Uneven dementia care ‘disgraceful’

By James Gallagher Health and science reporter, BBC News

There is a “disgraceful” variation inside the collection of proportion with dementia being diagnosed around the UK, in keeping with the Alzheimer’s Society.

About 800,000 people inside the UK have some type of dementia, but most haven’t been diagnosed.

Estimates by the charity suggest 32% were diagnosed within the East Riding of Yorkshire compared with 76% in Belfast.

The government said the difference was “unacceptable” and caused “unnecessary suffering”.

Predicted levels of dementia around the UK were compared with data from GPs at the actual choice of patients being diagnosed.

The map suggests a north-south divide, with the best rates of diagnosis in Scotland (average 64%) and northerly Ireland (average 63%).

Rates dropped to 50% within the north-east of britain, 41% within the south-west of britain and 39% in Wales.

Across the total of the united kingdom, the share of folks with dementia who’ve been diagnosed has gone from 43% in 2011 to 46% in 2012.

Jeremy Hughes, the manager executive of the Alzheimer’s Society, said: “It’s disgraceful that greater than half all of us with dementia are usually not receiving a diagnosis, and disappointing to peer one of these disparity in diagnosis rates in several regions of the united kingdom.

“This goes against best clinical practice and is preventing individuals with dementia from accessing the support, benefits and the medical treatments which can help them live well with the condition.”

The charity said one explanation was variation in “stigma”, which ended in people not visiting their GP. The upper figures in Scotland were put right down to an improved relationship between social services and the healthcare system.

Health Secretary Jeremy Hunt said: “The small improvement in dementia diagnosis is excellent news, however the extreme variation around the country is unacceptable.

“It is time for the worst performing areas to awaken to the dementia time bomb.”

He said failing to diagnose dementia was delaying treatment and “causing unnecessary suffering”.

Generic HIV drugs ‘cheaper but less effective’

Any rise inside the use of cheaper, non-branded HIV drugs could see more patients with treatment failure, doctors warn.

Soon-to-be available generic medicines could save the usa health care system nearly $1bn a year, they are saying inside the journal Annals of Internal Medicine.

But trial data suggests generic drugs possibly slightly less effective.

And they require users to take three daily pills rather then one, increasing the chance some patients may miss doses.

The doctors calculate reduced treatment efficacy could lead to 4.4 months of life lost per patient lifetime.

At an identical time the lifetime savings could be $42,500 (£26,500) per patient, say the Massachusetts General Hospital investigators.

The currently recommended treatment for newly diagnosed patients is a single pill (Atripla) taken daily that mixes three brand-name antiretrovirals – tenofovir (Viread), emtricitabine (Emtriva) and efavirenz (Sustiva).

A generic kind of a drug that has an analogous mechanism of action to emtricitabine became available in January 2012, and a generic version of efavirenz is anticipated within the relatively near future.

Patients could soon take these two much cheaper generic drugs alongside the logo drug tenofovir.

Lead researcher Dr Rochelle Walensky said: “It is a trade-off that many folks will find emotionally difficult, and maybe even ethically impossible, to recommend.”

For patients who took their medications well and adhered to the medical regimen, the generic option can be a piece more complex but can be as effective because the standard regimen, she said.

But people who missed a dose faced treatment failure.

She said this trade-off will be more acceptable if the savings were redirected to other aspects of HIV medicine.

The researchers calculate that for each 15 patients switched to the generic-based regimen, one that is likewise infected with hepatitis C can be treated and potentially cured of that infection.

Jason Warriner, of the Terrence Higgins Trust, a UK HIV charity, said: “We welcome this research, which couldn’t be more timely.

“There are around 7,000 people diagnosed annually within the UK, meaning the price of anti-HIV drugs is rising year on year.

“With the NHS under unprecedented financial pressure, the spread of the epidemic is a challenge not only for public health but for the general public purse.

“Introducing generic medications will be a technique for the health service to attenuate expenditure, but this must never be on the expense of patient health.

“Anything that compromises the effectiveness of anti-HIV drugs, or makes people less prone to keep on with treatments, will be a false economy.

“Currently, ensuring those with HIV are diagnosed and on treatment is a cornerstone of HIV prevention efforts.

“Effective medications not just keep those living with the virus fit and well, additionally they help to maintain down new infections.”

Drop in level of norovirus winter vomiting bug cases

By Michelle Roberts Health editor, BBC News online

Levels of the winter vomiting bug norovirus have gone down for a second week, latest figures show.

But experts say the 32% drop seen within the rate of confirmed new cases during the last week alone in England and Wales doesn’t mean the issue has gone away.

Infection rates always fluctuate and cases could easily rise again, says the Health Protection Agency (HPA).

This season, a brand new strain called Sydney 2012, is answerable for most cases.

This strain of the virus was first seen in Australia, where the norovirus season is lasting longer than usual as outbreaks continue into their summer.

Experts are watching international patterns closely but can’t be sure what’s going to happen next within the UK.

The variety of new cases are up 56% at the number reported this time last year, and the entire lab-confirmed toll now stands at 4,407.

For each confirmed new case experts estimate an additional 288 cases tend to go unreported.

Hospital outbreaks

John Harris, a professional in norovirus on the HPA, said: “Norovirus activity always varies from year to year and although we’d have expected cases to rise again we have passed the hot year period this hasn’t been the case.

“We won’t read anything into q4 and do not know the way busy the remainder of the season might be.

“The busiest months are normally from December to April, so further cases will occur but we won’t say if there’ll be further significant increases within the variety of laboratory reports.”

During the 2 weeks as much as 13 January 2013 there have been 39 hospital outbreaks reported, in comparison to 33 within the previous fortnight, bringing the complete of outbreaks for the season to 728.

The highly contagious virus may be spread by contact with contaminated surfaces or objects, contact with someone who has the infection or through contaminated food and water.

Experts advise anyone who thinks they might have the virus to remain faraway from hospitals, GP surgeries and care homes to bypass spreading it to those that could be vulnerable.

The illness usually resolves in several days without a long-term effects.

Breast cancer drug tamoxifen recommended for ‘high risk’ women

By Michelle Roberts Health editor, BBC News online

Women in England and Wales with a robust family history of breast cancer might be offered medication at the NHS to aim to forestall the disease.

The National Institute of Health and Clinical Excellence has launched a consultation on whether tamoxifen is perhaps given for as much as five years.

If approved later this year, the draft guidelines may be the first in their kind within the UK.

Charity Breakthrough Breast Cancer welcomed the “exciting, historic step”.

NICE says not enough is being done to aid healthy but high-risk women, who include women with a sister and a mother or aunt diagnosed with breast cancer before the age of fifty.

Taking tamoxifen for 5 years could cut their very own risk of the disease.

Breast cancer is the most typical cancer inside the UK, with about 50,000 women and 400 men diagnosed with the condition once a year.

Associated risks

Most cases occur accidentally and with increasing age.

But having a family history of breast or ovarian cancer can significantly increase the chance of developing breast cancer and at a younger age, although most girls with a relative with breast cancer aren’t at a substantially increased risk themselves.

NICE says under 1% of girls over 30 fall into the high-risk category.

The new draft guidelines for England and Wales, which might update recommendations made by NICE in 2006, apply to those women and concentrate on areas of care where new evidence have been published, inclusive of using tamoxifen as a preventative treatment.

Based on research findings, experts estimate that for each 1,000 women given tamoxifen, there will be 20 fewer breast cancers.

But this will must be balanced against the hazards related to taking the drug, equivalent to blood clots.

Currently, both tamoxifen and raloxifene, an identical breast cancer drug, aren’t licensed for this indication inside the UK, although they’re in any other countries.

Final NICE guidance is predicted this summer.

‘Complex causes’

Professor Mark Baker, director of the centre for clinical practice at NICE, said: “The causes of cancer are complex and never fully known.

“However, we do know that having a family history of breast, ovarian or a related cancer can significantly increase the danger of developing breast cancer, including developing the cancer at a younger age.

“It’s also much more likely that folks with kinfolk tormented by cancer who then develop breast cancer themselves could develop a separate tumour within the other breast following initial treatment.

“For the reason that it’s wise for anyone with a family history of cancer to receive appropriate investigations and screening that might preferably be unnecessary if a family history didn’t exist.”

Chris Askew, chief executive of the charity Breakthrough Breast Cancer, said: “This draft guideline represents a historic step for the prevention of breast cancer – it’s the first time drugs have ever been recommended for reducing breast cancer risk within the UK.

“It is exciting as, even supposing most girls wouldn’t have a major family history of the disease, it’s crucial that people who do have an array of options to aid them control their risk.”

She urged women with concerns about their family history of breast cancer to chat to their doctor.

One of the biggest breakthroughs in the dental profession over the last century has been the discovery of CQR dentures. The medical professional has really never understood the exact manner in which the human jaws function. Therefore, most of the past research works have been quite general. CQR dentures, however, come with a unique ability of recording the biting pattern of an individual, which can then be used on their new dentures. To get the best services, you will, however, need dentist Leicester residents can trust.
There are numerous lifestyle and health benefits that come with wearing CQR dentures. Moreover, you will have improved confidence in your smile, as the dentures are well-fitting and quite effective. This comes with an increased range of foods that one can eat, as chewing abilities of the individual will be able to accommodate foods such as lettuce, peanuts and even steak.
Ordinary dentures can make an individual feel and even look older than they actually are and may restrict the pleasures of eating efficiently and talking with ease. CQR dentures can, however, resolve many of the difficulties caused by common dentures and help an individual experience a new quality of life. Therefore, you can pay a visit to a dentist who can help you get rid of your current dentures.
If you have lost a tooth or teeth, you now have a more reliable and efficient option. You can ask around or browse the intent for the best dentists Leicester residents would recommend and pay them a visit. You will then have an analysis done on your jaws and dental formula. The results will then be used to construct a denture that can meet your specific lifestyle and chewing habits.
This is indeed a revolutionary concept that can help you gain your abilities to taste and eat foods that you have not been able to eat. Moreover, you will have improved digestion as a result of the improved ability to chew food. With the increased range of diet, you will also boast of improved nutrition.
CQR dentures help individuals laugh better and enjoy their social life without limitations. They promise greater confidence, greater enjoyment of foods and improved well-being. This, therefore, presents an excellent opportunity for people who care about their health and social life but are facing the challenges of a missing tooth or teeth.
The benefits that come with CQR dentures, however, are not limited to lifestyle and health alone. There are also practical advantages that you stand to enjoy by fitting these innovative prosthetic devices. You will have reduced sore spots and enjoy the reduced necessity for denture fixative as well as reduced necessity for ulcer gels.
It is advisable to get reliable CQR dentists Leicester residents approve of as it will guarantee quality of services. If you have been experiencing speech problems as a result of the prosthetic devices you have been using, you do not have to worry anymore as you now have a better option. Take some time to visit the nearest dentist or dental specialist and get you missing tooth or conventional denture replaced.

There are different methods of family planning used in the world today. Many of them target women. It is however good to note that vasectomy is one of the most common methods that gives the man an opportunity to decide whether or not they want to have a baby. Everyone knows that situations change and you may actually want to reverse the changes if you eventually decide that you want a child. In such cases, you will need to undergo vasectomy reversals.

Important Things to Note before Undergoing Vasectomy Reversals

Before you decide to reverse the situation, it is vital to analyze the case in an effort to determine your chances of success. It would be futile and unreasonable to spend so much time and money on the surgical procedure if you will not be able to regain your fertility after all. Although there are high chances of success already recorded over the years, you need to understand that each case is different.

It has been established that chances of successful vasectomy reversals diminish based on the number of years between the reversal date and the time the actual vasectomy was conducted. It is advisable to undertake the procedure within a period of ten years. As the years continue to elapse, your chances of regaining fertility reduce further.

Other Factors That Could Impede Your Chances of Success

Besides the gap between the time you undergo vasectomy and the point of reversal, there are cases of men who develop antibodies that make them unable to fertilize any more. The good news is that tests can be carried out to determine whether you have developed any antibodies to your own sperm that can inhibit your chances of impregnating a woman. All hope is not lost though even if it is established that you actually have developed the said antibodies.

How Long Does The Procedure Take?

Contrary to assumptions that any surgical procedure will force the patient to remain in hospital for some days, vasectomy reversals are actually outpatient procedures under ordinary circumstances. The process can be successfully performed within a span of two to four hours. You therefore do not have to take long leaves from your regular activities to undergo the process.

The other common concern for many is the pain that may be involved. This should not worry anyone because the surgeon will use aesthetics to numb the pain so that you can sleep throughout the process. Once the doctors are done, you should be able to get up and go home in another two to three hours. It is however worth noting that you may feel a tinge of pain which will gradually subside and disappear completely within the next three weeks.

How Soon Can You Resume Regular Activities After Operation?

If all the surgical procedures are performed as expected without any complications, any patient should be able to recover fully and regain their general activities within three weeks from the date of treatment.