Maintain your liver health

 

When you think about your health, your liver is probably not the first organ that comes to mind.  Your heart, your lungs, and your kidneys probably all come to mind before your liver, but don’t be fooled—the liver plays a very important role in our overall health. It is involved in over 500 body functions including:

  • digesting proteins
  • cleansing blood
  • producing bile
  • regulating the balance of hormones
  • balancing your cholesterol level
  • monitoring your body’s supply of essential vitamins and minerals
  • providing your body with energy
  • fighting off infections and harmful substances called toxins
  • helping your blood clot

Protecting your liver

Some people are more likely to develop liver disease than others, because they can inherit a liver disease, but a number of other factors can damage your liver and raise your risk of developing liver diseases. These factors include certain viruses, alcohol use, and obesity. Over time, liver disease can lead to cirrhosis (scarring of the liver), which can cause liver failure. However, early treatment can enable your liver to heal.

The lifestyle choices you make every day have an impact on your health. In addition to contributing to your general health, there are steps you can take that will help keep your liver functioning properly and reduce your risk of developing liver disease. These steps include:

  • If you have had hepatitis (inflammation of the liver) or are at risk of developing it, talk to your healthcare provider about getting vaccinated.
  • Avoid coming in contact with other people’s blood and body fluids, which can spread hepatitis if not handled properly.
  • Avoid risky behaviours. For example, use a condom during sex; if you decide to get a tattoo or body piercing, be careful about the cleanliness of the place where you will have it done; if you use injectable drugs, do not share needles.
  • If you drink alcohol, do so in moderation.
  • Keep your food safe. Wash your hands thoroughly before preparing or eating food.
  • Maintain a healthy weight, because obesity can cause nonalcoholic fatty liver disease.
  • Use medications wisely. Take them only in the recommended doses, don’t mix medications with alcohol, and talk with your doctor or London Drugs pharmacist before mixing them with herbal supplements or nonprescription drugs.
  • Be careful when using aerosol sprays such as insecticides, fungicides, toxic chemicals, and paint. Always follow the manufacturer’s instructions, use them in a well-ventilated area, and wear a mask. Protect your skin by wearing gloves, a hat, and long sleeves.
  • If you plan on travelling, talk to your London Drugs pharmacist about our travel clinics where you can get any needed vaccinations and learn what preventive steps you need to take to safeguard your health.

Liver diseases

There are a number of different conditions that can affect the liver, and they are referred to as hepatic diseases. Common types include:

  • Alcoholic liver disease results from drinking too much alcohol, and it damages the liver.
  • Cholestasis occurs when the flow of bile from the liver is reduced or blocked completely. It can result from some drugs, genetic factors, or pregnancy. Or a blockage can be due to a tumour or a gallstone that gets stuck in the digestive system.
  • Cirrhosis is a hardening of the liver that results from the formation of scar tissue. Heavy drinking of alcohol as well as certain viruses are often the reason for the scarring. Cirrhosis can also be caused by diabetes, immune system problems, and genetic diseases.
  • Hepatitis is the medical term for inflammation of the liver due to any cause. It can lead to a variety of life-threatening conditions, such as liver cancer or liver failure.
  • Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease happens when fat deposits form in the liver and prevent it from removing toxins from your body.

While liver diseases don’t always cause symptoms, some common warning signs that you may have a liver disease include:

  • loss of appetite
  • nausea or vomiting
  • tendency to bruise easily
  • chronic fatigue
  • skin that is itchy or appears yellowish
  • abdominal pain and swelling
  • swelling in the legs and ankles
  • dark urine
  • pale stool colour

If you suspect that you may have a problem with your liver, talk to your healthcare team about any tests that you should have to help determine the cause of your symptoms.

 

References used:

Allergies: Nothing to sneeze at

 

As spring brings warmer weather our way and plants begin a new year of growth, many people will find themselves experiencing the symptoms of seasonal allergies. If you are one of those allergy sufferers, you may be wondering what causes allergies and what you can do to prevent or manage the symptoms.

What causes allergies?

An allergy is a condition that has both hereditary and environmental factors. On the hereditary side, you can inherit a tendency to develop an allergy to a particular substance. On the environmental side, your body can react to substances you encounter in your home, inside other buildings, or outdoors.

Allergies occur when your immune system responds to substances (known as allergens) and triggers an allergic reaction. When your body comes into contact with an allergen, it releases chemicals such as histamine into your bloodstream. Histamine helps your body eliminate the allergens, and it is this process that causes symptoms such as itching, sneezing, watery eyes, and hives.

There are a number of allergens that trigger allergic reactions. Common ones are:

  • Animal dander comes from pets. Pets with fur or feathers can shed flecks of dead skin, and these particles can float in the air in your home and cause you to experience an allergic reaction.
  • Dust mites are tiny bugs that can collect on soft furnishings and household items such as pillows, mattresses, carpets, and children’s stuffed toys, where they can be easily breathed into your body.
  • Mould is a type of fungus that results from high humidity levels and excessive water. Mould is most commonly found in poorly ventilated bathrooms and basements.
  • Pollen is a powdery substance produced by grass, weeds, flowering shrubs, and trees. In Canada, the level of tree pollen peaks in late spring, and the grass and weed pollens peak in the summer and fall.  The amount of pollen in the air is monitored at stations across Canada, and this is reported as the pollen count. The higher the pollen count on a particular day, the more likely it is that people sensitive to pollen will have an allergic reaction. Most local TV and radio news reports provide the pollen count in their area. The Weather Network also provides information on the pollen count for some locations. To find the information for your area, search the web for The Weather Network Allergy Outlook plus your city or province.

One of the most common types of allergies is allergic rhinitis, commonly called hay fever. It affects primarily the eyes and nose when your body comes in contact with allergens. If you suffer from hay fever, you will want to pay particular attention to the pollen count in your area.

Allergy symptoms

Allergy symptoms can develop within minutes of your coming in contact with an allergen or they may develop over a few hours. Common allergy symptoms include:

  • Congestion, which may lead to headache
  • Ear popping or feeling of fullness
  • Itchy eyes, nose, and roof of the mouth
  • Postnasal drip (excess buildup of mucus that drips down the back of the throat)
  • Pressure in the nose and cheeks
  • Red, watery eyes
  • Runny nose
  • Sneezing

Other symptoms may include allergic conjunctivitis (inflammation of the tissue lining the eyelids) and sinusitis (inflammation of the air cavities within the nose).

Preventing allergies

One way to prevent seasonal allergies is to limit your exposure to pollen. Here are some tips that will help.

  • Pay attention to the pollen forecast in your area and avoid being outside for long periods of time when the pollen count is high.
  • Keep the windows in your house closed and close the windows in your car shut while you’re driving.
  • Limit the amount of time you spend outside, especially during midday and the afternoon, when pollen counts tend to be highest.
  • When you have to go outside during times when pollen counts are high, wear a pollen mask or a dust mask.
  • After you come indoors, rinse your eyes with cool water of saline eyedrops to remove any pollen that may be clinging to you.
  • Take a shower and change your clothes after working or playing outdoors.

Treating allergy symptoms

No matter how hard you work to prevent triggering an allergy, you may be one of those people who still suffers from allergy symptoms, but there are still steps you can take to reduce the discomfort. For example, you can clear a stuffy nose by flushing your sinuses, using a humidifier in your bedroom, and taking hot showers.

Your London Drugs pharmacists can recommend a variety of over-the-counter products to help relieve allergy symptoms such as a stuffy or runny nose, itchy eyes, sneezing, and pain. Common types of nonprescription allergy medicines include:

  • Antihistamines, which stop sneezing, runny noses, and itching
  • Decongestants, which help clear up a stuffy nose
  • Antihistamine/decongestant combinations, which work on most allergy symptoms
  • Decongestant eyedrops, which reduce itching and watering of the eyes

There is no reason to suffer from allergies when preventive measures and remedies are available. We can help.

Hepatitis C: Have you been screened for it?

 

Hepatitis C (HCV) is a viral infection that causes inflammation (swelling) of the liver. It spreads through contact with blood that has the hepatitis C virus in it, and it can lead to serious liver damage.

For some people, hepatitis C is a short-term illness; however, in more than half of the people who have become infected with HCV, it develops into a long-term chronic infection. People with chronic hepatitis often experience no symptoms and don’t feel ill—so how do they know if they have the virus?

There is no vaccine available to prevent HCV, but fortunately there are treatments that can cure it in most people. In order to be treated, you need to know that you have the disease, and that shines a spotlight on the importance of screening.

HCV screening

There are two approaches to screening for HCV in Canada.

  • Risk-based testing is the main approach, and it involves conducting tests on people who have an increased risk of being exposed to the hepatitis C virus. The factors that increase this risk include:
  • People who use drugs or have shared drug use equipment, even if it was only a single time
  • People who have received medical care or personal services such as tattooing or piercing with nonsterile equipment
  • People who share personal care items
  • Gay, bisexual, and other men who have sex with men
  • People exposed to blood during sexual activity
  • People who received blood products or an organ transplant prior to 1992
  • People who have experience in the prison system
  • Indigenous peoples (First Nations, Inuit, Métis)
  • Immigrants and newcomers from countries where hepatitis C is common
  • One-time testing expands hepatitis C testing to reach the many people who have HCV but who are undiagnosed because they don’t fall into the category of risk-based testing.

There is evidence showing that 75% of Canadians with hepatitis C were born between 1945 and 1975. Because risk-based testing is the main approach to screening in Canada, it is estimated that nearly half of all cases of HCV reman undiagnosed. Current estimates indicate that 67% of Canadians have never been tested for HCV, and 44% of those living with the disease are unaware that they have it. Expanding the screening guidelines to include one-time testing for people born during that time period who do not fit the criteria for being at increased risk could significantly increase the number of Canadians who are diagnosed and, therefore, treated for hepatitis C, reducing their chances of developing more serious liver damage.

Treating HCV

Hepatitis C is curable. Some people with the infection will recover on their own within six months. For those who need treatment, there are several drug combinations to treat and cure HCV. Treatment regimens range from 8 to 24 weeks and produce few side effects. Until our healthcare provider confirms that you have been cured, you can still transmit the virus to other people.

Whether or not you are getting treatment, you can reduce your risk of liver damage by avoiding alcohol, not smoking, and eating a nutritious diet of healthy foods.

Some medicines used to treat other conditions can be toxic to the liver, so speak with your London Drugs pharmacist to make sure the medications you take are not in that category. If they are, your doctor may need to adapt some of your treatment regimens.

Guard your heart health

Heart disease is the second leading cause of death in Canada and is a leading cause of hospitalization. In fact, about 1 in every 12 (or 2.6 million) Canadians aged 20 years and over live with diagnosed heart disease. However, early detection and management of conditions such as high blood pressure, high cholesterol, and diabetes can help reduce your risk of developing heart disease.

Types of heart disease

There are many different types of heart disease, and they can be grouped into categories depending on how they affect the structure or function of the heart. For example:

  • Cardiomyopathy is a disease of the heart muscle that makes the heart weaker and unable to pump blood through the body properly or maintain a normal rhythm. It can cause a variety of symptoms including chest pain, shortness of breath, fainting, and swelling of the legs or ankles. As the condition worsens, it can lead to other problems such as irregular heartbeat, heart failure, stroke, cardiac arrest (the sudden loss of heart function), and heart valve disease.
  • Congenital heart disease refers to a heart condition that is present from birth. These heart defects can range from mild (a small hole in the heart) to severe (such as parts of the heart being poorly formed or even completely missing). These defects can affect how blood flows through the heart and into the rest of the body. The symptoms someone experiences will depend on the specific type of heart defect that person has.
  • Heart failure happens when the heart doesn’t pump blood as well as it should. As a result, the rest of the body doesn’t get enough blood. This can lead to a wide range of symptoms including fatigue, weakness, irregular heartbeat, wheezing, swelling in the belly area or in the legs and feet, rapid weight gain due to fluid buildup, chest pain, and trouble concentrating or decreased alertness. Complications of heart failure may include blood clots that can lead to a stroke, breathing difficulties, impaired liver or kidney function, and loss of muscle tissue.
  • Ischemic heart disease, also known as coronary artery disease, is the most common form of heart disease. It is due to an inadequate blood supply to the heart resulting from a blockage of the vessels that supply blood to the heart. Some people experience no symptoms, but when symptoms do occur, they may include fatigue, a fast heartbeat, shortness of breath, nausea and vomiting, sweating, and pain in the neck, jaw, shoulder, or arm. This condition can lead to serious complications including irregular heart rhythm, heart failure, and heart attack.
  • Peripheral vascular disease, which affects blood vessels that are not located near the heart, primarily involves the vessels in the legs. Only about half of the people who have peripheral vascular disease experience symptoms. The most common symptom is leg cramping that occurs during exercise. Some of the other symptoms it can cause include changes in the skin on the legs and feet, thickened toenails, weak pulses in the legs and feet, hair loss on the legs, and wounds that don’t heal over pressure points such as heels and ankles. This condition can lead to serious consequences such as nonhealing ulcers, deep vein thrombosis, erectile dysfunction, or even stroke.
  • Rheumatic heart disease, which can begin with rheumatic fever in childhood, affects heart valves, although sometimes not until 10 to 20 years after the initial illness. The symptoms a person has depend on the amount of valve damage and may include chest pain, swelling, and shortness of breath. Rheumatic fever may also develop if a person has strep throat or scarlet fever and the infection is not treated properly or after strep skin infections (impetigo). Because rheumatic fever is an immune response, not an infection, you cannot catch it from someone else who has rheumatic fever, but people with certain strep infections can spread the bacteria to others. Some of the complications of rheumatic heart disease include bacterial endocarditis (an infection of the lining of the heart), a ruptured heart valve, heart failure, and difficulties with pregnancy or delivery due to heart damage.

Who gets heart disease?

Heart disease can occur at any age but typically men are newly diagnosed between the ages of 55 to 64, while women are diagnosed between 65 to 75 years of age—ten years later than men. Men are also twice as likely to suffer a heart attack as women. According to data from the 2017-2018 Canadian Chronic Disease Surveillance System, each hour about 14 Canadian adults aged 20 and older with diagnosed heart disease die.

Fortunately, there are steps that can be taken to help prevent heart disease. Although there is nothing we can do about having a family history of heart disease or getting older, there are several factors that increase our risk of developing heart disease that we can work on modifying. We can reduce our risk by making healthy lifestyle choices that include:

  • Achieving and maintaining a healthy weight
  • Avoiding smoking
  • Being physically active
  • Eating a healthy diet
  • Managing stress in a healthy way

Early detection and management of conditions that can lead to heart disease are also extremely important in helping to preserve the health of your heart.

Testing for heart disease

There are several different tests doctors perform to monitor heart health and detect heart conditions. These tests fall into a variety of categories including blood pressure monitoring, blood tests, electrocardiograms, echocardiograms, and coronary angiograms. A doctor will determine which tests each patient should have based on current health status and any symptoms that may be present. Ask your doctor how often you should have your heart health screened and if any of these tests would be right for you. Remember, many forms of heart disease do not have symptoms that you can feel.

Your London Drugs pharmacy is also an important resource in maintaining your heart health. Your pharmacist can review your medications and supplements, suggest health screening tests, and work with you and your healthcare team to optimize your treatment and prevention plan.  Complimentary self-serve blood pressure kiosks are available at all London Drugs pharmacy locations, or our pharmacy team can help you select an at home blood pressure monitor to suit your needs.  We carry a variety of monitors with the latest features, such as atrial fibrillation detection and wireless capabilities.  Our selection of Connected Health devices allow you to store results in an app to make sharing with a caregiver or healthcare team easy and convenient.  Ask your London Drugs pharmacist today how we can help you to safeguard your heart health.

Why is everyone talking about RSV?

Three things are certain each fall: cooler temperatures, pumpkin spice everything –– and an uptick in coughs and runny noses. With the kids back to school, people being indoors more often, and in close proximity to each other, viruses like respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) are on the rise.

RSV is a common, highly contagious virus that can appear like a common cold. Symptoms often start two to eight days after you come into contact with the virus and can include coughing, wheezing, sneezing, and a fever. Luckily, for most people, RSV infections tend to be mild and clear up on their own in one to two weeks. If you or your child have symptoms of RSV, speak with your local London Drugs pharmacist about things you can do at home to keep you comfortable while you recover. They may recommend over-the-counter fever reducers, pain relievers and nasal saline drops, for example. Although it may be difficult to differentiate your symptoms from a common cold, influenza or COVID-19, your London Drugs pharmacist can answer any questions you may have about your symptoms, and let you know if you should see your doctor.

Some people, like older adults, young babies and immunocompromised individuals are at a higher risk of developing more serious illness from RSV. According to one analysis, RSV caused some 470,000 hospitalizations and 33,000 deaths in people aged 60 and older in high-income countries, including Canada, in 2019. You can reduce the odds of spreading the virus to those who are more vulnerable by limiting close contact with other people while you are feeling unwell.

In past, we may not have paid RSV much attention, in part because there has been no routine testing for older adults. But that’s starting to change, in part due to the “tripledemic” that overwhelmed our doctors’ offices and hospitals last winter, when the flu, COVID-19 and RSV made so many people ill. The good news is that in addition to increasing awareness about this virus, we now have an important new tool available to help prevent severe infections.

Health Canada has approved the first vaccine for RSV for people ages 60 years and older. During clinical trials, it was found to be over 82% effective at preventing lower respiratory tract disease caused by RSV in older adults, and over 94% effective in those with underlying medical conditions. RSV infections tend to spread to the lower respiratory tract, and make it difficult to breathe, especially for older adults. It’s expected that this new vaccine will reduce hospitalizations and more serious outcomes for older people who fall ill with RSV in the coming months with effects that may last beyond the season.   Other RSV vaccines are awaiting approval by Health Canada and will be available soon.

If you are 60 or older, give yourself the best chance at staying well this season by talking to your London Drugs pharmacist about getting vaccinated against RSV.

 

Becoming Smoke Free

It is no secret that smoking is bad for your health. Smoking has negative effects on nearly every organ in your body, and it has been connected with more than two dozen diseases and conditions. In fact, smoking tobacco is the number one cause of preventable deaths in Canadians, and it impacts the health of people of all ages—from unborn babies to seniors. About 48,000 people in Canada die from tobacco use each year. Every single day, about 125 Canadians die due to a smoking-related illness.

Smoking increases the risk of coronary artery disease and stroke by two to four times, and it increases the risk of lung cancer by about 25 times. Smoking also contributes to problems with vision, fertility, dental health, bone health, rheumatoid arthritis, and type 2 diabetes. Adults who don’t smoke but are exposed to secondhand smoke can develop many of the same health problems that affect smokers.

Smoking during pregnancy can cause tissue damage in a developing baby and may increase the risk of miscarriage. Babies whose mothers smoked while pregnant and babies who are exposed to secondhand smoke after birth are more likely to die from sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS).

Is vaping safer? Maybe not. Vaping may reduce overall health risks to an adult who switches completely from smoking tobacco to vaping nicotine.  However, vaping it is not harmless.  When inhaled by vaping, nicotine is absorbed through the lungs and moves quickly through the bloodstream, entering the brain and other organs, just as it does with smoking. Vaping can damage blood vessels and increases the risk of heart disease. Plus, it can irritate the throat and lead to lung diseases like asthma and emphysema. Kids and teens who vape are particularly at risk of the harmful effects of nicotine, because their brains are still developing.  They may be more susceptible to becoming addicted to nicotine and at lower levels of exposure than adults. Ultimately, it may also lead them to smoking cigarettes.

Is now your time to quit?  Need some help?

May 31 is World No Tobacco Day. Why not make that the day you decide to quit?

Quitting smoking isn’t easy, but it is possible, and London Drugs can help you. Ask our pharmacists about scheduling a Smoking Cessation Consultation. During this free meeting, your pharmacist will provide you with practical tips and advice on quitting and will work with you to develop a personalized plan to help you quit. The pharmacist can also recommend non-prescription medications to help you quit successfully or suggest prescription drugs you should talk to your doctor about.  In British Columbia, the BC Pharmacare Smoking Cessation Program is available to help cover the costs of these medications.

 

Don’t wait—now is the perfect time to make the decision to take control of your health. Speak to your local London Drugs pharmacist to find out how they can help you today, tomorrow, or whenever you are ready.

 

References:

Risks of vaping – Canada.ca

Health risks of vaping-handout (final) (quitnow.ca)

Government of Canada. Calendar of health promotion days

Government of Canada. Smoking and Your Body

CDC. Health Effects of Cigarette Smoking

CDC. Smoking During Pregnancy

CDC. Health Problems Caused by Secondhand Smoke

Government of Canada. Tobacco and premature death

Government of Canada. Risks of vaping

Government of Canada. Quitting Smoking: Deciding to Quit

How Connected Wellness Devices Can Help You

The concept of medical devices that attach to your body, take measurements to monitor your health, and report the results to your healthcare team may sound like the premise of a science fiction movie, but it is actually the face of medicine today.

The London Drugs Connected Wellness Program combines the medical expertise of our pharmacists with the expertise of our TECH Department. Our pharmacists can recommend appropriate health monitoring devices to meet your needs and can help you interpret the results. And our TECH Department can help you set up compatible Bluetooth devices and apps to download the readings to. The data collected on your device can then be shared with anyone YOU choose, from family and caregivers to members of your healthcare team. The most common connected wellness devices are fitness trackers and watches that monitor your activity, heart rate, and even oxygen levels in your blood. Connected health can also be used for monitoring blood pressure, body temperature, or blood glucose levels. These devices operate using a variety of solutions like sensors and wireless connectivity to collect and transmit data to your mobile phone or tablet through an app.

What are the benefits of connected wellness?

Monitoring blood glucose without pricking a finger
Continuous glucose monitoring (CGM) devices measure glucose levels at regular periods throughout the day and night. And you can view your glucose level any time just by looking at an app on your mobile phone or tablet. This can be extremely helpful for people with diabetes to reduce the number of finger pokes, to identify trends in the readings, or to monitor the glucose of a child or loved one remotely.

Avoidance of misleading blood pressure readings
Some people get so nervous when having their blood pressure measured at the doctor’s office, that it throws off the reading. Measuring your blood pressure at home with a connected blood pressure monitor and tracking it over time provides a more accurate way of assessing your blood pressure for you and your healthcare provider. You can share all your readings from home through an app to allow them to see what you are experiencing every day.

Improved quality of life
Knowing that you can monitor your own health and share it with those who can help is empowering. And by sharing this reliable health information with your healthcare team it will allow them to make more informed medical decisions with you.

Better access to healthcare
Connected wellness technologies enable care to be delivered outside of hospitals, laboratories, and doctors’ offices, eliminating barriers for people whose locations or life circumstances make it difficult to access healthcare testing and monitoring facilities on a regular basis.

How Does London Drugs Support Connected Wellness?

London Drugs carries a wide range of smart technology devices that can help you take control of your personal health. These devices can help you track your blood pressure, heart rate, blood glucose, sleep, activity levels, and more. Our London Drugs pharmacists will help you find the right solution to manage your condition, and our TECH staff will make sure these solutions will work for you. Our pharmacists and TECH staff work together to help you select the right tech device for your needs, and we set up your device to ensure that everything is working properly and that you understand how to operate and maintain the device. We also help you track and monitor your results and share your health data with anyone you choose–your healthcare providers, caregivers, or family—through your smartphone or tablet.

We are here to help you. Ask us about connected wellness and what it can mean for you.

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