"Protection through Prevention"

The Silent Epidemic - Osteoporosis
Osteoporosis may be defined as "a disease characterised by low bone mass and microarchitectural deterioration of bone tissue, leading to enhanced bone fragility and a consequent increase in fracture risk". Bone loss is preferentially lost at cancellous bone sites such as the spine, forearm, hip and heel bone, the major factor being the reduction in female oestrogen levels associated with the menopause. In the UK alone, there are 60,000 hip fractures per year with an associated cost to the NHS in excess of £1,720 million. A quarter of these subjects die within a year of fracture and half of those remaining will never regain independent living. A reduction in bone mineral density (BMD) is the predominant risk factor for an osteoporotic fracture



Heart Disease
The United Kingdom has some of the highest coronary heart disease rates in the world.
300,000 Heart Attacks each Year
100,000 who die immediately
60 people below the age of retirement die of heart disease each day.
The ASI artery assessment is a medical device which measures the degree of hardening of the brachial artery in the arm. It is a painless and effective measure of the condition of the artery wall, information that cannot be measured with a standard blood pressure monitor. Individuals identified to be at risk are able to focus their attention on reducing cardiovascular risk factors which are known to cause arterial hardening.



Diabetes
The World Health Organizations' revised definition diagnosis and classification of Diabetes Mellitus has adopted new criteria as of the 1st June 2000. They include a recommendation that the cut off point for diagnosing diabetes using a fasting plasma glucose should be lowered from 7.8mmol/l to7.0mmol/l. This change reflects research evidence regarding the development of the complications of diabetes.

Individuals targeted for assessment include:
Caucasians, Asian and Afro Caribbean populations aged over 40 years.
Individuals with a first degree relative with Diabetes
Individuals with a BMI greater than 25
History of Cardiovascular Disease



Prostate Disease
The problem develops usually in men from the age of 50 years and is gradual in onset so that its symptoms are not clearly recognised until the problem and its symptoms are clearly defined. The need to pass urine more frequently often results in men changing their behaviour rather than seeking a medical opinion. Waking up more frequently at night to urinate is not a major life-threatening symptom, but does disrupt sleep patterns. Men commonly gradually modify their activities around their increased need to urinate, and the male's partner rather than the sufferer himself often first notice this. These symptoms are commonly termed irritative symptoms.

Irritative Symptoms
Frequency - Increase in the number of times urination is required
Nocturia - Being awoken at night by the need to urinate
Urgency - Being less able to delay the flow of urine