Take control of your heart health this World Heart Day

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World Heart Day 2020: Take control of your heart health

Posted on 29th September 2020 at 12:27 pm.

Written by Randox Communications

(British Heart Foundation, 2018)

29 September 2020

World Heart Day 2020

Take control of your heart health this World Heart Day

The term ‘cardiovascular disease’ (CVD) refers to any disease of the heart, vascular disease of the brain, or disease of the blood vessel. More people die from CVDs worldwide than from any other cause: over 17.9 million every year, according to the World Health Organization (WHO). Of these deaths, 80% are due to coronary heart diseases (eg heart attack) and cerebrovascular diseases (e.g. strokes) and mostly affect low- and middle-income countries.

To try and raise awareness of the dangers of CVD and associated conditions, the World Heart Foundation celebrate World Heart Day on September 29^thevery year to inform and educate on the prevalence of heart disease.

Our latest blog looks at CVD and provides more information on types of disease and symptoms, so you can know what to look out for and how to reduce the impact of potential future heart problems.

The UK Situation

There are around 7.4 million people living with heart and circulatory diseases in the UK. Heart and circulatory diseases cause more than a quarter (27 per cent) of all deaths in the UK; that’s nearly 170,000 deaths each year – an average of 460 people each day or one death every three minutes.

Healthcare costs relating to heart and circulatory diseases are estimated at £9 billion each year.

Nation	No. of people dying from CVD	No. of people under 75 dying from CVD	Estimated number of people living with CVD
England	136,317	35,581	6.15 million
Scotland	17,002	4,675	720,000
Wales	9,376	2,607	340,000
Northern Ireland	3,938	1,085	225,000
United Kingdom	167,116	44,261	7.4 million

What are cardiovascular diseases?

Cardiovascular diseases (CVDs) are a group of disorders of the heart and blood vessels and they include:

coronary heart disease – disease of the blood vessels supplying the heart muscle;
cerebrovascular disease – disease of the blood vessels supplying the brain;
peripheral arterial disease – disease of blood vessels supplying the arms and legs;
rheumatic heart disease – damage to the heart muscle and heart valves from rheumatic fever, caused by streptococcal bacteria;
congenital heart disease – malformations of heart structure existing at birth;
deep vein thrombosis and pulmonary embolism – blood clots in the leg veins, which can dislodge and move to the heart and lungs.

What are the symptoms of cardiovascular disease?

Symptoms of heart disease vary based on what condition you have but can include:

chest pain
pain, weakness or numb legs and/or arms
breathlessness
very fast or slow heartbeat, or palpitations
feeling dizzy, lightheaded or faint
fatigue
swollen limbs

How is cardiovascular disease diagnosed?

Diagnosis of coronary heart disease depends on your symptoms and what condition your doctor thinks you may have. Tests may be based on your family history and can include:

blood tests
chest x-ray
electrocardiogram (ECG)
echocardiogram
CT scan
MRI scan.

How Randox Health can help

Did you know that your heart is the size of your fist and the strongest muscle in your body? If you live to be 70, it will have beaten two and a half billion times.

Although impressive and strong, your heart can also become vulnerable from habitual risk factors like smoking, eating an unhealthy diet or putting it under stress.

Controlling these key risk factors and monitoring your blood pressure regularly may reduce an individual’s risk of CVD.

At Randox Health, we provide a range of specialised tests that enable you to take full control of your health.

Heart Health is one of our specialised tests and includes the Signature Heart Health panel of tests plus a resting ECG to give an in-depth assessment of risk of future heart disease.

For World Heart Day 2020, you can gain a detailed understanding of your Heart Health with our range of testing. Contact us today using the below details.

Click here to find out more about our testing.

Click here to book a test with Randox Health.

Email: info@randoxhealth.com

Phone: 0800 2545 130

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Take control of your liver health with a Randox Health Check

Posted on 9th January 2020 at 12:01 am.

Written by Randox Communications

*taken from NHS Live Well Guidelines

09 January 2020

Understanding your liver health

Take control of your liver health with a Randox Health Check

Are you taking part in Dry January? Giving up alcohol can do your insides a lot of good, and it’s great news for your liver in particular. It may be that after the festive period our liver needs a little bit of rest!

Did you know that alcohol consumption across the UK increases by a staggering 41 percent more than the annual monthly average in December? That’s more than anywhere else in the world.

The effects of alcohol on your health really depend on how much you drink and how often, but as the statistics show, more of us increase our uptake of alcohol over the festive period.

So how does this impact our body and our liver?

The results of over indulging vary from a hangover, a poor night’s sleep, to causing an irregular heartbeat, and in some cases, excessive alcohol intake can lead to liver damage. This can be a very serious condition, given the liver’s vital role in the body.

The liver plays a central role in all metabolic processes. In fat metabolism, it breaks down fats and produces energy. When we intake alcohol or drugs, it metabolizes the drug and detoxifies chemicals. And it also makes proteins important for blood clotting and other functions.

Following these processes, the liver also secretes bile that ends up back in the intestines and helps the digestion of fats and oils, otherwise known as lipids.

The liver can develop new cells, but abuse over a prolonged period reduces its ability to regenerate, causing serious damage.

It is not just heavy drinking over years that can cause liver disease – binge drinking is also a culprit and can lead to a build up of fat and subsequent inflammation. The best advice is to drink in moderation. Simple tips like taking a glass of water in-between alcoholic drinks are key to staying hydrated.

Know your units;

According to drinkaware.co.uk, unit guidelines are now the same for men and women.
Both are advised not to regularly drink more than 14 units a week
This equates to 6 pints of 4% beer / 6 glasses of 13% wine / 14 glasses (25ml) of 40% spirits
But don’t save up your 14 units, it’s best to spread evenly across the week.
If you want to cut down the amount you’re drinking, a good way is to have several drink-free days each week.
If you’ve had a heavy drinking session, avoid alcohol for 48 hours.

What does one unit of alcohol look like?

One unit of alcohol is the amount of alcohol an average adult can process within one hour so that so that there’s no alcohol left in their bloodstream.

One unit of alcohol equates to:

218ml of standard 4.5% cider
76ml of standard 13% wine
25ml of standard 40% whiskey
250ml of standard 4% beer
250ml of a standard 4% alcopop

How many units are in my drink?

Small glass white / rosé / red wine (125ml 12%) = 1.5 units
Standard glass white / rosé / red wine (175 ml 12%) = 2.1 units
Large glass white / red / rosé wine (250ml 12%) = 3 units
Pint of lager / beer / cider (5.2%) = 3 units
Bottle of lager / beer / cider (330ml 5%) = 1.7 units
Single small shot of spirits (25ml 40%) = 1 unit*

Having your liver health checked after Christmas is a great way of tracking any changes that you may need to make to your lifestyle, for better or for worse – essential for helping you prevent disease and allowing you to take early action if it is diagnosed.

At Randox we offer a comprehensive menu of liver function tests to determine its health. Provided by Randox to a wealth of hospitals, laboratories and research facilities across the globe, these tests are also directly available to you, the consumer, via our Randox Health clinics.

They include:

Alanine Aminotransferase (ALT) – an enzyme mainly found in the liver. Liver injury or disease will release ALT into the bloodstream, thus elevating serum ALT levels. Moderately high or mildly elevated ALT levels can be associated with chronic diseases, such as cirrhosis, which is scarring of the liver.
Aspartate Aminotransferase (AST) – an enzyme found predominantly in the heart, liver and skeletal muscles. Cell injury or disease will release AST into the bloodstream, thus elevating blood AST levels. Increased AST levels may be associated with hepatitis (inflammation of the liver), cirrhosis, or drug-induced liver injury.
Gamma-Glutamyltransferase (GGT) – an enzyme found mainly in the liver. Increased levels of GGT in the blood may indicate bile duct injury, hepatitis, cirrhosis, liver necrosis (death of tissue), tumours or the use of drugs that are toxic to the liver. A high GGT level is frequently associated with increased alcohol consumption, as this enzyme is involved in the breakdown and removal of alcohol from the body.
Glutamate Dehydrogenase (GLDH) – an enzyme located within the mitochondria (energy-producing machinery) of cells, particularly within liver tissue. Significant liver cell damage may cause release of GLDH into the bloodstream. Toxic liver damage, liver cell necrosis or hypoxic liver disease (where liver cells are deprived of oxygen) may cause an increase in GLDH. Measurement of GLDH in combination with other liver markers may help distinguish between different causes of liver dysfunction.
Bilirubin – a yellowish-brown pigment found in bile. Increased levels may be associated with liver or bile duct blockage (eg due to gallstones), hepatitis, cirrhosis, trauma to the liver, a drug reaction, long-term alcohol abuse or rare inherited disorders (eg Dubin-Johnson syndrome which is characterised by mild jaundice).
Albumin – produced by the liver, albumin is the most abundant protein in the blood. Albumin plays in important role in maintaining blood pressure and transporting a wide variety of small molecules, such as hormones, vitamins and drugs, throughout the body. Various conditions are associated with decreased albumin levels, including kidney and liver diseases.
Copper – an essential mineral that plays a part in many enzyme systems within the body. Excess or deficiency of copper is very rare, however raised copper levels may be caused by chronic liver disease or acute hepatitis.

And when used in conjunction with the wide variety of other tests available within the world’s most comprehensive and personalised health testing menu, you can obtain an understanding of your full body health like never before.

That’s why we don’t test in isolation, which can give a patchy representation of your health and can fail to pick up on related symptoms elsewhere in the body. We test up to 350 tests across 25 areas of your health – giving you the power to take your health into your own hands.

Contact the Randox Health team today to determine the health of your liver, and of your body.

Call 0800 2545 130 or click here.

To find out more and purchase the most thoughtful of Christmas presents – a gift card for the ‘gift of health’ – click here.

Want to know more?

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Give your loved ones the Gift of Health this Christmas

Posted on 2nd December 2019 at 11:09 am.

Written by Randox Communications

02 December 2019

Randox Health Christmas Gift Cards

Give your loved ones the Gift of Health this Christmas

This year, you can give the ‘gift of health’ to someone you love, with a Randox Health Gift Card.

Randox Health has the most comprehensive health check packages in the world, as well as a wide range of specialised tests. The EveryMan, EveryWoman packages carry out 150 different health tests while the Signature package does 350. That means your results deliver a complete understanding of your health; your heart, kidneys, thyroid, fertility, bones and more.

And it doesn’t just tell you how you are now, but helps you to manage your health for the future.

Each one of our packages lasts for twelve months and include personalised health plans, a private consultation with an expert and repeat testing. This unique aspect enables you to see exactly what impact you’re making on your health as you follow our recommendations.

Specialised testing is also available on areas including cardiac health, coeliac autoimmune disease, hormonal health and genetic testing.

The health check packages are available at our clinics in London, Liverpool, Holywood and Crumlin, and also through our innovative mobile health clinic. Gift cards can be purchased from as little as £20.

To find out more and purchase the most thoughtful of Christmas presents – a gift card for the ‘gift of health’ – click here.

Want to know more?

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Randox Health takes diagnostic service on the road

Posted on 3rd September 2019 at 12:01 am.

Written by Randox Communications

Learn more about Randox Health

03 September 2019

Randox Health Mobile Clinic

Do you know about our Mobile Health Service?

Clients of Randox Health are benefiting from “full-body MoTs” by providing blood samples in state-of-the-art Mobile Service clinics based on Mercedes-Benz Sprinters. The company’s phlebotomists use their strikingly styled vehicles to visit workplaces, gyms, private homes, and other locations, and provide an ultra-convenient service.

Randox Health is committed to identifying and preventing illness by detecting small changes in blood. Its patented diagnostic testing technology is capable of identifying up to 350 individual ‘biomarkers’ in a single sample. Randox Health operates clinics in Belfast, Liverpool and London, and introduced its first mobile unit in 2017. Such has been the demand from health-conscious clients throughout Ireland, that it has now added a second.

Based in Liverpool, the newer vehicle is from the latest-generation Sprinter range launched last year, which combines unprecedented levels of cab quality and comfort, with 4G wi-fi connectivity, and an industry-leading armoury of active and passive safety features. Like its predecessor, the 3.5-tonne 314 CDI L2 chassis cab was supplied by Intercounty Truck & Van, one of two members of the Mercedes-Benz Vans retail network whose parent company is Ballyvesey Holdings, of Newtownabbey, Northern Ireland.

Both vehicles’ purpose-designed bodies are the work of specialist coachbuilder Annard, of Loughall, County Armagh. Features include ‘pop out’ sections that address Randox Health’s requirement for additional floor space. With their aerodynamic enhancements, colour-coded door mirrors and bumpers, and alloy wheels, the Sprinters are real head-turners, and have attracted enthusiastic feedback from clients.

Explaining the rationale behind Randox Health’s decision to launch its mobile clinic service, Operations Manager Lauren Donaghy said:

“Increasing demand from corporate clients and private individuals for our pioneering health checks meant we needed to come up with a solution which ensured they were accessible to all.

“Our mobile service was the answer, and by providing men and women, young and old, with what effectively amount to full-body MoTs, we’re now transforming the delivery of healthcare in the UK and Ireland.”

Lauren continued: “We provide a world-leading service, so naturally we were keen to partner with a world-leading automotive brand able to provide vehicles that offer the highest standards of reliability, comfort and safety.

“The name Mercedes-Benz is synonymous with quality, ingenuity and performance, so we knew it would be the perfect fit for our equally innovative and ambitious company. Ballyvesey Holdings, meanwhile, has worked with Mercedes-Benz for years, and came highly recommended. “With their bespoke design, the vehicles provide a perfect combination of phlebotomy functionality and patient comfort, while maintaining the look and feel of a high-end clinic room,” added Lauren Donaghy.

“People are able to book an appointment at a place of their choosing, and being able to undergo their health check in a luxurious Mercedes-Benz means the experience is first-class from start to finish.”

A world-leading health service

Mercedes-Benz Vans UK has been doing its bit to highlight issues of health and wellbeing affecting the UK’s community of van drivers, operators and owners, through its Business Barometer programme. In its latest bulletin, the manufacturer focused on poor quality diets and the apparent reluctance of many to visit a doctor, while previous instalments have covered everything from hydration in hot weather, to the affects of air pollution, and the high stress levels induced by a shortage of parking provision.

The Sprinter 314 CDI is powered by a fuel-efficient 2.1-litre common rail turbodiesel engine – although this model is now also available with front-wheel drive, as with its stablemate Randox Health’s new van transmits its 143 hp output via the rear wheels. Like all Mercedes-Benz vans, Randox Health’s Mobile Service vehicles are backed by three-year, unlimited mileage warranties and came with free MobiloVan cover, which includes round-the-clock emergency roadside assistance.

Randox Health: What We Do

Randox Health packages go beyond a health check. We have the world’s most comprehensive full-body health programmes available on the market today, thanks to Randox Biochips which enable hundreds of individual tests to be carried out from one sample and giving you truly unrivalled knowledge about your health and wellbeing both now and in the future. Your health matters to us and, above all, we are committed to improving healthcare worldwide by identifying and preventing illness at the earliest possible stage.

How we can help you

Identifying the very first signs and risks of disease can help prevent health problems that may be on the horizon. Randox Health aim to do this before the appearance of unpleasant symptoms or illness. Prevention is always better than cure. Long-term mild dehydration may have caused damage to your health and our packages tests for up to 350 different biomarkers. Read about our packages here, or contact a member of our team for more information!

Want to know more?

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Everyman

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Signature

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