Patients At Risk As British Hospitals Running Out of Vital Medicines

British hospitals are running out of vital drugs used to treat high blood pressure, asthma and Parkinson's disease putting patients health at risk.

Keith Vaz, an Indian-origin MP has warned that British hospitals are running out of vital drugs used to treat high blood pressure, asthma and Parkinson's disease putting patients health at risk.

The Daily Mail said there were concerns that drugs manufactured in Britain, meant for local patients, were being sold to European countries by wholesalers and pharmacists.

Blood Pressure Chart
Blood pressure is the pressure of the blood flowing through your blood vessels against the vessel walls. Just by entering you age, you can get the accurate range of blood pressure value.

Fluctuations in exchange rates meant manufacturers can make more profit selling the drugs overseas, the daily said.

Although the practice is not illegal, the government has condemned it as unethical.

"The government must not wait until a patient loses their life due to the shortages to take action. I am worried that we are manufacturing medicines for this country and they are being sold abroad. It's shameful," Labor MP Vaz said.

Asthma Management
Metered Dose Inhalers(MDI), which delivers medictions directly to the lungs, can be most effectively used in the treatment of asthma.

Vaz said eight pharmacies in his constituency had contacted him about the problem during a single week.

The drugs currently in short supply include those to treat high blood pressure, cholesterol, asthma, diabetes, Parkinson's disease, osteoporosis, diabetes and depression.

High Cholesterol | Hypercholesterolemia - Causes, Symptoms, Diagnosis & Treatment
High cholesterol level in blood are a risk for heart disease and stroke. They get deposited in the wall of the arteries and clog the circulation posing a threat to life.

The department of health said it was working with the medicine industry and wholesalers to minimize the impact of shortage.

Source-IANS

About Parkinson's Disease
Parkinson's Disease is a chronic, progressive, brain disorder common among the elderly. It affects coordination between the brain and the muscles