (WHO). This represents an increase in excess of 20% from 2008, with both incidence and mortality going up.

In fact, the disease is now the most prevalent of all cancers in women across 140 countries around the world.

Dr David Forman, from the WHO’s International Agency for Research on Cancer, said: “Breast cancer is also a leading cause of cancer death in the less developed countries of the world. This is partly because a shift in lifestyles is causing an increase in incidence, and partly because clinical advances to combat the disease are not reaching women living in these regions.”

IARC’s report, named GLOBOCAN 2012, offers the most recent available statistics for 28 different types of cancer within 184 countries, providing an extensive look into the problem of cancer across the globe.

The report states that the most diagnosed cancers worldwide in both sexes combined are lung, breast and colorectal cancers. The cancers found to commonly result in death are lung, liver and stomach cancers.

Overall, lung cancer – primarily caused as a result of smoking – was found to be the world’s most common cancer. The 1.8 million cases recorded is 13% of the total.

The burgeoning problem of cancer is believed to be linked to a change in lifestyles in the developing nations, shifting more closely towards industrialised countries.

However, the report noted “huge inequalities” between rich and poor countries. For instance, new cases of cancer being higher in developed countries, it is the less developed countries that have much higher death rates. Reasons for this are thought to be due to lack of screening and access to treatment, meaning cancerous tumours often not being found at an early enough stage.

Christopher Wild, IARC’s director, commented: “An urgent need in cancer control today is to develop effective and affordable approaches to the early detection, diagnosis, and treatment of breast cancer among women living in less developed countries.”

Cover up for Christmas: No condom? Better jog on…

With just under a fortnight to go until the big day, the Christmas party season is now in full swing and for this reason alone is why last week Medical Specialists created a guide on how to survive the work Christmas party .

One thing to bear in mind is that just because it is the festive party season, it is not an invitation to let all your common sense and rational thinking simply fly out the door…Cover up for Christmas!

And by that we don’t just mean wear a woolly hat, gloves and scarf, we mean make sure you have plenty of condoms and other contraception readily available…and use them! Get yourself protected immediately to avoid an unplanned pregnancy or contracting a sexually transmitted infection (STI), some of which may never actually fully clear-up.

Just like a beloved pet pooch you might receive at Christmas, an STI might not just be for Christmas…it may be for life, with symptoms of STIs such as genital herpes possible reoccurring at any given time. Genital herpes treatment can reduce the frequency of outbreaks however, and minimise the risk of it spreading to sexual partners (with condom use of course).

According to The Family Planning Association, worried/distressed phone calls made to their sexual health line are usually at their highest rate during January, perhaps unsurprisingly when statistics show more teen girls are falling pregnant in December and January in comparison to the other ten months of the year.

Rebecca Findlay of FPA, spoke last year about the issue, saying: “The helpline tends to go quiet before Christmas as everyone is busy and out partying, but calls then peak in January. Most people call about STIs or unintended pregnancy.”

So what can you do to avoid having to make a panic call to the FPA come January? The first is make sure you are fully stocked up on your contraception of choice, and ladies if this is in the form of a pill you need to take every day such as Marvelon or Yasmin, it is imperative you have enough to cover the Christmas period – especially if you happen to be going away.

If you are going away, we advise you to do the following things to ensure you have packed your contraception:

. Add it to your list of things you need to pack.

. Set a phone reminder.

. Ask somebody to remind you before you go.

. Make a note in your diary.

. Leave a note near the front door that you will see.

“The classic mistake is to go away and forget to take your contraception with you, or to run out of pills on Christmas Eve,” Findlay added.

“To avoid this, check when your pill pack is going to run out. If it will run out while you’re away, get a new one before you go. And if you’re using the contraceptive injection, make sure it’s up to date. Whatever contraception you use, make sure you’re organised and have enough to last.”

Also make sure to stock up on condoms. After all, condoms are the only method of contraception to protect against both pregnancy and STIs. Condoms are vital if you have sex with somebody new; who knows where that passionate kiss under the mistletoe will lead to, and are important to have should your regular contraception run out or fail to work.

We warn this as people generally tend to significantly increase their alcohol intake over the festive period and not many people may be aware of this, but vomiting can actually decrease your pill’s effectiveness. If you have had a bit too much to drink one night and end up being sick, condoms are essential to protect against an unwanted pregnancy.

And what better way to stock up on condoms than to buy Durex condoms. In particularly, 72 Durex performa condoms at the astonishingly low price of just £60! This bundle should last well into the New Year and keep you covered up for Christmas and beyond. The Durex performa condoms even have a special Benzocaine cream inside to help control climax and prolong sexual excitement for longer lasting lovemaking.

The five healthy lifestyle rules that could prevent dementia

By adhering to five healthy, positive lifestyle choices, a person stands to slash their risk of developing dementia by around two thirds, according to the findings of a new Welsh study.

Lead author Professor Peter Elwood, from Cardiff University’s School of Medicine, said healthy aspects of life are “far more beneficial effect than any medical treatment or preventive procedure”.

“The size of reduction in the instance of disease owing to these simple healthy steps has really amazed us and is of enormous importance in an ageing population,” he said.

“What the research shows is that following a healthy lifestyle confers surprisingly large benefits to health – healthy behaviours have a far more beneficial effect than any medical treatment or preventive procedure.”

Professor Elwood said that it was apparent that “very few people” had a healthy enough lifestyle that would be sufficient in avoiding the onset of dementia.

“Taking up and following a healthy lifestyle is however the responsibility of the individual him or herself,” he said.

“Sadly, the evidence from this study shows that very few people follow a fully healthy lifestyle. Furthermore, our findings reveal that while the number of people who smoke has gone down since the study started, the number of people leading a fully healthy lifestyle has not changed.”

The five key aspects of staving off a disease that has afflicted 800,000 people in the UK are as follows: engaging in regular exercise, maintaining a healthy body weight, not smoking, sticking to a healthy diet and minimising alcohol intake.

Making sure to stick to at least four of the five healthy lifestyle habits may reduce the risk of dementia and cognitive decline by a staggering 60%, the researchers from Cardiff University found.
The benefits of following four of the habits doesn’t stop there though, this could also help to reduce new cases of diabetes, heart disease and stroke by 70%. This would be compared to those who followed none of the lifestyle habits.

The researchers, beginning in 1979, tracked 2,235 men from Caerphilly who were aged between 25 and 49, for a 35-year period. Behavioural patterns were recorded, with regards to the participants’ health, firstly looking at the possible causes of heart disease as this disease was rife in the area.
However, as time passed through the cohort study, focus was shifted to analysing the devastating effects of dementia and strokes.

It was determined that if half of the men involved in the study had be pressed into even adopting just one of the healthy lifestyle habits in 1979, this could have resulted in a 13% drop in dementia cases, in addition to 12% less diabetes diagnoses, 6% fewer cases of vascular disease and the number of fatalities may have even been 5% less.

The findings were published in advance of today’s crucial meeting of health ministers from the G8 nations, which will aim to find new, more efficient ways of tackling the disease worldwide.

David Cameron has already state that by 2025 the UK will double its annual funding for dementia research to £132 million, a significant increase from the 2015 target of £66 milliom. The prime minister’s announcement will be welcomed by many with estimates showing that the global number of dementia sufferers could treble to 135 million by 2050.

Moreover, the Care Quality Commission (CQC) recently unveiled their plan to conduct random, unannounced inspection visits that will assess the care of dementia patients at 150 institutions across England.

Could Viagra really be used to treat period pain?

Since it burst onto the market in 1998, sildenafil citrate (sold under the brand name Viagra at the time), has injected a boost into the love lives of couples around the world.

In the subsequent 15 years, the treatment has been explored for other purposes besides erectile dysfunction and has been found to be effective for pulmonary hypertension (marketed under the name Revatio for this condition).

Moreover, clinical trials have shown the impotence drug to be beneficial for people with raynaud’s phenomenon, with Viagra helping blood supply to the fingers, toes, or both, which become pale, cold, and painful, and Viagra has also shown to have an impact in high altitudes for mountain sickness, enabling people to exercise in places with a low level of oxygen.

However, a team of researchers have now discovered yet another troublesome health complaint that sildenafil may work wonders for, and shockingly it is not a male-related problem. Yes fellas, soon you may find yourself having to share your little blue pills with the other half!

Penn State College of Medicine researchers joined forces with fellow researchers at Nova Gradiska General Hospital in Croatia, who assessed 25 women, aged between 18 and 35, all experiencing primary dysmenorrhea at moderate to severe levels.

Dysmenorrhea – more often simply known as ‘painful periods’ can be segregated into primary and secondary dysmenorrhea, with primary being the most common. This is where there is no underlying problem of the womb, usually afflicting teenagers and women in their early 20s.

Symptoms of primary dysmenorrhea are commonly felt after around 6 to 12 months of periods that are painless, with many women feeling a cramp in their lower abdomen, back and thighs. Sometimes this is accompanied with a feeling of fatigue, nausea, diarrhoea and vomiting. Many women find their menstrual cramps start about 1 or 2 days after bleeding.

Unless the cause is related to an underlying health condition, the majority of cases of primary dysmenorrhea occur when the blood supply to the womb has been stopped because the muscular wall of the womb has contracted. With no oxygen, the tissues in the womb emit chemicals that are responsible for the pain that follows.

For the study, the participants were randomly selected to either receive a dose of 100mg sildenafil citrate, administered vaginally for the purpose of the study, or a placebo. Over the next 4 hours the women then documented any improvements in respect of their pain subsiding.

Generally, it was found that those who received the sildenafil citrate reported less pain compared to the women taking a placebo, with no side effects.  The researchers involved in the study say that the increase in blood flow is most likely causing the alleviation of pain, but because both the sildenafil and placebo increased, they admit they are not certain of the exact reason for the sildenafil decreasing the pain.

“If future studies confirm these findings, sildenafil may become a treatment option for patients with PD [primary dysmenorrhea],” study researcher Richard Legro, a professor of obstetrics and gynecology and public health sciences at the university, said in a statement.

Professor Legro added: “Since PD is a condition that most women suffer from and seek treatment for at some points in their lives, the quest for new medication is justified.” Currently, non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), such as ibuprofen, are usually the preferred choice to ease the pain associated with severe menstrual cramps.

Sexually transmitted infections on the rise in England

Britain on the whole, is not in particularly good shape when it comes to our weight or indeed our sexual health. Year on year we hear shocking news reports about teenage girls falling pregnant and annual figures on sexual health seem to always show increases across the board.

As it happens, statistics released this year from the Health Protection Agency show a 2% rise in new cases of sexually transmitted infection (STI) for England during 2011. Within this, there is a 10% increase in syphilis diagnoses – incidentally now at its biggest infection rate since the 1950s.

Worryingly, the percent rise of syphilis cases isn’t even the worst of the lot. In fact, gonorrhoea rates spiralled 25% during 2010-11 and there was also a 5% increase in cases of genital herpes. The latter may explain why we at Medical Specialists Pharmacy have been inundated with thousands of requests for genital herpes treatment in the subsequent two years.

In what is another problem that arises from failing to first buy condoms, and then to actually use them, the Depart of Health’s Framework for Sexual Health Improvement also paint a damning, alarming picture.

Abortion rates have gone up by 7.7% in the decade between 2001 and 2011, which is no surprise when more statistics show that up to 50% of pregnancies weren’t even planned.

The Government together with healthcare professionals are continually battling to reverse the trends on STIs and pregnancies and it is this reason why awareness days/events take place every year, such as Sexual Health Week, National HIV Testing Week and World AIDS Day – all of which Medical Specialists have proudly supported by giving away 1,000s of condoms with any sexual health product.

In fact pharmacies such as Medical Specialists are at the forefront of providing sexual health services to the many millions of people who need them.

These services are absolutely vital to people all over the UK and indeed the world, and include things such as medicine supply; this could be chlamydia treatment, genital herpes treatment, or treatment for gonorrhoea.

Also many pharmacies such as ourselves can offer pregnancy tests to be conducted in the comfort of your own home, a wide variety of condoms to suit different preferences, emergency hormonal contraception (morning after pill), other contraceptive pills, and even a chlamydia test you can take at home and post off for a quick analysis and result, saving you the time and embarrassment of having to personally attend a clinic for a check-up.

The role of pharmacy clearly has an important role to play in changing people’s attitudes to STIs, unplanned pregnancy, contraception, and other sexual health subjects. However, what is required is people to reach out and ask for help, don’t be afraid, know that there at pharmacies who will not judge and are purely there to help. Let’s make 2014 a healthy year…Together.

The shocking truth about counterfeit drugs is laid bare

After speaking with many of the thousands of patients who choose Medical Specialists as their pharmacy, we are only too aware of the concerns, worries and hesitations that some people have when it comes to dealing with online pharmacies. We are part of a minority in that we are a fully registered, genuine pharmacy that prescribe genuine branded medication – No cheap and potentially fatal knock-offs like many online ‘pharmacies’!

And now an investigation carried out by WKYC’s Channel 3 News in America has exposed more of the murky, dangerous world of counterfeit drugs after shocking estimates show that around $75 billion worth of counterfeit drugs could have been obtained last year unknowingly.

Some may remember the widely reported 2012 case of fake cancer drug Avastin being circulated in the supply chain. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) had to alert medical practices in the U.S. that were suspected to have purchased and used the fakes. Avastin is an injectable medicine that is used to treat cancers of the brain, colon, kidney and lung. It is usually administered to patients in clinics, hospitals, and doctors’ offices. The fake Avastin worryingly did not contain the medicine’s active ingredient, bevacizumab, resulting in patients not receiving much needed treatment.

The new investigation comprised of the purchasing of medications online that the investigators thought looked credible enough. The websites were found by searching ‘online pharmacy’ into Google. Then, they decided to try and obtain two incredible popular medications – erectile dysfunction treatment Viagra, and the ‘bad’ cholesterol-lowering medication Lipitor.

The websites offered a variety of medications; some being brand-name prescription medications, whilst others were cheaper generic alternatives. Proudly displayed on the websites were images of the American and Canadian flags, and pictures of what appeared to be doctors and pharmacists…So far so good.
However, next is where suspicions started to arise. ‘Female Viagra’ and ‘Viagra super active’ were just two of drugs being offered on some of the websites. Viagra has not been given approval to be used by women. Also, although the UK patent on Viagra expired earlier this year, meaning certain pharmaceutical companies can produce medications containing Sildenafil (Viagra’s active ingredient), Americans will have to patiently bide their time until 2020 for a generic alternative to hit their shores.
Therefore, ‘Viagra super active’ should ring alarm bells immediately! It is either Pfizer-made Viagra, or none at all! In a move that should also set alarm bells off, two websites shockingly offered free samples of prescription-only medications with orders, such as another erectile dysfunction treatment, Cialis. Obviously there are questions within a doctor’s consultation that need to be asked to patients before any prescription item is approved and dispensed to the patient.

After ordering Viagra and Lipitor from three websites, it was a few later before anything arrived. Packages then turned up from exotic locations like China, India and Pakistan, not America or Canada. Customs forms on the packages certainly raised eyebrows. One said the package contained ‘plastic beads’, another listed ‘cards’ and a third said ‘harmless medicine’.

The drugs seemed to be genuine upon a quick glance. However, one not-so-minor problem… received was a generic Lipitor – not what the investigators had paid for. In another order, only half of the Viagra tablets had arrived that had been ordered and paid for.

Next, the issue was; were the pills actually real? Samples of the drugs were then sent off to Pfizer’s lab in Groton, Conn., for testing.

Brian Donnelly is director of investigations for Pfizer Pharmaceuticals. He is a qualified pharmacist, with 22 years of FBI work under his belt. Donnelly explained some shocking things about how the tablets were most likely produced.

“The active ingredient in the chemical could be in one part of China. The person who makes the tablets could be in another part of China, and then the person who packages it could be a third person,” Donnelly says.

Donnelly explains only one thing (besides big profit) is of importance to the counterfeiter. “It’s not whether the medication works or not. It’s whether or not it looks like the product. They may use floor wax on it to give it a shine. They may use automobile paint to give it colour. They’ve used ink cartridges for colour. We’ve seen boric acid used as a dilutent to give the tablet its size and shape. One of the favourite things for making the tablets is sheet-rock.”

Donnelly’s team works together with local law enforcement to stop dozens of counterfeit operations each year they bust the dirty labs which are the polar opposite of the hygiene, sterile environments where the genuine article is produced.

“You have no idea how that drug’s been manufactured. You have no idea how it’s been stored,” Donnelly says.

In many cases, it is near impossible to distinguish a fake medication from its real counterpart, so agents use a device known as a TruScan. The device blasts a laser which analyses the drug’s chemical composition to determine authenticity.

“As you can see, it failed. So this is counterfeit. It’s counterfeit,” Donnelly says after scanning one of the Viagra pills.

However, not only was the pill fake, it gets worse. In one batch of counterfeits, the anti-inflammatory medication diclofenac was discovered to be mixed in, for seemingly no reason whatsoever.

“When you get something that’s contaminated with another drug, you have the potential for getting someone sick,” Donnelly warns.

Your love life could be boosted by getting your 5 a day

For many years those unlucky in love have perhaps wondered what the secret(s) is to achieve and maintain a happy, healthy and active love life.

Obviously there are medications such as impotence drug Viagra or premature ejaculation treatments Priligy and Stud 100 spray, which can all provide a huge/satisfying boost between the bed sheets.

However, according to the findings of a new study, getting your 5 a day portion of fruit and vegetables can not only benefit your health in a number of ways, it can also improve your love life.

In particularly, the study suggests that people who consume plenty of fruit and vegetables emit a radiant glow which makes them more appealing to potential partners. The researchers behind the study think that over time we have generally associated bronzed skin with good health, and this glowing good skin that is given off from a high fruit and veg intake may subconsciously help to pick out a good mate and avoid the unhealthier of society.

For the study, published in the Royal Society journal Biology Letters, researchers from York, St Andrews and Cambridge University snapped photographs of 20 men and women, manipulating them to produce four different versions.

One version depicted faces radiating a golden glow, clearly showing the advantageous effect of eating plenty of fruit and veg, whilst another version of the pictures showed a significantly less healthy complexion of the results of steering clear of the salad bowl!

The third and fourth sets also had differing tones of skin, but with faces that were changed to abstract pictures, unidentifiable as human.

Volunteers were then drafted in to view the pictures and judge how ‘attractive’ they deemed the images to be.

Yellowness of the abstract images appeared to have little impact on each person’s opinion, but interestingly the more golden faces were rated as better looking.

This would hint that yellow is maybe not a colour we particularly find attractive in general, but provides information as part of a person’s skin tone.

York University researcher Dr Carmen Lefevre said: “This suggests we use it in other people as a quick of who could be health and, perhaps more importantly, who may be unhealthy.  You don’t want to touch someone who has an illness you might catch.”

For those who really do not like their greens, there is good news in that even eating a small amount can have an impact.

Dr Lefevre, who is working up to eating five-a-day, said: “Other work we have shown that eating one or two more portions makes a visible difference after only four weeks.”

Her work may explain to some extent why people sometimes describe others with a tan as having a ‘healthy glow’.

Dr Lefevre added: “Some other work that our lab has done indicates that people prefer a tan to no tan. However, they seem to prefer the carotenoid colour more than a tan. Eating more fruit is better than going in the sun.”

Of course, there are a multitude of reasons to get your 5 a day intake of fruit and vegetables, besides looking more appealing to the opposite sex! Here is a detailed list of the 5 a day benefits, and information on what counts as one of the portions.

How to survive the work Christmas party

As we quickly approach the second weekend of December, Christmas trees, decorations and lights will be sprouting around homes all over the UK. Around this time is also when many employers decide to arrange a Christmas party for their staff, which can be any one of something to look forward to, something to dread, but more commonly, something to deeply regret (in the morning after the night before!).

Venturing your way through the minefield that is the office Christmas party can be tricky business, but not something that is impossible to do to ensure your dignity, reputation and most importantly, job are all left intact!

Pace yourself

An open bar does not mean drink like it’s going out of fashion for the sake of it, and doesn’t mean you need to drink the bar dry. There is no drinking competition because the booze is free and besides, if you take it easy and get to watch other people’s drunken antics, you have perfect blackmail material for the rest of the year and will get plenty of brews made for you. Alcohol (within limits) can make the evening bearable if you are not looking forward to the party, but be aware of your limits. Remember, this is not a night out with your mates.

Don’t fling yourself at the nearest person

Whether the drinks are flowing or mistletoe is in the air, it is not an invitation to hurl yourself at Jane the receptionist. If you do suspect someone you like may be interested, approach with caution, be subtle, don’t be overly flirty. Control your libido and perhaps limit yourself to a kiss near to the end of the party. Gold spot breath sprays are perfect for this point of night; easily to carry about in your pocket and will mask the unpleasant odour of stodgy food and alcohol from earlier in the night. Should you and somebody else decide to take things a little further, condoms are essential to protect against an unwanted pregnancy or sexually transmitted infection.

The social media aspect

Your Facebook friends will not care for your opinions of the attractive work colleague you are lusting over, or wish to see drunken pictures you have taken of yourself in the toilets. Be careful of what you post on social media as what can turn out to be a bit of harmless fun can end up with disastrous ramifications. What started out as “Rob just stole a plant” may end up as “Rob just received his P45 from HR”. It is a social occasion but it is still a work event, and on Monday morning your boss will still be your boss. Plenty of alcohol and camera phones do not go hand in hand, steer clear of any damaging photo opportunities that can even put your job on the line or result in merciless jibes from colleagues until the next Christmas party!

Don’t over-indulge

Christmas time for dieters can be the most challenging period of the year. The buffet at the party will more than likely feature a whole range of fat-filled stodgy foods such as pizza, quiche and sausage rolls. None are beneficial for your waistline or your cholesterol levels. Alcohol is known to contribute to low blood sugar levels, dehydration, and the typical binge-eating session that many people fall victim to at the end of a heavy drinking session. As alcohol is an appetite stimulant, try not to make a pit-stop to the local kebab shop on your walk home. If you are attempting to lose weight, devouring a doner kebab is not the way to go. Some contain as much as 1,990 calories. This is almost the same as a woman’s recommended daily intake of calories, in addition to a staggering 70g of saturated fat – three and half times the daily guideline amount for a woman, not forgetting a whopping 16.5g of salt.

Don’t mention work

Show you have a life outside of the office and touch upon topics of conversation that aren’t related to the latest spreadsheet figures at work.  If you must, get in touch with the latest news before the party so you have something to talk about and ask people what their plans are for the festive period. You can inject a little creative storytelling into the conversation should you wish, just make sure to keep it clean and credible! Also, the work Christmas party is not the appropriate time to bring up the fact you want a pay rise in the New Year. Everyone wants to let their hair down and work subjects should be put aside for the night.

Quitting smoking can get the blood flowing into your love life

It has long been said that smoking not only harms a man’s fertility but also effects his ability to achieve and sustain an erection, and the findings from a new study suggest that smoking is indeed disastrous for a man’s risk of suffering with erectile dysfunction.

The study, conducted over a period of three years, was carried out by experts based at the University of Hong Kong Schools of Public Health and Nursing. They assessed 700 men aged between 30 and 50, who were all smokers and complaining of impotence problems.

The team found that over half (53.8%) of the participants who successfully managed to quit smoking actually noted their erection problems had subsided, and within merely six months after quitting smoking. Therefore, those who gave up cigarettes had a 91.5% better chance of having a good sex life.

Involved in the study was Professor Sophia Chan, who stressed the need for smoking cessation programs to be introduced in a country such as China where there are a high number of men who are suffering with such problem.

Smokers should be aware of such adverse effects from their smoking and should quit now to prevent erectile dysfunction and other diseases caused by smoking”, commented Lam Tai-Hing, who was involved in the study with Professor Chan. Tai-Hing added; “In fact, erectile dysfunction patients who smoke can expect some quick benefits after quitting smoking.”

Smoking is believed to cause erectile dysfunction as it promotes narrowing in the arterial walls and negatively impacts blood flow to the penis through the pelvic region. There are a number of treatments available to men with impotence problems such as Viagra and Cialis; taken by millions of men around the world.

Viagra works it magic by enabling the blood vessels in your penis to relax, which then allows better flow into your Corpus Cavernosum and Spongiosum when you get sexually excited with stimulation.
Lifestyle improvements to boost cardiovascular health has also been found to ease the symptoms of erectile dysfunction. Men experiencing this problem may be advised to lose weight and begin exercising, lowering bad cholesterol level, lower blood pressure and adhere to a healthy diet that is low in saturated fat.

Maybe the graphic image warnings on cigarette packets about their dangers are not sufficient enough to get some men to quit smoking, but the risk of impotence could perhaps provide the motivation to finally stub out.

Winter Wellness: Protect yourself against flu and other illness

Certain health conditions are triggered or exuberated by cold weather, and considering recent years has seen the winter season in the United Kingdom become increasingly chilly with sub-zero temperatures, this can cause chaos for the majority of the UK’s 63.23 million people.

However, there are practical steps and self-help measures you can take during the winter to stay warm, reduce your risk of developing illness, and sufficiently equip your body to deal with an ailment should you unfortunately become unwell.

Flu

One of the most common winter illnesses, and one not to be confused with a cold. Colds usually start gradually with a runny or stuffy nose and sore throat. Flu symptoms begin much suddenly and it is more serious than a cold.

For many of us, flu is not life-threatening and a full recovery can usually be made after a week. However, flu can prove deadly for vulnerable people and lead to complications such as bronchitis and pneumonia.

These vulnerable, high-risk groups of people are entitled to a free flu jab on the NHS to protect themselves developing flu and serious complications from it. Those eligible for the jab include the over-65s, pregnant women, if you have a medical condition such as diabetes or asthma (your GP will advise you), are a healthcare or social care worker with direct patient contact, or reside in either a long-stay residential care home or other long-stay care facility. There may be other situations where you are entitled to the flu jab, with your GP or practice nurse being able to offer more information.

You can take preventative steps though to try and protect yourself and those around you by: coughing or sneezing into a tissue, disposing of used tissues immediately and washing hands straight away. You should also rest, drink plenty of fluids, and eat healthily (a low-fat, high-fibre diet is generally advised).

Flu FAQ

I am pregnant, do I need a flu jab this year?

Yes. The flu vaccine can be safely administered at any stage of pregnancy following conception to protect both you and your unborn baby. It will help to protect against serious complications in the latter stages of pregnancy, such as pneumonia, and will       even offer protection for the baby in the first few months of their life after birth. The vaccine also means there is a lesser risk of premature birth or the baby having a low birth weight.

I am pregnant but I think I have flu. What should I do?

See your doctor as soon as flu symptoms first appear as there is prescription medicine that can be taken to reduce the chance of complications arising, but the treatment needs to be taken soon after the initial symptoms start to show.

I have already had flu. Do I need the vaccine?

Yes. You will not know which virus caused your flu and the vaccine is essential to protect you against other flu viruses after yours has passed.

I received a flu vaccination last year. Do I need one this year?

Yes. The vaccine will offer protection against different strains than the previous years. Even if you were vaccinated last year, it is strongly advised you receive another this year. Health experts identify the flu viruses way in advance that are most likely to be predominant and appropriate vaccines are made.

Which flu viruses will the 2013/14 vaccine protect against?

. H1N1 – the strain of flu responsible for the 2009 swine flu pandemic.
. H3N2 – a strain of flu prominent in birds and mammals that was notoriously active in 2011.
. B/Massachusetts/2 – a strain of flu that was active in 2012.

Why is flu dangerous for older and chronically ill people?

Those over 65 and/or suffering with a chronic illness will have difficulty fighting influenza as their body’s system for getting rid of infection has usually become much weaker. Older people who have flu are at risk of pneumonia, bronchitis, and even death.

Who should not have the flu vaccine?

There are not many people who should avoid the flu vaccine. If you have had a serious allergic reaction to a previous jab then it is generally advised to avoid having another. Because some flu jabs are created using eggs, people with an allergy to eggs may be at risk of experiencing a reaction with that type of vaccine. Therefore, it is best to check with your doctor who may be able to provide a flu vaccine with low egg content if an egg-free version isn’t available. If you have a fever, you should wait until you have fully recovered before considering the flu vaccine.

What is the flu nasal spray vaccination?

The NHS childhood vaccination programme means that all children aged 2 to 3 years of age are eligible to receive an annual flu nasal spray vaccine. As the initiative rolls out, all children between the ages of 2 and 16 will be vaccinated against flu with the nasal spray. It is administered as a single dose of spray in each nostril and has the major advantage of there being no needles involved and also less side effects.

What is Tamiflu and do I need it?

Tamiflu is a prescription only antiviral medicine for the treatment or prevention of various types of influenza such as swine flu. Tamiflu belongs to a group of medicines named ‘neuraminidase inhibitors’. These medicines prevent the influenza virus from spreading inside the body and so help to ease or prevent the symptoms arising from the influenza virus infection. A doctor will determine if you need Tamiflu and prescribe it as necessary.

Asthma

The 5.4 million people in the UK need to take extra care and precautions during the winter months as cold air and flu viruses are major triggers for asthma symptoms, which include: a shortness of breath, wheezing (accompanied by a whistling sound), chest tightness/pain/pressure, coughing (especially at night or early in the morning).

Before stepping outside on cold, dry days, always make sure to take your usual dose of reliever inhaler (normally a blue inhaler) and keep this inhaler on you at all times. Wrap up well and ideally you should wear a scarf that covers your nose and mouth. Doing this will help to warm up the air before you breathe it in. Exercise is another trigger for asthma attacks and you need to be cautious of exercising during the winter. Warm up for 10–15 minutes prior to exercise and take one or two puffs of your blue reliever inhaler before you begin.

Christmas asthma triggers should also be taken into account and precautions need to be taken to avoid them where best possible. Pets, Christmas trees and Christmas decorations can cause havoc if you have asthma or other allergies.

Norovirus

The virus may also be more commonly known as the winter vomiting bug. As the name suggests, it is particularly rife during the winter months, but can be caught at any time during the year. In recent years norovirus has made headlines after spreading rapidly amongst the passengers on cruise ships and it is quite often spread within schools and hotels. The first symptom is suddenly feeling nauseous, followed by forceful vomiting and diarrhoea. Sufferers may also experience stomach cramps, aching limbs, frequent headaches, and a high temperature (over 38C/100.4F).

The virus is difficult to try and deal with, but should pass after a few days. If you are vomiting and have diarrhoea, you must drink plenty of fluid to prevent dehydration, with this being more dangerous with the very young and elderly.

Each year approximately 600,000 to 1 million people in the UK become ill with the norovirus, but there are things you can do to prevent getting the virus or try to prevent it spreading. For example, avoid sharing towels and flannels, wash your hands thoroughly with soap and water after using the toilet as well as prior to preparing meals, use a bleach-based household cleaner to disinfect any surfaces or areas that may be contaminated and wash all clothing and bedding at risk separately from other items.

Asthma hospital admissions could be prevented with correct inhaler usage

Asthma is a serious, yet sometimes underestimated health problem. Just imagine you are unable to breathe, unable to cry for help, unable to even speak, and paralysed with fear. This is an accurate description of how an asthma attack feels for the majority of the 5.4 million people in the UK who suffer with asthma.

It is believed that around 75% of asthma-related hospital admissions could have been averted through sufficient asthma management and a staggering 90% of deaths from asthma were preventable.

Part of this is through the actual correct/efficient use of asthma medication. According to a pharmaceutical-educational charity partnership, improved inhaler technique may help to drastically reduce the estimated 80,000 plus emergency hospital admissions for asthma, but healthcare professionals should be partly culpable as many are not carrying out proper training to patients for correct inhaler use.

A new study of healthcare professionals published in Thorax suggests that a shocking 70% could not demonstrate the right metered dose inhaler technique to asthma patients, and around half of the patients themselves were unable to use the correct technique with their inhaler.

It might be alarming to know that poor use of an inhaler can result it as little as 5% of the drug being transmitted to where it is urgently required – the lungs. Therefore, symptoms are not controlled and the risk of an emergency hospital admission suddenly increases a significant amount.

The good news is that Napp Pharmaceuticals have joined forces with the charity Education for Health to provide inhaler technique training to any CCGs and NHS providers looking to boost their respiratory services and undoubtedly cut asthma hospital admissions in the process.

Community pharmacists from Cambridgeshire and Peterborough CCG and Pharmicus in Gateshead will be involved with pilot programmes after the success of a similar inhaler technique programmed on the Isle of Wight, whereby trained multidisciplinary teams including GPs and respiratory nurses, led to a 50% drop in asthma emergency admissions and a 75% decrease in associated deaths.

Monica Fletcher, CEO of Education for Health said: “This training will enable healthcare professionals to provide the most accurate and up to date inhaler technique to their patients. There is no reason why, with the correct treatment and management, that the majority of people with asthma shouldn’t be able to live symptom free.”

Dr Joe diCapite, inhaler technique project manager at Napp said “We know that several CCGs recognise inhaler technique as an issue for their patients. Napp and Education for Health want to work in partnership with CCGs to create inhaler technique programmes that address the specific training needs of their healthcare professionals, with a shared aim of delivering better patient outcomes.”

If you have asthma and would like more information on using your inhalers, Asthma UK have provided helpful videos on how to correctly different asthma inhalers such as metered dose inhalers, easi-breathe inhalers, an autohaler and various other types of inhalers.

Stress of modern life disastrous for Brit’s sex lives

Whether it is money worries due to a crippling recession, or keeping busy on social media such Facebook or Twitter, there seems to always be something to distract us Brits in our day-to-day lives.

So much so that it seems these factors could be behind the revelation that couples in Britain appear to be having sex less now than at any other time during the last two decades. This is according to the findings extracted from a national survey on sex habits.

The figures from the National Survey of Sexual Attitudes and Lifestyles (Natsal) – conducted only once per decade – involved 15,000 participants aged 16 to 44. It would seem that modern life is having an impact on the libido of people from all ages.

To understand the decline, men polled during 2010 to 2012 stated that they had sex on average 4.9 times a month and women were around the same at 4.8. The survey, the third in the series, was carried out between September 2010 and August 2012.

However, the same survey from 1999 to 2001 found that men had sex roughly 6.2 times on average per month, whilst women were again at about the same number; 6.3.

Even further back, during 1990 to 1991 shows that men were having sex 6.4 times on average per month and for women it was 6.1 times. Clearly something has changed in the subsequent years.

Dr Cath Mercer, from University College London, said: “People are worried about their jobs, worried about money. They are not in the mood for sex. But we also think modern technologies are behind the trend too. People have tablets and smartphones and they are taking them into the bedroom, using Twitter and Facebook, answering emails.”

Dr Mercer also deduced from the survey’s findings that couples aged 16 to 44 could even be turning to online pornography as an alternative to sex.

Lead Natsal author Professor Kaye Wellings, of the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, said that stress caused by the recession and more people working even when away from the office are likely to be key factors for the decline.

“In a recession we find an association between unemployment and a low number of sexual partners, perhaps due to low self-esteem,” she commented.

Professor Wellings added: “The change in women’s behaviour across the three surveys has been remarkable. In some areas of sexual behaviour we have seen a narrowing of the gender gap, but in others we have seen women overtaking men in the diversity of their behaviour. These trends need to be seen against the backdrop of the profound changes in the position of women in society, the norms governing their lifestyles and media representations of female sexuality.”

The survey, analysed by researchers from University College London and the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, also quizzed older people about their sex lives.

According to the results, 60% of men and 42% of women aged 65 to 74 had had sex in the previous year, albeit not on a regular basis compared to other groups. On average, men aged 65 to 74 were having sex 2.3 times per month and only 1.4 times for women.

There were also some other interesting findings from the survey, for instance:

.  A sixth of UK pregnancies are not planned.

. Half of men reported a recent sexual problem; impotence or a sexually transmitted infection are just some of these ‘problems’. Only a tenth were worried or distressed about their sex lives however.

. Around 15% of men had experienced a lack of interest in sex.

. Women under the age of 44 have an average of sexual 7.7 partners, while for men it is 11.7.

. After the survey in the year 2000, more people accept same-sex relationships but are now less tolerant of a cheating partner.

. Around 3.6% of men admitted to paying for sex in the previous five years, compared to hardly any women.

Over a third of 60-70 year olds are battling the bulge

Scottish researchers claim that despite being a problem mainly associated among younger people, obesity is more widespread than first thought and over a third of 60 to 70-year-olds are now at a dangerous weight level.

The team involved in the new study also discovered that the amount of males aged 18 to 22 with a waist measurement in excess of 40 inches (102 cm), has doubled, increasing from 4.6% to 10.7%.
Meanwhile, the number of women in the same age bracket who have a waist size greater than 34.5 inches (88 cm) has almost tripled, increasing from 9.25% to 24.4%.

The team from the University of Glasgow analysed statistics from the Health Survey of England and the Scottish Health Survey, contrasting information relating to 1994 to 1996 against similar facts from 2008 to 2010.

They found that the total number of people with a body mass index (BMI) reading of more than 30 (I.e. classified as ‘obese’) had risen 5 to 15% on average, with an evident peak at age 60 to 70. Up to 38% were obese over both sexes.

The peak was seen at five to ten years later than what was observed during 1994 to 1996 for men, and but was no different for women.

Prevalence of BMI over 30 has doubled in young English men (to 10.7%) and tripled in young Scottish males (to 12.1%). Women fared worse though with 17.8% in England having a BMI of over 30 and 20.1% in Scotland.

Waistlines are clearly expanding at a fast rate, with researchers finding the percentage of people having a ‘large’ waist circumference – 102 cm/40 inches for men, 88 cm/34.5 inches for women – spiralling from 30% to 70% for men aged 80 to 85 and for women between the ages of 65 and 70.

It seems Scots are gripped in an even worse obesity crisis than their English counterparts as the prevalence of a large waist circumference increased fourfold to 12.7% in young men, and almost fivefold in women, to 28.2%.

Professor Mike Lean, whose research has been published in the International Journal of Obesity, commented: “People are growing fatter later in life, with waist sizes rising more persistently than BMI which may indicate increased loss of muscle mass in old age. Within the 14-year period of this study, we also are seeing more young people entering adult life already obese, and more older people have adverse body composition. The continuing rise of waist circumference in older age groups is evidence of continued body fat accumulation and redistribution into older age, which is a major public health concern. The proportion of people with a ‘normal’ BMI has dropped to only about 15 per cent of UK adults by the age of 65. This rather small proportion now includes unhealthy people who have illnesses that have caused weight loss or prevent weight gain, as well as those who are genuinely healthy and active. So older people with an apparently ‘healthy’ BMI are not all healthy.”

Professor Lean added: “The use of BMI alone as a measure for adiposity in this age group may be misleading and using waist circumference might be better for identifying adverse changes in body composition.”

Healthy diet ‘could reduce risk’ of pregnancy complications

Certain modifications to lifestyle factors both in the months prior to, and during pregnancy, could ensure a woman has a healthy pregnancy without complications, according to a new study published in the British Medical Journal.

A study led by scientists at King’s College London, found that by maintaining a healthy weight, adhering to a healthy diet, and with a normal blood pressure (90/60 – 139/89 is generally deemed ‘normal’), then this can increase the possibility of the woman’s pregnancy going smoothly without encountering problems.

Unlike studies that have been conducted previously, researchers homed in on things than can boost the chances of women having a successful pregnancy and healthy baby, instead of analysing problematic issues.

For the study, the researchers assessed over 5,600 expecting first-time mothers from around the world including the UK, Ireland, New Zealand, and Australia.

None were due any more than one baby, and all women were quizzed on their previous medical history and dietary habits.
 
Blood pressure was taken and each woman had an ultrasound scan when they were between 10 and 21 weeks pregnant. Information about their births and babies was amalgamated obviously after each woman had given birth.

Of all those who participated in the study, 3,452 (61%) had an uncomplicated pregnancy. A lower proportion of women in the UK and Ireland had an uncomplicated pregnancy (58%) in comparison to their Australasian counterparts. (63%).

Common health problems for the women were found to be gestational hypertension (8%) and pre-eclampsia (5%). Meanwhile, being small for gestational age (11%) and premature birth (4%) were common issues among babies.

Perhaps unsurprisingly, it was discovered that maintaining a healthy diet – including at least three pieces a day – in the month before conception, meant the women were less likely to have any pregnancy problems.

The researchers say this backs up findings from past studies which show high fruit and vegetable intake during pregnancy can lower the risk of pre-eclampsia, premature birth and can result in babies born with a higher birth weight.

Commenting on their findings, the researchers say: “Based on a large prospective cohort study of healthy nulliparous women, we identified, replicated, and externally confirmed improvable factors associated with uncomplicated pregnancy. These related to optimizing weight, diet, cardiovascular fitness, and cessation of illicit drug use. Providing confirmation is forthcoming from other cohorts, this study should inform development of interventions to increase normal pregnancy outcomes.”

Online Pharmacy give away 1,000s of condoms in the run up to World AIDS Day

Shocking figures released ahead of World AIDS Day on 1 December reveal that roughly a fifth of those who have HIV in the UK, are unaware they are even carrying the virus.

Public Health England accumulated data from 2012 that shows 21,900 people out of 98,400 with HIV in the UK do not know they have it, with new cases reported in gay mean spiralling to an all-time record of 3,250 during last year.

Gay men account for the majority of people who have HIV, followed by black African men and women. Heterosexuals accounted for approximately 45% of new HIV cases in 2012; 2,880 in total.

Although it appears overall figures have decreased since 2011, the charity Terrence Higgins Trust have called for more action to be done to prevent the virus spreading, beginning with National HIV Testing Week, which runs from 22-29 November leading up to World AIDS Day.

World AIDS Day is an annual event dedicated to raising awareness of the AIDS pandemic caused by the spread of HIV infection, and has been supported numerous times by Medical Specialists Pharmacy, and this year is no different.

This year Medical Specialists are giving away literally thousands of Skins condoms to all patients who obtain any sexual health products between 22 November and 2 December. Whether this be a clamelle chlamydia test kit, the antibiotic azithromycin for chlamydia and gonorrhoea treatment, or viagra, you will receive plenty of condoms…for free!

“Reducing undiagnosed HIV is now the single most important step we can take to halt the spread of infection in this country,” said the Terrence Higgins Trust’s acting chief executive, Paul Ward.

Mr Ward added: “Some communities are already making headway in this. Among gay men, testing rates are up, diagnoses are up, and as a result undiagnosed infection is coming down. Because of community-wide initiatives like National HIV Testing Week, hundreds more people with HIV now know their status, helping them access life-saving treatments and drastically reducing the chance of them passing the virus on. We’ve come so far, but we have to keep going. We know testing works and treatment works; all we need is the individual commitment and public funding to make it happen. If we can get this, we can turn the tide of the epidemic.”

Many people see ‘HIV’ as an abbreviated disease that they hope they never contract, whilst not actually understanding a lot about what it is, who is at risk, or the dangers of letting the virus go untreated.

HIV (human immunodeficiency virus) attacks the immune system; our body’s natural defence mechanism against infections and disease. Health Protection Agency statistics from 2010 showed 95% of UK diagnoses stemmed from sexual contact, typically not wearing a condom during sexual activity is the cause. Sharing infected needles, syringes or other drug paraphernalia are also risk factors for HIV.

After infection, symptoms usually take between two to six weeks to arise and they include the common flu symptoms such as fever, sore throat, tiredness, muscular pain and also you could develop a body rash. If you believe you might be at risk then you should go for a test immediately and do not delay.
Delaying vital critical treatment can be fatal and somebody diagnosed at a late stage is actually nine times more likely to die within twelve months of receiving their diagnosis compared to somebody who gets tested and diagnosed at an early stage.

If HIV is left untreated or insufficiently managed, HIV then develops into AIDS (acquired immune deficiency syndrome). At this stage the body is no longer able to fight off life-threatening infections due to the severe damage inflicted to the immune system.

National HIV testing week is a hugely important week and Medical Specialists hope that people shed the stigmas attached to HIV and AIDS, and to get tested immediately if they think they might be at risk. There is never any shame in seeking help for anything, especially when it comes to your health, and it could just save your life.

Achoo! Do you have a cold or flu?

The winter season for the majority of the Northern Hemisphere is not a pleasant time. Temperatures often plunge into the minuses as snow makes a regular appearance, as does ice, resulting in inevitable pandemonium for vehicle drivers and walking pedestrians.

Also prevalent at this time of the year are a huge number of colds, cases of flu, and various respiratory illnesses. Contagious viruses are of course active throughout the year, but winter is when we are most vulnerable. When it is cold, many people understandably choose to stay indoors, meaning a virus can spread rapidly through households.

Flu is transmitted between people when the infected individual then sneezes or coughs, releasing droplets into the air. Even touching a surface where the virus has been deposited can you put at risk of developing said virus.

It is worth noting there is a difference between a ‘cold’ and the flu, although they have some of the same symptoms and thus, are often mistakenly self-diagnosed. It is thought that around a third of Brits assume they just have a ‘bad cold’, when it is in fact the flu. This is a worrying statistic as thousands die each year from complications arising from flu.

A runny nose, coughing, a sore throat and sneezing are characteristics most common in colds, and usually develop over one or two days, lasting no more than a few days. However, some colds may last for as long as two weeks.

Flu usually strikes more suddenly than a common cold, symptoms are more serious and it lasts for a longer period of time. Flu symptoms include: sudden fever of 38-40°C (100-104°F), aches and pains in muscles and joints, sweats, a dry cough, headache and a feeling of exhaustion/needing to lie down.

One to three days following infection is the time when flu symptoms rear their ugly head, but many find they recover within one week, but a feeling of tiredness lingers for slightly longer than this. Severe colds may cause muscle aches and fever, which explains why many people struggle to differentiate the two.

Regardless of if it is a cold or flu you have, you must seek medical help if you also have chronic health condition such as asthma, diabetes, or heart disease, or are experiencing a high fever, a severe headache, or abdominal or chest pain.

You can take preventative steps though to try and protect yourself and those around you by:

. Coughing or sneezing into a tissue.
. Disposing of used tissues straight away.
. Washing hands as soon as possible.
. Get an annual flu jab if you are in one of high-risk groups.
. Throwing a used tissue away as soon as possible.
. Washing your hands as soon as possible.
. Having a flu jab every year if you’re in an at-risk group (i.e. children under the age of 5, adults over the age of 65, pregnant women).

Painkillers, such as paracetamol, ibuprofen and aspirin, can help to ease your symptoms if you just have a cold – although aspirin should not be given to anyone under the age of 16. You should also rest, drink plenty of fluids, and eat healthily (a low-fat, high-fibre diet is generally advised).

You can usually treat yourself in the comfort of your own home if you have the flu. Make sure to get plenty of rest (most people know when they feel fit enough to carry on with their normal activities), keep yourself warm, and drink plenty of fluids.

Paracetamol or anti-inflammatory medicines such as ibuprofen can help to lower your high temperature and relieve aches if you are unwell with a fever.

Prescription antiviral medications such as Tamiflu (oseltamivir) are also widely used for both flu prevention and treatment.

Tamiflu stops the chemical neuraminidase – made by the influenzavirus – from having an impact that is. The virus relies on neuraminidase to spread in the airways, but because Tamiflu blocks neuraminidase from having an effect, the spread of the influenzavirus in the airways is reduced and the body’s immune system is more easily able clear-up the infection.