NHS prescriptions surge to 1 billion in a single year

An incredible milestone has been reached, with a record 1 billion NHS prescriptions dispensed within a single year for the first time ever in England, according to new statistics compiled by the Health and Social Care Information Centre (HSCIC).

The figure was met during 2012 across England and represents a 62% surge from the previous decade, when 383.5 million items were dispensed. The billion prescriptions dispensed is the equivalent of 2.7 million items each a day, or over 1,900 a minute.

Other figures in a report released by the HSCIC show that on average the NHS dispensed 18.7 items per person in 2012, whilst in 2002 it was just 12.4 per person. Moreover, the net cost per item has dropped from £11.10 in 2002 to £8.50 in 2012.

It is believed that an increasingly large and aging population are behind the increase in prescriptions as well as more patents beginning to expire and inexpensive generic alternatives becoming available.
For example, the net cost of the cholesterol-boosting medication atorvastatin (marketed as Lipitor by U.S. Pharmaceutical giant Pfizer) dramatically dropped during 2011 and 2012 from £310.9 million to £166.6 million.

Since then, Pfizer have also lost the UK patent for Viagra, meaning certain other pharmaceutical companies are able to produce an erectile dysfunction medication that contains Viagra’s active ingredient sildenafil citrate, at a significantly lower cost to the patient. Sildenafil Teva and Sildenafil Actavis are two such examples to emerge since the UK Viagra patent ended on June 21.

In what could be a testament to Britain’s burgeoning obesity crisis, for the sixth consecutive year diabetes prescriptions were the biggest cost by treatment area, costing £768 million in 2012 – representing a 2.2% (£16 million) increase from 2011.

Since 1996 the number of people diagnosed with diabetes in the UK has risen from 1.4 million to 2.9 million, of which an estimated 90% are believed to have type 2, which can be caused by either being overweight or obese. Health experts predict that by 2025 5 million people in the UK will have diabetes.

Commenting on the prescription increase, HSCIC chairman Kingsley Manning said: “For the first time, one billion prescription medicines have been dispensed to our communities in just one year. This figure reflects a continuing upward trend in prescription numbers, which is in contrast to a recent fall in total net cost. Total costs have fallen for the second year running and are now at 2009 levels. Our report shows that, while people on average now receive more prescription items, the cost of these per head has dropped in the last two years.”

However, the figures also demonstrate a ‘notable’ rise in the number of antibiotics prescribed – which is causing huge concern. The Government’s chief medical officer has previously spoken of fear that the body’s increasing resistance to antibiotics is one of the biggest threats to modern health.

Professor Dame Sally Davies said many drugs are unnecessarily dished out for mild infections or illnesses and this helping to create a resistance to them, warning that even routine operations such as hip replacements could become fatal if we lose the ability to fight off infection.

Condoms boost friendly vaginal bacteria

There are a multitude of reasons you should always use a condom during sex. The two most glaringly obvious ones are that this helps to prevents the contraction of sexually transmitted infections (STIs) – although there is still a risk with oral sex if no condom is used – and they also severely minimise the chances of an unwanted pregnancy. Using condoms could be viewed as a mature act, showing you take care of your sexual health and are responsible.

The benefits of condoms may extend beyond these factors though, according to a Chinese study which found that sexually active women who use condoms have boosted levels of friendly bacteria called Lactobacillus within the vagina.

Lactobacillus is present in different areas of the body such as the digestive, urinary, and genital systems and supplements of the bacteria are sometimes given to women suffering with vaginal infections or urinary tract infections (UTIs) – although Trimethoprim is still one of the most effective treatments for both cystitis and various other urinary tract infections.

In the vagina, the production of lactic acid and hydrogen peroxide from the Lactobacillus is generally believed to be useful for protection against bacterial vaginosis (BV).

BV is the most common type of vaginal infection and is brought on when there is too much ‘bad’ bacteria and not enough of the ‘good bacteria’. Health experts are still not sure what causes the imbalance to occur but often the risk is increased if: you smoke, are pregnant, have a new sexual partner, have several sexual partners, use scented soap or bubble bath or use vaginal deodorant.

The common symptom is a vaginal discharge which may become very thin and watery, with an unpleasant odour and appear grey or white in colour. Other symptoms include pain after sexual intercourse and pain when urinating.

The Researchers involved in the study at the Beijing Friendship Hospital, assessed the vaginal bacteria of 164 healthy, sexually active married women in China, varying in age between 18 and 45 years old.  All women were not using a hormonal method of contraception.

From the 164 participants, 72 women used condoms, 57 used an intrauterine device (IUD), and 35 were using the ‘rhythm method’. This is where a couple forgoes sexual intercourse during the period of a woman’s cycle when conception is more probable.

Following analysis, it was found that the women using condoms had a 95.8% prevalence of lactobacillus. This was in comparison to just 84.2% in the IUD group and 88.6% in the rhythm group. In addition, a primary factor of normal vaginal microbial flora – L. crispatus – was actually 20% more prevalent in the group using condoms compared to those using an IUD.

The researchers say their study, published in the journal PLOS One, suggests that condoms are beneficial in helping the vagina to maintain its natural acidic defences. “As a perfect barrier, condom can help maintain the vaginal acidic buffer system and the vaginal lactobacilli population when sperm enters vagina during sex,” the researchers wrote.

However, with so many counterfeit condoms  in circulation across the UK and other areas around the world, condoms and other contraception methods should always be obtained from a highly reputable source such as Medical Specialists Pharmacy. You can rest assured that each medication or product dispensed to our patients is 100% genuine. We have a wide range of both Durex and Skins condoms at great prices from our chemist shop, including an incredible deal of 72 Durex Performa condoms for just £60.00!

Summer holidays cause ‘September spike’ in asthma hospital admissions

Parents are being warned about an increase in the number of children admitted to hospital after they go back to school in September.

The charity Asthma UK say the ‘September Spike’ happens each year in the first two to three weeks of the autumn term and is attributed to poor asthma care over the summer holidays, with a more relaxed approach to medicine use over this period.

They say that three children actually died from asthma attacks in early September of last year, and attacks are usually more prominent because of exposure to common triggers such as cold and flu viruses.

An estimated 1.1 million in the UK suffer from asthma; this equates to about two children in every classroom as having the lung condition. The charity say over 25,000 children required hospital treatment due to their asthma in 2011-12, with 18 children under the age of 14 dying from an asthma attack in 2011.

In addition, the Health and Social Care Information Centre have compiled information showing in 2011-12, 582 children in England required hospital treatment due to their asthma during the week beginning 19th September. This is in comparison to only 125 children for the week commencing 8th August.

However, with proper use of medicine and the correct care, a staggering 75% of hospital admissions could be avoided say the charity. Prevention, i.e. through the use of a preventer inhaler, is a major factor is managing the condition.

If children use their inhaler twice a day during the summer holidays, as they usually would before the break, they can severely reduce their chances of suffering an asthma attack and make sure they are in control of their symptoms.

The problems can begin during the school holidays when families go away to holiday destinations or leave children in the care of others who are either not aware of the child’s asthma or not fully clued up on how it is best treated/managed.

Delia Balan, Asthma UK’s senior nurse, says poor inhaler use is a problem that appears at around the same time each year: “Some children are out of their routine; they’re getting up later, going off on holidays, staying at their grandparents’ houses, and maybe some children are feeling better because it’s summer.”

Deputy chief executive Dr Samantha Walker added: “Normal routines can go out of the window during the summer break, which can effectively create a time-bomb for children with asthma. Those who forget to take their preventer inhalers over the summer will be less in control of their symptoms and therefore more vulnerable to asthma attacks come term time.”

The charity has now launched the ‘Teach Asthma a Lesson Next Term!’ campaign which is aimed at encouraging parents, healthcare professionals and schools to get a head start in combating the September asthma problem.

As part of the campaign, Asthma UK’s free, award winning My Asthma pack will be available to help parents create a fun routine with their child to manage their asthma and reduce the risk of attacks. The pack is aimed at children aged 6 to 12 and should be discussed with a doctor or nurse in order to fully reap the benefits of it.

Man blames Viagra overdose for car tax dodging

Failing to pay your car tax is no laughing matter as one motorist found out the hard way after the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency (DVLA) were alerted on their computers to his expired tax disc.

Tracking him down to his house, the DVLA however were perhaps not prepared for the dubious excuse he provided them for his misdemeanour – a Viagra overdose.

The blue diamond shaped pill known as Viagra is a highly popular treatment option for erectile dysfunction by helping the blood vessels to relax in your penis.  It is worth bearing in mind that Viagra will only help you to get an erection if you are sexually stimulated or aroused and works for up to about 4 hours.

This means there is plenty of time to be spontaneous with your partner – but also plenty of time to pop down to the post office to renew car tax on any given day!

Obviously for privacy and to spare his blushes, the man’s name has not been disclosed, but his excuse for not going to his local post office to renew his car tax did not go down well with the DVLA and he was promptly hit with a fine.

Carolyn Williams, head of digital services for the DVLA, says they receive plenty of ridiculous reasons for failing to renew tax, and this is up there with the worst, especially since motorists can now renew their tax online without ever needing to leave their home.

She said: “The vast majority of people tax their car on time and it is easier than ever before. But it amazes me to see the excuses people come up with.”

Motorists who either do not renew their car tax on time or declare a vehicle off-road can face a fine of £80 — increasing to £5,000 for the worst offenders.

Besides the common excuse of “my dog ate the reminder”, other absurd reasons Carolyn says they have heard include one motorist claiming they had fallen from a tree picking plums, whereas another said the bookies was much more tempting than paying car tax; “There was a horse running at Doncaster called Don’t Do It — so I bet on that with my car tax money instead. It lost.”

Whether the man mentioned earlier really did overdose on Viagra is open for debate. The recommended dose for the majority of patients is 50mg taken as required, one hour prior to sexual activity. Depending of tolerance and effectiveness, this dose can be increased to 100 mg or decreased to 25 mg, with a maximum recommended dosing frequency of one per day.

If you suspect you have overdosed on either Viagra or sildenafil citrate (the active ingredient in Viagra), you must seek emergency medical attention immediately. Some of the symptoms for a Viagra/sildenafil overdose include: Arrhythmia (irregular heartbeats), chest pain as a result of dilation of your blood vessels resulting in Hypotension (low blood pressure), severe dizziness and a painful/prolonged erection.

Cholesterol-lowering statins may also lower Parkinson’s risk

New research suggests that cholesterol-lowering statins may play a pivotal role in the development of new treatment for the progressive neurological disorder Parkinson’s disease.

Parkinson’s is complex condition and different people may experience a wide variety of different symptoms. Common symptoms however include: tremors (shaking), rigidity (stiffness) and a slowness of physical movements (known as bradykinesia).

Statins such as atorvastatin (Lipitor) and rosuvastatin (Crestor) are currently taken by around 7 million people in Britain, and work by decreasing rates of low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol (‘bad cholesterol’) by reducing the production of LDL cholesterol inside the liver. It is dangerous to have high rates of LDL cholesterol as this causes the arteries to become narrower and harder (atherosclerosis), causing a higher risk of heart attack, stroke and coronary heart disease.

The history of statins can be traced back 42 years to 1971 when a Japanese biochemist named Akira Endo, working at pharmaceutical company Sankyo, pioneered the search for a drug that would help to lower-cholesterol.

Since 1971, statins have soared in popularity and scientists have unearthed other potential uses for the class of drugs, aside from their cholesterol benefits – which last year were shown to have reduced heart attack deaths by half.

For instance, studies have linked statins to helping treat erectile dysfunction, liver cancer, and have even been explored as beneficial for asthma patients.

The new study into statins comes from Taiwanese research published online yesterday in the journal Neurology.

After analysis of almost 44,000 patients, scientists at the National Taiwan University Hospital discovered that taking those patients who stopped taking fat-soluble statins such as simvastatin (Zocor) or atorvastatin (Lipitor) were approximately 58% more at risk of developing Parkinson’s in comparison to patients who carried on taking the statins.

Unlike water-soluble statins, it is generally believed that fat-soluble statins pass through the blood-brain barrier, helping to reduce inflammation and could even alter dopamine pathways in the brain that are associated with Parkinson’s.

The Taiwanese national health insurance program has forbidden doctors to prescribe statins to a patient once their target cholesterol level has been reached.

This policy will be scrapped Aug. 1, but has made it possible for this study to compare the potential difference in Parkinson’s risk in patients who stopped taking statins against those still taking them.

“This policy allowed us to see whether there was any difference in the risk of Parkinson’s in people who stopped taking statins compared to the ones who kept taking them, ” said study author Dr Jou-Wei Lin, a cardiologist at National Taiwan University Hospital.  “We are more glad than surprised to demonstrate the relationship. Our analysis is observational…and further clinical trials targeting the association between statin use and Parkinson’s disease are still needed.”

Dr Kieran Breen, from the charity Parkinson’s UK, however warned people who suffer with Parkinson’s should never treat themselves with statin medication unless they have been advised to do so by their own GP.

Xolair asthma injections now available to children

Severely asthmatic children as young as just six years of age are now permitted a “life-changing” drug, following yesterday’s U-turn by a health watchdog.

This means that thousands of children aged six to 11 suffering with severe allergic asthma will be able to receive the benefits from omalizumab injections for the very first time.

Omalizumab, marketed as Xolair, is a long-term therapy usually administered via injection on a two week or monthly basis. It works to target the IgE antibody as people with severe allergic asthma have an elevated amount of IgE within their blood. This antibody causes the immune system to over-react upon the person coming into contact with their allergen, triggering asthma symptoms.

Approximately 2,000 severely affected patients have received the drug since its 2007 approval from the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE), who are responsible for NHS drug monitoring in addition to offering guidance and support.

Xolair was initially restricted to adults and children over the age of 12, but only if the patient had been admitted to hospital following a severe attack at least once.

In November of last year, NICE claimed Xolair was less effective and more expensive than they had first thought and spoke of ceasing offering the drug to new asthma patients.

That proposal caused outrage from doctors and patient groups, leading to charity Asthma UK campaigning for NICE to reverse the controversial plan. Asthma UK argued that omalizumab resulted in life-changing improvements by dramatically decreasing the number of attacks experienced by asthma patients.

However, NICE have now acknowledged the “life-changing” impact of Xolair reported by patients on the drug and say that as an addition to optimised standard therapy; Xolair is more clinically effective for the treatment of severe persistent allergic asthma than optimised standard therapy alone, causing total emergency visits to decrease. These include: A&E visits, hospital admissions and unscheduled GP appointments in adults.

In fact, studies have demonstrated how the drug has helped to cut hospital admissions by an incredible 61% and asthma attacks by an incredible 54% in patients with severe allergic asthma.
One of the patients the drug has been beneficial to is Olympic Team GB swimmer Jo Jackson, who competed in the London games last year and was a medallist at Beijing in 2008. Jackson has previously spoken about the treatment saving her career.

Going forward, the NHS will be required to incur the costs of the drug for those eligible from the 14,000 people with severe allergic asthma in the UK. Children and adults in Scotland are already eligible for Xolair, and Wales is expected to soon follow suit.

Xolair is produced by Swiss-based pharmaceutical company Novartis and averages about £8,000 in cost annually. However, the cost may range from anywhere between £1,665 to £26,640 each year depending on dose and frequency.

Dr Samantha Walker, of Asthma UK, said: “While it’s not suitable for everyone, people with severe allergic asthma who benefit from taking Xolair can see a massive improvement in their quality of life. Without it, many would be virtually housebound because of breathlessness and living in constant fear of the next life-threatening asthma attack.”

Heart disease risk for men who often skip breakfast

They say breakfast is the most important meal of the day, and this popular phrase may actually be true. In fact, so important, it could save your life.

Regularly missing breakfast may put older men at risk of suffering from a fatal heart attack or coronary heart disease by as much as a quarter in comparison to their peers who eat a morning meal, according to the findings from a U.S. study.

The new research was published on Monday in the journal Circulation, and was derived from a study spanning 16 years between 1992 and 2008. Participating in the study were 26,902 male health professionals (i.e. dentists and veterinarians) aged between 45 and 82 years, who completed food frequency questionnaires.  To be involved in the study, the men could not have a history of cancer, coronary heart disease, angina, heart attack or stroke.

Researchers noted over the course of the follow-up period that 1,572 men had experienced a ‘first-time’ cardiac event such as a non-fatal heart attack or died due to coronary heart disease. This included 171 who said they skipped breakfast.

Therefore, over 7% of the men who skipped breakfast had heart attacks, compared to nearly 6% of those who did not skip breakfast.

Assessing all the data, taking into account factors such as smoking, drinking, diet and health problems like high blood pressure and obesity, researchers discovered that the men who admitted they did not eat breakfast were at a 27% higher risk of heart attack or death from coronary heart disease than those who said they did eat a morning meal.

Typically those who didn’t bother with a breakfast were younger, single, heavier drinkers, smokers, in full-time employment and who did not do as much exercise. A potential flaw with the study though could simply be that people who make sure they have a regular breakfast also tend to have a healthier lifestyle.

Eric Rimm, one of the study authors at the Harvard School of Public Health, says past research may have found a connection between breakfast and obesity, high blood pressure, diabetes and other health problems seen as precursors to heart problems, “But no studies looked at long-term risk of heart attack”, he says.

However, lead author Leah Cahill, tried to explain possible reasons behind the new findings of the study: “Skipping breakfast may lead to one or more risk factors, including obesity, high blood pressure, high cholesterol and diabetes, which may in turn lead to a heart attack over time.”

The British Heart Foundation’s senior dietician, Victoria Taylor, attempted to alleviate some degree of panic, and said further research needs to be conducted – highlighting the fact no women were actually included in the study.

She commented on the study findings: “In the morning rush it can be all too easy to skip breakfast, but this study suggests this could have a bigger impact on our health than we might think. However, these researchers only looked at men aged over 45, so we would need to see further research to confirm that breakfast has the same impact on the heart health of other groups of people. What we do know is that a healthy and filling breakfast can make that mid-morning biscuit less tempting, as well as giving you another opportunity to widen the variety of foods in your diet. Wholegrain toast or cereals like porridge with low-fat milk are a good way to start the day. Try a sliced banana or dried fruit on top and you’ll be on your way to five-a-day before you’ve even left the house.”

Smoking rate could soon fall to under 20%

Smoking prevalence amongst adults in England is still steadily declining at approximately 0.5% – 1% each year and will soon be below 20% for the first time in a century, according to an expert involved in an on-going study into the smoking rate across England.

The proportion of smokers in England was just 20.1% in 2011; when annual results from the survey were last published. Barring any unlikely change to the trend, rates are set to drop under the ‘psychologically significant’ 20% mark.

Professor Robert West, from University College London, who co-heads the Smoking Toolkit Study, said: “2013 is going to be, almost without doubt, the first year for a hundred years where we’re solidly below 20% smoking prevalence in England. It’s going to be a big year. We are making progress. It’s slow, and we’d like it to be quicker, but things are going in the right direction.”

The Smoking Toolkit Study analyses the smoking habits of people over the age of 16 each month, with data being made available online. Information is also obtained by researchers via household surveys from almost 2,000 people.

According to the survey, average smoking prevalence across England currently stands at 19.1%, with obvious discrepancies between demographics.

For instance, with regards to the socio-economic scale, only around 13% of people are smokers in the upper and middle A, B and C1 social brackets. However, over a quarter of people smoke in the C2, D and E groups.

Professor West is almost certain that the overall yearly figure will fall to under 20%. He says: “It’s looking very promising. We’re at a psychologically significant point. My guess is that the publicity around it will help to stop even more people smoking.”

Over 100,000 people die each year due to a smoking-related disease, and tobacco use is still the single biggest cause of preventable death.

Smoking surveys were first formulated back in 1948 when a staggering 82% of men in the UK were smokers. During the 1970s to 1990s, smoking prevalence decreased dramatically and a slow decline is continuing in the present day.

Professor West believes long-term reduction in smoking rates will not suddenly come to a halt anytime soon. “We don’t see that happening in England,” he said. “The decline now is between about 0.5 and one percentage point a year, which is a pretty decent rate. There’s no evidence that it’s plateauing.”

Reasons for the decline were probably down to a number of factors he said such as the price of tobacco regularly being increased by the government, media campaigns and services available to help smokers quit.

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Asthma and obesity genetic link is established

Researchers from the University of Buffalo say two related studies they have conducted demonstrate that chronic inflammation in asthma is more prominent in people who are overweight or obese.

“Our findings point the way to the management of asthma in the obese through simple weight reduction,” said first author Paresh Dandona, MD, PhD, SUNY Distinguished Professor and Chief of Endocrinology, Diabetes and Metabolism at the University at Buffalo.

The findings were published online in the 26 June edition of journal Obesity and involved a study contrasting people in a normal weight range against people classified as obese; in addition to analysis of if/how biological indicators – such as the behaviour of asthma-linked genes – were altered following obese patients receiving weight loss surgery (a gastric bypass).

Assessed were 22 patients of normal weights, 23 obese patients (11 with Type 2 diabetes, 12 without) and 15 morbidly obese patients with Type 2 diabetes.

The Scientists involved with the research discovered in the comparative study that the four genes linked to chronic inflammation in asthma were more active in obese and morbidly obese people, as much as 100% in some cases.

This increased gene expression matters as it can result in mononuclear cells (white blood cells) to generate significantly more inflammatory factors such as interleukin 4, LIGHT and lymphotoxinβ receptor. These help to induce allergic inflammation and other abnormalities in the bronchial passages in asthma.

MMP-9, a contributor to inflammation, and nitric oxide metabolites (NOM), an indicator of oxidative stress, are both asthma-related compounds which were found in higher concentrations within the plasma of both obese and morbidly obese patients.

Interestingly, concentrations of MMP-9 and NOM decreased in morbidly obese diabetics after they had received gastric bypass surgery, together with the expression of six asthma-related genes including the key factors, interleukin 4, LIGHT, lymphotoxinβ and interleukin 33.

The study could hold some weight behind it as none of the participants actually suffered from asthma, meaning any findings or correlations were not a direct result of the lung condition.

“Ours is the first study to provide a mechanistic link between obesity and asthma through biological/immunological mechanisms,” Dandona said. “There has been, until now, no biological, mechanistic explanation other than the fact that obesity may raise the diaphragm and thus reduce lung volumes.”

According to Dandona, the next stage of research into asthma and obesity will involve clinical studies to find information about if or how weight loss can be beneficial for obese asthma patients. “We are embarking on this project now,” he said.

Exercise pill is possible claim scientists

Exercise pill…Exercise in a pill? This may sound like a premise too good to be true, and something that will have government officials and personal trainers shaking their heads in despair. However, the results of two connected studies published in Nature Medicine suggest that we may be able to soon receive the health benefits from exercising – without having to move a muscle or break a sweat!

Researchers at the Scripps Research Institute in Florida formulated a compound in 2012 which once injected into obese mice, actually amplified activation of ‘REV-ERB’ – a protein which can help to control animals’ circadian rhythms and internal biological clocks. These mice were found to lose weight and improve cholesterol levels despite being on a high fat diet.

To their amazement, the researchers discovered that the mice injected with the compound started to use up more oxygen on a daily basis and expend roughly 5% more energy than the untreated mice, even though they were less active than the untreated mice. Generally, the treated mice had actually become lazier than pre-injection and it seemed the compound was providing them with exercise without any effort being input.

Working with researchers from the Pasteur Institute in France, Scripps scientists decided to conduct further test to try and find out more information about how the compound worked inside of muscles to generate this invisible exercise. It was clear the drug was boosting potency of the REV-ERB protein, but scientists were puzzled as to what role REV-ERB had inside the muscles.

Therefore, a strain of mice were analysed – all of whom were unable to express much REV-ERB in their muscle cells, being referred to as ‘anti-athletes’. A common indicator of regular aerobic exercise is the fact that there is usually a better vigour and quantity of the mitochondria. These are cellular structures aiding the production of energy whilst oxygen is consumed. The anti-athlete animals’ muscles had a staggeringly low number of mitochondria.

This means they became exhausted way before other mice, with poor endurance and a maximal oxygen capacity of approximately 60% less than what would be considered normal. However, in another part of the experiment, the scientists added their compound to isolated muscle cells from these particular mice.  The cells started to generate significantly more REV-ERB and thus began to generate new mitochondria in addition to improving/strengthening the ones already present.

Then it was sedentary mice that were given the compound to test them with a higher amount of REV-ERB than what could be considered normal. After being set free onto small treadmills, these mice ran “significantly longer both in time and distance” than the untreated animals, the authors wrote, despite no previous training.

Co-author Dr Thomas Burris, chairman of the department of pharmacological and physiological science at St Louis University School of Medicine says there is a possibility in the future that this ‘exercise pill’ might be able to especially help the disabled or can’t otherwise exercise, to enjoy the health benefits of endurance without the exertion.

However, don’t cancel your gym membership just yet. Dr Burris stresses the core aim of his and other similar research is to help those who are unable to exercise, for whatever reason, not those who simply cannot be bothered. He says: “Exercise has so many health benefits” and “no drug can” recreate all of them. Activities such as swimming and lifting weights will never be fully reduced to tablet form, and exercising helps to release endorphins – the body’s natural feel-good chemical , and decreases stress hormones such as cortisol.

NHS inquiry results in 11 trusts placed under ‘special measures’

The furore is continuing over the alarmingly high death rates at 14 hospitals, following the publication of NHS England medical director Professor Sir Bruce Keogh’s review, who described the situation at the 14 hospitals as “trapped in mediocrity”, saying that had often disregarded concerns raised by either patients or staff.

The report highlighted staffing levels behind many of the issues and lack of oversight, adding that staff regularly did not attend to the needs and requirements of patients.

Shockingly, a member of Sir Bruce’s review panel even stated that there may be other hospitals across the country that have more appalling care and conditions than those at the 14 hospitals involved in the investigation.

Health secretary Jeremy Hunt also revealed yesterday that 11 of the NHS trusts are being placed under “special measures”, saying “we can no longer ignore mediocre treatment.” The 11 in the spotlight will be subjected to intense on-going scrutinisation for the immediate future, including “hit squads” of external experts being sent in to oversee the urgent improvements.

Speaking in the commons, Mr Hunt told fellow MPs: “No statistics are perfect but mortality rates suggest that since 2005, thousands more people may have died than would normally be expected at the 14 trusts reviewed. Worryingly, in half of those trusts, the Care Quality Commission – the regulator specifically responsible for patient safety and care – failed to spot any real cause for concern, rating them as ‘compliant’ with basic standards.”

Some of the 11 hospitals facing intense monitoring include Tameside Hospital NHS Foundation Trust, in Greater Manchester, where Sir Bruce’s teams discovered some patients were being left unattended for several hours on trolleys and Burton Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, with many staff being found to have worked for 12 hour stretches.

Sir Bruce’s report highlighted countless other examples of poor care at the 11 worst hospitals, such as patients being repeatedly transferred between wards without being given an explanation why, blood being taken from patients in open view of fellow patients on wards, and low levels of clinical cover – out of hours times in particular.

Sir Bruce said: “Higher mortality rates do not always point to deaths which could have been avoided but they do act as a ‘smoke alarm’ indicator that there could be issues with the quality of care. Not one of these trusts has been given a clean bill of health by my review teams. These reviews have been highly rigorous and uncovered previously undisclosed problems. Mediocrity is simply not good enough and, based on the findings from this review I have set out an achievable ambition which will help these hospitals improve dramatically over the next two years.”

The row has quickly gotten political in the commons, with several heated exchanges taking place this week as the Conservatives and Labour were quick to point the finger at each other for the NHS failings.

Mr Hunt tried to blame the failings within Sir Bruce’s report on the previous Labour Government, saying Andy Burnham, the Shadow Health Secretary, had not acted on warnings of poor care quality when he was in office and of “muzzling” regulators.

He also claimed that since 2005 “thousands more people may have died than would normally be expected” across the 14 hospitals with high mortality rates.

But Sir Bruce was quick to disregard Mr Hunt’s accusations however, saying that any effort to use statistical measures to “quantify actual numbers of avoidable deaths” was “clinically meaningless and academically reckless”.

After the publication of findings at the 14 hospitals, the NHS now has to comply with eight ‘ambitions’ by Sir Bruce in the report:

1. Reduce avoidable deaths with early warning systems for deteriorating patients and introduce more accurate statistical measurement of mortality rates.
2. Expertise and data on how to deliver high quality care to be more effectively shared between NHS trusts.
3. Patients, carers and the public should be more involved, and should be able to give real-time feedback.
4. Patients should have more confidence in the regulator the Care Quality Commission, with wider participation of patients, nurses, and junior doctors on review teams.
5. Hospitals in remote areas should not be left isolated, with staff from better-performing hospitals used to train and inspect others.
6. Nurse staffing levels and mix of skills should be appropriate to the patients being cared for on any given ward.
7. Medical directors should “tap into the latent energy of junior doctors” and include them in review panels.
8. NHS employers should make efforts to ensure staff are “happy and engaged”.

Cialis daily could help men with ED return to normal erectile function

The results of a new study published in the Journal of Sexual Medicine show that men with an ‘incomplete response’ to an as-needed PDE5 inhibitor treatment for impotence, achieved normal erectile function after taking a course of Cialis (Tadalafil) once daily treatment – via measurement on the erectile function domain of the International Index of Erectile Function (IIEF-EF). This is a series of questions used as a measure for efficacy assessment in erectile dysfunction clinical trials, first developed in conjunction with the clinical trial program for sildenafil.

Cialis belongs to a class of drugs known as a ‘Phosphodiesterase-5 (PDE-5) inhibitor’, first approved to treat erectile dysfunction (ED) and then for the signs and symptoms of benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH).

“PDE5 inhibitors are highly effective for most men when taken as-needed, but responses can range from minimal change to a return to normal erectile function,” said Dr Edward D. Kim, MD, of the Division of Urology, Department of Surgery, University of Tennessee Graduate School of Medicine and lead author of the study. “We believe the study outcome will help prescribers make better informed decisions when treating their patients.”

The study was a randomised, double-blind, parallel, placebo-controlled trial that encompassed 51 sites from the United States and Canada. Participants in the study were men 18-years-old or over who had taken an as-need PDE5 inhibitor at maximum dose and achieved some response to the treatment (IIEF-EF >/= 17), however had not managed to experience a normal erectile function (IIEF-EF <26 p="">
Researchers analysed the superiority of the Cialis daily treatment to that of a placebo in helping the men get back to a normal erectile function. There were a total of 623 subjects randomly assigned to receive Cialis as a once daily treatment, or given the ineffective placebo.

A primary objective of the study was to determine if a significantly greater percentage of the men returned to normal erectile function when given Cialis 2.5 titrated to 5 mg and 5 mg once daily, in comparison to a placebo.

Treatment with the Cialis daily in this matter met the primary objective with significantly higher percentages of men (38.7 percent and 39.6 percent, respectively) with IIEF-EF domain scores in the normal range (>/= 26) through 12 weeks versus the placebo (12.1 percent; both, p<.001).

By the fourth week of assessment, significantly higher percentages of men taking the Cialis 2.5 to 5 mg and 5 mg (33.5 percent and 41.1 percent, respectively) had successfully returned to normal erectile function (placebo, 8.5 percent; both, p<.001).

The study highlights the prowess of Cialis daily for the treatment of erectile dysfunction. Cialis vs Viagra  is a difficult choice for many, but it is worth bearing in mind that the lower strength versions of Cialis are particularly ideally for men in sexually active long-term relationships. Beneficial in that the mild dose will be in your body each day, it means you do not have to take a tablet each time you have sex. Your body should begin to adjust to the medication’s ingredients and resulting in very little side effects, if any.

Viagra could boost baby growth in the womb

Clinical trials are set to begin later this year in Australia and New Zealand to see if Viagra may help baby growth in the womb.

It seems the wonders and possibilities of the erectile dysfunction medication Viagra appear to be increasing on a regular basis. Earlier this year,  scientists claimed that Viagra could impact on white fat cells and thus help to combat obesity, whilst last year TV gardener David Domoney claimed Viagra could even be used to perk up flowers and keep them fresher for longer. If the results of the Australian and New Zealand trials prove successful, we may see at-risk pregnant women being prescribed the little blue pill in the near future.

The clinical trials have been arranged after previous studies showed that sildenafil – the active ingredient of Viagra – could aid the survival of babies inside the mother’s womb by increasing blood supply to the placenta. This is the organ that links the baby’s blood supply to the mother’s.

“There is currently no treatment for growth restriction, other than early delivery once a baby is in danger,” says Dr Kate Groom, who is leading the research at the University of Auckland.

It is hoped that babies at high risk of being born premature or worse, stillborn, may be helped.  One of the causes for a baby being stillborn is due to the condition pre-eclampsia, which can affect up to around 10% of first time pregnancies.

The specific reasons behind pre-eclampsia are not fully established, however it is believed to develop when the placenta does not receive enough blood the baby requires due to arteries not widening enough. An estimated 600 babies are delivered stillborn each year in the UK because of pre-eclampsia, but this figure may decrease in the future if sildenafil is proved a success in the trials.

For the clinical trials, 120 pregnant women who are at a higher risk of having a pre-term/low-growth baby, will be given a low dose of sildenafil to take during their pregnancy and compared against pregnant women in the same high risk group who will be administered a similar looking dummy placebo tablet.

Dr Groom explained the reasoning behind the new human trials, stating how previous animal studies have demonstrated positive results. She said: “Obviously, the drug is famous for increasing the blood supply to the male pelvis but what we’re looking at is the potential to increase blood supply to the female pelvis, and therefore increase blood supply to the placenta. The work that’s been done up until now has been looking at samples of muscle from the uterus and from the placenta from women who’ve had these conditions and applying sildenafil or other types of drugs and making comparisons that show improvements in the blood vessels. In some studies within small animals – looking at babies that are growing we’ve seen sildenafil showing that it does improve growth. We’ve now got the opportunity and we think we’ve got enough evidence to show proof of principle that we should start to have a look and see whether we can help women whose babies are really small.”

It is hoped that many lives could be saved in the future. But that is the important word – future. Pregnant women should not start taking Viagra and Dr Groom added: “It’s got really exciting potential but I think it is important to stress at the moment it is potential. We certainly don’t recommend that anybody should be taking this drug outside of a clinical trial and very close supervision. We are still a few years away from getting an answer, but if this does improve babies’ growth it would be a real breakthrough in terms of our management of foetal growth restriction.”

Would you shell out for a slimy snail facial?

As they slowly crawl about the garden, slimy snails can be an unsightly and an unwanted thing to see to say the very least. However, a ‘snail facial’ (yes, you read that correctly!), could actually offer anti-aging benefits for your skin, according to those offering this bizarre new procedure.

Having live snails slowly inching their way around your face may sound the stuff nightmares are made of, but this practice is being used as a beauty treatment in Japan.

Beginning today, the Clinical Salon health spa in the Ebisu district of Tokyo, is offering the snail facial for those brave enough to endure five minutes of snails being let free on the cheeks and forehead to randomly move around as they see fit.

This is part of a 60-minute treatment called the Celebrity Escargot Course. The treatment will set you back a whopping £161 (Y24,150), but the secreted snail mucus is said to contain several proteins, antioxidants and hyaluronic acid, which can apparently stave off dry skin, remove dead skin and minimise inflammation.

The hour-long therapy begins with the face being washed prior to the molluscs being placed on cheeks and the forehead. A series of massages comes next, followed by the use of masks, electrical pulse machines and creams containing snail mucus; all to make sure the live secretions infiltrate the skin.

Yoko Miniami, sales manager at Tokyo’s Clinical Salon which offers the treatment, said: “This salon is the only place in Japan where you can try a live snail facial. Snail slime can help the recovery of skin cells on the face, so we expect the snail facial to help heal damaged skin.”

Tokyo is probably a little too far to travel for Brits who have overdone the sunbathing during the recent hot weather – which is still continuing in the UK – but Miniami says the snail facial could help those with the after-effects of sun damage. She commented: “We are interested in the fact that snails have a function that can help heal skin damaged by ultraviolet rays.”

During the last two years in Japan and South Korea, snail face creams, serums and masks have become popular for many people looking to reduce wrinkles and have better skin. This is on top of other ‘out there’ treatments such as nightingale faeces facials and live fish pedicures.

These ‘alternative’ skin treatments are not for everybody however and may only appeal to a small percentage of those who wish to have younger looking skin.

Proven and popular treatments for acne and wrinkles include Differin Gel, Differin Cream and Epiduo Gel. They are available today from Medical Specialists Pharmacy with or without a prescription. If you are a little squirmish, they could prove a much better option than slithery snails being let loose onto your face!

Kamagra and fake impotence drug sales land two men with prison sentences

“Yes I have had Viagra, I’ve used Kamagra”. This is the alarming and common statement Medical Specialists Pharmacy regularly hears from a large number of our patients.

However, Kamagra is not Viagra. Although both contain the active ingredient sildenafil citrate, Kamagra is not licensed for prescription, sale or distribution anywhere in the UK. Any websites claiming to offer such products named Kamagra or something similar should be avoided at all costs and are usually affiliated with large-scale criminal activity.

The fact Kamagra is unlicensed means it is usually manufactured in a variety of places around the world – often India – and you simply do not fully know what you are getting. The tablets may be manufactured in unhygienic premises and the ingredients inside them are anyone’s guess!

This brings us to The Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) speaking last week regarding the haul of more than £600,000 worth of counterfeit and unlicensed erectile dysfunction medication seized back in late 2011 to early 2012.

The two men involved in the illegal activities were handed suspended prison sentences and must also carry out community work, after being found guilty of importing and selling the potentially dangerous substandard medicines.

Loughborough man Ryoma Ninomiya of Forest Road, was sentenced to 8 months in prison, suspended for two years. In addition, he has been ordered to do 140 hours of unpaid community service.

Alif Shahadaht Ahmed, of Moor Lane, also in Loughborough, was punished heavier than Nimomiya. Shahadaht was sentenced to 12 months in prison, suspended for two years and also must do 200 hours of community service.

The MHRA investigation into the pair’s illicit dealings was initiated back in September 2011 after the UK Border Force had intercepted a large quantity of Kamagra tablets.

The Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) started its investigation in September 2011 following a seizure of Kamagra tablets by UK Border Force.  Nimomiya and Shahadaht were using false names to import the drugs.

Between September 2011 and January 2012, 13,000 tablets in total were seized, including additional seizures of Kamagra tablets in addition to fake versions of two licensed erectile dysfunction treatments; Cialis and Levitra. The shipments were due to make their way to numerous addresses around Leicestershire.

Nimo Ahmed, MHRA’s Acting Head of Enforcement said: “This case shows that people risk damaging their health if they buy medicines from unauthorised sources. People should speak to their GP or pharmacist who can give them good clinical advice about what medicines are best for them. The MHRA is committed to pursuing those involved in the illicit supply of medicines and taking action to ensure the public is protected. These individuals were involved in a concerted conspiracy to supply counterfeit and unlicensed medicine and showed a blatant disregard for public health.”

Quick blood test may predict lifespan and future health

Scientists claim that a ground-breaking new blood test performed during infancy may help to highlight any possible health issues that could occur later in life in addition to predicting how fast the person will age and how long they could expect to live to.

The scientists, from King’s College London, have found chemical ‘fingerprints’ in the blood and these chemical markers, known as metabolites, provide clues to how a person will age.

The 22 metabolites identified are also linked to metabolism, and one in particular is connected to ageing-related problems such as lung function and bone mineral density,  but is also associated with birth weight – a important factor in helping to predict healthy aging. Those behind the study state levels of the particular metabolite may be determined in the womb and nutrition could impact on this.

The metabolite in question, C-glyTrp, could offer clues to the speed someone will age during adulthood, the scientists claim. They say that high levels of C-glyTrp have been shown to be associated with lower birth weight during comparisons of several sets of identical twins.

Identical twins share genes and this means that either nutrition plays an important role in levels of the metabolite, or a change in conditions inside the womb.

Following analysis on the blood samples from over 6,000 twins, the 22 metabolites connected to chronological age were found, with high levels in older people.

It was discovered a modification could be applied to the gene affecting levels of C-glyTrp via epigenetics.  This is the way in which environmental factors switch genes on or off and change the way they function.

Epigenetic alterations could affect metabolism over the course of a person’s life, thus impacting on their vulnerability to developing age-related diseases.

Study leader Professor Tim Spector, from King’s College London, said: “Scientists have known for a long time that a person’s weight at the time of birth is an important determinant of health in middle and old age, and that people with low birth weight are more susceptible to age related diseases. So far the molecular mechanisms that link low birth weight to health or disease in old age had remained elusive, but this discovery has revealed one of the molecular pathways involved.”

Co-author Ana Valdes added: “As these 22 metabolites linked to ageing are detectable in the blood, we can now predict actual age from a blood sample pretty accurately and in the future this can be refined to potentially identify future rapid biological ageing in individuals. This unique metabolite, which is related to age and age-related diseases, was different in genetically identical twins that had very different weight at birth. This shows us that birth weight affects a molecular mechanism that alters this metabolite.”

The researchers now hope their findings will pave the way for powerful and revolutionary new treatments and drug therapies to help with age-related health problems, in addition to bone and heart conditions.

Common pregnancy myths and symptoms

Have you had sex recently without using a quality condom such as those in the Durex or Skins range? If so, you could be risking pregnancy.

In the modern day, it seems fewer and fewer pregnancies are actually properly planned out. Inadequate sex education at a young age could be to blame from both schools and parents due to reluctance or embarrassment to raise the subject with the child.

Other factors behind unplanned pregnancies may be myths and misconceptions amongst friends even from an early age, about what certain things may be done to apparently avert an unwanted pregnancy. The fact remains though condoms are still one of the most effective ways to prevent pregnancy.

Some pregnancy myths include:

. A woman cannot fall pregnant the first time she has sex

FALSE – It is irrelevant if it is the first or thirtieth time, the sperm and egg do not care for such facts! If a woman is ovulating and a sperm fertilises an egg, she becomes pregnant.

. ‘Pulling out’ aka the ‘withdrawal method’ means you can’t get pregnant

FALSE – When a man’s penis is erect, pre-ejaculate is emitted. This is a clear liquid comprised of thousands of sperm, all just as ready to fertilise an egg as those in the semen when the man has properly ejaculated. Therefore, the risk of pregnancy still exists regardless of the man ejaculating or ‘pulling out’ prior to this.

. Having sex whilst stood up means you can’t get pregnant, or if you jump up and down immediately after sex

FALSE – Perhaps two of the most ludicrous of claims, but a woman can fall pregnant regardless of position during sexy and she can jump and down to her heart’s content…but if just one sperm makes contact with an egg and fertilises it, she’s pregnant!

. A woman cannot fall pregnant whilst on her period

FALSE – Sperm can actually survive in a woman’s vagina for several days. Therefore, even if sex occurred two or three days previously, the woman could now be ovulating and may actually get pregnant at this point.

. A woman cannot fall pregnant if she doesn’t orgasm

FALSE – The amount of pleasure (or otherwise) that a woman receives during sex has no bearing on her chances of becoming pregnant or have any effect on an egg becoming fertilised.

These are just five of the most common pregnancy myths that are often circulated – especially amongst teenagers, and the chances are you have probably heard of many more yourself.

If you are a woman who has recently had unprotected sex, depending on the partner and your situation, you could be putting yourself at risk of contracting a sexually transmitted infection (STI) in addition to the pregnancy risk.

To dispel any pregnancy worries, the only way to know for certain is to take a pregnancy test. The Clearblue Plus Pregnancy Test and Clearblue Digital Pregnancy Test are two options to check if you are pregnant – both fast, accurate and easy to use.

Although of course every woman is different, and as such experiences of pregnancy may differ to some degree, but there are generally some common early signs and symptoms of pregnancy. These include:

. A missed period

For women with a regular, normal, monthly menstrual cycle, a common sign she may be pregnant may be a missed period. Alternatively, some women may experience a very light period and lose only a small amount of blood.

. Morning sickness

One of the earliest symptoms the majority of pregnant women experience is morning sickness.  It may begin as early as the pregnancy test reading positive, but most of the time will kick-in at around the sixth week of pregnancy.

. Breast changes

After conception and once a woman is in around the sixth week of pregnancy, her breasts may become more tender to the touch and feel tingly – similar to just prior to a period. In addition, they could also appear swollen, feel heavier/fuller, and the area around the nipples – the areola – may become larger and darken. Larger breasts that gradually develop over the course of pregnancy are due to changes in breast tissue in preparation for potential breastfeeding.

. Frequent urination

If women notice they now suddenly need to urinate more frequently than usual, perhaps it is worth purchasing a pregnancy test kit. An increased need to urinate – in particularly during the night – can be an early sign of pregnancy, caused by extra blood and fluid used in pregnancy being excreted through the kidneys. As the baby begins to grow inside the womb, he/she will become big enough to put pressure on the woman’s bladder and further cause a woman to go the toilet more often.

. Feeling tired and emotional

Especially during the first 12 weeks of pregnancy, women may regularly feel tired and even exhausted. The huge hormonal changes occurring in the woman’s body are mainly responsible which can also cause the woman to feel more emotional, become upset easily and have mood swings.

Medical Specialists Pharmacy hope we have helped to dispel some of the outlandish and false claims regarding preventing pregnancy, and some of the common signs a woman has become pregnant. If you would like more information on the female contraception and pregnancy tests we offer, visit the Women’s Health area of the Medical Specialists website.

High temperatures cause hay fever hell for millions

Millions of hay fever sufferers endured the hottest day of the year so far, with Hurn at Bournemouth yesterday reporting temperatures of an incredible 29.7C – warmer than that of certain areas of India and the Caribbean over the weekend.

As much of the UK headed to the seaside or parks, or alternatively stayed at home to watch Andy Murray’s sensational Wimbledon triumph, perhaps little thought would have been given to the large section of the population struggling to control itchy eyes, watering noses and constant sneezing.
There are an estimated 15 million hay fever sufferers in the UK alone, and high temperatures like those witnessed over the weekend can prove chaotic and sometimes even deadly for those with allergies.

On Friday a spokesman for the Met Office warned: “Potentially we could be seeing a new maximum temperature for the year on Sunday. Some parts of the country could get 30C (86F). This will exceed the previous hottest temperature of 27.2C that was seen on June 30 at Heathrow. However, the pollen counts are going to be high and very high for most of the country over the weekend, so it is going to be quite agonising for some.”

However, the high temperatures are expected to now continue until at least the middle of July, and perhaps a lot longer. This of course follows a strangely cold spring and the wet, miserable summer witnessed last year.

The hot weather and dry, settled conditions will cause pollen levels to shoot up and result in misery for those suffering with hay fever. Due to wet, later spring this year, the warm weather now hitting the UK has resulted in a surge in plant growth. Through this week and continuing to next week, forecasters predict the pollen counts to be extremely high across the majority of the country and only the very north of Scotland will probably see any relief.

Pollen forecasts are a vital tool for anybody suffering with hay fever or other allergies, to strategise medications, treatment, and plan how best to minimise the effect of pollen on their health. The pollen count season usually runs from March to August, but can begin as early as January and end as late as November.

The pollen season is segregated into three areas:

. Tree pollen - late March to mid-May.
. Grass pollen - mid-May to July.
. Weed pollen - end of June to September.

Public health officials are now warning people to take extra precaution with the rising temperatures, with fears that the dangers go much further than just a runny nose or itchy eyes.

In fact The Local Government Association states that for each additional degree above 25C, there could be 75 more fatalities; mostly young children and the elderly. A heat wave during 2003 claimed the lives of approximately 2,000 people, and there a fears the same situation could occur a decade on.

Zoe Patrick, chair of the Local Government Association’s community wellbeing board, said: “British summers are notoriously unpredictable and so with a few sunny weeks forecast we can all look forward to enjoying the fine weather for a change. Sadly there are some people for whom the temperatures will make life a little more difficult. The hundreds of deaths caused by extreme heat each year are avoidable. Councils are determined to reduce the toll as much as possible, but they cannot do it alone. Local people can make a massive difference by helping us identify other residents who might need some advice or practical help.”

Medical Specialists Pharmacy offer a wide range of medicines  to treat allergies such as hay fever including Loratadine – a non-drowsy antihistamine which can provide relief from the symptoms of hay fever and Nasonex nasal spray – a nasal corticosteroid spray for the relief of congestion, sneezing, itching and a runny nose. Prevalin is another nasal spray that lines the inside of your nose and actually deactivates the pollen, and finally there’s Alomide allergy eye drops that can bring relief from red, itchy, watery and puffy eyes if used regularly.

Quitting smoking – not ‘cutting down’ – improves life expectancy

Do you think you are being healthy by cutting down on cigarettes? Think again…New research suggests that smokers who merely cut down on their smoking instead of actually fully quitting, are unlikely to extend their lifespan.

The claims emerge from a huge study conducted by researchers from both Glasgow and Stirling Universities, spanning an incredible four decades.

Approximately 5,200 smokers from Scotland’s ‘central belt’ were involved in two smoking studies from the early 1970s. Despite the name, the central belt is not exactly central Scotland, but is actually the Scottish Highlands to the north and the Southern Uplands to the south; the area of highest population density in Scotland.

The participants were then asked about their smoking habits several years later. For instance, about whether they had managed to quit, had reduced how many cigarettes they smoked daily, or kept a similar level of smoking habit up, or even increased.

Data was compiled between the 1970s and 2010, documenting each death during this time from those in the two studies. The researchers noted that people who had successfully stopped smoking had lower mortality rates in comparison to those who had kept up the deadly habit. Moreover, there was no massive difference discovered in mortality rates between the smokers who had cut down their intake and those who had not.

Professor Linda Bauld, one of the report’s authors from Stirling University, commented: “Our results support the view that reducing the number of cigarettes you smoke is not a reliable way of improving your health in the long term. However, what we do now know is that it may have a valuable role as a step toward giving up altogether, through cutting down to quit, an approach that has been recommended in recent guidance in the UK.”

The findings however do not correlate with a similar long-term study conducted in Israel, whereby the results seemed to suggest that decreasing the number of cigarettes smoked can reduce mortality rates, although the results of the Scottish study back up the findings from larger studies of a shorter time period carried out in Denmark and Norway.

Regardless though, what we can be certain of is that smoking is an incredibly dangerous habit for long-term health reduces your lifespan by many years and can impact those around you via secondhand smoke. Medical Specialists Pharmacy and almost every other health body across the world advise smokers to quit smoking rather than just ‘cutting down’. One cigarette per day is still one too many in many people’s eyes.

Let’s not forget that smoking is directly the cause of numerous types of cancer, stroke and heart attacks, can cause male impotence, is terrible for the skin, but the habit is an incredibly expensive one to have to maintain.

The British Heart Foundation have listed the staggering amount of money that can be saved over the duration of a year by giving up smoking, in addition to more appealing things that the cash can be spent on.

They say the financial gains of stopping smoking are:

1 day (£7): Two movie rentals or a new lipstick.
1 week (£49): A family cinema trip or a meal for two.
1 month (£210): A shopping spree or premiership football tickets.
3 months (£630): A new laptop or the latest flat screen TV.
6 months (£1,260): A leather suite or a home cinema.
1 year (£2,555): A new kitchen or a holiday of a lifetime.

Medical Specialists Pharmacy is able to help you quit smoking with the aid of the smoking cessation medication Champix, meaning you will both protect your health and save huge amounts of money in the future as the government continually look to raise tobacco prices.

Champix mimics the effect of nicotine on the body, reducing the urge to smoke and relieving withdrawal symptoms. It can also decrease the enjoyment you experience of smoking if you are still smoking whilst on the treatment. The medication equates to just £75.00 per pack – inexpensive in comparison to the £2,555 you can save over a year by quitting smoking!

Do you have the stomach for a fight? How to combat IBS…

At Medical Specialists Pharmacy we deal with tens of thousands of patients each and every year, many of whom are suffering with a varying range of health problems such as: male impotence, acne, sexually transmitted infections (STIs), obesity, asthma etc.

Therefore, in addition to the huge number of different prescription medications we provide such as Viagra (for male impotence), Aknemycin Plus (for acne), Valtrex (for STIs), Xenical (for weight loss) and Ventolin Evohaler (for asthma), we like to provide all our new and existing patients with knowledge and information.

This knowledge and information can be about reasons/possible causes behind their particular ailment, tips and advice on how best to manage their condition, discussing some common myths that are rife (especially across the internet) in regards to a certain condition, and what foods are good or bad for a health problem.

Just some of the informative articles we have published in the previous year include 6 foods for stronger erections, debunking some of the common myths about erectile dysfunction, the best foods for great skin and the common culprits for acne, the best foods for healthy hair and information about important and often ignored key factors in how to lose weight.

Today, Medical Specialists put the digestive system into the spotlight, focusing on the common digestive disorder irritable bowel syndrome (IBS). So common in fact, that there are believed to be a staggering 12 million sufferers of IBS just within Britain alone – and around twice as common in women than men.

Some of the usual symptoms for sufferers include highly discomforting stomach cramps, bloating and diarrhoea or constipation, or sometimes even bouts of both. Exact reasons for the development of IBS in those who suffer with it are still unknown, but it is believed to be one or a combination of factors like bacterial gastroenteritis – an infection of the stomach and intestines, genetics – i.e. it may run in families, psychological factors such as stress or depression, or food sensitivity – i.e. symptoms are induced by consuming foods high in carbohydrates, foods high in fat, spicy foods, alcohol, fizzy drinks and caffeinated drinks.

We hope the majority of the 12 million people who have IBS in Britain are aware of effective treatments available to them such as Mebeverine, Colpermin and Buscopan IBS Relief, but also that there are a number of steps to be taken to reduce the frequency and severity of symptoms rearing their ugly head.

There has never been a ‘one size fits all’ rule in regards to diet for people with IBS. Certain diets might lessen the symptoms for one person, but be relatively ineffective for somebody else. Many find it beneficial to maintain a food diary for a period of around two to four weeks in order to pinpoint the particular food or drink that are causing or worsening symptoms. You should always seek the advice of your GP before making drastic changes to your diet as advice could differ with different symptoms.

However, people with IBS are commonly recommended to alter the intake of fibre in their diet. There are two types of fibre; soluble fibre – which the body is able to digest, and insoluble fibre – which the body is unable to digest.

Soluble fibre is contained in:

. Flaxseeds.
. Barley.
. Rye.
. Oatmeal.
. Fruit, such as apples, bananas, pears and strawberries.
. Vegetables, such as carrots, celery, cucumber and potatoes.
. Golden linseeds.

Insoluble fibre is contained in:

. Brown rice.
. Wholegrain bread.
. Wholemeal pasta.
. Wholegrain cereals.
. Wholewheat flour.
. Popcorn.
. Lentils.
. Beans.

Those who suffer with IBS and often episodes of diarrhoea may find it helpful to reduce the amount of insoluble fibre in their diet and avoid the skin, pith and pips from fruit and vegetables, whilst people who suffer from IBS with constipation can usually find benefits by increasing the soluble fibre in their diet and drinking more water.

There are also numerous other dietary and lifestyle choices you can take which may prove successful at easing your symptoms. These include:

. Have regular meals, evenly spaced out, making sure not to go long periods without eating and pace yourself whilst eating.
. Try to drink around eight cups of fluid each day – preferably water. Limit drinks containing caffeine as well as alcoholic drinks.
. If you can’t bear to give up tea and coffee, restrict your intake to three cups each day at the very most.
. Restrict fruit intake to three portions each day.
. Those suffering with diarrhoea should avoid artificial sweeteners such as sorbitol. This is contained in some sugar-free sweets, chewing gum, and certain diabetic and slimming products.
. Vigorous exercise for a minimum of 30 minutes each day, at least three times a week, is beneficial to most IBS sufferers. Discuss with your GP which exercise is most suited for you.
. If stress, depression, or anxiety is the main cause of your IBS symptoms, relaxation techniques such as breathing exercises or meditation may help, in addition to more physically-involved activities such as pilates or yoga.

If you are one of the 12 million people around Britain who have IBS, or one of the millions of others around the world who are also suffering, you do not have to live in misery or let your symptoms majorly affect your day-to-day activities. We have previously discussed IBS at work, and why not browse around the ‘Stomach and Bowel’ area of the Medical Specialists website.  We offer an ever-growing range of effective medications for IBS such as the previously mentioned Mebeverine, Colpermin and Buscopan IBS Relief, plus you can find treatments such as Lansoprazole and Omeprazole for acid reflux.