Dr. Brugal — The Daily Health Journal https://drbrugal.shop/ Health awareness writing from an NMC-registered professional. Diabetes, heart, NHS technology, GP visits, caregiving. en-GB Sun, 10 May 2026 21:40:04 GMT When back pain becomes an emergency — five spinal cord warning signs. https://drbrugal.shop/articles/spinal-cord-warning-signs.html https://drbrugal.shop/articles/spinal-cord-warning-signs.html Sun, 10 May 2026 00:00:00 GMT Most back pain is harmless. A small number of symptoms mean it isn't, and the difference is measured in hours. The signs that mean A&E now, not your GP next week. Body Signals The four routes out of sleep apnea — and only one of them is a CPAP. https://drbrugal.shop/articles/sleep-apnea-treatments.html https://drbrugal.shop/articles/sleep-apnea-treatments.html Sat, 09 May 2026 00:00:00 GMT Around a billion adults have it. Up to half of those given the standard treatment give up. Here is the honest map of what else is on the table in 2026 — including a pill the FDA approved at the end of 2024. NHS & Tech When your dry mouth isn't just thirst. https://drbrugal.shop/articles/dry-mouth-diabetes.html https://drbrugal.shop/articles/dry-mouth-diabetes.html Tue, 05 May 2026 00:00:00 GMT What diabetes does to saliva, why drinking more water doesn't fix it, and the small ritual that makes a real difference. Diabetes The new diabetes treatments — what is real in 2026, and what is coming. https://drbrugal.shop/articles/new-diabetes-treatments.html https://drbrugal.shop/articles/new-diabetes-treatments.html Fri, 01 May 2026 00:00:00 GMT Once-weekly insulin, triple hormone agonists, beta cell transplants. The pipeline is fuller than at any point in the disease's history. Diabetes The artificial pancreas is on the NHS. Here's what that actually means. https://drbrugal.shop/articles/artificial-pancreas.html https://drbrugal.shop/articles/artificial-pancreas.html Thu, 30 Apr 2026 00:00:00 GMT Continuous glucose monitor + automatic insulin pump, all in one. Now available to eligible NHS patients. NHS & Tech The cardiology procedures your cardiologist may not have had five years ago. https://drbrugal.shop/articles/cardiology-innovations.html https://drbrugal.shop/articles/cardiology-innovations.html Wed, 29 Apr 2026 00:00:00 GMT Transcatheter valves, drug-coated balloons, intravascular lithotripsy, the first gene-therapy proof for atherosclerosis. Heart & BP The one question to ask your GP that changes the appointment. https://drbrugal.shop/articles/gp-question-that-changes-everything.html https://drbrugal.shop/articles/gp-question-that-changes-everything.html Tue, 28 Apr 2026 00:00:00 GMT A single sentence unlocks better information than the next ten you might ask. It is not "what should I take?". GP Visits The AI reading your scans before the radiologist does. https://drbrugal.shop/articles/ai-radiology.html https://drbrugal.shop/articles/ai-radiology.html Sun, 26 Apr 2026 00:00:00 GMT Over half of NHS trusts are using AI to interpret medical images. 133,000 scans a day. Should patients trust it? NHS & Tech Viagra, blood pressure, and the drug combination that can stop your heart. https://drbrugal.shop/articles/viagra-blood-pressure-interactions.html https://drbrugal.shop/articles/viagra-blood-pressure-interactions.html Sat, 25 Apr 2026 00:00:00 GMT PDE5 inhibitors are among the most widely prescribed medicines in the UK. One combination — with nitrates — can be fatal. Sexual Health The system that works when there are more than four medications. https://drbrugal.shop/articles/medication-management-elderly-parent.html https://drbrugal.shop/articles/medication-management-elderly-parent.html Wed, 22 Apr 2026 00:00:00 GMT Pill organisers fail at five medications. Paper lists fail at six. Here is what consultants actually recommend. Caregiver Managing diabetes every day: what the evidence actually says matters. https://drbrugal.shop/articles/managing-diabetes-daily.html https://drbrugal.shop/articles/managing-diabetes-daily.html Sat, 18 Apr 2026 00:00:00 GMT The post-meal walk. HbA1c targets. CGM versus test strips. Sick-day rules. Ranked by impact. Diabetes The quiet signs you might be on the road to type 2 diabetes. https://drbrugal.shop/articles/am-i-prediabetic.html https://drbrugal.shop/articles/am-i-prediabetic.html Wed, 15 Apr 2026 00:00:00 GMT Nine million people in the UK are estimated to have prediabetes. Most do not know it. Here is what to look for. Diabetes Four blood tests worth asking your GP about if diabetes is in your family. https://drbrugal.shop/articles/diabetes-blood-tests-gp.html https://drbrugal.shop/articles/diabetes-blood-tests-gp.html Sun, 12 Apr 2026 00:00:00 GMT HbA1c, fasting glucose, oral tolerance test, lipid panel. The specific tests to ask for — and what the numbers mean. GP Visits The right way to measure your blood pressure at home — and what to do with the numbers. https://drbrugal.shop/articles/blood-pressure-monitoring-at-home.html https://drbrugal.shop/articles/blood-pressure-monitoring-at-home.html Wed, 08 Apr 2026 00:00:00 GMT Most people measuring at home are making at least one mistake that skews the reading. Here is the 2025 guideline method. Heart & BP