All posts by Dr. K Southfield

Colchicine: 3,000 Years of Poison, Panacea and Policy Lessons

When Benjamin Franklin asked his contacts in France to send over a mysterious elixir for his gout in the 1760s, he probably did not realise he was ordering a medicine that had already been known, mainly as a poison, for more than a millennium. The concoction, sold as Eau Medicinale by French officer Nicolas Husson, […]

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Recurrent UTIs : a non antibiotic path

Breaking the Cycle of Recurrent UTIs: An Innovative Non-Antibiotic Approach Recurrent urinary tract infections (rUTIs) are among the most common and frustrating clinical conditions faced by healthcare professionals. Not only do they impair patients’ quality of life, but they also significantly contribute to antibiotic resistance—a growing global health crisis. A recent groundbreaking study published in […]

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Anastrozole and Breast Cancer Prevention

Anastrozole’s repurposing as a preventive treatment marks a significant advancement in breast cancer care. This post examines Anastrozole’s action, effectiveness, side effects, dosage, UK cost, and eligibility criteria. Mechanism of Action Anastrozole is an aromatase inhibitor. It works by blocking aromatase, reducing estrogen production. Since some breast cancers are estrogen-dependent, lowering estrogen levels can prevent […]

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QOF 2023/24 and New Cholesterol Indicators

Cholesterol constitutes a component within the clinical domains section of the Quality and Outcomes Framework (QOF). There exist two QOF indicators concerning Cholesterol: CHOL001 – This indicator encompasses patients listed in the QOF registers for Coronary Heart Disease (CHD), Peripheral Arterial Disease (PAD), Stroke/Transient Ischemic Attack (TIA), or Chronic Kidney Disease (CKD). It pertains to […]

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Short bouts of vigorous activity can reap huge benefits

A substantial cohort study suggests that for adults who cannot or do not prefer regular exercise, engaging in short bursts of vigorous activity, as simple as climbing a flight of stairs, may still significantly reduce their risk of cancer. The study, led by Dr. Emmanuel Stamatakis and his team from the University of Sydney in […]

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Anakinra, the elixir of youth?

Revitalizing Aging Blood System with Anti-Inflammatory Drug A recent study published in Nature Cell Biology has found that an anti-inflammatory drug used for rheumatoid arthritis may be able to reverse some of the effects of aging on the blood system in mice. The drug, called anakinra, has been shown to have rejuvenating effects on the […]

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