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Fighting MRSA
The Department of
Health says it will leave no stone unturned in the battle against MRSA.
So it requested that a Rapid Review panel should be set up by the
Health Protection Agency
to provide a prompt assessment of new equipment, materials and other
products that may be of value to the NHS in improving hospital
cleanliness, hygiene and infection control.
The Rapid Review panel has now evaluated fifty-nine
types of equipment. These range from a silver coated hydrogen catheter
with a silver alloy which reduces
urinary tract infections to a barrier cream allowing frequent use of
gloves and disinfectant hand-rubs without allergy or skin damage.
The panel is made up of top UK scientists. It is set
to meet again soon to look at the next wave of
potential products that could help fight MRSA.
MRSA stands for methicillin-resistant
staphylococcus aureus and is a strain of bacteria that can affect
people in hospital and community settings such as care homes.
Yes, we
are cutting down on salt
Following the
launch of the FSA's Sid the Slug salt campaign in September 2004, the
Agency's tracking research is now showing a steady increase in the
number of people recognising that they might have a problem with too
much salt in their diet and are now trying to cut down. Between August
2004 and January 2005 there was:
-
a 32% increase in people claiming to be making a
special effort to cut down on salt
-
a 31% increase in those who look at labelling to find
out salt content
-
a 27% increase in those who say that salt content
would affect their decision to buy a product 'all of the time'.
The target of no more than 6g of salt each day for an
adult by 2010 is still to be reached. Men are eating the most with a
daily average of 11g of salt while women consume an average of 8.1g a
day. Eating too much salt is a significant risk factor in developing
high blood pressure, which can lead to heart disease and stroke.
One problem for consumers is food labelling. Many
products contain salt , which may be listed as sodium. To translate
this to salt content, calculate that 1 gram of sodium per 100 grams of
food equals 2.5 grams of salt per 100 grams.
Advice on how to reduce salt intakes can be found on
the FSA's website, www.salt.gov.uk
.
Alzheimer’s test
Although the
symptoms of Alzheimer’s disease are clear enough, it takes a post
mortem of the brain to confirm its presence, after the patient has
died. Now, a test that can diagnose Alzheimer’s before symptoms become
obvious has been developed.
Researchers at the Northwestern University in
Illinois have found ‘biological markers’ that indicate when there are
signs of damage in the brain due to Alzheimer’s. They developed a
technique that can read DNA, picking up evidence from minute samples
of cerebrospinal fluid that bathes the brain.
There is no cure for Alzheimer’s disease, but early
diagnosis and treatment can delay the effects.
Lay off the liver
If you are
fifty-plus, eat liver no more than once a week, says the Food
Standards Agency. And don’t take vitamin A supplements on top of that.
Both contain or are metabolised as retinol, which is good for normal
tissue development, but not so good for bones.
Postmenopausal women and anyone in laterlife should
consume no more than 1.5 mg of vitamin A per day, and liver is a very
rich source of it.
Alternative for menopause symptoms
Many women prefer
to try complementary remedies to counteract hot flushes, night sweats
and general fatigue at the menopause. A new product, Ymea, is a
natural nutritional supplement made from plants, which may help
maintain balance before, during and after the menopause.
 It contains three main ingredients: soya extract,
believed to be effective due to the high content of isoflavones, also
known as phytoestrogens; hops extract, containing a particular natural
phytoestrogen called 8-prenylnaringenine; and melon extract, with
natural antioxidants to counteract ageing.
Ymea is taken in capsule form, 1 to 2 daily. A pack of
64 capsules costs £12.95. Available from most pharmacies and the
NutriCentre.
A new way
to treat osteoporosis
Bisphosphonates, a
treatment for osteoporosis, brittle bones, is normally given orally as
pills or capsules. Some people have difficulty in swallowing these
drugs. An alternative is now being offered in the form of an
intravenous injection every two or three months.
A trial, reported at the annual meeting of the
American College of Rheumatology in San Antonio, US, showed that the
treatment was at least as effective as taking the drug by mouth daily.
Nearly 1400 women were involved, and the project is midway through a
two-year trial, with a dose of either 2 mg every two months or 3 mg
every three months.
The findings are already very promising, with lumbar
spine bone density increased more in the injection groups than in the
daily oral dosing group. Bonviva, the new injection, has been
developed by Roche pharmaceutical company. It is not yet widely
available. For further information see
www.roche.com .
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Free leg health
checks
Once again, Activa Healthcare is
going nationwide in March 2005 with its ‘Give your Heart a Leg-up’
campaign, offering free leg health checks to the public in
pharmacies nationwide.
Calves and calf muscles are the heart's helpers, pumping the blood
in your legs back to the heart.
However, during long periods of inactivity, blood can pool in the
veins of the leg, causing a feeling of heaviness and sometimes
swollen ankles. If these symptoms are allowed to persist over a
period of time, thread veins and varicose veins may develop.
Compression hosiery, made of course by Activa Healthcare, gives your
heart a leg up by applying a gentle graduated pressure from the
ankle up the leg, improving the circulation in the legs, and helping
the veins return the blood back to the heart. Regular wear can also
reduce general feelings of fatigue in the legs.
The Give your Heart a Leg-Up health checks will show people how
to spot the first signs of venous disease (thread veins, varicose
veins, and swollen legs and ankles). The free leg health checks are
carried out by nurses who will take a medical history, perform a leg
examination and check for any signs of venous disease.
The check takes approximately ten minutes and no appointment is
necessary. To find out details of your nearest pharmacy running the
campaign, and also for a free copy of the leaflet ‘Taking Care of
Your Legs’, go to
www.activa
healthcare.co.uk where all of the venues are
listed.
A trick in time
Cystitis - a urinary tract
infection – can be triggered by a number of circumstances, including
increased sexual activity, dehydration, eating spicy food, too much
alcohol. Symptoms include an urge to pass urine frequently and
sometimes difficulty in doing so, plus an intense burning sensation
in the genital area.
Angela Kilmartin, author and expert on advice for avoiding
cystitis, suggests a number of safeguards as soon as symptoms occur.
She emphasises the importance of avoiding spicy foods and alcohol,
and avoiding bubble baths or scented soaps that can alter the PH
factor in the urinary tract, making it more susceptible to
infection.
There are over-the-counter remedies for cystitis, such as Cystopurin,
to help counteract an attack of cystitis in just a few hours. You
need to use them at the first sign of burning or stinging.
Cystopurin is a low sodium 48-hour treatment for the symptoms of
cystitis and has a recommended retail price of £4.35 per pack of 6
sachets. Available from pharmacies.
If in any
doubt about any of the information covered in
healthwise articles and it's relevance for you, consult
your GP.
In edition 59:-
Acupuncture works
Two separate trials confirm that acupuncture does
work
And so do copper bracelets
Although cautious in their assessment the BMJ conceded that
copper bracelets seem `clinically useful`
Polarised light therapy
A new way to treat leg ulcers, pressure sores, chronic pain,
sinus problems and even severe toothache
Over the counter heart treatment
An opportunity for a prescription only medicine that reduces
the production of `bad cholesterol` to be sold over the
counter.
Breast cancer drug
A new drug has been found to dramatically improve survival
chances of older women who have had breast cancer.
Sexually high and dry
Vaginal discomfort is one of the most common problems
encountered by women during their menopause.
Free bone mass density testing
Currently one in three women over 50 has osteoporosis and
this rate is expected to double in the next 50 years as the
average age of the population increases.
Maximise your memory
This work provides detailed instructions, illustrations
and sample exercises that show the reader how to build
a system of personalized frameworks for storing and
recalling information on demand.
Index to all
previous Healthwise editions
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