More work needs to be done to examine the real world effects of the commonly prescribed diabetes drug empagliflozin, new research in the journal Diabetes Therapy finds. Examining data from over 60,000 patients with type 2 diabetes, researchers from the University of Surrey discovered that the highly-publicised cardiovascular benefits of the popular diabetes drug empagliflozin […]
Exposure to air pollution on city streets is enough to counter the beneficial health effects of exercise in older adults, according to new research. The findings, published today in The Lancet, show that short term exposure to air pollution in built up areas like London’s busy Oxford Street can prevent the positive effects on the […]
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Preterm births at 35 weeks could lead to a higher risk of cardiovascular disease in adult life than those born at full term, according to research published in Experimental Physiology conducted on lambs. Researchers from Hudson Institute of Medical Research and Monash University, Australia found that lambs born preterm were more likely to show altered […]
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The Mediterranean diet focuses on healthy fats, unrefined carbohydrates, legumes, nuts and copious amounts of fresh fruit and vegetables, lean protein, very little sugar, and a small glass of red wine with your evening meal. So why is this tipped as the diet to follow? Well, evidence has shown an abundance of health benefits. I […]
Over 18,000 people are affected by Marfan syndrome in the UK but only around half of those actually know they have the connective tissue disorder which can affect the heart, eyes and skeleton. It’s a big concern because we know that Marfan is an entirely treatable condition if it is diagnosed early but it can […]
Statins reduce deaths from coronary heart disease by 28 per cent in men, according to the longest-ever study focusing on men with high levels of ‘bad’ cholesterol and no other risk factors or signs of heart disease. The study, by Imperial College London and University of Glasgow, is published in the journal Circulation today. Previous […]
There are certain things that you can’t help, that increase your risk of getting heart disease. These are: Getting older: All the tissues of the body are affected by wear and tear as we get older, including the heart and the arteries. This can affect the way that the heart works, and circulation. Family History: Some people are more susceptible […]
When a patient comes to see me complaining of unexplained breathlessness, different possibilities immediately go through my mind. The first thing to rule out is lung disease, like asthma, COPD or lung cancer. Early lung cancer symptoms are often mild and can be mistaken for bronchitis or ‘smokers cough’ but later stage disease often presents […]
Diagnosing and managing the causes of breathlessness is a vital part of helping people to lead longer and healthier lives. This month, in parallel with the national breathlessness awareness campaign the British Lung Foundation, in conjunction with the London Respiratory Network, launched the Breathing SPACE framework. This is to make it easier for doctors to […]
When I go to my local curry restaurant, I always ask the waiter to make sure my chicken jalfrezi, spinach curry and lentil daal is cooked in ghee, not vegetable oil. They know me now so I don’t get rolling eyes and shrugs anymore. It helps that I leave a generous tip. But it’s worth it. […]