20/01/2012 by admin.

Earlier this month the french president announced coming legislation that will require all drivers in France to carry a breathalyzer kit in their car.

The new legislation is planned to come into force spring 2012 and is a move by the french president Nicolas Sarkozy to cut the high numbers of serious accidents & deaths on french roads, many attributable to alcohol.

The idea behind the move is that it should mean that more drivers will think before they drive.  Am I fit to drive?

 The presence of the alcohol breath test kit in the car will make them more likely to test themsleves, and then knowing that they are over the limit will reduce the numbers of drivers drink driving.

Evidence suggests that many drivers do not knowingly break the drink driving laws. They think that they are ok to drive. This new move should take the ambiguity out of the situation.

It is important to know that the french drink driving prosecution levels for normal drivers (0.05 BAC for all EU countries ) are lower than the UK’s (0.08 BAC) and this can catch british drivers out when they are travelling abroad. This means that a blood alcohol level that would be below the prosecution levels for UK may well be above the prosecution level in France or rest of EU.

This new legislation is important for anyone travelling to France to be aware of. The french police will be given powers to stop drivers and drivers found to be without breathalyzer kit in their car will face fines. Of course if you are found to be over the limit you will face prosecution.

It will be interesting to see if this new move reduces levels of drink driving. My gut feeling is that it will. If drivers breathalyse themselves and find that they are over the limit most will I think, wait, have a coffee and let their alcohol levels come down. Some may choose to leave the car and get a taxi, a bus or a lift. Most drivers will not wish to risk the terrible consequences of drink driving.

The french move raises some interesting questions;

•  Are the current UK drink driving prosecution levels set too high ?
• Should the UK drink driving prosecution levels be brought down in line with rest of EU ?
• Would similar legislation in UK regarding drivers having personal breathalyzer kits in their gloves boxes help reduce drink driving levels in the UK and cut the number of serious accidents & deaths on the roads ?

Let us know your thoughts in comments.

Click here for more info about breathalyzer kits including those suitable for use in France (look at the 0.05 BAC kits)

Posted in Breathalyser france, Breathalyzer kits France, Breathalysers | Print | 3 Comments »

18/01/2012 by admin.

Just a quick reminder that we have a 5% discount coupon aut5 active at www.valuemed.co.uk until the end of this month. 1st class UK Delivery at Valuemed is free when you spend over £25 until the end of this month

The 5% discount coupon code aut5 can also be used at:

our fertility website www.accessdiagnostics.co.uk

our drug testing website www.ukdrugtesting.co.uk

and our breathalyser website www.value-breathalysers.co.uk

Posted in Valuemed voucher code, voucher code, access diagnostics coupon code 2011, Access Diagnostics Coupon, Discount Littmann, Valuemed Coupon Code, Discount Code, Uncategorized | Print | No Comments »

15/11/2011 by admin.

The DA8000 digital breathalyzer is in our opinion the best value for money fuel cell breathalyzer in the UK to buy in 2011.

The DA-8000 is a digital breathalyzer with a professional fuel cell sensor.
This means that the DA 8000 offers fuel cell accuracy & precision, reliability and stability over a long period

Why choose the DA8000 breathalyzer

Fuel Cell Sensor
Largest detection range from 0.00 to 5.00% BAC
Best Accuracy Available +/- 0.005%BAC @ 0.1%BAC
4 Digit Display
Large & Bright LCD Baclit display
Automatic Power Off
Low Battery Indicator
Total test counter
Displays %BAC (blood alcohol concentration)

Click here to buy the DA8000 fuel cell breathalyzer

Posted in Best breathalyzer to buy, Fuel cell breathalyzer, Best Breathalyzer, Da8000 breathalyzer, Breathalysers | Print | 1 Comment »

08/11/2011 by Valuemed.

We have a 10% discount coupon that is active until midnight on Monday 15/11/11

The coupon code is ADT10

• minimum spend £5
• one coupon per order
• voucher ADT10 may be used multiple times
• feel free to pass the coupon on to friends, colleagues and family
• active until midnight on Monday 14/11/11
• use at www.valuemed.co.uk
• or our fertility website www.accessdiagnostics.co.uk

and standard UK delivery is free when you spend over £25

Posted in voucher code, access diagnostics coupon code 2011, Valuemed voucher code, Access Diagnostics Coupon, Discount Code, Discount Littmann, Valuemed Coupon Code | Print | 1 Comment »

11/10/2011 by admin.

For the last 2 years I have paid to have a flu jab at a local pharmacy. This is a fairly recent service that some pharmacies have been offering and I welcomed it initially, having had a particularly bad bout of flu several years ago which left me ill on the sofa for a good week and took several weeks to fully recover from.

Having worked previously in the NHS for many years I had been eligible for flu vaccination through my occupational health service or my local GP. When I changed jobs this was no longer part of the package and I went for several years with no flu vaccination. I had asked at my local GP surgery if I could pay to have a flu vaccine, but this was not a service that they were offering.

I was very excited last year when I spotted a pharmacy in a nearby town offering the service so I went along and booked an appointment to have the jab later that day. The young pharmacist was very nervous and had clearly not done many of these (I later found out I was his first paying customer ) He encountered a problem getting the air bubble out of the syringe and after trying several pre-loaded flu vaccine syringes he advised me he would be unable to do the flu vaccination, and that I would have to come back another day when they had more of the pre-loaded syringes in. I returned several weeks later  as I thought by this time he would have gained in expertise, but he was still very nervous, but did thankfully manage to successfully give me the vaccination. He later told me that I was his second successful flu vaccine paying customer as the uptake had been very poor in the area. He had been on a training course to learn injection techniques but I wonder how much practice he had had on live humans (it is very different to injecting an orange or dummy)

This year I saw another local pharmacy was offering the flu vaccination service and decided to give it another go, as last year I did not succumb to flu. I booked an appointment and yesterday I had my vaccination. It was a very different experience but unfortunately not in a good way. The pharmacist rushed the injection and in fact injected me with a fairly large amount of air which alarmed both her and me (although I did not let on to her that I knew what she had done & she worryingly did not admit it to me) She then repeatedly asked me if i was ok and if I felt faint. I felt quite anxious following the experience but thankfully it is now 24 hours later and I am fine-touch wood apart from a large bruise & egg sized swelling on my upper arm ! (not usual after a flu injection)

This experience set me to thinking & concluding the following;

• I wish that I had not gone to the pharmacy for the injection. I do not feel the staff that I dealt with this year or last year were competent enough at performing the injections unsupervised
• I wish that GP’s would offer this service to their patients for a fee-the nurses at the local surgery are fully trained & are great at giving injections (they get plenty of practice)
• I have had many injections over the years and these 2 were by far the worse experiences that I have had, and have put me off going to a pharmacy again for an injection
• What training does a pharmacist have before they are allowed to administer injections to the public ?
• Do the pharmacists feel competenet to be doing the vaccines or is it something they are being pressured in to by the company ?

If you do decide to have a flu shot at your local pharmacy it may be worth asking the pharmacist who is going to administer the shot the following:

• How many vaccines they have given this year ?
• How much training did they receive on live patients ?
• How many flu vaccines have they given this autumn 2011 ?
• Would they have a vaccine in a pharmacy or would they rather go to a practice nurse ?

I welcome your comments

Posted in flu shot uk, flu jab, pharmacy flu vaccine, flu vaccine pharmacy, flu vaccine 2011, Uncategorized | Print | 5 Comments »

11/10/2011 by admin.

I have just broken down on my own drive (actually half way up the shared drive-embaressing but at least I was home) and the reason for this-my petrol tank is empty !

How could this happen I ask myself ? This has never happened before in 23 years of driving. What has been different this week ? How did I forget to fill up ?

I started to think about health & these thoughts prompted me to write a blog post & think further about

• how often do we run our bodies on empty ?
• what are the signs that we are running on empty ?
• how do we fill our bodies tank up when we feel like we are running on empty ?
• how does it affect our health ?
• how does it effect our families ?

Fortunately my lack of petrol is fairly easily solved, but that is not always the case with our bodies, health & relationships . How often do we take our health & relationships for granted and forget to fill up our ‘fuel tanks’ ?

I welcome your comments & ideas.

Posted in Running on empty, Stress | Print | No Comments »

06/10/2011 by admin.

We thought you may find this 5% discount coupon aut5 helpful

• Valid until end of January 2012
• Can be used multiple times
• One coupon per order
• Can be used at www.valuemed.co.uk and www.accessdiagnostics.co.uk

Posted in voucher code, access diagnostics coupon code 2011, Valuemed voucher code, Access Diagnostics Coupon, Discount Code, Discount Littmann, Valuemed Coupon Code | Print | No Comments »

05/10/2011 by Einstein719.

From school children to medics nearly everyone has heard of a subgroup of hormones known as steroids. However if asked to define what a steroid is, few would get further than: something that has an effect on the body. So what exactly is a steroid? 

Chemically a steroid is any molecule that has a specific arrangement of cyclic carbons. Namely a steroid contains 3 cyclohexane structures and 1 cyclopentane. These are arranged in a specific order and if you wish to see this order simple google it. However when most of us talk about steroids what we really mean is steroid hormones, i.e. human hormones within the body that are steroids. Steroid hormones are subdivided into three types: Glucocorticoids, Mineralocorticoids, Androgens, Estrogens and Progestogens.

Generally our body synthesizes mineralocorticoids and glucocorticoids in the suprarenal (Adrenal) glands, which sit atop the kidney. Whilst Androgens, Estrogens and Progestogens are synthesized in the Gonads/Genitals. All five are synthesized from the sterol: Cholesterol. A Sterol is a steroid with a hydroxyl (-OH) functional group attached to the steroid structure. This gives the sterol a amphiphillic structure, i.e. it is both hydrophobic and hydrophillic, which is extremely important for cholesterols use in the cell membranes of cells.

So steroid hormones have a specific chemical structure and are synthesized from cholesterol. But what do thay actually do? Well the answer to this questions is predictably different for each steroid. However the subgroups of steroid hormones divide steroids into categories based on the repercussions they induce within the body. So:

Glucocorticoids - Glucocorticoids are a branch of steroids produced in the adrenal cortex and which bind to the Glucocorticoid receptors, which are present in nearly all vertebrate cells. Glucocorticoids have two major functions within the body; firstly as their name suggests they play a role in the regulation of glucose metabolism. Indeed Cortisol, which is the primary (main) glucocorticoid stimulates several processes, which serve to increase and maintain the glucose levels within the body. The first process by which it achieves this is gluconeogenesis, which occurs in the liver and generates glucose from non-carbohydrate molecules, such as glycerol, lactate and amino acids. The second main process is the inhibition of glucose uptake by muscle and adipose tissue (N.B. Adipose tissue = fat tissue) and thus the catabolism of fatty acids within muscle tissue instead of glucose.

Glucocorticoids also have anti-inflamatory properties and hence are used in medicine to treat allergies, asthma, autoimmune diseases and sepsis. A particularly potent anti-inflamatory is Prednisone, the active metabolite of which is prednisolone. Glucocorticoids achieve their antiinflamatory nature through two methods - firstly they up-regulate the expression and consequent production of anti-inflamatory proteins. This is achieved when the glucocorticoid binds to the glucocorticoid receptor and thus triggers the expression of antiinflamatory proteins in the nucleus a process known as transactivation  Secondly they down-regulate the expression of pro-inflamatory proteins, by preventing the translocation of transcription factors from the cytosol/cytoplasm to the nucleus, a process known as transregression.

Mineralocorticoids - Mineralocorticoids are the second division of steroid hormones generated within the adrenal cortex, leading to the mineralocorticoids and the glucocorticoids collectively being refered to as corticosteroids. However their functions are very different - Mineralocorticoids regulate water and salt content of the blood plasma. The primary mineralocorticoid is Aldosterone, which plays a key role in the Renin-Angiotensin-Aldosterone-System, which is a system that modulates the water content of the blood. I could write a whole article on the RAAS, but that is not the focus of this blog - so back to the specific role of Aldosterone. Aldosterone production is triggered through the RAAS and it results in the kidneys reabsorping more sodium ions within the distal convulated tubule of the nephrons. This reabsorption of sodium leads to water more water moving via osmosis back into the capillaries. Aldosterone also leads to a greater excretion of H+ cations (protons) and potassium ions out of the medulla of the kidneys and into the urea collecting ducts. In short mineralocorticoids control the amount of water and mineral retention in the kidneys and hence the water and mineral content of the blood.

Androgens - These are the Steroid hormones which promote the development and maintenance male characteristics in humans, this includes the development of the male sex organs and also the secondary sex characteristics. The primary androgen is testosterone and is produced in the testes. The production of testosterone as discussed in an earlier blog is mediated by LH from the Pituitary. The original main bulk of anabolic steroids were androgens and androgens are also important precursors to estrogens. 

Estrogens - Estrogens are the female sex steroid hormones. There are three types E1 - Estrone, which is present in post menopausal woman. E2 - Estradiol, present in unpregnant woman and produced by the developing follicles during the menstrual cycle. E3 - Estriol, present in pregnant woman. Estradiol is crucial for the building up of the endometrium, in preparation for embryo implantation.

Progestogens - Progestogens are a group of carbons with a 21-carbon skeleton, known as a pregnane skeleton. The two major Progestogens are Progesterone, which mains pregnancy and Pregnenolone, which acts as a precursor in the production of all other Steroid hormones.

Posted in steroids information, what are steroids used for medically, what are steroids used to treat, what are steroids used for, What are steroids | Print | 1 Comment »

23/09/2011 by admin.

We are pleased to announce the details of the Autumn 2011 Littmann stethoscopes Student Promotion.

This year as an authorised littmann distributor we are able to offer the CARDIAC AUSCULTATION CD as a FREE gift with:

·        Littmann Classic II SE stethoscope 

·        The Cardiac Auscultation CD has proved to be a very popular educational tool, and is unique in its field as it combines heart sounds with MRI scans. This is an ideal gift for all medical students.

The Classic II SE is still the stethoscope of choice for most 1^st year medical students, having both a ‘bell and diaphragm’

Posted in Littmann Classic 11 Se Colours, 2011 Littmann stethoscopes Student Promotion., medical student stethoscope, Medical Student Supplies, Littmann Classic II SE, Medical Student, Littmann Classic 11 SE, Medical Students | Print | 1 Comment »

20/09/2011 by admin.

We have a 10% discount coupon active at www.valuemed.co.uk and www.accessdiagnostics.co.uk until the end of September 2011

The coupon code is AM10

Posted in voucher code, access diagnostics coupon code 2011, ValueMed, Valuemed voucher code, Access Diagnostics Coupon, Discount Code, Discount Littmann, Valuemed Coupon Code | Print | No Comments »

20/09/2011 by Einstein719.

There are two types of Diabetes:

Type 1 Insulin dependant Diabetes. This is an autoimmune disease, which occurs because the body accidently creates antibodies against its own cells, specifically here the cells within the Pancreas which make insulin. These cells are called Beta cells and they synthesize the hormone insulin, which regulate blood glucose Level. This results in the Pancreas not being able to make insulin and blood glucose levels therefore rising.

Type 2 Diabetes is different in that it is not usually insulin dependant, i.e. sufferers don’t have to inject insulin into their bodies to treat it. Type 2 arises from insulin resistance. Insulin resistance is when the body cells become resistant to insulin and more insulin is therefore required to have the same effect. To understand this better we need to know more about the mechanism of insulin.

Insulin works, to downregulate glucose levels, by causing fat and muscle cells to take up the glucose and metabolise it. The insulin binds to insulin receptors on the cells surfaces and causes them to take in glucose. During insulin resistance this mechanism becomes weaker and the cells become less responsive to the insulin receptors - consequently more insulin is required. Willingly the pancreas responds and make more insulin. But gradually the insulin resistance increases and eventually the Pancreas can no longer continue increasing its production and the individual will develop diabetes

The causes of type 2 diabetes are varied - the most common ones are:

Obesity, Pregnancy (Gestational diabetes), Stress, infection or severe illness and certain medications (including steroids such as prednisone and HIV medications).

Obesity is the main one that is on the rise and many speculate that this is primarily the reason for the rise in type 2 diabetes in the west.

So why do higher blood glucose levels cause a problem? Well if the condition is chronic then it can damage the eyes, kidneys, nerves and heart. For the eyes it can cause blindness, the kidneys - kidney failure, neural damage and finally within the vascular system is can rapidify the development of arterosclerosis, which can lead to cerebravascular accident (stroke), coronary heart disease and myocardial infarction.

The good news is that we believe these diseases can be avoided, i.e. you can significantly reduce your chance of developing either type, by maintaining a healthy weight through a healthy diet and exercise. This is particularly important if you are pregnant, although gestational diabetes can occur in slim fit women who are pregnant!

Posted in Diabetes | Print | 1 Comment »

08/09/2011 by admin.

Yes it’s September again and we are being asked this question by lots of students embarking on a career in medicine. With many medical schools now incorporating clinical training at a much earlier stage than they used to, many 1st year medical students are now buying their own stethoscopes for use in their clinical training and so they can practice on their friends & family.

When I did my medical training we do not see a live patient for the 1st 18 months and were not taught to use a stethoscope until we entered our clinical training after passing the 2nd MB. Now at many universities (though not all) this has changed and the clinical training is incorporated into the theory training at a much earlier stage and the students are encouraged to practice their clinical skills early by practicing on simulators, volunteers and each other.

Which stethoscope should I choose ?

The first thing to say is congratulations on getting into medical school. This is a very exciting time for you.

When deciding which stethoscope to purchase you need to go for a traditional high quality acoustic stethoscope that has both a bell (for listening to heart sounds) and a diaphragm (used mainly for listening to the chest, taking blood pressure and listening to bowel sounds)

Do not be tempted to buy an electronic stethocope at this stage as all medical students need to first aquire their skills on an acoustic stethoscope, as this is the kind of stethoscope that you will use for most of your medical career, and that you will be required to use in clinical exams.

Their is a huge choice available however in our opinion the Littmann Classic 11 SE still remains the best choice for a medical students 1st stethoscope. It is a high quality, simple to use use robust stethoscope that is ideal for medical students. It also offers great value for money and should last you very well. I still have the original Littmann Classic stethoscope that I purchased as a  medical student over 25 years ago, and it is still in good working order !

The Littmann Classic now also comes in an array of gorgeous tube colours & bell finishes including metallic  (pink perl finish is shown above) so you really can stand out from the crowd if you want to or you can opt for the original classic black tubes which now also comes in a very cool all black option (Littmann classic 11 se black tube, black bell & black headset) see picture below.

As you can probably gather from this blog post we love the Littmann Classic 11 Se Stethoscope and it is our top recommendation for medical students for the following reasons:

• high quality dual head stethoscope
• reliable & robust in every day clinical use
• trusted manufacturer
• the original & in our opinion the best
• every UK doctor uses a Littmann Classic stethoscope at some time in their career
• long estabalished Littmann brand
• great value for money
• lots of great colours and finishes to choose from

If you like it as much as we do then use this coupon code ADSUM before the end of this September to save 5% on your Littmann Classic 11 SE at www.valuemed.co.uk

Posted in Littmann Classic II SE Rainbow Edition, Medical Student Supplies, littmann black on black, Littmann Black Edition Stethoscope, Littmann Classic 11 Se Colours, medical student blogs, medical student stethoscope, Best stethoscope for medical student, 2011 Littmann stethoscopes Student Promotion., Littmann Stethoscope reviews, Littmann black edition, Littmann colored stethoscope, Littmann Stethoscopes, Littmann Classic, Medical Student, Medical Students, Littmann Classic 11 SE, Littmann Classic II SE, Littmann stethoscope colours, littmann classic ii se best price, Best stethoscope, Stethoscope for medical student | Print | 1 Comment »

07/09/2011 by Einstein719.

At the start of this year I took up running after reading on the internet that it was a brilliant way to handle stress and improve your psychological health. I was never really in it for the physiological benefits.

At first I started with just walking and running a few short distances - then gradually I progressed and started being able to run further without a break. It gradually gets easier and easier, and I found it was a great was to release the stress accumulated from a school day. The psychologicasl benefits are great - its like going to sleep and waking up fully refreshed. Indeed exercise is speculated to downregulate cortisol, the hormone which is released into the blood stream in response to stress. The more precise mechanism is that stress causes the hypothalamus to release adrenocorticotrophic releasing hormone (ARH), which then causes the pituitary to release adrenocorticotrophic hormone (ACTH). The ACTH then travels in the bloodstream to the adrenal gland, located above the kidneys and causes it to release adrenaline (epinthrine) and Cortisol.

I have read that Cortisol is known to kill neurons (nerve cells) and this is believed to be why chronic stress gives rise to depression. Cortisol harms brain cells in three ways: firstly it interferes with the neurotransmitters, secondly it interferes also with the brains supply of glucose and thirdly it cause the calcium ion channels to open and therefore a sudden influx of calcium ions into the neuron. The calcium ions create free radical molecules which then kill or signifcantly damage the cell.

This loss of nerve cells has been linked to loss of concentration, which prevents adequate memory. So in fact less stress may = greater intelligence.

Im starting to get hooked on sport and have taken up rowing and badminton, as well as joining a running club, in which there is no stopping until  everyone stops.

Posted in Running, Stress | Print | 1 Comment »

31/08/2011 by Einstein719.

Previously I had believed that synaptic pruning within the brain was something that happened only twice in your life: during the first years of life and during puberty. And that once this had happened your brain was moulded and set for life. However resent scientific advances, reported in the new scientist (20:08:11 edition) have suggested that this is not the case and in fact your brain is still remoulding its design, through synaptic pruning late into the twenties.

Moreover my belief that synaptic pruning was occuring in the first few years of life seems to have been wrong, as the article states that: “(dendritic) spine density increased rapidly during infancy reaching a peak before the 9th birthday”. Dendritic spines are small “door knob” shaped extensions of the dendrites, which have on their ends a PSD (post synaptic density). The role of the PSDs and therefore also the denritic spines is to recieve the incoming neurotransmitters, from an axon of another neuron and then send the message the signal to the neruon cell body (the soma).

By the age of nine then our brain has far too many connections between individual neurons. Over the next 20 years of our lives our brains are pruned so that half of these neurons are disconnected. this pruning is done to the crude: “Use it or loose it” principle. Therefore the neuron connectors we dont use - we loose. This neural pruning is believed to be crucial for learning and other cognative functions.

So whats the significance of this advancement? Well the disease schizophrenia is commonly developed whilst in the twenties. So now many neurologists and psychiatrists are theorizing that it may be due to a developmental complication, rather than a degenrative component. So we may be one step closer to curing a long incurable psychiatric disorder and who knows the further implications and applications this revelation could have - this is the beautiful ambiguity and mystery of science.

Posted in Medical news, Neuroscience, Synaptic pruning, Uncategorized | Print | 1 Comment »

23/08/2011 by Einstein719.

As the medical world of the west grows ever more accomplished at fighting disease, there is one condition that seems to be just getting worse and worse - but is it? With statistics now calling it the most common chronic illness of the Western world I am going to examine the current and potential treatments for Asthma.

Although medicine has identified that asthma is triggered when an allergen, to which the sufferer is particularly sensitive to, is breathed into the airways, science is not yet able to explain, as with all allergies, how it is that that person ever became particularly sensitive to said allergen. It is also unexplained why the senistivity occurs particularly in the airways. So at present treatment revolves around getting asthma under control, and keeping it that way rather than curing it.

Once the allergen enters the bronchioles (smaller airways in the lungs) it triggers a collossal response and the bronchioles constrict, meaning that the inhaled air cannot then be exhaled. This means that fresh air cannot be inhaled and the sufferer of an asthma attack has extreme difficultly breathing. This often then triggers a panic attack sending the sympathetic nervous system into a state of flux and causing rapid shallow breathing which often makes things worse. The allergen also triggers lots of mucus to be made which further blocks the airways.

Some doctors believe that a person develops asthma when a viral infection damages lung tissue, leading to hypersensitivity to allergens. Other theorists believe that asthma is not understood because it is caused not only by the immune system, but also by the nervous system, the system of the body we arguably know least about.

Another theory is that asthma patients have too great a density of sympathetic neurons than parasympathetic neurons in the lungs. This means that they have more neurons which trigger a stress reaction, than neurons that trigger relaxation. Therefore potentially when the body gets stressed, i.e. during heavy exercise, the sympathetic nervous system goes into a state of high activity, including the neurons in the lungs. and this high activity then triggers the constriction of the airways and so an asthma attack. However the flaw in this theory is that it still does not explain how the neuron imbalance ever came to be and just points back to genetics, which is what happens a lot in biology, when no better answer is known.

So asthma genetic or not? - the difficultly I have with believing its genetic is surely it would have been eliminated hundreds of thousands of years ago by evolution and survival of the fittest. And so now we surface onto the centre of much of the research into asthma: is it caused by the modern western lifestyle? Unfortunately at present it does seem that way: the air pollution; the junk food and the incubated design of our homes which are perfect for breeding dust mites.

So asthma is at present an incurable disease in the clinical notebook, and maybe lifestyle changes, for instance eating fresh food as opposed to processed; eating organic over treated fruit and vegetables; maybe move to the countryside could help. So yes at present the ”cure” for this fast spreading chronic disorder seems very wooley.

Posted in Asthma | Print | 1 Comment »

15/08/2011 by admin.

A recent introduction to the Littmann range (shown above in Ceil blue) and already proving very popular with the nurses & nursing students is the new Littmann Lightweight 11 SE nurses stethsocope which is currently retailing at just £24.95 (net VAT)

This general-purpose, entry-level Littmann stethoscope is an excellent, affordable choice for blood-pressure and patient assessment. Littmann quality is apparent from the soft-sealing eartips to the combination bell/diaphragm chestpiece

Designed to be extremely comfortable to use, the Lightweight II SE features an ovoid chestpiece with offset bell for better orientation around blood-pressure cuffs and body contours.

3M™ Littmann® Snap Tight Soft-Sealing Eartips offer an excellent acoustic seal, and a tunable diaphragm allows for easy low- and high-frequency monitoring.

It is currently available in the following tube colours:

• black
• burgundy
• ceil blue

We really love the Ceil blue & are hoping that Littmann will introduce it in some more tube colours in the near future-maybe rasberry & pink would be popular. Perl pink is another of our personal favourite Littmann tube colours from the Littmann highlights range.

Please do let us know what you think of the latest Littmann nurses stethoscope and also what you think of the the new Littmann stethoscope tube colours by posting in comments

Posted in Nurses stethoscope, Littmann® Lightweight II SE Nurses Stethoscope, Nursing Equpment, Nurses | Print | 1 Comment »

14/08/2011 by Einstein719.

Easily the most common blood group system in the world is tha ABO naming system. This system refers to the different antigens on the surface of the red blood cells, also called erythrocytes. An antigen is a molecule (usually a protein) that causes an immune response when it enters the body. Cells present antigens on their surface - this is why invading bacteria cells cause an immune response.

There are two different antigens that can be presented on the cell surface of an erythrocyte and these antigens are labelled A and B. However there are four different blood types - this is because individuals red blood cells can either have A, B, neither or both.

Therefore the four blood groups are   A    B    O     AB

But the antigens comprise only half of the story - their second half is the antibodies, which attach to the antigens to form an antigen-antibody complex. Antibodies are made by white blood cells (Leukocytes). There are three types of Leukocytes - Phagocytes, B Lympocytes and T Lympocytes.

 B Lympocytes are the type which make antibodies and are very specific - each cell will only create one type of antibody against one non-self antigen. An individual will however not have antibodies against self-antigens, i.e. the antigens on ones own cells. So if you have blood group A you will have antibodies against antigen B but not against A and vice versa. If you are blood group O you will have antibodies against both A and B antigens and if you’re AB you will have antibodies against neither.

This is very important for blood transfusion as If you give someone a transfusion containing the wrong blood type then their immune system may attack the red blood cells. This causes agglutination (sticking together of the blood cells).

Whether agglutination will occur depends on the patients blood group and the blood type given to them. For example someone with blood type AB can recieve blood of all types as they have antibodies against neither antigen. On the contrary someone of blood group O can only recieve blood of type O as they have antibodies against both antigens.

Visit here for information about home blood group test kit

Posted in blood group test kit, Blood transfusion, Blood group | Print | 1 Comment »

20/07/2011 by admin.

According to recent research conducted by Oxford university & funded by Cancer Research, obesity is now the a leading modifiable factor that can affect a womens chance of developing breat cancer. Alcohol consumption and smoking are other modifiable risk factors that were identified after obesity. The research was published in the Journal of Cancer.

Dr Julie Sharp, Cancer Research UK’s senior science information manager, said: “There’s already strong evidence that drinking alcohol and being overweight can increase the risk of breast cancer but it’s important to understand why these links exist. This is an important study as it helps to show how alcohol and weight can influence hormone levels. Understanding their role in breast cancer is vital and this analysis sheds light on how they could affect breast cancer risk.

“We know that the risk of the disease can be affected by family history and getting older, but there are also things women can do help reduce the risk of the disease. Maintaining a healthy body weight and reducing alcohol consumption are key to reducing breast cancer risk.”

Visit cancer research’s website to read full information http://info.cancerresearchuk.org/news/archive/pressrelease/2011-07-20-weight-strongest%20influence-on-post-menopausal-breast-cancer?view=rss

Posted in Obesity, Cancer research, Breast cancer | Print | 1 Comment »

18/07/2011 by admin.

We have a 10% discount coupon code VMED which is active for the next 24 hours at our medical supply website Valuemed, and also at our fertility supplies website Access Diagnostics Fertility

The 10% discount coupon is active until midnight on Tuesday 19th July 2011 

Use at www.valuemed.co.uk

10% discount coupon code is: VMED

It can also be used at our fertility website www.accessdiagnostics.co.uk 

• One coupon code per order
• Discount coupon can be used on any item including Littmann stethoscopes
• Coupon code can be used multiple times
• Discount can be used on any products
• To use coupon code enter the code exactly as it is typed above and then click update. Please feel free to pass the coupon on to friends, family, colleagues etc

Posted in access diagnostics coupon code 2011, ValueMed, voucher code, Valuemed voucher code, Discount Littmann, Access Diagnostics Coupon, Valuemed Coupon Code | Print | 1 Comment »

05/07/2011 by admin.

Adult onset or type 2 Diabetes has been in the news a lot recently. Rates of development of type 2 Diabetes are on the increase in the western world. This is thought to be due to our increasingly sedentary lifestyle and are high calorie diets leading to increasing levels of obesity.

What are the risk factors for developing Type 2 Diabetes:

• family history-do you have a close blood relative who has type 2 diabetes ?
• weight-are you overweight ?
• age-are you over 40 ?
• do you carry your excess weight around your middle ?
• lack of regular physical exercise
• ethnic group-if you are Asian or African-Caribbean your risk is much higher (up to 5x) nd you may develop it at an earlier age
• did you develop gestational diabetes in pregnancy ? (women only)
• do you have Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome  ?(PCOS) (women only)

Posted in risk factors for diabetes type 2, Type 2 daibetes, Diabetes | Print | 3 Comments »

04/07/2011 by admin.

Value-med is currently promoting the special edition and standard tube colours available on the Littmann dual iii cardiology stethoscope models. Littmann cardiology iii remains the international market leader in high end cardiology auscultation offering superior sound quality and manufacturing standards.

New colour options include red,  plum, burgandy, caribbean blue and classic black tube variants. All options are UK stock lines available for immediate dispatch and the offer includes Free UK expedited delivery on this model. Prices start from £110.00 excluding VAT for more details see site littmann cardiology iii section

Posted in Littmann Cardiology 3, Littmann Cardiology iii, Littmann Cardiology Stethoscopes | Print | 1 Comment »

28/06/2011 by admin.

With all the lovely new colours available now in the Littmann stethoscopes we thought it would be interesting to take a poll on which colours you like best.

Let us know which colours you like best by e-mailing us, or leaving a comment here

Send us your Littmann stethoscope reviews and we will publish them here on our medical blog

Click here to see all our Littmann stethoscope colours

Posted in littmann black on black, Littmann Master Classic, Littmann Black Edition Stethoscope, Littman black edition, Littmann black edition, Littmann master classic ii, Littmann Classic II SE Rainbow Edition, Littmann Colours, Littmann Stethoscope reviews, Littmann Cardiology 3, Littmann Cardiology iii, Littmann Classic 11 Se Colours, Littmann colored stethoscope, Littmann Copper Stethoscope, Littmann Classic 11 SE, Littmann Classic II SE, Littmann Stethoscopes, Littmann Classic, Littmann, Littmann 3M Model 3200 Stethoscope, Littmann Cardiology Stethoscopes, Littmann Copper, Littmann Brass, Littmann stethoscope colours, littmann classic ii se best price, Littmann 3M | Print | 4 Comments »

27/06/2011 by admin.

MDF instruments is one of the largest and best regarded manufacturing brand in North America, The MDF instrument range includes not only a comprehensive range of stethoscopes but other diagnostic testing and medical equipment including sphygmomanometers, reflex hammers and other clinic diagnostics.

The manufacturing quality and design of the MDF medical equipment range is second to none within the price range of the model line up. A basic single tube lite stethoscope such as the MDF 727 stethoscope range are compact models commonly found on wards and clinic as stock items for general use. The tube thickness of these smaller units is considerably thinner than the comparable MDF 747 stethoscope or MDF 777 stethoscope which are much better suited to clinical auscultation of heart and respiratory sounds. The head sets are also smaller on 727 stethoscopes and the ear tips are firm and non fitting. This is fine for general clinic use including BP ausculation as the sound quality is perfectly adequate and the stethoscopes are not going to be worn for long periods. The firm vinyl ear tips can also be sterilised when in general use.

For Doctors and nurse practitioners requiring a better quality but still pocket size stethoscope then the entry level should be the MDF 747XP stethoscope.

Not full size but with great quality tubing and full size adult chest piece and head set the 747XP stethoscope is superb value for money and will remain perfectly adequate for most hospital doctor and GP general examination needs. The construction is first rate and the stethoscope is available in a wide range of tube colours and comes with name tags and spares included.

Next up in the mdf range is the MDF 777 stethoscope, full size doctors stethoscope.

The manufacturing and finish are superb as is the presentation of the full retail box packaging. The MDF 777 stethoscope is the staple ER room choice in the states and is every bit as good as its comparable leading stethoscope brands such as the Littmann Classic II SE and Spirit AW stethoscope

Posted in MDF 747 stethoscope, MDF 777 stethoscope, mdf stethoscope review, mdf stethoscope, MDF | Print | 1 Comment »

21/06/2011 by admin.

The latest innovation in near patient testing available via Value-Med medical supplies  & home testing kits is the Mission Hb Haemoglobin testing system for detecting anaemia for monitoring haemoglobin levels without the need for a full laboratory blood sample and test.

The Mission digital anaemia meter starter packs come complete with everything needed to complete a series of 25 tests.

 Refill tests strips, capillary transfer tubes and lancets are available for the digital Hb meters which come with full instructions, batteries and a soft pouch storage case.

The meter requires just 10ul blood sample from a capillary finger prick, the same sampling method used for diabetic testing, and the lancets can be automated using the auto lancing device, spring loaded lancet holders with a pre-set depth setting for low pain, minimum trauma sampling.

Refill test strips are available in packs of 50 and each pack is supplied with a unique code chip which is fitted to the meter when the new test strips are first used. The Mission HB Haemoglobin Test meter system gives reliable fast test results and is CE and FDA certified as both a self test and professional diagnostic test product. This makes the Mission HB Haemoglobin Test meter suitable for individuals needing a home test kit system for Hb levels and also clinic and surgery use where an instant Hb result can aid in diagnosis and treatment of anaemia.

Posted in anaemia test home, anaemia test kit, Anaemia meter | Print | 1 Comment »

16/06/2011 by admin.

We have just launched our new look Valuemed website http://www.value-med.co.uk and are keen to know what you think of it

Please let us know by e-mailing us or leaving comments when you place your orders or by leaving comments on this blog. We really welcome your feedback.

We hope that you will find the site easier to navigate.

We will be continueing to improve the site over the coming weeks so watch this space.

We have a special 10% discount coupon active on the new Value-Med site only until the end of July 2011

The 10% discount coupon code is VMED & 1st class UK Delivery is currently free

Please do get in touch and post in comments to let us know how you find the new ValueMed website

Posted in ValueMed, Valuemed voucher code, Valuemed Coupon Code | Print | 6 Comments »

16/06/2011 by admin.

Value-med promotions for summer 2011 include special editions of the ever popular Littmann Cardiology iii Stethoscope including the copper edition.

This special edition Littmann Cardiology 3 Copper edition is supplied boxed in original manufacturers packs with free heart sound data card (available while stocks last).

The Littmann Cardiology iii Copper Edition stethoscope costs £110.00 ex vat with free priority UK delivery when purchased through the Littmann stethoscope highlights promotion section for Littmann Cardiology 111 stethoscope here

Posted in Littmann colored stethoscope, Littmann Cardiology iii, Littmann Cardiology 3, Littmann Copper Stethoscope, Littmann Copper, Littmann, Littmann Cardiology Stethoscopes, Littmann stethoscope colours, Littmann 3M | Print | 2 Comments »

15/06/2011 by admin.

We are currently looking for guest contributors to this medical blog. Are you a medical student, an expert in a particular medical field or do you have personal experience of a medical condition. If so please do get in touch-we would love to hear from you.

You can write about anything related to medicine, and post links to other relevant medical websites.

If you would like to be a guest blogger please do get in touch by e-mail to kate@adtuk.co.uk or by posting in comments and we will contact you.

Posted in Blogs medical, medical student blogs, medical blogs | Print | 1 Comment »

11/06/2011 by Einstein719.

Both of my parents went through UK medical school and went on to become GPs and their accounts of the application process made it seem frankly easy, indeed my dad got in with A level grades: BCC. So I relaxed myself on the notion that I would get in with no trouble at all - what could have changed in just 30 years?

How wrong we were. Competition for places has increased so dramatically, with nearly all applicants with at least AAA at A level and a long and impressive list of both work experience and voluntary work in the medical related field. Ive been told that they don’t even consider you unless you`ve done a lot of voluntary work.

Im currently in Year 12 so will be entering university in September 2012 and applying in a couple of months. I have at present done no work experience or voluntary work in the field, except for the work experience I did through school which was at the local dentists - so slightly related. So I went onto the www.do-it.org  - which is an absolutely fabulous website and Iive now got an interview tomorrow to see whether I’ll be suitable for a voluntary placement with a charity that looks after people who have just been discharged from hospital. So all smiles on that front.

As for work experience im hopefully going to do some over the summer holidays. My parents are no longer GPS but my uncle is a consultant at Edinburgh hospital. So theres a possibility I might be able to go there. If not I might just go to our local general practice.

Now onto another aspect of application - entrance exams. The medical schools I wish to apply for are: Oxford (would be absolutely lovely to get into this one), Imperial, UCL, Durham and Liverpool. I was going to apply to Warwick but I dont think they accept undergraduates for medicine. Now for Oxford, Imperial and UCL I need to sit and do well in the BMAT, whilst for Durham I need to sit the UKCAT and Liverpool mercifully requires no entrance exam. When researching this I thought for a while that I was also goiug to have to sit the 6 hour GAMSAT exam, but thankfully thats for graduate entry only. The BMAT seems quite easy, but the UKCAT has some really bizarre sections in it, one requires you to interpret codes and the other is abstract reasoning. Anyway I’m sitting that in July and have bought a practise book.

I havn`t even considered interviews yet - that will be a future hurdle.

Posted in applying for medicine, Applying for medical school, Medical Student | Print | 2 Comments »

11/05/2011 by admin.

New in stock this month we have two medical pen torches with pupil gauge.

The 1st is an Aluminium clinical pen torch with pupil guage which is supplied with batteries. Batteries may be changed, so extending the use of the pen torch.

Features:

• simple click on off end depression switch
• pupil guage in mm
• lapel clip so easily fits in top pocket
• Aluminium barrel with pupil gauge indicator scale
• removable batteries
• ideal for doctors, medical students, nurses, paramedics etc
• Price: £3.80 (net vat)

 Click here to for more info or to buy Aluminium medical pen torch with pupil gauge

The second new medical pen torch in stock this month is a 6 pack of disposable pen torches with pupil gauge (see picture below)

Features:

• 6 sealed unit disposable clinic examination penlight pen torches
• Pupil examination reference gauge
• Bright lights ++
• ideal for doctors, medical students, nurses, clinics, paramedics etc
• batteries can not be changed in these pen torches
• excellent value for money
• Price: £9.97 (net vat) for pack of 6 pen torches

Click here for more info or to buy 6 pack disposable pen torches with pupil gauge

Click here to see all medical pen torches

Posted in Pen torches, Pen torch for nurses, Pen torch with pupil gauge, Medical pen torch | Print | 1 Comment »

11/05/2011 by admin.

We have a 10% discount coupon code SUM which is active for the next 5 days at our medical supply website Valuemed, and also at our fertility supplies website Access Diagnostics Fertility

The 10% discount coupon active from today until midnight on Sunday 15th May 2011 

Use at www.valuemed.co.uk

10% discount coupon code is: SUM

It can also be used at our fertility website www.accessdiagnostics.co.uk 

• One coupon code per order
• Discount coupon can be used on any item including Littmann stethoscopes
• Coupon code can be used multiple times
• Discount can be used on any products
• Minimum spend £5 on goods
• To use coupon code enter the code exactly as it is typed above and then click update. Please feel free to pass the coupon on to friends, family, colleagues & chat groups

Posted in voucher code, access diagnostics coupon code 2011, Valuemed voucher code, Access Diagnostics Coupon, Discount Code, Discount Littmann, Valuemed Coupon Code | Print | 1 Comment »