Friends and family of the almost 1million people living with the condition in the UK describe years of exhaustion, anxiety and grief.
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It’s the most powerful GLP-1 ever developed – but not yet licensed, which means it cannot be legally dispensed by a pharmacy, and for now can only be found on the ‘grey market’… as I will explain.
Getting a hip replacement or abdominal surgery could put you at a higher risk of memory loss, a study has found.
More than 2 million Americans get these surgeries – including 760,000 hip replacements – every year to allow them to move without suffering from pain and boost their quality of life.
But now, Harvard researchers say that one in seven adults who get the procedures may be left suffering from accelerated memory loss.
In a study, scientists tracked 560 adults in their 70s who had no signs of dementia at the time of surgery and for the next six years after their operation. Tests were used to monitor their memory and thinking skills over time.
Overall, a quarter of patients had no noticeable difference in their mental ability after the surgery.
However, 60 percent experienced a minor drop in their mental ability, while 15 percent experienced a sharp drop in their mental ability a month after the surgery and continued to have a gradual deterioration in their mental ability over the following six years.
The researchers said that the minor drop could be explained by normal changes associated with aging.
For patients who had a major decline shortly after the surgery, however, the researchers said these individuals were much more likely to have experienced delirium, a mental state where a person has episodes of confusion and disordered thinking that can develop from hours to days after surgery.
Millions of older Americans get major surgeries every year. Now, a Harvard study suggests that they might accelerate mental decline
Previous studies have repeatedly linked delirium after surgery with a higher risk of cognitive decline and dementia, although it isn’t clear why this is the case.
Some scientists say this is because the stress of surgery and inflammation kick-starts processes that cause the brain to decline, while others say the surgery simply unmasks a decline that had already been going on behind the scenes.
In the study, published in the Journal of the American Geriatrics Society, the patients were 76 years old on average and just over half were women.
Four in five had gone in for an orthopedic surgery – such as a knee or hip replacement – while one in 10 had gone in for a gastrointestinal surgery – such as a hernia repair surgery or a procedure to remove the gallbladder.
Another six percent had a major vascular surgery, such as an artery repair procedure.
All the surgeries were elective, meaning patients chose to have them rather than being required by doctors, and patients stayed in the hospital for at least three days afterward to recover.
For those that had a sharp decline in their mental ability, this was recorded a month after surgery.
Results also revealed three warning signs that a person was likely to suffer from severe mental decline after a major surgery.
As well as delirium, they warned that being older and having a lower score on mental tests before surgery all raised the risk of suffering from major mental decline.
The study was observational and could not prove that major surgery was actually causing cognitive decline.
The researchers said the results could provide valuable information about how major surgery can shape long-term brain health in older adults.
Postoperative neurocognitive disorders (PND), such as delirium or cognitive dysfunction, are a concern for patients and clinicians alike, and something many older adults take into account before undergoing any major surgical procedures.
And now, with more than 20 percent of the US population set to turn 65 years old by 2030, researchers say that analyzing post-surgery brain health matters more than ever.
The physicians behind the study said that, to help families and patients make informed decisions about procedures, it was crucial for them to understand the potential risks of the surgery as well as the benefits.
In the paper, they wrote: ‘Older age, baseline cognitive impairment, and delirium were associated with severe decline, with delirium having the strongest association.
‘Our findings provide valuable information for older patients considering major surgery and may help clinicians target interventions.’
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It’s made from low fat skimmed cows’ milk -heated to create a white, almost-liquid substance – which means it’s one of the leanest cheeses available.
A sample of blood is taken to test for cholesterol – but now a fruit could lower levels (Image: Getty Images)
A green fruit commonly featured in soups might be a hidden ally in the fight against high cholesterol, a pharmacist has revealed. Cholesterol is a fatty substance naturally produced by our bodies and plays a vital role in numerous bodily functions.
Yet when levels rise too high, it can obstruct our blood vessels, restricting blood flow. This can result in severe health complications, including strokes and heart attacks.
Numerous factors can trigger a rise in cholesterol, including genetics, but lifestyle factors such as poor diet, insufficient exercise, smoking and alcohol consumption are the most frequent causes. While some individuals may require medication, cholesterol can also be controlled through a balanced diet and regular physical activity.
Reducing saturated fats, such as processed meats, cheese, butter and cakes, is recognised as helpful in lowering cholesterol, and the NHS advises boosting fruit and vegetable intake. One particular fruit has been highlighted for its potential advantages, as research indicates it can bind with cholesterol during digestion.
Abbas Kanani, a pharmacist, has explained the potential health benefits of okra. This flowering plant, native to East Africa and frequently used as a vegetable in cooking, could play a role in reducing cholesterol, he explained. “Some studies have suggested that okra, also known as lady’s fingers, may help lower cholesterol levels,” he explained. “It is commonly used in soups and stews and a thick, gel-like substance found in okra, called mucilage, can bind with cholesterol during digestion so it is passed from the body.”
He went on to say: “Studies conducted on mice showed lower blood cholesterol levels after they were fed a high-fat diet containing okra powder.”
The research Abbas referenced was published in the Journal of Nutritional Biochemistry in 2014.
The study found that when obese mice were given the fruit, both their cholesterol and blood sugar levels decreased. “Our results indicate that okra may serve as a dietary therapy for hyperglycaemia [high blood sugar] and hypertriglyceridemia- [high levels of fat in the blood],” the study concluded.
Okra is also “rich in vitamins A and C, as well as antioxidants that help reduce the risk of serious health conditions such as diabetes, stroke and heart disease”, Abbas noted. He did warn, however, that people with diabetes “should be cautious when adding more okra into their diets, as it can also interfere with metformin, a medication often used to treat type 2 diabetes”.
Harvard Medical School has recognised okra as one of 11 foods capable of helping to reduce low-density lipoprotein, commonly referred to as “bad” cholesterol, owing to its “low calorie” profile and rich soluble fibre content. The NHS website highlights that high cholesterol typically presents no symptoms, with a blood test being the sole means of detection.
If you have any worries regarding your cholesterol levels, consulting your GP is recommended.
- High cholesterol is when you have too much of a fatty substance called cholesterol in your blood.
- You’re more likely to get high cholesterol if you’re over 50, a man, you’ve been through the menopause, or you’re of South Asian or sub-Saharan African origin. It can also run in families.
- It can also be caused by eating fatty food, not exercising enough, being overweight, smoking and drinking alcohol.
- You can lower your cholesterol by eating healthily and getting more exercise. Some people also need to take medicine.
- Too much cholesterol can block your blood vessels. It makes you more likely to have heart problems or a stroke.
- High cholesterol does not usually cause symptoms. You can only find out if you have it from a blood test.
For additional information on high cholesterol from the NHS, follow this link.
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