Coronary heart disease (CHD) is arguably the the UK’s biggest killer. CHD develops when the blood supply to the muscles and tissues of the heart becomes obstructed by the build-up of fatty materials inside the walls of the coronary arteries. Check out the BBC website for some interesting information to help you understand this life threatening condition.
Peanut allergy treatment ‘a success’
Doctors say a potential treatment for peanut allergy has transformed the lives of children taking part in a large clinical trial. The 85 children had to eat peanut protein every day – initially in small doses, but ramped up during the study. The findings, published in the Lancet, suggest 84% of allergic children could eat the equivalent of five peanuts a day after six months. Experts have warned that the therapy is not yet ready for widespread use. Peanuts are the most common cause of fatal allergic reactions to food. There is no treatment so the only option for patients is …
Eating too many sugary drinks, desserts and sweets could increase your risk of having a heart attack, the findings of a large US study suggest
Consuming the equivalent of a can a day of sugar-sweetened fizzy drinks was associated with an increased risk of dying from cardiovascular disease, JAMA Internal Medicine reports. Most adults and children in the US and the UK eat too much sugar and sugars are added to a wide range of foods, such as sweets, cakes, biscuits, chocolate, and some fizzy drinks and juice drinks. Sugar can lead to weight gain, which is bad for your heart. Experts said people needed to be aware of this risk.In the study, which looked at data on sugar consumption among tens of thousands of …
Extra videos added
We have added many new videos to our Food Hygiene Level 2 course and some to the Paediatric First Aid course. Other minor changes and new videos added to different courses to keep them up to date. If we add a video and you are in the process of completing a course you will be directed back to the new video then you continue where you left off. If you have finished the course, you can view any new video by clicking on it.
Aspirin and the Aspod – Carry Aspirin safely
Aspirin, used in the prevention of heart attacks, is probably the most cost-effective drug available in medical practice and daily low-dose aspirin is now a standard item in the management of heart disease patients. There is evidence that aspirin, taken during a heart attack, can reduce the size of the clot causing the heart attack and may even cause the platelets in the clot to disperse. Research shows that the death rate can be reduced by 20-25%. We have added a new video to all first aid courses.
Course of the week – Lone worker safety in the workplace
Working alone is not in itself against the law, and it will often be safe to do so, however the law requires employers and others to think about and deal with any health and safety risks and or hazards of the work before people should be allowed to work alone. Employers have responsibility for the health, safety and welfare at work of all of their employees. They are also responsible for the health and safety of those affected by work activities, for example any self-employed people they engage and visitors such as contractors. Lone worker training ensures that lone workers …
There is now another new type of auto-injector released in the UK called the Emerade
There is now another new type of auto-injector released in the UK called the Emerade. This auto-injector is a little different from others on the market. Allergy specialists have asked for a simple adrenaline auto-injector with a higher dose, an extended shelf life and a longer needle and this is what the Emerade is designed to meet. See the video on Emerade: The features of this unit are: That it has a longer needle to ensure the drug is delivered in the correct place Offers a higher dose with units of 150, 300 and 500 mcg It also reduces costs …
Course of the week – Fire Safety Principles Level 2
This level 2 course is aimed at anyone who requires a course as a Fire Warden or a Fire Marshal. The course covers the latest fire safety regulations and the roles and duties of employees and their responsibilities on Fire Safety. It covers how fires are started, methods of controlling fire spread, evacuating the building, fire briefings and risk assessing. Please note that learners undertaking a ProTrainings Trainings Course have the option to chose to take a regulated qualification. We have a classroom course available through our national network of approved and monitored instructors and a video online course.
Eating nuts during pregnancy ‘may curb allergies’
Children are less likely to have a nut allergy if their mother ate nuts while pregnant, a study has concluded. The work, published in JAMA Paediatrics, looked at the health and diets of more than 8,000 children and their mothers. The US researchers believe that early exposure in the womb creates natural tolerance to certain foods. But the findings conflict with other studies that have shown either no effect or a possible risk from nut consumption. Experts say this makes it difficult to offer firm advice to mothers-to-be, with the exception of women who are themselves allergic to nuts and …
First Person On Scene Intermediate course dates
We have set some dates in the new year for First Person On Scene (FPOS) Intermediate at two locations and we will be adding more soon. The FPOS Intermediate course is ideal for anyone who wants more knowledge and taking first aid to the next level. Although prior knowledge is an advantage, it is not required. The course is 5 days and the last day you will complete a test and practical evaluation and then earn the IHCD FPOS intermediate Certificate. The initial dates are:
Small lifestyle changes ‘lower type 2 diabetes risk’
The BBC Health website report that a modest lifestyle changes in diet and activity by South Asian families improve their chance of losing weight to lower their risk of type 2 diabetes, according to a study. Making moderate improvements could help to improve their health and wellbeing, an Edinburgh clinical trial has found. The Edinburgh University study was carried out in their homes as opposed to hospital clinics. It is the first of its kind in the UK to focus on South Asian cultures.
About one in 10 people have a genetic change linked to being more sensitive to stress
A stress gene has been linked to having a higher risk of dying from a heart attack or heart disease. Heart patients with the genetic change had a 38% increased risk of heart attack or death, say US researchers. Personalised medicine may lead to better targeting of psychological or drug treatment to those most at risk, they report in PLOS ONE. The study adds to evidence stress may directly increase heart disease risk, says the British Heart Foundation. A team at Duke University School of Medicine studied a single DNA letter change in the human genome, which has been linked to being …