Berwick Medical Centre

 Hypertrophic cardiomyopathy   HCM is a relatively common inherited cardiac  disease with a prevalence of around 1 in 500 commonly presenting in adolescents. It is  generally  associated  with   restricted  out flow from the ventricles commonly the left. It  is often asymptomatic but  may present  as  severe breathlessness  at exercise or  unexplained fainting, a  heart  murmur or  ECG abnormality. Annual mortality is around 1%. Investigation includes ECG  , echocardiogram, cardiac  MRI. Treatment involves lifestyle change, avoiding  high intensity exercise and   using  medications like  verapamil  or  beta blockers  for  rate control.

 Endocrine disruptive chemicals include Bisphenols, phthalates, parabens, persistent organic pollutants, pesticides, herbicides, insecticides and heavy metals   EDC chemicals abound in the environment. They are both naturally occurring and artificially occurring in everyday items. They have been associated   with negative effects on male and female   reproduction. They include bisphenols found in tin can liners, phthalates used as softener plasticizers in clothing and personal care products, parabens used as a preservative in food and personal care products, persisting organic pollutants used as industrial lubricants in manufacturing and as flame retardants contaminating products.   Simple steps to reduce exposure wash fruit and...read more

Diverticular disease occurs in about  10% of people over 45 YO and  65% for those  older  than  70. Only 15-20% of  patients  have  symptoms  but a  quarter of these  will develop inflammatory diverticulitis which may be  associated with significant  infection   abscess formation or  haemorrhage. Consideration should be  given to colonoscopy or    ct  colonography   follow up following severe  episodes of diverticulitis unless recently performed prior to the  episode. Antibiotics  and  resting the  bowel during  acute  diverticulitis is   commonplace  during bouts of diverticulitis  but   a  high fibre diet  when the  bowel is asymptomatic  is the  main stay of  treating diverticular  disease and ...read more

Osteoporosis   can be  treated  with  medication ,  adequate   Vit D  and Calcium  in the diet .               Exercise   can  delay  the onset of  osteoporosis Appropriate  vigorous exercise includes :- Basketball, netball, impact aerobics, dancing, gymnastics , tennis  and skipping Moderate    benefit  can be derived from Running, jogging , brisk walking , walking  hills, resistance training and stair climbing  

  Destinations above 2500 metres may expose the traveler to possible altitude sickness by reducing the amount of inspired oxygen. Presenting symptoms may include headache, faintness or giddiness, breathlessness, nausea, vomiting or reduced exercise tolerance. Symptoms often present within 36 hours but may appear at a few days. Previous altitude sickness increase the risk of recurrence.   Ascents greater than 500 metres / day above 3000 metres increase the likelihood of altitude sickness. A rest day every 3-4 days   is recommended to assist acclimatization. Spending 2 nights at high altitudes in the 30 days preceding, before ascending further is beneficial....read more