The pills stopped my heart beating, so do I still need them? –

I am active, fit and healthy, but in February my palpitations started and I was diagnosed with atrial fibrillation. Since then I have been taking blood thinner tablets. Strangely, my heart rate seems to have returned to normal. Should I stop treatment?

Atrial fibrillation, also called AF, is a common heart rhythm problem in which the rhythm of the heartbeat becomes very fast and irregular. There are several types of the condition.

In one, called paroxysmal atrial fibrillation, there are periods of irregular heartbeat that last only a few days but keep recurring. There is also persistent atrial fibrillation that never goes away without treatment.

Most people with atrial fibrillation also have another problem, such as high blood pressure, a history of heart attack, or lifelong heart disease. Some have other health problems, such as diabetes or a serious infection.

Drinking too much caffeine or alcohol also increases the risk of atrial fibrillation.

The condition is serious because it increases the risk of irregular heartbeat, life-threatening blood clots and stroke. And those who suffer from it for short periods of time have these complications as well as those who have sustained atrial fibrillation.

Doctors treat the condition by controlling blood pressure and preventing blood clots from forming with the help of blood thinners, so patients should definitely continue to take the tablets.

My 79 year old wife has been suffering from urinary tract infections for the past two years. Antibiotics helped ease the discomfort, but not the problem. There are also hormone replacement therapy patches I’ve read that can help with such problems. Can anything else be done?

UTIs are incredibly common, especially in the elderly. However, it is really important for patients to see a family doctor if they think they have an infection, as there may be other factors causing the symptoms. When patients develop a urinary tract infection, they feel the need to go to the toilet frequently and experience burning or pain when urinating.

Sometimes they notice a strong odor in the toilet or cloudy water they are passing through.

The primary care physician will do something called a dipstick test to look for infection. However, there are other more detailed tests where a sample is sent to the lab to find out which bacteria are the problem.

To know which antibiotics to prescribe, doctors need to know the type of bacteria they are hiding. But recurring symptoms that look like a urinary tract infection may be due to something else. Basically, it can be a symptom of ovarian cancer and other gynecological cancers.

The bladder is very close to the uterus and other organs. A problem with these organs can irritate the bladder and cause UTI-like symptoms. Ultrasound of the pelvic area will be a good indicator of possible problems with these organs, as well as with the bladder and kidneys.

Changes after menopause, especially estrogen deficiency, can cause symptoms similar to a urinary tract infection, as the tissues in the intimate area become dry and irritated. If the problem is recurrent infections, doctors may recommend preventative antibiotics.

This means you need to take low daily doses for a long time and this has proven to be very effective.

Can statins cause prickly rashes? My husband has been suffering from extreme and intense biting temperature since he started taking atorvastatin in September 2019. It happens every time we go abroad, nothing calms him down.

Prickly heat rash is a very unpleasant reaction to very hot climates. It is caused by excessive sweating: sweat gets trapped in the subcutaneous glands, causing small, raised, itchy patches. But it should not be confused with another similar condition called polymorphic burst of light.

This problem occurs when the skin reacts to sunlight, causing an itchy, burning rash.

There are important differences.

The polymorphic burst of light comes from sunlight itself rather than just heat. It also causes blistering, burning, or pink or red mottled patches. The reaction occurs when patients are not exposed to sunlight for a long time, and symptoms may worsen with additional sunlight.

The skin of people with polymorphic light rash becomes resistant to the sun after a while: Patients realize that they can stay outside longer. However, the affected areas of the skin can become rough and these spots can be difficult to get rid of.

Patients can prevent this by covering the rash-prone areas with loose clothing and a good sunscreen. It is important to use an SPF50 sunscreen with a high UV protection value. Dermatologists recommend creams, steroid pills or antihistamines to stop the itching and burning sensation.

Experts may also recommend increasing your sun resistance at home before traveling. This means spending short periods in the sun each summer to increase tolerance.

Medications, including statins, can cause photosensitivity and skin reactions to the sun.

This may be the case if the reaction has occurred shortly after starting the medication, but it can be difficult to identify an immediate trigger.

Throw away silly ideas and be serious, Mr. Khan.

Earlier this year, London Mayor Sadiq Khan (above) toured California to investigate, among other things, whether London would follow suit in cannabis legalization.

I’m sick of politicians using taxpayer money to fund stupid public health ideas.

Earlier this year, London Mayor Sadiq Khan toured California to investigate, among other things, whether London would follow suit in legalizing cannabis.

Now she wants to explore the potential benefits of drug decriminalization. It was revealed last week that this five-day trip cost £35,000. About £3,000 went to business class flights.

I could have given him a free answer: no, we should not legalize marijuana. Colleagues report that there is already an increase in the number of young patients suffering from mental health problems due to excessive drug use.

There is a wealth of evidence for multiple links between psychosis and frequent marijuana use, and as detailed in a recent report by Los Angeles MoS Deputy Director of Health Eve Simmons, doctors in California are warning of an impending crisis of weed-related complications.

Perhaps that £35,000 could be invested in hiring more doctors and nurses or fighting knife crime on the streets of London – serious public health ideas.

A dirty grill is dirty but safe

Last month, I warned of the dangers of food poisoning during barbecue season, when cases of meat contamination are common. Now some readers have written to me to ask about another potential risk: dirty grills.

You seem worried that bacteria lurking on the shelves could cause similar infections. Although ugly, dirty grills do not carry the same risk of food poisoning as poorly cooked meat.

Any bacteria lurking on the shelves will be killed instantly by the hot flames. The problem lies in the fact that the meat contaminated with bacteria does not get hot enough to destroy the insects.

Now that we’re back on the topic, here’s another tip: Try not to immerse your meat in sauces and marinades, raw or cooked.

It can easily lead to a large number of errors that spread through it.

Although unsightly, dirty grills do not carry the same risk of food poisoning as improperly cooked meat.