Alcohol awareness week

Alcohol awareness week is not just concerned with the drinking of alcohol. It also addresses the many mental and health issues which surround the topic. 

So, whether you - or someone you know - struggle with alcohol, and its affects, you are not alone. If you are concerned how to stop drinking, give up alcohol or how to help an alcoholic, then contact Alcohol Change for help and advice.

Below, are just some of the ways HCA Healthcare UK could help you or someone you know.

Atherosclerosis is a disease where plaque (fatty deposits called atheroma) build up on the walls of your arteries, which can harden them and restrict or block blood flow. If atherosclerosis is not treated, it can lead to more serious conditions such as a heart attack, stroke or peripheral arterial disease.

There are many ways to manage and treat coronary artery problems, from taking medicine to having coronary artery bypass surgery. Our consultants can help you find the best option for your particular symptoms and circumstances.

Diabetes is a lifelong condition. There are two main types. They all cause the level of glucose (sugar) in people's blood to become too high.

The two main types are:
Type 1 diabetes - insulin-producing cells are attacked by the immune system
Type 2 diabetes - not enough insulin is produced by the body.

Endocrinology is the study of conditions that are caused by hormonal dysfunction. These conditions can affect you or your child's growth and development, metabolism function and weight. 

Weight loss surgery can reduce risks associated with diabetes, high blood pressure, heart disease, stroke. It can also improve chronic joint pain and positively effect energy levels, helping you participate in activities.

Prolonged alcohol misuse can reduce the liver's ability to regenerate. Alchohol-related liver disease (ALD) refers to liver damage caused by excess alcohol intake.

Computed tomography (CT) uses X-rays to acquire high-resolution, 3D images of your heart and coronary arteries. It is able to accurately detect the presence and extent of different plaques within your arteries, before they are detectable by other techniques. 

Cirrhosis is the result of long-term, continuous damage to the liver and may have many different causes. The damage leads to scarring known as fibrosis.

Liver fibrosis refers to a scarring of liver tissue. It is the liver's response to injury; and can, in some cases, lead to cirrhosis. FibroScan® is a quick, non-invasive measurement of the elasticity of liver tissue, without the need for a biopsy.

Fibrosis is the formation of an abnormally large amount of scar tissue in the liver. It occurs when the liver tries to repair and replace damaged cells.