Heart attacks and strokes are among the leading causes of death globally, with millions suffering from cardiovascular diseases (CVD) every year. There are more than seven million people in the UK alone, with about 100,000 patients experiencing heart attacks annually. However, a group of researchers at University College London (UCL) estimate that one 'polypill' taken daily day could eliminate a majority of these cases dramatically lowering death tolls.

The proposed polypill, a combination of a statin and three blood pressure-lowering drugs, has been under study for over two decades. Experts argue that introducing this pill universally for individuals aged 50 and above could be more effective than the current NHS Health Check, which assesses risk factors every five years for those aged between 40 and 74.

Studies have repeatedly proven the effectiveness of the polypill in preventing CVD. A groundbreaking 2019 study in The Lancet found that five years' use of the polypill cut the risk of heart attack and stroke by a third. In addition, previous modelling analyses have estimated that if given universally to people over 55, the polypill might be able to prevent 80% of heart attacks and strokes.

Today, the NHS Health Check follows a risk-based model in which patients are tested for CVD risk factors and treated with drugs accordingly. Yet, as per UCL's study, this system has serious flaws:

Low Uptake: Just 40% of those eligible for the NHS Health Check choose to have it, leaving a considerable number of at-risk patients undiagnosed and untreated.

Ineffective Prediction of Risk: The majority of heart attacks and strokes happen to people at average risk levels, thus making it challenging to identify the need for intervention effectively.

Limited Effectiveness: Even at maximum take-up, the NHS Health Check programme is predicted to have fewer health impacts compared to a polypill initiative applied to the whole population.

Simplicity and Affordability of the Polypill Strategy

One of the big benefits of the polypill is that it is so easy. In contrast to the existing screening-based model, the polypill scheme would not involve complicated medical tests or lengthy risk assessments. Instead, people reaching 50 would just have to fill out a few questions to determine possible side effects before they were prescribed.

Professor Aroon Hingorani of the UCL Institute of Cardiovascular Science, one of the strongest proponents of this scheme, says:

"Finally, the time is now to do much better on prevention. A population approach would prevent a lot more heart attacks and strokes than is done today with a strategy of trying to target a smaller group only."

Aside from the possible health implications, the polypill is also an economic solution. The drugs used are off-patent, thus cheap to produce and distribute. With the vast economic cost of managing CVD-related illnesses, a preventive model could result in substantial cost-saving for the NHS in the future.

The polypill has been proven to be effective by numerous international trials. In 2019, a randomised trial in rural Iran discovered that participants who took the polypill for five years had a 34% reduced risk of having a heart attack or stroke compared to non-participants.

Likewise, modelling research has indicated that even if only 8% of people aged over 50 took up the polypill regimen, it would still be more beneficial to their health than the NHS Health Check programme.

Is This a Case of Over-Medicalisation?

One of the main objections to the polypill strategy is the suggestion that it might result in the unnecessary medicalisation of a significant proportion of the population. But, it is argued, it should be considered as a preventative measure, not as mass medication.

Professor Sir Nicholas Wald of UCL's Institute of Health Informatics explains:

"Instead of being a 'medicalisation' of a significant proportion of the population, a polypill programme is a prevention measure to prevent an individual from becoming a patient."

He compares it with public health measures like water fluoridation or compulsory seatbelts—interventions that have been shown to have a significant impact in reducing public health danger at low individual cost.

With the evidence in favour of the polypill's effectiveness and viability overwhelming, experts are calling on the NHS to act now. It is their belief that substituting the NHS Health Check with a polypill-based prevention program could be the UK government's flagship policy under its pledge to put disease prevention ahead of cure.

As Professor Hingorani points out, "The status quo is not a justifiable option." With CVD still a major cause of death globally, taking a population-wide polypill approach could be a turning point for preventative medicine, potentially saving thousands of lives annually. The question now is whether the NHS will take up this call and establish a policy with the potential to transform the prevention of cardiovascular disease on a national level.

Polycystic Ovary Syndrome (PCOS), a condition affecting more than 170 million women worldwide, has now been officially renamed Polyendocrine Metabolic Ovarian Syndrome (PMOS), according to a global study published today in The Lancet.

The new name reflects a major shift in understanding the condition — from being viewed primarily as a gynecological disorder to being recognized as a complex, multisystem condition affecting several aspects of health.

The new term PMOS acknowledges that the condition involves:

• Endocrine health
• Metabolic health
• Reproductive health
• Dermatological health
• Psychological health

“For too long, the narrow definition of PCOS has overlooked its metabolic and hormonal complexity, leaving many patients undiagnosed or misunderstood,” Cree added.

Why Was PCOS Renamed To PMOS?

Calls to rename PCOS date back to the 1990s and early 2000s. In 2012, the U.S. National Institutes of Health (NIH) recommended a name change after experts concluded that the term PCOS was misleading and confusing for both patients and healthcare providers.

“The name focuses on a criterion — polycystic ovarian morphology — which is neither necessary nor sufficient to diagnose the syndrome,” NIH experts wrote in the report.

Although PCOS has long been understood as a metabolic condition, experts said the name inaccurately narrowed its scope and overemphasized ovarian cysts and fertility issues.

This often led to:

• Delayed diagnoses
• Fragmented care
• Stigma
• Missed opportunities for early intervention

How Was The Name Change Decided?

The renaming process involved consultations with thousands of patients and healthcare professionals across the world.

The effort was supported by 56 academic, clinical, and patient organizations.

Experts said the transition from PCOS to PMOS will occur over the next three years through a phased global implementation strategy.

What Does PMOS Mean?

The new name aims to explain the condition more accurately and comprehensively.

Polyendocrine means it affects multiple hormones in the body.

Metabolic refers to issues linked to weight, insulin, blood sugar, and heart health.

Ovarian highlights its impact on ovulation and reproductive health.

Syndrome refers to a group of symptoms occurring together.

In simple terms, PMOS is a hormonal and metabolic condition that can affect periods, fertility, skin, mood, weight, and long-term health.

Experts said the new terminology intends to:

• Reflect the condition’s hormonal complexity
• Acknowledge its strong metabolic and cardiometabolic effects
• Continue emphasizing ovarian involvement without over-focusing on fertility

According to the study, PMOS could also:

• Promote earlier and more accurate diagnosis
• Support more holistic, patient-centered care
• Reduce stigma associated with fertility-focused terminology
• Expand research into metabolic and systemic impacts

Hantavirus cases have climbed to 11, including three deaths, WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said today.

During a media briefing on hantavirus, Tedros stated that all eleven cases are among passengers or crew members onboard the MV Hondius.

“Nine of the eleven have been confirmed as Andes virus, and the other two are probable,” he added.

All suspected and confirmed cases have been isolated and managed under strict medical supervision, minimizing any risk of further transmission.

Tedros said individual countries were now responsible for their citizens after the evacuation, adding: “I hope they will take care of the patients and the passengers, helping them and also protecting their citizens as well. That’s what we expect.”

Will Hantavirus Become A Public Health Threat?

Noting that “at the moment, there is no sign that we are seeing the start of a larger outbreak,” Tedros said the situation could still change.

“Given the long incubation period of the virus, it’s possible we might see more cases in the coming weeks,” he said.

Acclaimed vaccine scientist Prof. Peter Hotez from the Texas Medical Center (TMC) also said more cases could emerge, but ruled out the risk of a major epidemic.

“We might see additional cases, but I don't think this will be a major epidemic beyond the obvious human tragedy of those who lost their lives, and possibly a few others who could still get very sick,” he said in a post on social media platform X.

“New World hantavirus infections are rough stuff. Once symptoms begin, the resulting cytokine storm and ARDS means there's not much of a window before getting patients into an ICU, and often on ECMO (extracorporeal membrane oxygenation), which requires a high level of skill,” Prof. Peter said.

He also linked increasing zoonotic spillovers and rising arthropod-borne illnesses to “climate change pushing animal reservoirs to explore new habitats, together with deforestation and urbanization.”

“It's animals and vectors closer to humans and people coming closer to animals and vectors,” he added.

“I don't think this particular hantavirus outbreak will accelerate much beyond where it is now, but that's not the point.”

Dutch Hospital Quarantines 12 Healthcare Workers

Meanwhile, Radboud University Medical Center (Radboudumc) in the Netherlands has placed 12 employees in quarantine for six weeks as a precaution after incorrect procedures were followed while caring for a hantavirus-infected patient from the Dutch cruise ship.

The hospital said on Monday that the issue involved procedures for drawing and processing blood samples, as well as the disposal of the patient's urine, according to Xinhua news agency.

Also read: Fact Check: Can Ivermectin Help Treat Hantavirus?

“This blood was processed according to standard procedure. Due to the nature of the virus, this blood should have been processed according to a stricter procedure,” Radboudumc said in a statement, without specifying what the stricter measures should have entailed.

Read More: Donald Trump Says Hantavirus Is 'Under Control'; Questions Grow Over CDC Research Cuts

WHO Guidelines On Hantavirus

The WHO recommends that people exposed to hantavirus should be:

• Monitored actively at a specified quarantine facility
• Monitored at home for 42 days from the last exposure

The White House has informed that US President Donald Trump is getting another medical and dental checkup at the end of May.

This will be his fourth publicized visit to medical experts in his second term as US President. The White House described it as "an annual physical and regular preventive care", AP reported.

Trump, who turns 80 next month, will see his doctors at the Walter Reed National Military Medical Center on May 26, the White House said in a brief statement.

The president’s health has been the subject of tremendous scrutiny — ranging from his mental state to visible bruising around his hands.

While past presidents have opted for the White House's on-site clinic, Trump went for a local dentist instead, a choice he made previously in January.

Trump — who has been frequently critical of former President Joe Biden for age-related health and fitness issues — has recently remarked how good he feels despite his years.

Earlier Monday, Trump said he feels the same as he did 50 years ago. “I feel literally the same,” he said at an Oval Office event. “I don’t know why. It’s not because I eat the best foods”, AP reported.

Last week, he joked about his exercise regimen, saying that he works out “like about one minute a day, max.”

Also read: Was Trump Sleeping During Oval Office Event? White House Reacts

Trump's Health Checkups

The first visit was reported last April, when Trump had a checkup after noticing what the White House described as “mild swelling” in his lower legs. Tests by the White House medical unit found that Trump had chronic venous insufficiency, a condition common in older adults that causes blood to pool in his veins.

During the medical exam in October, which the White House called a “semiannual physical,” he also got his yearly flu shot and a COVID-19 booster vaccine. He later told The Wall Street Journal that he underwent advanced imaging on his heart and abdomen in October as preventive screening.

The upcoming evaluation follows two other recent visits to a local dentist near his estate in Florida, where Trump often spends his weekends.

Also read: Donald Trump’s Swollen, Heavily Bruised Hands Raise Fresh Health Concerns

Experts Claim Trump's Mental Health Is Deteriorating

Read More: Fact Check: Can Ivermectin Help Treat Hantavirus?

A group of medical experts has sounded the alarm over what they’ve described as Trump’s deteriorating mental health, The Daily Beast Reported.

The three dozen medical professionals include neurologists, psychiatrists, and other physicians with extensive experience diagnosing cognitive disorders and evaluating patients.

The experts have not specifically examined Trump face-to-face. But, based on his statements and behaviors over the past year, they stated that he’s “mentally unfit” and must be removed from office “with the greatest urgency” amid the escalating tension around the world, the report said.

“It is our professional opinion that they (Trump's statements) reflect a rapidly worsening, reality-untethered, increasingly dangerous decline,” the experts said in a statement.

They also listed some of Trump’s observable serious medical issues, such as “Marked deterioration in cognitive functioning, evidenced by disorganized and tangential speech, rambling digressions, factual confusions, unexplained sudden changes of course in strategic matters, both national and international, episodes of apparent somnolence during critical public proceedings.”