News
Heart care waiting list rises by 63% in three years in England
The latest NHS England figures show that the number of people on cardiac waiting lists has risen to a record high of 380,787 at the end of March 2023 – an increase of nearly 8,000 people since last month. The latest increase means there has been a 63 percent rise in the cardiac waiting list compared to February 2020, the month before the pandemic began. The figures also reveal that 139,472 people were
waiting over four months (the maximum intended waiting time target) for potentially lifesaving heart care at the end of March – well over a third (37 percent) of all people on waiting lists for cardiac care. The longer people wait for treatment, the higher their risk of becoming disabled from heart failure or dying prematurely. In addition, for the first time, over 10,000 people
were waiting over a year for time-critical heart tests and treatments – another record high. Just
28 people were waiting this long three years ago in February 2020. New NHSE figures also show that average ambulance response time for category 2 calls (which includes suspected heart attacks and strokes) fell from 40 minutes in March to 29 minutes in April. The official target is 18 minutes, but the Government has set a new average target of 30 minutes over 2023/24. Dr. Sonya Babu-Narayan, British Heart
Foundation’s associate medical director, said: “Tragically, this severe disruption to heart healthcare is worsening and could mean more people living with avoidable heart failure and even lives lost. “Decisive action is needed now to address this
crisis, starting with the immediate publication of the Government’s long-awaited workforce plan and investment to recruit and retain heart doctors, nurses and other specialists.”
Postmenopausal heart attack risk
Postmenopausal women with clogged arteries are at higher risk of heart attacks than men of similar age, according to research presented at EACVI 2023, a scientific congress of the European Society of Cardiology. “The study suggests that a given burden of
atherosclerosis is riskier in postmenopausal women than it is in men of that age,” said study author Dr. Sophie van Rosendael of Leiden University Medical Centre, The Netherlands. “Since atherosclerotic plaque burden is
emerging as a target to decide the intensity of therapy to prevent heart attacks, the findings may impact treatment. Our results indicate that after menopause, women may need a higher dose of statins or the addition of another lipid-lowering drug. More studies are needed to confirm these findings.”
A new study has bolstered the long-suspected link between gut health and Alzheimer’s disease. The analysis — led by a team of researchers with the Nevada Institute of Personalised Medicine (NIPM) at UNLV and published in the Nature journal Scientific Reports – examined data from dozens of past studies into the gut-brain connection. Between 500 and 1,000 species of bacteria exist in the human gut at any one time, and the amount and diversity of these microorganisms can be influenced by genetics and diet. The UNLV team’s analysis found a significant
correlation between 10 specific types of gut bacteria and the likelihood of developing Alzheimer’s disease. Six categories of bacteria — Adlercreutzia, Eubacterium nodatum group,
Gut health may influence likelihood of developing Alzheimer’s Certain bacteria in humans’ guts can secrete
Eisenbergiella, Eubacterium fissicatena group, Gordonibacter, and Prevotella9 — were identified as protective, and four types of bacteria — Collinsella, Bacteroides, Lachnospira, and Veillonella — were identified as a risk factor for Alzheimer’s disease.
acids and toxins that thin and seep through the intestinal lining, interact with the APOE (a gene identified as a major risk factor for Alzheimer’s disease), and trigger a neuroinflammatory response — affecting brain health and numerous immune functions, and potentially promoting development of the neurodegenerative disorder. Researchers said their novel discovery of the distinct bacterial groups associated with Alzheimer’s disease provides new insights into the relationship between gut microbiota and the world’s most common form of dementia. The findings also advance scientists’ understanding of how an imbalance of that bacteria may play a role in the disorder’s development.
Pilot study findings on closed loop technology for diabetes
Results from a pilot roll-out of hybrid closed loop technology for up to 1,000 children and adults living with type 1 diabetes have been presented at Diabetes UK’s national conference (DUKPC). In 2021, NHS England announced they were
piloting this roll-out of hybrid closed loop technology, which will give the NHS important real-world evidence about the benefits of this life- changing technology. Hybrid closed loop systems allow a continuous glucose monitor (CGM) to ‘talk’ to an insulin pump. An algorithm calculates the amount of background insulin required to keep
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www.clinicalservicesjournal.com I June 2023
blood sugars in target range, and automatically delivers this. Some of the CGM systems can also correct for high blood sugars by delivering extra insulin. But users still need to tell the device when they’re eating to receive insulin at mealtimes. Dr. Tom Crabtree presented findings
investigating whether age influences blood sugar levels when using hybrid closed loops. Researchers looked at data from 448 people between the ages of 17- and 78-years taking part in the pilot. They tracked how their HbA1c and the time they
spent with their blood sugar levels in a target range (3.9-10mmol/mol) changed over five months. The researchers found that HbA1c reduced by an average of 17.4mmol/mol (or 1.7%), and time in range increased by an average of 28.3%. Encouragingly, they also found that these improvements happened across all ages, with little difference between age groups. These findings show that age shouldn’t be a barrier to being offered a hybrid closed loop. More than 70% of people also reported that using
a hybrid closed loop improved not just their blood sugar levels, but also their quality of life.
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