For the first time in 60 years, the number of premature deaths from cardiovascular disease (CVD) in those under 75 is on the rise. The British Heart Foundation (BHF) sounded the alarm earlier this year, calling for ‘urgent' Government intervention to help stop this ‘worrying' upward trend in early CVD deaths.The charity's figures reveal that since 2020, the number of premature CVD deaths has continued to rise year-on-year - the latest data shows that in 2022 the early death rate for CVD in England had risen to 80 in 100,000 people, the highest rate since 2011. Around one in four premature deaths in the UK is caused by CVD, the BHF states.Dr Sonya Babu-Narayan, a Consultant Cardiologist and the BHF Associate Medical Director shared the warning as part of the charity's campaign for ‘urgent intervention' in UK heart care.She told the BHF: ‘We're in the grip of the worst heart care crisis in living memory. Every part of the system providing heart care is damaged, from prevention, diagnosis, treatment, and recovery, to crucial research that could give us faster and better treatments.Dr Babu-Narayan added: ‘I find it tragic that we've lost hard-won progress to reduce early death from cardiovascular disease. Furthermore, we are still seeing more people than expected die from cardiovascular conditions overall - more than any other disease group. It's clear to me that urgent intervention is long overdue.'

In the shadow of the COVID-19 pandemic, a silent epidemic is emerging, threatening the health of the UK population. According to the British Thyroid Foundation, at least one in 20 Britons are now grappling with thyroid disorders or thyroiditis. This statistic represents millions of individuals potentially facing significant health challenges due to thyroid dysfunction. As we navigate the aftermath of the pandemic, the spotlight on this public health concern is increasing, identifying the urgent need for awareness and action in addressing thyroid disorders nationwide.

There has never been a bigger push and innovation for personal health maintenance than today. People are growing more reliant on technology, especially in healthcare after the COVID-19 pandemic. Self-pay diagnostics can bridge the gap between personal and professional medical care.Self-pay diagnostics significantly alter how individuals engage with their health management, introducing a more direct and efficient approach to healthcare. These services facilitate easy access to a wide array of diagnostic self-tests, bypassing traditional healthcare barriers such as long wait times and the necessity for referrals. From routine screenings to specialized self-test for various conditions, self-pay diagnostics empower users to take charge of their health autonomously.

Thyroiditis stands as an umbrella term encompassing a group of disorders characterized by inflammation of the thyroid gland—a crucial component of the endocrine system located at the front of the neck. This butterfly-shaped gland plays a pivotal role in regulating metabolism and energy use within the body through the production and release of thyroid hormones. Thyroiditis, which manifests in various forms such as Hashimoto's thyroiditis, postpartum thyroiditis, and subacute thyroiditis, can induce a spectrum of hormonal imbalances.These imbalances may lead to either an overproduction (hyperthyroidism) or a reduction (hypothyroidism) in thyroid hormone levels, each state possessing its own set of health implications. The progression of thyroiditis typically involves a phase of excessive hormone release due to gland inflammation, followed by a phase where hormone production decreases, potentially leading to hypothyroidism. The diversity in the causes and presentations of thyroiditis implies it's a condition with a broad impact, affecting individuals across different age groups and backgrounds, albeit with a higher prevalence in females. The multifaceted nature of thyroiditis underscores the importance of understanding its characteristics, from its initial onset to its potential transition between hyperthyroid and hypothyroid states, and necessitates tailored diagnostic approaches and management strategies.