Health news 7th September 2010

[Northerner]

The cruel cost of ignoring diabetes: Jane lost an arm and two legs to the disease because, like so many, she didn't take it seriously
Six years ago, Jane Knight was just another of Britain's army of multi-tasking women: a devoted wife and mother who frantically balanced looking after her family, including an autistic son, with her work as a complimentary therapist. But today, the 47 year-old is a triple amputee, having undergone operations to remove both her legs and one arm. She faces the prospect of losing her remaining arm in the near future. Dr Brian Karet, Chief Medical Officer for Primary Care for Diabetes UK, quoted.

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/health/a...st-arm-legs-disease-like-didnt-seriously.html

UK charity wants more tests to check for diabetes
Insulin is just one of many drugs available for diabetes control More than 67,000 people in the East Midlands are probably unaware they have diabetes, a charity has warned. Diabetes UK said the figure, which refers to Type 2 diabetes or adult-onset diabetes, was alarming. It has called on primary care trusts in the region to attach greater priority to screening at-risk groups. The charity wants diabetes tests to be available in pharmacies. The estimates were provided by the Yorkshire and Humber Public Health Observatory.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-leicestershire-11207464



Cumbria's locum dieticians 'must watch out for diabetes'

Research has revealed that there are around 11,000 people in Cumbria living with undiagnosed Type 2 diabetes, suggesting that locum dieticians and others in primary care trusts need to improve screening of those considered to be most at risk. This is according to Diabetes UK, with the 10,900 individuals concerned increasing their chances of developing kidney failure, blindness and heart disease, or having a stroke, local paper the News & Star reports. Julie Byron, North West Regional Manager, quoted.

http://www.mediplacements.com/article-800053219-cumbrias_locum_dieticians.html



Eleven thousand undiagnosed diabetics in Cumbria
About 11,000 people in Cumbria are believed to have undiagnosed Type 2 diabetes. The figures, from Diabetes UK, are the highest in the North West and regional manager Julie Byron described them as ?truly alarming.? ?PCTs need to better prioritise screening of at risk groups and improve uptake of programmes such as NHS Health Checks,? she said.

http://www.newsandstar.co.uk/news/eleven-thousand-undiagnosed-diabetics-in-cumbria-1.754813


Thousands in danger of diabetes

Thousands of Wearsiders are believed to have undiagnosed Type 2 diabetes ? putting them at risk of "devastating" health problems, a charity has warned. Diabetes UK has released new expert estimates claiming 4,900 people in Sunderland ? a third of the diabetic population ? are unwittingly suffering from the disease ? which can lead to blindness, amputation, kidney failure, stroke and heart disease. Linda Wood, Northern and Yorkshire Regional Manager, quoted.

http://www.sunderlandecho.com/news/Thousands-in-danger-of-diabetes.6514726.jp

Diabetic patient died after nurses failed to give insulin injections
A diabetic patient at a scandal-hit hospital died after nurses failed to give her insulin injections, an inquest heard. Gillian Astbury, 66, fell into a coma and died at Stafford Hospital in April 2007. The pensioner, from Hednesford, Staffordshire, had been at the hospital receiving treatment for a minor fall. But a jury at Stafford Coroner's Court heard that her blood sugar levels were not properly monitored and insulin was not administered in the two days before her death, despite being prescribed by doctors.

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/health/h...nurses-failed-to-give-insulin-injections.html

UK radiotherapy 'lagging behind'
Too few UK cancer patients are receiving state-of-the-art radiotherapy care, experts say. Cancer Research UK (CRUK) warns only 7% of patients receive a new type of radiotherapy, compared with 20% in Europe. Writing in the BBC's Scrubbing Up column, CRUK experts said patients were receiving older types of radiotherapy - or having to travel abroad for care.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/health-11179359

Unfit men working long hours face greater heart risk, study shows
Unfit, middle-aged men who work more than 45 hours a week are more than twice as likely to die of heart disease as those who devote less time to their jobs, new research medical research warns today. It identifies the combination of poor physical fitness and working for unusually long hours as a potentially lethal combination for men aged between 40 and 59. However, men who manage to remain physically active into middle age are not at risk, emphasising the health benefits of regular exercise.

http://www.guardian.co.uk/society/2010/sep/07/heart-study-unfit-long-hours

First implantable artificial kidney could remove demand for dialysis and donor organs
Around 45,000 adults in the UK undergo dialysis. However, the treatment only replaces 13 per cent of kidney function. An artificial kidney that would be implanted inside the body and work as well as a living organ is just around the corner, scientists have revealed. U.S researchers have just unveiled the first prototype model of the device that could eliminate the need for dialysis.

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/health/a...artificial-kidney-remove-demand-dialysis.html

 

[Steff]

Unfit men working long hours face greater heart risk, study shows
Unfit, middle-aged men who work more than 45 hours a week are more than twice as likely to die of heart disease as those who devote less time to their jobs, new research medical research warns today. It identifies the combination of poor physical fitness and working for unusually long hours as a potentially lethal combination for men aged between 40 and 59. However, men who manage to remain physically active into middle age are not at risk, emphasising the health benefits of regular exercise.

Ill show this to my other half think he will find the article very interesting.thanks

 

[wallycorker]

A good post Northerner!

However, some horrific stuff in there that ought to make all diabetics sit up and listen regarding running poorly controlled blood glucose levels - also another article that might scare the wits out of insulin-dependent diabetics who might ever need to be hospitalised.

 

[Copepod]

Please don't assume that all NHS hospitals ARE now as bad as Stafford WAS. And please note that NHS in England is pushing "Think Glucose" campaign to improve care of all people with diabetes in acute health trusts / hospitals. Having had some training through "Think Glucose", I'm not too concerned about needing hospital treatment - at least no more than I would be without type 1 diabetes.

 

[wallycorker]

...........Please don't assume that all NHS hospitals ARE now as bad as Stafford WAS............

Hi Copepod,

I would certainly hope that they aren't if this extract from the article is true!

"As many as 1,200 people are thought to have died at Stafford Hospital through neglect between 2005 and 2008."

That is quite an horrific statistic to try to get my mind around!

Best wishes - John

 

[falcon123]

The article about the triple amputation is one of the scariest things I have ever read. Probably more so because I am seeing a vascular surgeon later this month about the drop off in circulation in my leg. Surprisingly for the Mail the article is in the main accurate and does not link Type I to obesity. It also stresses the importance of monitoring the condition and yet those who have Type II often have problems getting prescriptions for blood test strips ? maybe the Mail should start a campaign for them to be prescribed more frequently. Also I feel it should have mentioned that smoking can make circulation problems far far worse. I used urine testing for many years (diagnosed 1967) and found out far later that it was not that good. I was told to aim for ?% to avoid frequent hypos. Once I brought my first meter in the early 80?s I found out that I showed 0% at a BG of 11.0 and 2% at a BG of 12.0. Hence the reason I could hardly ever hit the ?%! In those early years of blood testing you could only get test strips in limited quantities (25 ? 50 per six months) from a hospital clinic and they were so expensive compared to today. It was a struggle to afford 25 more every few months. For anybody becoming complacent this is a real wake up call!

I think this article may deserve a thread of its own!

 

[Steff]

The article about the triple amputation is one of the scariest things I have ever read. Probably more so because I am seeing a vascular surgeon later this month about the drop off in circulation in my leg. Surprisingly for the Mail the article is in the main accurate and does not link Type I to obesity. It also stresses the importance of monitoring the condition and yet those who have Type II often have problems getting prescriptions for blood test strips ? maybe the Mail should start a campaign for them to be prescribed more frequently. Also I feel it should have mentioned that smoking can make circulation problems far far worse. I used urine testing for many years (diagnosed 1967) and found out far later that it was not that good. I was told to aim for ?% to avoid frequent hypos. Once I brought my first meter in the early 80?s I found out that I showed 0% at a BG of 11.0 and 2% at a BG of 12.0. Hence the reason I could hardly ever hit the ?%! In those early years of blood testing you could only get test strips in limited quantities (25 ? 50 per six months) from a hospital clinic and they were so expensive compared to today. It was a struggle to afford 25 more every few months. For anybody becoming complacent this is a real wake up call!

I think this article may deserve a thread of its own!

It has one already but i cant find it now

 

[Steff]

here it is.
http://www.diabetessupport.co.uk/boards/showthread.php?t=10857

 

[wallycorker]

.................It also stresses the importance of monitoring the condition and yet those who have Type II often have problems getting prescriptions for blood test strips ? maybe the Mail should start a campaign for them to be prescribed more frequently..........

Hear! Hear! I'm all for that!