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Warning about middle-aged drinking and dementia
"Middle-aged people should curb their drinking to reduce their risk of developing dementia, new guidance suggests," reports the Daily Mirror. The new guidance highlights that people aged 40 to 64 who regularly drink alcohol have an increased risk of dementia. Who produced the guidance?The guidance was produced by the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE). NICE is a government body that provides national guidance and advice to improve health and social care. What issues does the guidance look at?The guidance is based on the well-established principle that positive lifestyle changes tha...
Source: NHS News Feed - October 21, 2015 Category: Consumer Health News Tags: Food/diet QA articles Older people Neurology Source Type: news

E-cigarettes '95% less harmful than smoking' says report
"E-cigarettes are 95% less harmful than tobacco and could be prescribed on the NHS in future to help smokers quit," BBC News reports. This is the main finding of an evidence review (PDF, 485kb) carried out by Public Health England, a government agency that aims to protect and improve the nation's health and wellbeing, and reduce health inequalities. What are e-cigarettes?Most e-cigarettes contain a battery, an atomiser and a replaceable cartridge. The cartridge contains nicotine in a solution of either propylene glycol or glycerine and water, and sometimes flavourings. When you suck on the device, a sensor d...
Source: NHS News Feed - August 19, 2015 Category: Consumer Health News Tags: Heart/lungs Lifestyle/exercise QA articles Source Type: news

Caution urged over CT scan radiation doses
BBC News reports on a sharp rise in the number of CT scans being performed, exposing people to the potential health risks of radiation. However, as The Daily Telegraph says, it is not possible to calculate the cancer risk due to exposure to CT scans because there is a lack of data. These media stories follow the publication of a report by the Committee on Medical Aspects of Radiation in the Environment (COMARE). COMARE has reviewed trends in the use of CT scans in the UK. The review weighs up the risk-benefit balance of using CT scans, and considers ways to obtain the best quality scan image while minimising the necessary...
Source: NHS News Feed - August 15, 2014 Category: Consumer Health News Tags: Medical practice Source Type: news

ONS suggests that one in four deaths are 'avoidable'
“1 in 4 deaths could have been prevented,” The Times reports. Figures released by the Office for National Statistics (ONS) found that 23% of deaths could have been prevented through better care, more effective treatment and healthier living. The news is based on an ONS bulletin titled Avoidable Mortality in England and Wales, 2012 (PDF 186kb). The bulletin provides mortality figures for causes of death that are considered avoidable if timely and effective healthcare is received or healthier lifestyle choices adopted. Figures were provided for the period 2001 to 2012 so that trends can be seen. The bulletin found tha...
Source: NHS News Feed - May 8, 2014 Category: Consumer Health News Tags: Heart/lungs Lifestyle/exercise Cancer QA articles Source Type: news

NICE publishes new draft guidelines on statins use
"Millions more people should be put on cholesterol-lowering statin drugs," BBC News reports. Draft guidance from the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) has recommended that the drugs should be given to people with an estimated 1 in 10 or more risk of cardiovascular disease (CVD), which includes conditions such as heart disease and stroke. Statins are medicines that can help lower rates of low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol (so-called "bad" cholesterol) in the blood. High rates of LDL cholesterol can lead to hardening of the arteries, a risk factor for CVDs. At present,...
Source: NHS News Feed - February 12, 2014 Category: Consumer Health News Tags: Heart/lungs Medication QA articles Source Type: news