Asthma
Asthma is a common condition that causes coughing, wheezing, tightness of the chest and breathlessness. Most people with asthma who take the appropriate treatment can live normal lives, but left untreated, asthma can cause permanent damage to the airways
Symptoms of asthma
The usual symptoms of asthma are
- coughing
- wheezing
- shortness of breath
- tightness in the chest
Not everyone will get all of these symptoms. Some people experience them from time to time; a few people may experience these symptoms all the time
Treatment of asthma
There isn’t a cure for asthma. However, treatments are available to help manage your symptoms. Your treatment plan will be individual to you, combining medicines and asthma management in a way that works best for you.
Living with asthma
Medicines are only part of your treatment for asthma. You will also need to deal with the things that make it worse. Keep a diary to record anything that triggers your asthma – this can help you to discover a pattern. Using a peak flow meter to monitor your lung function can also help. If you have repeatedly low readings in a certain situation (for example, at the end of a working day, after exercise or after contact with an animal) this may indicate the trigger.
Useful Links
This website has been revamped to meet the needs of the thousands of people with asthma who visit the site each day, either to find important information about asthma and how to control it
An excellent resource with useful video, audio, images and references relating to asthma.
Further information about symptoms, treatment, causes and prevention of Asthma.
These links all come from trusted resources but if you are unsure about these or any other medical matters please contact your doctor or pharmacist for advice.
Cancer
Cancer is a condition where cells in a specific part of the body grow and reproduce uncontrollably. The cancerous cells can invade and destroy surrounding healthy tissue, including organs.
Cancer sometimes begins in one part of the body before spreading to other areas. This process is known as metastasis.
1 in 2 people will develop some form of cancer during their lifetime.
In the UK, the 4 most common types of cancer are:
There are more than 200 different types of cancer, and each is diagnosed and treated in a particular way. You can find links on this page to information about other types of cancer.
Changes to your body’s normal processes or unusual, unexplained symptoms can sometimes be an early sign of cancer.
Symptoms that need to be checked by a doctor include:
- a lump that suddenly appears on your body
- unexplained bleeding
- changes to your bowel habits
But in many cases your symptoms will not be related to cancer and will be caused by other, non-cancerous health conditions.
Read more about the signs and symptoms of cancer.
Making some simple changes to your lifestyle can significantly reduce your risk of developing cancer.
For example:
Surgery is the first treatment to try for most types of cancer, as solid tumours can usually be surgically removed.
2 other commonly used treatment methods are:
- chemotherapy – powerful cancer-killing medicines
- radiotherapy – the controlled use of high-energy X-rays
Accurately diagnosing cancer can take weeks or months. As cancer often develops slowly over several years, waiting for a few weeks will not usually impact on the effectiveness of treatment.
You should not have to wait more than 2 weeks to see a specialist if your GP suspects you have cancer and urgently refers you.
In cases where cancer has been confirmed, you should not have to wait more than 31 days from the decision to treat to the start of treatment.
NHS England has more detailed statistics on cancer waiting times
The Health A-Z covers many different types of cancer:
- Acute lymphoblastic leukaemia
- Acute myeloid leukaemia
- Anal cancer
- Bile duct cancer
- Bladder cancer
- Bone cancer
- Bowel cancer
- Brain tumour (cancerous)
- Brain tumour (non-cancerous)
- Breast cancer (female)
- Breast cancer (male)
- Carcinoid tumours
- Cervical cancer
- Chronic lymphocytic leukaemia
- Chronic myeloid leukaemia
- Endometrial cancer
- Ewing sarcoma
- Eye cancer
- Gallbladder cancer
- Hairy cell leukaemia
- Head and neck cancer
- Hodgkin lymphoma
- Kaposi’s sarcoma
- Kidney cancer
- Laryngeal cancer
- Liver cancer
- Lung cancer
- Mesothelioma
- Mouth cancer
- Multiple myeloma
- Nasopharyngeal cancer
- Neuroendocrine tumours
- Non-Hodgkin lymphoma
- Nasal and sinus cancer
- Oesophageal cancer
- Ovarian cancer
- Pancreatic cancer
- Penile cancer
- Prostate cancer
- Rectal cancer
- Retinoblastoma
- Skin cancer (melanoma)
- Skin cancer (non-melanoma)
- Soft tissue sarcoma
- Stomach cancer
- Testicular cancer
- Thyroid cancer
- Vaginal cancer
- Vulval cancer
- Womb cancer
Coronary Heart Disease
Coronary heart disease (CHD) is a preventable disease that was responsible for the deaths of 88,000 people in the UK in 2008 (British Heart Foundation CHD Statistics 2010). In all, 191,00 died from heart and circulatory disease in the UK. Death rates are highest in Scotland and North of England and lowest in the South of England. CHD is the biggest killer in the country.
Audio MP3 Downloads
Now you can download and listen to podcasts free from the BHF – either on the move or in the comfort of your own home. We have a few examples below.
“The British Heart Foundation is Britain’s leading charity fighting heart and circulatory disease – the UK’s biggest killer. The BHF funds research, education and life-saving equipment and helps heart patients return to a full and active way of life. The charity relies on donations to continue its vital work.”
https://www.youtube.com/embed/DRJuRK_VjZQ?modestbranding=1
Home Blood Pressure Monitoring
The BHS recommends that only properly validated BP monitors be used both in the clinic and at home. All the monitors listed on their website have been clinically validated. This means that all the machines, regardless of their cost, give reliable readings when used correctly. Please note that added cost does not equate to added accuracy.
View a list of clinically validated BP monitors
Useful Links
An excellent resource with useful video, audio, images and references relating to CHD.
Further information about symptoms, treatment, causes and prevention of CHD.
Our vision is of a world in which people do not die prematurely of heart disease. We will achieve this through our pioneering research, our vital prevention activity and by ensuring quality care and support for people living with heart disease.
These links all come from trusted resources but if you are unsure about these or any other medical matters please contact your doctor or pharmacist for advice.
COPD
Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD)
Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is the name for a collection of lung diseases including chronic bronchitis, emphysema and chronic obstructive airways disease. The main symptom of COPD is an inability to breathe in and out properly. This is also referred to as airflow obstruction.
https://www.youtube.com/embed/GLCAUjQ0eLc?modestbranding=1
Useful Links
Guide to the symptoms, diagnosis, treatment and risks of COPD from the NHS
This factsheet is for people who have chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), or who would like information about it.
Information and guidance on living with COPD
These links all come from trusted resources but if you are unsure about these or any other medical matters please contact your doctor or pharmacist for advice.
Diabetes
Diabetes
Diabetes is a condition that causes a person’s blood sugar level to become too high.
There are 2 main types of diabetes:
- type 1 diabetes – a lifelong condition where the body’s immune system attacks and destroys the cells that produce insulin
- type 2 diabetes – where the body does not produce enough insulin, or the body’s cells do not react to insulin properly
Type 2 diabetes is far more common than type 1. In the UK, over 90% of all adults with diabetes have type 2.
High blood sugar that develops during pregnancy is known as gestational diabetes. It usually goes away after giving birth.
Many people have blood sugar levels above the normal range, but not high enough to be diagnosed as having diabetes. This is known as non-diabetic hyperglycaemia, or pre-diabetes.
People with non-diabetic hyperglycaemia are at greater risk of developing type 2 diabetes, but the risk can be reduced through lifestyle changes.
If you have non-diabetic hyperglycaemia, you may be eligible for the NHS Diabetes Prevention Programme. The programme helps people make lasting lifestyle changes and has been shown to help prevent type 2 diabetes.
People with non-diabetic hyperglycaemia are also recommended to have a blood test every year to monitor their blood sugar levels.
It’s very important for diabetes to be diagnosed as early as possible because it’s likely to get worse if left untreated and can cause long-term health problems.
Visit your GP as soon as possible if you experience the main symptoms of diabetes, which include:
- feeling very thirsty
- peeing more frequently than usual, particularly at night
- feeling very tired
- weight loss and loss of muscle bulk
- itching around the penis or vagina, or frequent episodes of thrush
- blurred vision
Type 1 diabetes can develop quickly over weeks or even days.
Weight loss is common in people with type 1 diabetes when it first develops and before it’s treated, but it’s less common in people with type 2 diabetes.
Many people have type 2 diabetes for years without realising because the early symptoms tend to be general, or there are no symptoms at all.
The amount of sugar in the blood is controlled by a hormone called insulin, which is produced by the pancreas (a gland behind the stomach).
When food is digested and enters your bloodstream, insulin moves glucose out of the blood and into cells, where it’s broken down to produce energy.
However, if you have diabetes, your body is unable to break down glucose into energy. This is because there’s either not enough insulin to move the glucose, or the insulin produced does not work properly.
There are no lifestyle changes you can make to lower your risk of type 1 diabetes.
You can reduce the risk of type 2 diabetes through healthy eating, regular exercise and achieving a healthy body weight.
You may be more at risk of type 2 diabetes if you:
- are living with overweight or obesity
- do not have a healthy diet
- have a family history of type 2 diabetes
- are of Asian, Black African or African Caribbean origin
- take certain medicines such as steroids for a long time
- have high blood pressure
- have had gestational diabetes during pregnancy
If you’re diagnosed with diabetes, you’ll need to eat healthily, take regular exercise and have regular checks including blood tests.
You can use the BMI healthy weight calculator to check whether you’re a healthy weight.
Try to quit smoking if you smoke, and cut down on alcohol.
People diagnosed with type 1 diabetes also require regular insulin injections for the rest of their life.
Type 2 diabetes can get worse over time and people living with type 2 diabetes often need medicine, usually in the form of tablets or injections.
However, some people can put their type 2 diabetes into remission by losing weight, where their blood sugar is reduced below the diabetes range. Some people are able to do this through a low-calorie diet, but this is not suitable for everyone, so it’s important to get medical advice first.
Read about:
- insulin for type 1 diabetes
- medicines for type 2 diabetes
- type 2 diabetes remission – information from Diabetes UK
- treating gestational diabetes
Everyone with diabetes aged 12 years old or over should be invited to have their eyes screened regularly.
If you have diabetes, your eyes are at risk from diabetic retinopathy, a condition that can lead to sight loss if it’s not treated.
Screening, which includes a 30-minute check to examine the back of the eyes, is a way of diagnosing diabetic retinopathy and detecting the condition early where possible so it can be treated more effectively. In many people, this can stop it affecting their vision or reduce the chance of it getting worse.
It’s important to see a doctor if you notice any problems with your eyesight. Do not wait for your next screening appointment.
Read more about diabetic eye screening.
Diabetes can damage the nerves in your feet and cause a loss of feeling. It can also reduce the blood supply to your feet. This means you may not notice if your foot is sore or injured, and foot injuries do not heal as well. This can lead to ulcers and infections, and sometimes amputations can be needed in serious cases.
Adults with diabetes should have their feet checked every year by a healthcare professional.
It’s important to see a healthcare professional as soon as possible if you notice any problems with your feet.
You can read more about diabetes and foot problems on the Diabetes UK website.
Hypertension
High blood pressure (hypertension)
Blood pressure is recorded with 2 numbers. The systolic pressure (higher number) is the force at which your heart pumps blood around your body.
The diastolic pressure (lower number) is the resistance to the blood flow in the blood vessels between heartbeats when blood is pumped around your heart.
They’re both measured in millimetres of mercury (mmHg).
As a general guide:
- high blood pressure is considered to be from 140/90mmHg or more if your reading was taken at a GP surgery or clinic (or an average of 135/85mmHg if it was taken at home)
- if you’re over the age of 80, high blood pressure is considered to be from 150/90mmHg or more if your reading was taken at a GP surgery or clinic (or an average of 145/85mmHg if it was taken at home)
- ideal blood pressure is usually considered to be between 90/60mmHg and 120/80mmHg, while the target for people over the age of 80 years old is below 150/90mmHg (or 145/85mmHg if it was taken at home)
Blood pressure readings from 121/81mmHg to 139/89mmHg could mean you’re at risk of developing high blood pressure if you do not take steps to keep your blood pressure under control.
Everyone’s blood pressure will be slightly different. What’s considered low or high for you may be normal for someone else.
If your blood pressure is too high, it puts extra strain on your blood vessels, heart and other organs, such as the brain, kidneys and eyes.
Persistent high blood pressure can increase your risk of a number of serious and potentially life-threatening health conditions, such as:
- heart disease
- heart attacks
- strokes
- heart failure
- peripheral arterial disease
- aortic aneurysms
- kidney disease
- vascular dementia
If you have high blood pressure, reducing it even a small amount can help lower your risk of these health conditions.
The only way of knowing whether you have high blood pressure is to have a blood pressure test.
All adults over 40 years old are advised to have their blood pressure checked at least every 5 years.
Getting this done is easy and could save your life.
You can get your blood pressure tested at a number of places, including:
- at your GP surgery
- at some pharmacies
- as part of your NHS Health Check
- in some workplaces
You can also check your blood pressure yourself with a home blood pressure monitor.
Find out more about getting a blood pressure test
It’s not always clear what causes high blood pressure, but there are things that can increase your risk.
You might be more at risk if you:
- are overweight
- eat too much salt and do not eat enough fruit and vegetables
- do not do enough exercise
- drink too much alcohol or coffee (or other caffeine-based drinks)
- smoke
- have a lot of stress
- are over 65 years old
- have a relative with high blood pressure
- are of black African or Black Caribbean descent
- live in a deprived area
Making healthy lifestyle changes can sometimes help reduce your chances of getting high blood pressure and help lower your blood pressure if it’s already high.
High blood pressure is also sometimes caused by an underlying health condition or taking a certain medicine.
Doctors can help you keep your blood pressure to a safe level using:
- lifestyle changes
- medicines
What works best is different for each person.
Talk to your doctor to help you decide about treatment.
This patient decision aid from the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) (PDF, 132kb) can also help you to understand your treatment options.
These lifestyle changes can help prevent and lower high blood pressure:
- reduce the amount of salt you eat and have a generally healthy diet
- cut back on alcohol
- lose weight if you’re overweight
- exercise regularly
- cut down on caffeine
- stop smoking
Some people with high blood pressure may also need to take 1 or more medicines to stop their blood pressure getting too high.
If you’re diagnosed with high blood pressure, your doctor may recommend taking 1 or more medicines to keep it under control.
These come as tablets and usually need to be taken once a day.
Common blood pressure medicines include:
- ACE inhibitors – such as enalapril, lisinopril, perindopril and ramipril
- angiotensin-2 receptor blockers (ARBs) – such as candesartan, irbesartan, losartan, valsartan and olmesartan
- calcium channel blockers – such as amlodipine, felodipine and nifedipine or diltiazem and verapamil
- diuretics – such as indapamide and bendroflumethiazide
- beta blockers – such as atenolol and bisoprolol
- alpha blockers – such as doxazosin
- other diuretics – such as amiloride and spironolactone
The medicine recommended for you will depend on things like how high your blood pressure is, your age and your ethnicity.
Osteoarthritis
Osteoarthritis is the most common type of arthritis, affecting 8.5 million people in the UK. It develops gradually over time, causing joints to become stiff and painful. It can affect any joint but commonly affects the hands, knees, hips, feet and spine.
Who develops osteoarthritis?
Osteoarthritis usually develops in people who are over 50 years of age, and it is more common in women than in men. It is commonly thought that osteoarthritis is an inevitable part of getting older, but this is not true. Younger people can also be affected by osteoarthritis, often as a result of an injury or another joint condition.
https://www.youtube.com/embed/W42rwWD6zjw?modestbranding=1
Useful Links
Arthritis Research UK is the charity leading the fight against arthritis. Everything we do is underpinned by research
Guide to the symptoms, diagnosis, treatment and risks of Ostearthritis from the NHS
This factsheet is for people who have osteoarthritis or who would like information about it.
Arthritis Care exists to support people with arthritis. They are the UK’s largest organisation working with and for all people who have arthritis.
These links all come from trusted resources but if you are unsure about these or any other medical matters please contact your doctor or pharmacist for advice.
Chest Pain
Most chest pain is not a sign of anything serious but you should get medical advice just in case. Get immediate medical help if you think you’re having a heart attack.
Chest pain has many different causes. In most cases, chest pain is not caused by a heart problem.
Your symptoms might give you an idea of the cause. Do not self-diagnose – see a GP if you’re worried.
The most common heart problems that cause chest pain include:
- pericarditis – which usually causes a sudden, sharp, stabbing pain that gets worse when you breathe deeply or lie down
- angina or a heart attack – which have similar symptoms but a heart attack is life-threatening
You’re more likely to have heart problems if you’re older or know you’re at risk of coronary heart disease.
For example, if you:
- smoke
- are very overweight (obese)
- have high blood pressure, diabetes or high cholesterol
- have a history of heart attacks or angina in family members under 60 years old
Stroke
A stroke is a serious medical condition that occurs when the blood supply to part of the brain is cut off.
Like all organs, the brain needs the oxygen and nutrients provided by blood to function properly. If the supply of blood is restricted or stopped, brain cells begin to die. This can lead to brain damage and possibly death.
Strokes are a medical emergency and prompt treatment is essential because the sooner a person receives treatment for a stroke, the less damage is likely to happen.
The NHS Stroke Act FAST pages offer a great deal of information about stroke, including how to recognise the signs, some real stories of stroke sufferers and advice on how to live your life after a stroke.
Chest Heart & Stroke Charity (N.Ireland)
Chest Heart & Stroke Charity (Scotland)
Transient Ischaemic Attack (TIA)
A transient ischaemic attack (TIA), or ‘mini-stroke’, is caused by a temporary fall in the blood supply to part of the brain, leading to a lack of oxygen to the brain. This can cause symptoms that are similar to a stroke, although they don’t last as long. A TIA lasts only a few minutes and is usually resolved within 24 hours
As TIAs are serious, it is important that they are always investigated so that appropriate treatment can be given quickly. With treatment, the risk of a further TIA or a full stroke can be greatly reduced.
These links all come from trusted resources but if you are unsure about these or any other medical matters please contact your doctor or pharmacist for advice.