Aspirin During Pregnancy Can Prevent Pre-Eclampsia

The NHS in England and Wales have issued advice that having small doses of aspirin during pregnancy can help to lower the chances of complications caused by high blood pressure.

There is a solid link between high blood pressure during pregnancy and the condition pre-eclampsia, which can cause maternal death.

This advice comes after The National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence said that women in high risk groups should take aspirin from the 12th week up until birth.

Up to 5% of first-time mothers will develop pre-eclampsia, figures show.

It is thought that the condition is going to become far more common due to women having children later in life and due to rises in obesity as are and being overweight are two of the main causes of high blood pressure during pregnancy.

High blood pressure in pregnancy can also lead to premature birth, stillbirth and babies being smaller than average.

Low-dose (75mg) aspirin has not been advised to pregnant women in the past and NICE hopes the advice will ensure consistent standards across the country.

Fergus Macbeth, director of the centre for clinical practice at NICE, said: “Hypertension, or high blood pressure, can be fairly common and can develop at any time during pregnancy. If not properly managed, it can cause serious health problems.

“That’s why it’s important that women who are pregnant or planning a pregnancy and who have either been diagnosed or identified as being at risk of developing a form of hypertension, receive a consistent, high standard of antenatal and postnatal care to prevent problems occurring.”

Dr Margaret Macdonald, chief executive of the charity Action on Pre-eclampsia, said: “Pregnant women hate to take anything during pregnancy. This guidance is reassurance that it is OK to take aspirin for high blood pressure if you need to.

“Also, the guidance makes sure that GPs, consultants and midwives everywhere are doing this.”

The guidance warns against giving women drugs called angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) inhibitors and angiotensin II receptor blockers (ARBs), which can increase the risk of congenital abnormalities if taken during pregnancy.

Expectant mothers should also not rely on lower their salt intake to help lower their blood pressure as this will have little effect.

Women with hypertension or pre-eclampsia should be offered a package of care including admission to hospital for monitoring and treatment, says NICE.

In some cases, the pregnancy may need to be delivered early.

There is still no clear cut test, treatment or cure for pre-eclampsia, say experts.

You can purchase low strength aspirin from Pharmacy First at very resonable prices. The 75mg aspirin tablets sell in packs of 56 for only 49p. If you have any questions or concerns after reading this article then please feel free to contact us. We would always advise you to consult your GP before taking medication during pregnancy.

Which supplements should you consider taking and when?

In the UK millions of pounds are spent each year on vitamin supplements, but do people really know what they should be taking and how much? It is essential that before you take any vitamin supplement that you check out the recommended daily allowances (RDAs). There are  guidelines set out by the European Union for RDAs neccessary to stay healthy. For more information, see the European Food Information Council’s website.

Age, health and lifestyle all have an effect on the amount of vitamins your body needs. For example, the RDA for children is often lower than that for adults. Certain groups of people may need to increase their daily intake of specific vitamins. These groups include older people, those with specific medical conditions, pregnant women, and people on special diets.

The Department of Health recommends taking supplements in respect of only three vitamins: vitamin A, vitamin D and folic acid.

* Women who are pregnant or thinking about becoming pregnant are advised to take 400 micrograms of folic acid per day up to the twelfth week of pregnancy. This is over and above the 200 micrograms assumed to be obtained from their diet. Remember, it is best to avoid taking any vitamin A supplements during pregnancy, as this may damage the development of your baby. For the same reason, liver, which is rich in vitamin A, should also be avoided. For more information, see our pregnancy and childbirth zone.
* Children between the age of 6 months and 5 years may need vitamins A, C and D. Supplements may not be needed if your child is a good eater and has a varied diet. Ask your health visitor or GP for further advice.
* Children whose bodies are continuously covered due to their cultural dress are at potential risk of rickets caused by a lack of vitamin D that we get from sunlight.

How to take Supplements

Supplements should be taken properly to avoid them being flushed straight through the body. All supplements should be taken at room temperature with water, hot or chilled drinks can damage them and make them less effective. Tea and Coffee can interefe with the uptake of the vitamins, so should be avoided for at least 15 minutes after taking any Vitamins. Make sure you read the label on the bottle, and take supplements with or after food as directed.

We would not advise to take different types of supplements at the same time as they can decrease each others effectiveness, for example zinc interferes with how copper and iron are absorbed.

If you are unsure about anything then always ask your GP or contact us for advise on any of our products to find out if they are suitable for for you.

People on special diets

Vegetarians or vegans can sometimes miss out on vitamin B12, vitamin D, calcium, iron and zinc which are mainly found in meat and dairy products. You don’t need to take supplements if you eat a balanced diet. Iron and zinc are found in eggs, whole-grain cereals, pulses, green leafy vegetables and fortified breakfast cereals. For calcium, vitamins B2 and B12, try to eat two servings of low-fat dairy products a day. If you don’t eat dairy products, try soya milk, fortified orange juice, dark leafy vegetables, sesame seeds, tahini, tofu, or almonds.

As animal products provide the best source of vitamins B2 and B12, vegans who avoid animal products altogether may benefit from taking supplements.

For our full range of Vitamins and Supplements CLICK HERE.

Being prepared for the most common of ailments is important. The best way to do this is to ensure that you keep the right medicines in your home at all times. We  would like to give you our opinion of what you should have and which products would be suitable.

A piece of Finnish research has shown that having a lower level of Vitamin D in your body can lead to you developing Parkinson’s Disease in later life.

They performed a study invloved 3000 people and found that people who were exposed to lower level of  Vitamin D, which is produced by your skin when it is in contact with sunlight, are three times more likely to suffer with the disease.

Some experts think that Vitamin D could help to protect the nerve cells which become damaged in Parkinson’s sufferers.

Parkinson’s disease affects several parts of the brain, leading to symptoms like tremors and slow movements.

The Finnish researchers used a set of results gained 30 years ago to conduct the research. They then closely followed the health of these people to see which of them contracted Parkinson’s disease.

This is when they found the astonishing fact that people with high levels of Vitamin D are times less likely to suffer from Parkinson’s than people with low levels.

Vitamin D is made by the body when the skin is exposed to sunlight, you can also find it in foods like oily fish, milk or cereals. There are a number of Calcium and Vitamin D supplements on the market that can also help to increase your levels of Vitamin D.

Your skin becomes less effective at producing Vitamin D as you age.

Vitamin D is also known to help the uptake of Calcium to help bone formation

But research is now showing that it also plays a role in regulating the immune system, as well as in the development of the nervous system.

Alli is a popular weight loss product that has been around since early last year. It contains an ingredient called Orlistat, which had been available only on prescription until Alli was launched.

All works in your digestive system to stop about a quarter of fat in your meals from being absorbed into your body. This fat passes out of your body and may cause changes to your bowel movements. By stopping your body from absorbing more of the fat, Alli helps you to lose weight as long as you eat the right kind of diet.

In the last few months Alli has gained a lot of press coverage in the UK because of possible “fake” Alli being sold, mainly online. So we at Pharmacy First thought that it would be a good idea to tell you exactly what you should be looking out for when you receive your Alli.

Firstly, check that the website that you are purchasing from is fully accredited and has the Registered Pharmacy logo on their site. This shows that the website is registered with the Royal Pharmaceutical Society of Great Britain. This goes a long way to showing that they are a reputable company to purchase medications from.

Once the product arrives there are a number of things to look out for.
Fake Alli is sometimes missing an LOT number on the side of the box. This should be a 7 digit number that shows the batch of Alli they the box was produced with.

Another thing to look out for is the expiry date. A lot of the “fake” Alli have an expiry date that includes day, month and year (e.g 19 09 2011), whereas the genuine Alli has only shows the month and the year (e.g 09 2011).

Genuine Alli capsules contain small white pelletts, as seen below, while a large number of fake tablets contain a white powder instead.

There has been a number of other articles writeen about this subject in the past that have claimed that there should also be writing printed on the foil seal of the bottle under the lid. We have spoken to GlaxoSmithKline (who make the drug) about this after a number of queries from our customers. We were informed that this used to be the case but that it is not anymore. The reason given was due to increased costs in getting this printed in numerous languages for international export.

At Pharmacy First we are committed to offering the best possible customer service, so we have ensured that the prices for our Alli Capsules are second to none. We currently sell packs of 42 Alli Capsules for £19.60 and packs of 84 Alli Capsules for £29.95.

Research by University College London suggests that Teenage smoking rates in England have dropped significantly since the legal age for buying cigarettes rose from 16 to 18.

There has been a drop from 24% to 17% in smoking rates in the age grooup 16-17 since the change of rules. However smoking rates in over 18s remained unchanged. The results for the 16-17 year old age group was based on surveying 100 people in the age group.

It is commonly accepted that more than 80% of smokers start before the age of 19 and that half of all long-term smokers will die of cancer or other smoking-related diseases.

Jenny Fidler, who led the study said: “The new law looks to have helped reduce smoking prevalence among younger age groups.

“This is good news for the future health of this generation of young people and shows that tobacco policies can make a real difference.”

Jean King, Cancer Research UK‘s director of tobacco control, said: “This result is encouraging. We would like to have seen an even bigger drop in the number of young smokers but any measure that helps stops young people from smoking is a step in the right direction.

“We need to do more to protect young people. We urge the government to prevent more lives being lost to an addiction that will kill half of all long term smokers.”

She said putting tobacco out of sight in shops and removing cigarette vending machines would be a good place to start.

If you are a smoker, there are many products on the market to aid you in quitting. These include Lozenges, Inhalators (and Electric Cigarettes), Patches and Gum. Different people find different things that work for them individually.

Pharmacy First try to be as competitive as possible on all smoking cessation products to try to help improve the state of the nations health. Please feel free to contact us about smoking or if you need any advice about  the best ways to quit.

Athlete’s foot (tinea pedis) is a very common skin infection caused by a fungus.

It most often affects the skin between the toes, making it flaky, cracked, red or sore. In some people the skin becomes very sore and may even bleed.

The space between the 4th and 5th toes is the most commonly affected and if untreated it can spread to the toenails and adjacent areas of the foot.

Cracks in the skin sometimes leads to a more serious secondary bacterial infection. There are several fungi present on our skin. Under normal conditions these fungi cause no problems and go unnoticed. However, under certain conditions the fungi are able to multiply and cause infection in warm moist closed environments such as the toes.

Athlete’s foot is contagious and can be spread from person to person through direct contact through a cut or abrasion of the foot or indirectly through towels, walking barefoot in places such as changing rooms at swimming pools. Adults are more likely than children to get athlete’s foot, and men get it more often than women.

Treatment

There are various creams (for use directly on the feet), powders (for use in shoes and socks) and sprays (for use directly on the feet and sprayed in shoes) available over the counter to treat athlete’s foot.

Imidazole creams such as miconazole and clotrimazole work by killing the fungus and need to be applied until the skin seems to be back to normal and then for a further two weeks to eradicate all the remaining fungal spores.

Topical terbinafine cream requires only 1 to 2 weeks of treatment but is more expensive than Imidazole creams.

Tolnaftates act by reducing the growth of fungus and can be used in conjunction with Imidazole creams.

Salicylic and Benzoic acid combined are able to penetrate the skin by removing surface hard skin. If symptoms do not improve it is advisable to see your Doctor who may prescribe antifungal tablets particularly if the infection has spread to the nails.

Diabetics are more prone to developing an infection in addition to athlete’s foot and should always consult a GP.

Prevention

The tips below may be useful for anybody who has athlete’s foot or who finds that the infection keeps coming back:

Wash and dry your feet daily, particularly between the toes

• Try to not let your feet get sweaty and avoid wearing thick socks or tight shoes in warm weather

• Change your socks or tights daily. Wear socks and shoes made from natural materials

• Wear plastic shoes or flip flops in public showers, changing rooms and around pools

• Do not share towels

• Air your feet as often as you can

• Avoid re-infection

Treatment (without Prescription)

There are a number of good treatments available for athletes foot. Scholl make a very popular athletes foot spray which targets the fungi and prevents reinfection while also helping to stop itching and soreness.

Other popular products for dealing with athletes foot include the Daktarin range of products which are very effective antifungals that are effective for removing the causes of the infection and ensuring that it does not return.

The last 10 years has seen an increasing recognition of the importance of obesity in the UK adult population. Obesity causes an estimated 19 million sick days and 30,000 deaths a year in England alone. Government figures show that more than half of all adults in the UK are heavier than the healthy recommended weight. Two in five adults are now classed as overweight and a further one in five as obese. It has been estimated that by 2010 there will be more than 12 million adults and one million children in England who will be obese if no action is taken.

Assessing if You are a Healthy Weight

You can use the chart below to check if you are the correct weight for your height. Remember this information is only a guide and is aimed at healthy adults. It is not suitable for children, young people or older people.

You can also check your body size using the Body Mass Index (BMI). The BMI is used to assess eight in relation to height and provides a good estimate as to whether you are a healthy weight for your height.

BMI is weight in kilograms divided by the square of your height in meters. BMI provides the most useful measure of overweight and obesity for the UK population as it is the same for both sexes and for any age of adult.

Use the table below to determine if you are a healthy weight for your height or not.

Benefits of Losing Weight

There are many health risks associated with being overweight or obese. Losing weight will mean that you are less likely to develop the following:

• Stroke
• Heart problems
• High Choleserol
• Type 2 diabetes
• Insulin Resistance
• High blood pressure
• Certain cancers
• Lower back pain
• Osteoarthritis
• Sleep apnea
• Gall Stones
• Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS)
• Reproductive disorders
• Psychological disorders

How to lose weight

The body uses food as energy and stores any excess as fat. This means that is someone consumes more calories (or energy) than the body needs for daily activities, they will gain weight. To lose weight, the body needs to use up these stores of fat.

The most effective way to do this is:

• Reduce your intake of calories
• Increase activity levels

Reducing calorie intake

Reducing the number of calories you consume may appear to be a simple idea, but this can be very difficult to achieve. There are various diets, which rule out certain foods to help reduce calories consumed, but these can often make you miserable and less likely to succeed. It is important to make your weight management plan less daunting to help you achieve success.

You can use meal replacement plans (e.g. Slim Fast) as the structure of the programme makes it an easy way to lose weight. Meal replacements are calorie controlled, nutritionally balanced meal, making the hard work of calorie counting much easier.

Physical activity for health

Regular physical activity helps to reduce health risks generally, particularly obesity, but also many people feel better in general in themselves. Regular physical activity helps to control weight, and may help ease stress, anxiety and depression. Ideally, adults should do at least 30 minutes of moderate aerobic physical activity at least five days per week, plus a couple of sessions of muscle strengthening activities per week. However, even a brisk walk can have a big impact on minimising health risks.

Diet Aiding Products

There are many diet products on the market which all work to varying degrees. Below are links to a few of the leading names and the products that we recommend. (These products should all only be used with a healthy diet and instructions should always be followed.)

• Alli
• Lipobind
• Appesat
• Valupak Weight Loss Programme
• Dietrim