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- Casualty in crisis: A&E - a service in meltdown Doctors were placed under “unprecedented pressure” to go live with the new NHS 111 helpline before some were ready, contributing to the A&E crisis in Britain's hospitals, documents seen by The Independent on Sunday reveal.
- A cure for HIV is now a a realistic possibilityThis week in Paris, the world's leading Aids scientists will gather to mark the 30th anniversary of the discovery of HIV. At least one of them, who won the Nobel Prize for her work, is quietly confident that very soon something approaching a cure for HIV will be possible.
- The myth of the modern dad exposed: New book claims men still won't sacrifice their careers for fatherhoodThe popular image of the modern, hands-on father might have to be scrapped. The idea that men are cutting back on work to help their partners with childcare is a myth, according to a provocative new book that presents stark evidence illustrating the British male's reluctance to step back from his job.
- Obsessive compulsive hoarding: A serious health risk in storeRichard Wallace is making great strides. "I have no problem with discarding things that are of no further use and I recognise that you can't keep everything," he says. "It's just not possible."
- Leeds NHS hospital trust to replace chief executive Maggie Boyle following children's heart surgery rowAn NHS trust at the centre of a row over children's heart surgery is to replace its chief executive, it said on Saturday.
- Doctors in dispute: What exactly is normal human behaviour?It is over 1,000 pages long, has undergone more than three years of revisions and has set doctors at each other's throats. But the latest version of the psychiatrists' bible is finally out - to a chorus of criticism that it is pathologising everyday life.
- 'Most exciting breakthrough in IVF treatment in 30 years' could triple number of birthsThousands of infertile couples could benefit from a new IVF procedure that can dramatically improve the success rate of having a baby through artificial reproduction.
- 'Death contracts' could give terminally ill the right to dieTerminally ill people could sign a 'death contract' allowing doctors to help them end their lives under new legal proposals.
NYT > Health
- Abortion Law in Arkansas Is Blocked by U.S. JudgeA ban on abortion at the 12th week of pregnancy is likely to be declared unconstitutional, a federal district judge said.
- Well: Focaccia Recipes for HealthThis week, the Recipes for Health columnist Martha Rose Shulman experiments with focaccia, an alternative to pizza that makes a great lunch, snack or sandwich.
- For Gay Men, a Fear That Feels FamiliarOne doctor is going to the front lines in the battle against a new strain of bacterial meningitis affecting New York’s gay community.
- World Briefing | Health: Single Yellow Fever Shot Offers Lifetime Protection, W.H.O. SaysOne shot confers lifetime protection and the “booster shot” given at 10 years is no longer necessary, the World Health Organization said.
- The New Old Age Blog: After the Denial Letter ArrivesWhat families can do if the V.A. rejects a veteran’s claim for caregiving benefits.
Doctor if you could kindly give me some advise on the following high blood pressure medicine :-
Combination A – plendil 2.5mg, dilatrend carvedilol 25 mg and natrilix sr
Combination B – felodipine 5mg, metoprolol tartrate 100mg and natrilix sr
I am suppose to change from combination A to combination B due to costs purposes.
My age is 56 and my readings without medication is around 150/90 to 160/100.
Will the change have any sever effect on my pressure. Most grateful if you can give me some advise. Thanks a lot.
Doctor2008 says:
I don’t think its good to give online consultation as your own doctor knows best. I will only say that personally I would optimise medications as much as possible before adding new ones, so that one is better off with 2 meds than having 3 or more meds.
Dear Doctor,
My 84 yrs old mother recently was hospitalised for peptic ulcer disease probably caused by her aspirin medication. According to blood tests done, she also had a heart attack.
She has been discharged and still on controloc and iron supplements. Doctor has also advised us to put her on aspirin again but we have decided to put that on hold.
We are considering putting her on Plavix’s generic which is supposed to be safer than aspirin.
Please give us your honest opinion.
Thanks and Regards,
Michael Ng
Doctor2008 says : While I generally refrain from online consultations, your plight highlights a common dilemma faced by patients and their doctors.
While aspirin is effective in preventing a second heart attack, it frequently causes bleeding in the stomach. (see my posting An Aspirin A day Used To Keep The Doctor Away”).
You are quite right to replace aspirin with another “safer” blood thinner, but Plavix may also cause the same. An alternative is ticlopidine, but you need to discuss this with your doctor.