Randox Health Holywood offers FREE prostate testing during Movember
Randox Health Holywood offers FREE prostate testing during Movember
Global healthcare firm Randox Health is celebrating Movember 2017 by offering free prostate health tests for every man who comes to its flagship clinic in Holywood. Prostate cancer is the most common cause of cancer in men. If it is detected early enough, it has a 90% cure rate.
During the month Randox Health hopes to raise awareness of prostate health and to encourage men to take their health into their own hands, while also raising funds for the mental health charity Inspire NI, as an additional focal aspect of men’s health.
PSA screening is not carried out routinely on the NHS as the standard test is thought to be unreliable. However the Randox Health prostate blood test, worth £130, is more advanced and can provide a more accurate diagnosis. Typical testing measures the total Prostate Specific Antigen (PSA) in the blood, however PSA can come in two forms: free and bound. Using the Randox Health PSA test, the amount of ‘free’ PSA is measured and compared to the amount of ‘bound’ PSA. Understanding this enables clients to gain a more comprehensive understanding of their prostate health.
Dr. Peter FitzGerald, Founder and Managing Director, Randox Health, commented;
“Prostate cancer is the most common cancer affecting men, and usually develops slowly. Many of us don’t know much about it and would rather not talk about it but it’s very easy to get information which can ultimately save your life. So throughout Movember I’d like to encourage men to come to our flagship clinic in Holywood to get our free test, and take control of your health. It’s our aim to help people live healthier for longer.”
Partnering with Randox Health to raise awareness of the importance of prostate checks are Garry’s Barber Shop in Holywood, the Belfast Harley Davidson’s Owners Club and the Harlandic Male Voice Choir.
The members of the choir, which was formed in 1944 by labourers of the Harland and Wolff shipyard, have this week each had their bloods taken in the Randox Health Clinic in Holywood, and in two days’ time will receive a comprehensive profile of their prostate health, enabling them to take appropriate preventive action should any problems be found. The check includes a complementary consultation where clients can discuss their results with one of Randox’s scientific experts.
Ken Banford, Chairman of the Harlandic Male Voice Choir, explained;
“As a male choir, we know all too well the reluctance to discuss our health, to open up about any issues we may be having, or even to book an appointment with our GP to do something about it. A more proactive approach to our health is needed and we hope that by doing this with Randox Health, we can encourage others to take their health into their own hands.”
Free prostate testing at Randox Health Holywood must be booked in advance. No fasting required. Results available after two working days.
To book your Free Prostate Test with Randox Health in Holywood, please call 0800 2545 130
For further information please contact the Randox PR Team by emailing randoxpr@randox.com or phoning 028 9442 2413
How Randox R&D Scientists are helping to change healthcare: An introduction to diagnostics for BSW 2017
In celebration of British Science Week 2017, we will be giving you an introduction to diagnostics, and exploring how Randox Scientists are helping to change healthcare.
You may or may not already know that Randox are one of the leading diagnostics companies globally. But what exactly does clinical diagnostics involve? It is one of the fundamental steps of finding out what is wrong with a person when they are ill. Read on to find out a bit more about diagnostics, and how the Randox Reagents R&D Scientists are helping to change healthcare globally!
What is a diagnostic test?
A diagnostic test is any kind of analysis performed on a patient sample (a sample is typically blood, urine or cerebrospinal fluid (CSF)), to aid in the diagnosis or detection of disease. The information found from a test can be used to:
- Diagnose disease
- Assess the extent of damage
- Monitor the effectiveness of treatment
- Confirm a person to be free from disease
Blood flows through all parts of the body, coming into direct contact with every organ and tissue. Therefore a blood sample’s appearance and composition provide important information on what is happening in the various parts of the body!
Examples of substances that may be tested for the blood include proteins, nutrients, waste products, antibodies, hormones, salts, trace elements or vitamins. These are sometimes referred to as ‘analytes’, ‘markers’ or ‘biomarkers’.
This is where reagents come in…
A reagent is a substance which is mixed with the patient sample to create a chemical reaction to detect the biomarker. These reactions are analysed by machines known as analysers.
Finally…
Using data gathered from both clinical symptoms and laboratory tests, the doctor will follow a sometimes painstaking process of analysis and elimination to perform a successful diagnosis!
Randox Reagents celebrate World Kidney Day 2017
On 9 March 2017, Randox Reagents are celebrating World Kidney Day! World Kidney Day is a global campaign aimed at raising awareness of the importance of our kidneys to our overall health. It aims to reduce the frequency and impact of kidney disease and its associated health problems worldwide.
This year, the World Kidney Day promotes education on the harmful consequences of obesity and its association with kidney disease, advocating healthy lifestyle and health policy measures that make preventive behaviours an affordable option.
With this in mind, throughout the week we have been sharing on social media some interesting facts on diagnostic tests which can help aid an early risk assessment of kidney disease in obese patients, allowing preventative action to be taken before any serious damage occurs. The tests of focus this week included cystatin C, adiponectin and microalbumin…
Cystatin C
The creatinine test is routinely run for patients who are suspected for deteriorating kidney function, however this test has limitations. Cystatin C is an alternative test, and is particularly useful in patients where creatinine measurements are not suitable e.g. individuals who are obese, malnourished, have liver cirrhosis or reduced muscle mass. Importantly, unlike creatinine, cystatin C does not have a ‘blind area’ – up to 50% of kidney function can be lost before significant creatinine elevation occurs. Cystatin C is extremely sensitive to very small changes in kidney function and is therefore capable of detecting early stage kidney dysfunction. The cystatin C test therefore allows preventative measures to be taken much earlier and before significant kidney function decline.
Adiponectin
There is substantial evidence that excess visceral fat is the main driving force for almost all of the disorders associated with the metabolic syndrome, including CKD.1,2 The adiponectin test from Randox can accurately assess levels of abdominal visceral fat, independent of age, race or fitness level.3,4 Assessing adiponectin, and therefore visceral fat levels, can help assess risk of CKD, as well as a range of other illnesses such as pre-diabetes, CVD and various cancers.
Microalbumin
The microalbumin test detects very low levels of a blood protein called albumin, in urine. The detection of albumin in urine can be an indicator of kidney injury and can result in irreversible damage if left untreated. Low albumin concentrations in the urine are the earliest marker of kidney damage and therefore enable preventative measures to be taken. Microalbumin testing can identify individuals with diabetic nephropathy approximately 5-10 years earlier than proteinuria tests helping reduce the frequency of end stage renal disease.
Both World Kidney Day and Randox are working towards improving healthcare worldwide. With continuous investment in R&D, Randox are helping with the risk assessment and earliest detection of renal function problems. By assessing one’s risk of kidney problems (with the adiponectin test), it can give patients (obese and other) the tools to prevent kidney problems further on down the line. With early diagnosis (through the cystatin C and microalbumin tests) it will be possible to keep kidney problems from getting worse, therefore lowering the number of those diagnosed with CKD worldwide.
For health professionals
If you are a clinician or lab interested in running renal function assays, Randox offers a large range of high quality routine and niche assays including: Cystatin C, Creatinine Enzymatic and Jaffe, Microalbumin, Urinary Protein, Urea, Sodium, Potassium, Albumin, Ammonia, β2- Microglobulin, Calcium, Chloride, Glucose, HbA1c, IgG, LDH, Magnesium, Phosphorus (Inorganic), and Uric Acid. These can be run on most automated biochemistry analysers.
For more information, download our Diabetes Brochure or email reagents@randox.com.
References
- Hall JE, Henegar JR, Dwyer TM, et al. Is obesity a major cause of chronic renal disease?Adv Ren Replace Ther. 2004;11(1):41–54. [PubMed]
- Tchernof A, Després JP. Pathophysiology of human visceral obesity: an update.Physiol Rev. 2013;93(1):359–404. [PubMed]
- Matsuzawa, Y. The role of fat topology in the risk of disease. Int J Obes. 2008;32:s83-s92.
- Frederiksen, L., Nielsen, T. L., Wraae, K., Hagen, C., Frystyk, J., Flyvbjerg, A., Brixen, K. and Andersen, M. Subcutaneous Rather than Visceral Adipose Tissue Is Associated with Adiponectin Levels and Insulin Resistance in Young Men. JCEM, (2009) 94 (10): 4010-4015.
Further reading:
