Randox Evidence Series highlights National Heart Month in February
Randox Evidence Series highlights National Heart Month in February
National Heart Month is held every February to raise awareness and remind the public of the importance of taking care of your heart. Every day, your heart will beat approximately 100,000 times and it is responsible for pumping blood throughout the body via the circulatory system, supplying oxygen and nutrients to the tissues and removing carbon dioxide and other wastes. 1
British Health Foundation (BFH) states that over 7 million people are living with heart and circulatory disease in the UK: 3.5 million men and 3.5 million women. 2
There are many different heart conditions and problems that can arise which include angina, heart attack, heart failure and abnormal heart rhythms, congenital heart disease and inherited heart conditions which are highlighted further below:
Angina is a chest pain which is often caused when the coronary arties become partially blocked. It causes an uncomfortable feeling of heaviness or tightness which is often mistaken to indigestion. 3
Whereas a heart attack is when the arteries are completely blocked which can cause permanent damage to the heart muscle therefore, it is essential to be aware of the symptoms. The signs are similar to angina although it is more severe. This may include feeling pain in the arms, jaw, neck and back, lightheadness, sweating, nausea and breathlessness. 3
Heart failure is the most dangerous condition. It often occurs when the individuals heart is too weak to pump blood around the body making it difficult for the person to breathe. There are two types of heart failure. Acute heart failure which can occur suddenly or chronic heart failure which develops over time. 3
Being aware of the different types of heart disease and the symptoms can save a person’s life in the long-run. There are many ways to avoid developing heart disease. One of the simple changes could include having a healthier diet to reduce your risk of developing heart disease and maintaining a healthy weight. A healthy diet could include plenty of fruit and vegetables, starchy food, choosing whole grain varieties, including some dairy products and a small amount of fat and sugar in your diet. Exercising regularly can benefit your heart and its health, making small changes to your lifestyle can make a difference for example, walking to work or school instead of driving or taking public transport, taking the stairs instead of using the lift or even taking on a hobby! Quitting smoking, decreasing your alcohol intake, eating healthier and exercising more will make a huge impact to your health!
Randox offer the Cardiac Risk Prediction Array on their Evidence Investigator. We developed a rapid array which will allow all 19 SNPs to be genotyped simultaneously on one single sample. The genotype information is then put into an algorithm which weights each SNP and calculates a CHD genetic risk score. This score is combined with common risk factors and an overall CHD risk score is calculated. A SNP which can predict response to statin therapies is also included. The results are easy to interpret using our Evidence Investigator which allows for more accurate classification and prevention actions to be taken.
For further information about the Randox Cardiac Risk Prediction Array or our Evidence Investigator, please email: info@randoxbiosciences.com or visit our newly improved website: https://goo.gl/8qkYkg
DUID in Scotland: Randox Toxicology
Scotland is set to introduce a new “zero tolerance” policy to those caught driving under the influence of drugs. Ministers in Scotland want to make it easier for police officers to target people driving with illegal drugs in their bloodstream. The policy will supersede the current need to prove that someone was driving in an impaired manner as a result of drug consumption. The law in Scotland currently states that it is illegal to drive if impaired by drugs, be it prescription or illegal drugs.
Justice Secretary Humza Yousaf said “The introduction of drug driving limits will strengthen the power of Scotland’s police and prosecutors to tackle the minority of drivers who irresponsibly put themselves and other road-users at risk. Drug driving is completely unacceptable, and we will continue to use all of the tools at our disposal to prevent the avoidable deaths and damage caused by those who drive under the influence of drugs. Together with our stringent drink-driving limits, these new laws will ensure that Scotland have the UK’s most robust laws against impaired and unsafe driving.”
Under the new plan, eight of the most commonly abuse illegal drugs – including heroin, ketamine and ecstasy – will have limits set very close to zero to rule out claims of accidental exposure. A further eight drugs, which can have medicinal purposes – such as diazepam and methadone – will have higher limits based on their ability to impair drivers. These proposals would mean just having drugs in your system that breach the limits, this is sufficient evidence to prosecute.
Utilising our patented Biochip Array Technology, our Evidence MultiSTAT screening panels cover a broad range of classical, prescription and common DUID drugs of abuse.
For more information about our products for driving under the influence screening, email mailto:info@randoxtoxicology.com or visit http://www.randoxtoxicology.com/
Randox Biosciences Launch New Website
Randox Biosciences is delighted to officially announce the launch of our new website which offers a sleek, simple yet informative platform to further your knowledge of our product range and how we can assist you.
After six months of hard work and dedication the website has a fresh look. The interactive aspect of the website provides an easy way for our visitors to learn about Randox Biosciences products and services.
The improved interactive navigation ensures the user enjoys a seamless transition through Randox Biosciences extensive range of products and services with a better experience for both mobile and desktop versions. Potential customers will be able to identify with ease which client segment they fit into – whether it be Academic Research, Biopharma or Clinical Laboratory, enjoying a fully responsive experience.
During the redesign of the Randox Biosciences website we ensured that the brand identity remained consistent throughout, incorporating the brand colours across the site. We in cooperated GIFS (Graphics Interchange Format or moving images) on the top of the homepage as the main header of the website to automatically attract visitors with a moving graphic.
The GIF represents the Biochip Array Technology and the two different diagnostics testing we offer at Randox Biosciences. The GIFs images were continued throughout the website to highlight the three industries we cater for. Brochure downloads are also available on the new website for customers to enhance their knowledge with more in-depth information of Randox’s products and services.
The incorporation of an overview video on the homepage enables website users to gain a snapshot view of Randox Biosciences products and services. The idea of presenting the video first is to allow the visitor to understand our company from a visual method rather than processing a lot of written information.
73% of consumers worldwide would prefer seeing a video than text because they are more “entertaining”.1 The video itself, captures exactly what Randox Biosciences is and what we do. A short yet effective video clearly illustrates the science behind of Randox Biosciences and how this reaches the patient through drug discovery and development.
Julie-Ann O’Hare, Director of Randox Biosciences, commented:
“I am thrilled with the final product of the website, which I hope our current and potential customers will utilise it with ease. The website is another aspect of aligning our marketing strategy and branding to ensure our messaging is clear, concise and consistent across the board. We look forward to the continuation of promoting Randox Biosciences in the digital landscape throughout 2019.”
An e-commerce section of the website is under construction for the sale of our BioReagent products, which they are very excited to launch upon completion in Q3.
Check out our new and improved website for yourself. It is available at: https://www.randoxbiosciences.com/. Also, to find out more email us at info@randoxbiosciences.com
- http://rocketium.com/academy/6-reasons-why-customers-prefer-video-ads-to-the-text-ones
We Are Randox | Sarah Casey wins Southern Regional College Science Competition
There are many different science roles at Randox which require many different skillsets – and there are as many different pathways to get to them! One such pathway is the Higher Level Apprenticeship offered by Randox in collaboration with Northern and Southern Regional Colleges.
Sarah Casey is both a Randox Higher Level Apprentice and a student at Portadown Southern Regional College. We caught up with her fresh from her win at the Southern Regional College Science Competition in January 2019.
Sarah, congratulations on winning the science award at Southern Regional College!
Please tell us more about the Science Competition you took part in – and won – at Southern Regional College.
The competition was held at the SRC Newry Campus and consisted of two experiments. I competed against other students from Randox, Almac and Norbrook.
For the first experiment, I had to find the concentration of an unknown sample of copper sulphate. I carried out a serial dilution using a known concentration of copper sulphate and then found the absorbance of each of the standards. I then found the absorbance for the unknown sample as well. From this I was able to plot a graph and determine the concentration of the unknown sample.
For the second experiment, I had to carry out a titration of iodine against sodium thiosulphate. I added the sodium thiosulphate to the iodine solution until the solution appeared pale yellow. I added a few drops of the starch indicator and continued titrating until the solution appeared colourless. I recorded the titre and then repeated the titration two more times to find an average titre. I then had to complete several questions relating to this experiment.
What did you study before you applied for the Higher Level Apprenticeship?
I previously studied A-Levels at St. Joseph’s Grammar school, undertaking Biology, Chemistry and Digital Technology. I always had a keen interest in science when I was younger so after studying Biology and Chemistry for A-Level I knew that I wanted to pursue a career in this field. In school I enjoyed the practical aspect of subjects which lead me to want to take part in this Higher Level Apprenticeship.
Where are you currently studying and what do you like most about your course?
I am studying the Life Science pathway of Applied Industrial Science at Portadown Southern Regional College. This course is based on biology and I have just finished semester one. I enjoy learning about buffer solutions, oxidation and redox reaction. For semester two, I look forward to studying physiology and continue to gain more knowledge about biology.
How did you hear about Higher Level Apprenticeships at Randox?
I heard about the higher level apprenticeship from my Careers teacher at school. He highly recommended that we tried out for the apprenticeship. After I applied after carrying out some research online. I was then offered a place here at Randox and started in September 2018.
Could you give a brief description of a typical day at Randox for you?
At the moment, I am based in the QC Serum department carrying out value assignments for Randox products. On a typical day I will come into work and carry out the daily maintenance on the RX Daytona and Imola. I will then have a look through the assignment folder to check what lots need to be assigned a value. I will gather the calibrator, controls and test lots in order to reconstitute them. While they are rolling, I will collect the necessary reagents. The test is then carried out. Afterwards I will type up the results into a spreadsheet to check if the lots have passed. I can carry out nest tests, two-day assignments and calibrator validations for chemistrys, lipids and cardiac. In between runs, I check sheets that are sent to customers.
What qualifications will you have when your Higher Level Apprenticeship at Randox ends?
I will finish my apprenticeship in September 2020. Since joining Randox only a few months ago I have already gained so many invaluable skills. By the end of this apprenticeship I hope to be competent with most or all the analysers used at Randox while continuing to exhibit good laboratory practice. At the end of the apprenticeship I will gained a foundation degree in Applied Industrial Sciences. I can then progress onto year two of Biomedical Science at Ulster University.
Would you recommend a Higher Level Apprenticeship at Randox to someone else and why?
I would highly recommend the higher level apprenticeship. It is a great experience and provides all the necessary skills required to pursue a career in this industry. Also, it allows you to earn while you learn so it’s a win-win situation as a student!
For more information about Sarah’s story or to hear more about the Higher Level Apprenticeship at Randox, please contact RandoxPR@randox.com.
RTS attending NI Construction Expo
Randox Testing Services are delighted to announce that we will be attending the Northern Ireland Construction Expo. Titanic Exhibition Centre will be the venue for the event, taking place on 13th February.
The NI Construction Expo brings together over 2000 construction companies, developers, policy makers, project owners and a plethora of other organisations, to provide an environment of debate, further knowledge in the design, construction and management of Northern Ireland’s buildings, infrastructure and industrial projects.
Attending the event will be our Senior Business Development Executive David O’Regan and our Business Development Executive Jim Windsor. Both have many years’ experience in workplace drug and alcohol testing and they will be more than happy to answer any questions you have regarding implementing a workplace testing policy.
Our Sales Executive Jim Windsor will be speaking at the event, providing those in attendance how drug & alcohol testing in the construction industry can have a positive impact on a business in this safety-critical environment.
If you would like to arrange a meeting with our team, please contact testingservices@randox.com. We will be exhibiting at stand B11B, make sure you stop by and have a chat to our team for any drug & alcohol testing related queries you may have.
Randox Testing Services
Randox Testing Services is part of the Randox Laboratories group, a global market leader in the diagnostics industry with over 35 years’ experience. Founded in 1982 by current Managing Director, Dr Peter FitzGerald CBE FREng, Randox is dedicated to accurate and sensitive sample testing. The ethos within Randox is to produce quality products, supported by continual investment in research and development.
Randox Testing Services is a specialist in the drug and alcohol testing industry. Our expertise is relied upon by a range of leading safety-critical companies across the UK, Ireland and internationally, as well as the medico-legal sector.
For regular updates on our products and other topical information follow us on Twitter (RandoxTesting) and LinkedIn (randox-testing-services).
Visit our website today for more information:
Medico-legal Testing: https://www.randoxtestingservices.com/medico-legal-testing/
Private Individuals: https://www.randoxtestingservices.com/private-individuals/
Contact Us: https://www.randoxtestingservices.com/contact-us/
Phone: +44 (0) 161 741 2760
Randox Health: Looking After Your Heart
This February, Randox Health are focusing on Heart Health. Heart health is becoming a much greater talked about subject because of health trends and figures. There are around 7 million people living with heart and circulatory disease in the UK. Heart and circulatory disease causes more than a quarter (26%) of all deaths in the UK; that’s nearly 160,000 deaths each year – an average of 435 people each day or one death every three minutes. Facts like these from BHF show us how how important our hearts are! Maintaining and having a healthy heart is essential to cut down your risk of heart disease.
Ways to Improve your Health
There are a number of things you can do to lower your risk of getting heart disease, and at the same time improve overall health. Lets look at three ways to lower your risk and help you become healthier:
- Managing a healthy weight
- Eating healthier
- Getting active
What You Can Do
All three of the above will lower your risk of heart disease and all are linked so by improving one it will help the others. To manage a healthy weight, first you need to work out what a healthy weight is for you. There are two main ways to tell whether you need to lose weight: your Body Mass Index (BMI), and your waist measurement. the risk of heart disease begins to increase at a BMI of 23, and people with a BMI of 27.5 will be at high risk.
Men with a waist of over 94 cm are at an increased risk of heart diseases and over 102 cm are at a severe risk. Women with a waist over 80 cm are at an increased risk and at 88 cm are at a severe risk. If you fall in these risk areas, eating well and being more physically active can help you reduce your weight.
Healthy Eating
A healthy diet can help reduce your risk of developing coronary heart disease and stop you gaining weight. This also reduces your risk of diabetes and high blood pressure. A well-balanced diet should include at least 5 portions of fruit and veg a day. Try to vary the types of fruit and veg you eat.
You should try to replace saturated fats with small amounts of mono and polyunsaturated fats. Try and cut down on foods that contain trans fats as it can raise your cholesterol levels. Lowering your salt intake can improve your blood pressure and lower your chance of coronary heart disease. Eating a healthy well-balanced diet can make it a lot easier to control and maintain your weight.
Get Active! The BHF say that physical activity can help reduce your risk of heart and circulatory disease. It also links in and helps you control your weight! Being active reduces blood pressure and cholesterol and can even improve your mental health. If you do all three of these points not only will it lower your risks of heart disease but will improve your overall health!
Randox Health: What We Do and How We Can Help
This month we are focusing on heart heart, so make sure to check out our blogs with information about how to keep a healthy heart. If you’re worried about your heart health or have a family history of heart disease, contact a member of our team today for more information on how we could help you! We are determined to help you get to the heart of the matter and see what’s really going on with your heart. This Valentines day give a gift to the one you love that really matters, the gift of health.
Find out more here: https://www.randoxhealth.com/our-packages/
We Are Randox | BBC NI’s The Search features Randox colleague Dale McGall
On Tuesday 23rd January 2019, a new three-part documentary series, The Search, aired on BBC Northern Ireland, featuring Randox’s very own Dale McGall.
By day, Dale is a Regulatory Compliance Officer at Randox making sure that all our products are of the highest quality and comply with all quality regulations before they are shipped all over the world to our customers.
Outside of work, however, Dale takes on a very different role when he volunteers as a Search and Rescue Technician (SarTECH) with the Community Rescue Service organisation in Northern Ireland (part of Lowland Rescue). Community Rescue Service is a team of approximately 130 people with units spread across the country on a 100% voluntary basis.
We caught up with Dale to hear all about his work as a SARTech volunteer;
Congratulations to CRS on the documentary, Dale! Can you tell us a little more about the work of Community Rescue Service and the role you play as a volunteer?
The Association of Lowland Search and Rescue (ALSAR) is an umbrella organisation that enables Search and Rescue teams throughout the UK. It coordinates provision of Lowland SAR services, sets national standards for the teams and develops and shapes Lowland SAR policies.
In Northern Ireland, the team is known as the Community Rescue Service with units and personnel from all parts of the country. Presently there are units in Strabane, Coleraine, Portglenone, Broughshane, Antrim, Belfast, and South Down, amongst others.
Training is a key part of being in CRS. Before being allowed out on a Search, personnel are required to conduct training on map reading, radio communication, first aid, search techniques and water awareness. Over time, people can take part in additional training; from being part of a boat crew and use of kayaks, to water rescue and advanced first aid.
Within CRS, I am a Search and Rescue Technician (SARTech) and have completed several first aid courses.
How long have you been involved with Community Rescue Service?
I have been with CRS since 2017 when I was looking for volunteering opportunities outside of work. I saw some social media posts about the work of the Community Rescue Service and decided to get in touch.
The rest, as they say, is history!
I train weekly with the Antrim, Portglenone and Broughshane units. This training involves reinforcing existing knowledge, familiarisation training, and inviting third party organisations to give us specialist advice.
Can you describe a typical day/operation in the life of a CRS volunteer?
It may sound cliché but no two days are the same with the CRS! As well as the operational role of Search and Rescue, I have also found myself supervising street collections, marshalling for cycling clubs, and giving talks to other organisations.
What would a typical rescue involve?
Our rescues most often involve vulnerable high-risk members of society. Typically, this could be children, elderly people living with dementia, or those with mental health issues.
A call can go out at any time of the day or night and to any part of the country. I’ve been involved in searches that have lasted weeks and have had massive resources invested in them. Just as often though, I’ve had call-outs for which I’ve arrived at the meeting point and then been given the order to stand down as the missing person has been found. In either situation, our focus is locating the missing person as soon as possible and returning them to a place of safety.
It can a very busy lifestyle volunteering with CRS. While I can’t leave during working hours, as soon as I clock out from Randox I am ‘on duty’ with CRS because a call can come in at any time. Being flexible with your evenings, weekends and annual leave is a must as time is of the essence when a person goes missing.
On one occasion, I was involved in an overnight search in County Down, returning home around 09:00. A quick shower, change of clothes and I was back out to another rescue based in North Antrim. Is this compulsory? No, but as an operational SARTech, you are part of a team and there is a strong teamwork ethos where we support and help each other.
Is there anything you would like to share that you think isn’t commonly known about the CRS?
Something I wasn’t overly aware of before joining CRS is how dementia can affect people. People with dementia can regress to a period of their lives many decades ago. One search involved an elderly gentleman with dementia who had gone missing. Approximately thirty SARTechs were deployed across a wide area with a helicopter flying overhead. About an hour later, the call came to stand down as the gentleman had been found. What I found amazing about this particular search was the gentleman, who was not steady on his feet and used a zimmer frame to walk, was found roughly five miles away from his house!
As volunteers, none of us get paid but knowing you helped return a missing person to their loved ones is beyond any form of financial reward.
How does being a SarTECH volunteer compare with working in your day job at Randox?
The two roles are very different but there are a number of transferrable skills which have proved useful! The main one is attention to detail. In my role at Randox as a Regulatory Compliance Officer, I am often auditing performance and processes across the company. Not only do I review new and existing compliance legislation but I am also involved in assisting with the implementation of corrective and preventive actions.
My role as a SarTECH calls for a similar level of attention to detail. You never know where someone could be, or where there may be unknown danger for the missing person or the Search and Rescue team, so it’s important to always be on-your-guard and alert to even the smallest noise or change in environment when out on a rescue mission.
What do you hope The Search will achieve on BBC NI?
I’m hoping the series being aired will raise awareness of some of the challenges that we as a country face. The Search will help to showcase our people, capabilities and our professionalism. The Community Rescue Service is a vital service in Northern Ireland, but is 100% run by volunteers on whom the organisation very much relies.
If anyone would like to find out more information about the work I do with the Community Rescue Service, please visit https://www.communityrescue.org
You can watch The Search on BBC iPlayer here: https://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episode/b0byhv18/the-search-series-1-episode-1
For more We Are Randox stories about our amazing colleagues, make sure to follow us on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter and follow the hashtag #WeAreRandox.
For further information please contact Randox PR by emailing randoxpr@randox.com
NHS rolls out electronic prescription in the fight against antibiotic resistance
The NHS are rolling out electronic prescribing in the fight against antibiotic resistance.
A recent article in the Telegraph newspaper reports that;
“Health chiefs have drawn up the plans amid warnings that antibiotic resistance now poses as great a threat as climate change.”
Matt Hancock, the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care UK will be informing attendees of the World Economic Forum in Davos that “we are on the cusp of a world where a simple graze could be deadly”. He has stated that it needs to be treated as a “global health emergency” and wants to cut the use of drugs across the country by 15% by setting targets.
The head of the NHS Mr Simon Stevens, said that; “much of the change would be achieved by the rollout electronic prescribing across the health service.” This would allow health officials to detect areas that are prescribing the most antibiotics so that they can try and persuade medics to cut down.
Prime Minister Theresa May said: “The increase in antibiotic resistance is a threat we cannot afford to ignore.
“Government data shows that, since 2014, the UK has cut the amount of antibiotics it uses by more than 7 per cent and sales of antibiotics for use in food-producing animals has dropped by 40 per cent.”
The NHS antimicrobial resistance (AMR) report 2015 stated:
“The amount of antimicrobials used in food production internationally is at least the same as that in humans, and in some places is higher. For example, in the US more than 70% of antibiotics that are medically important for humans are used in animals.
“When properly used, antibiotics are essential for treating infections in animals, but excessive and inappropriate use of the drugs is a problem.
A considerable amount of antibiotics are used in healthy animals to prevent infection or speed up their growth. This is particularly the case in intensive farming, where animals are kept in confined conditions.”
In order to help the fight against AMR Randox Food Diagnostics are constantly researching and developing new ways to screen for antibiotics across wine, honey, meat, seafood, dairy, feed and cereals.
Randox Food Diagnostics have developed Biochip Array Technology a multiplexing platform which allows the screening of up to 54 food/feed samples for a large range of antibiotics in under 3 hours on the Randox Evidence Investigator analyser.
To find out more information on how Biochip Array Technology works visit our website at: www.randoxfood.com
Or contact us directly at: info@randoxfooddiagnostics.com
UK Research and Innovation CEO Sir Mark Walport visits Randox
From cybersecurity and immersive technologies to restoration Shakespeare, new diagnostic tools and aerospace, Northern Ireland is home to world class research and innovation.
UK Research and Innovation (UKRI) is celebrating excellence in Northern Ireland by showcasing some of the leading work taking place in the country ahead of an engagement event in the Ormeau Baths on the evening of Tuesday 29th January 2019.
Ahead of the event, UKRI Chief Executive Professor Sir Mark Walport paid a visit to the Randox Science Park in Antrim, to learn more about the innovative diagnostic technologies we develop for hospitals, clinical, research and molecular labs, food testing, forensic toxicology, veterinary labs and life sciences.
UKRI Chief Executive Professor Sir Mark Walport said:
“Research and innovation excellence in Northern Ireland plays an important role in the UK’s success on the world stage. Its universities, innovation networks and leading businesses are an integral part of the UK’s research landscape. With UKRI support, they are pushing boundaries in areas such as healthcare, digital technologies and aerospace.”
The visit by Sir Walport follows our announcement in December 2018 that UKRI had awarded Randox a grant of £700,000 as part of the Industrial Strategy Challenge Fund (ISCF) to further develop our state-of-the-art ‘freeze-drying’ technology. This enables the components of vital diagnostic kits to be manufactured, stored and transported more effectively, producing better and speedier diagnoses.
Earlier in the year we also announced a £50 million investment in three new research and development Centres of Excellence for clinical diagnostics.
The UKRI reception at Ormeau Baths, which is now home to a Digital Catapult Centre, supporting the innovation community in the heart of Belfast, will celebrate Randox research projects such as the Centres of Excellence, as well as those of other companies in Northern Ireland, including a £13 million collaboration to boost the flourishing creative sector, part of the £80m UK-wide Creative Cluster programme. Current UKRI investment in Northern Ireland includes more than £78 million invested in active research projects.
The event celebrates the diverse research and innovation excellence in Northern Ireland and is an opportunity to discuss future ambitions.
It will be hosted by Professor Walport, with speakers including David Sterling, Head of the Civil Service of Northern Ireland; Professor Paddy Nixon, Vice-Chancellor and President of Ulster University; and Professor Máire O’Neill, Institute of Electronics, Communications & Information Technology at Queen’s University Belfast, and follows Sir Mark Walport’s visit to Randox Laboratories and also Bombardier, the world’s leading manufacturer of both planes and trains.
We were delighted to host Sir Mark Walport at the Randox Science Park and are looking forward to celebrating the success of Northern Ireland research and development at the UK Research and Innovation event this evening.
For further information please contact Randox PR by phoning 028 9442 2413 or emailing randoxpr@randox.com
Randox Alzheimer’s Array on the Evidence Investigator
Alzheimer’s disease
Alzheimer’s disease is the most common cause of dementia. It is defined as an irreversible, progressive brain disorder, in which parts of the brain are damaged over time. As this happens symptoms develop, but also get worse.
Dr. Alois Alzheimer discovered that in Alzheimer’s disease the connections between the cells and brain tissue are lost because proteins build up and form abnormal structures called “plaques” and “tangles”. 1 A healthy brain contains important chemicals which send signals between the cells, however, those who suffer with Alzheimer’s have less “chemical messengers.” Therefore, the signals don’t get passed on. 1
Risk factors
Age is the biggest risk factor. Alzheimer’s disease is more common amongst older adults. In the UK there are over 40,000 people under the age of 65 who suffer with some form of dementia. 2 Studies also state that women over the age of 65 are twice as likely to develop Alzheimer’s disease than men – although there is no clear evidence as to why.
There are two different types of Alzheimer’s. The early on-set variant of the condition is very uncommon but strikes people younger than 65. Often people with early-onset Alzheimer’s develop symptoms in their 40s or 50s. Whereas, late-onset Alzheimers is more common and affects people age 65 and older. 2
Symptoms
The disease slowly destroys memory and thinking skills. The earliest symptoms are memory lapses where they may struggle to remember recent events or learn new information, or even forget important items for day-to-day life for example, their keys, glasses or mobile phone. Memory loss due to the disease can increasingly interfere with their life as often the ability to carry out simple tasks can become a struggle. As a result, the person suffering can become anxious, irritable and can even be depressed.
In the later stages of Alzheimer’s, the symptoms become more severe. The individual will become less aware of what’s happening around them. They may have difficulties eating, walking and will require additional help and support with their daily activities from their loved ones or from a carer.
Unfortunately, there is no cure for Alzheimer’s Disease, although, there is treatment that can help manage the symptoms.
The Randox Apolipoprotein E4 Array
Randox offers The Apolipoprotein E4 (ApoE4) Array.
The Apolipoprotein E4 (ApoE4) Array is a research use-only product developed for the Evidence Investigator, which is a semi-automated benchtop immunoassay analyser which can process up to 2376 test per hour as well as up to 44 analytes screened per biochip.
The ApoE4 Array measures both total ApoE protein levels and ApoE4 protein levels directly from plasma samples and by using a ratio it can classify patients as negative or positive for ApoE4. In turn we can then assess their risk for the development of Alzheimer’s disease.
For further information about the Randox Alzheimer’s Array or our Evidence Investigator, please email info@randoxbiosciences.com
- https://www.alzheimers.org.uk/about-dementia/types-dementia/alzheimers-disease-symptoms
- https://www.nia.nih.gov/health/what-alzheimers-disease
