Mental health patients in crisis because of coronavirus cutbacks

People with mental health problems are ending up in crisis and at higher risk of suicide because they cannot get their usual help from the NHS during the lockdown, a leading charity has warned. Those struggling with serious conditions have found it hard to cope because their appointments have been cancelled and they have had trouble getting support from their GP, the mental health charity Mind said. The lack of care increased the danger of them self-harming, it said. One in four people who have tried to access help to…

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Mental health patients detained in hospital wards for up to 21 years

 Library image. One patient at Birmingham and Solihull mental health NHS foundation trust spent 7,914 days – more than 21 years – in one of the wards. Photograph: Christopher Thomond/The Guardian A patient locked in a secure ward for more than 21 years is among hundreds of people with mental health problems being kept in what one MP has called “old-style asylums” in NHS hospitals, an investigation can reveal. Keeping people in so-called “locked rehabilitation wards” has been condemned as “outdated and sometimes institutionalised care”, by the NHS watchdog, with many patients…

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Church-based lifestyle intervention reduces BP in black patients

Among black patients with hypertension, a community-based lifestyle intervention taking place in churches conferred a greater reduction in systolic BP than a control intervention, according to the results of the FAITH study. “African-Americans have a significantly greater burden of hypertension and heart disease, and our findings prove that people with uncontrolled hypertension can, indeed, better manage their blood pressure through programs administered in places of worship,” Gbenga Ogedegbe, MD, MPH, FACP, Dr. Adolph & Margaret Berger Professor of Population Health and Medicine, chief of the Division of Health & Behavior and director of…

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Testosterone therapy could be the cure for drastic weight loss in cancer patients

Testosterone therapy can help prevent weight loss or loss of body mass in cancer patients undergoing chemotherapy, and help improve their quality of life. Many cancer patients suffer from a loss of body mass known as cachexia. Approximately 20% of cancer-related deaths are attributed to the syndrome of cachexia, which in cancer patients is often characterised by a rapid or severe loss of fat and skeletal muscle. Melinda Sheffield-Moore, a professor at University of Texas in the US, showed that the hormone testosterone is effective at combatting cachexia in cancer patients. There are currently no established…

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Antidepressants May Up Mortality Risk In Lung Disease Patients

While popping antidepressants may lift your mood, it may turn deadly especially for elderly suffering from obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) — progressive lung disease that causes increasing breathlessness, say researchers. The findings showed that new users of serotonergic antidepressants were at 20 per cent increased risk of death. They may also have 15 per cent higher likelihood of hospitalization including higher rates of emergency room visits, and mortality related to respiratory conditions, as well as death overall versus non-users of the medications. “There are biological reasons why antidepressants could lead…

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Here’s How A Plant-Based Diet Can Benefits Diabetes Patients

Plant-based diets can be beneficial for diabetes as a new study has found that it may improve glycemic control, cholesterol and lead to weight loss in people with Type 2 diabetes. The researchers suggest that plant-based diets benefit both glycemic control and cardiovascular health because they are low in saturated fat, rich in phytochemicals, high in fibre and often rich in low-glycemic fruits and vegetables. “The link between diabetes and cardiovascular disease is strong. 60-70 per cent of people who have Type 2 diabetes die of heart disease,” said co-author…

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