
The bone fracture risk for women who stop taking HRT, revealed by experts
Researchers analysed data on 6 million women from around 2,000 GP surgeries in the UK to examine the risk of fractures over a period of up to 25 years.

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Daily Mail
3 minutes ago
- Daily Mail
Big Pharma booms despite Trump tariff headache
Britain's two biggest drug makers are expected to reveal a profit surge this week as demand booms despite a looming threat of tariffs from the US. GSK, led by Emma Walmsley, is expected to report profit of £4.4 billion for the first half of this year on Wednesday, up from £2.9 billion the previous year, while sales are expected to inch up to £15.3 billion from £15.2 billion in 2024. AstraZeneca, the largest company on the London Stock Exchange, is forecast to report a half-year profit of £5 billion, which is £1.1 billion more than the year before, with sales expected to have increased 8 per cent to £20.6 billion. The sector is under pressure due to the threat of tariffs from the US, a critical market for both companies. President Donald Trump this month threatened to slap a 200 per cent levy on drug imports as part of an escalation of his trade war. His threats have pushed many firms to begin moving factories to – and making larger investments in – the US to protect themselves from retaliation. Last week, AstraZeneca announced plans to invest £37 billion in the US, which accounts for 42 per cent of its sales. The move has also fuelled fears it could switch its London stock market listing to the US, which would be a hit to the City. GSK suffered a blow in the US last week when American regulators recommended against approving the relaunch of its key blood cancer drug Blenrep, which had been pulled from the country in 2022 due to concerns about its side-effects.


The Sun
4 minutes ago
- The Sun
My blood pressure has been flagged as pre-diabetic – what should I do?
OUR resident specialist and NHS GP, Dr Zoe Williams, shares her expert advice. Today, Dr Zoe helps a reader whose blood pressure was flagged as pointing to pre diabetic levels during a routine health check. 2 Q) I RECENTLY had my free health check and my blood pressure was flagged as pointing to pre-diabetic levels. The high number was 126, and the lower number was 86. My health practice advised me to take statins. Could they help? Any other advice? A) IT is great to hear that you had your health check. They are so important because they help you identify silent but dangerous issues with your blood pressure, blood sugar or cholesterol levels. Your blood pressure results seem OK, but it would be a good idea to still look at measures to prevent it getting any higher. Being pre-diabetic relates to a higher-than- normal level of sugar, or glucose, in the blood. It should be taken as a warning sign that you need to make some lifestyle changes. Aim for 150 minutes of moderate exercise a week and eat a healthy and balanced diet, focusing on limiting ultra-processed foods, alcohol and sugary drinks. If you're a smoker, seek support to quit. Statins are medicines used to treat high cholesterol levels and, in doing so, reduce your risk of developing a heart attack or stroke in the future. The good news, though, is that the same lifestyle changes that will help bring down your blood sugar and blood pressure will also help your cholesterol too, and might mean you don't need to take statins.


The Sun
4 minutes ago
- The Sun
From a dog's fear of rain to a cat's frequent hairballs – your pet queries answered
HE is on a mission to help our pets . . . and is here to answer YOUR questions. Sean, who is the head vet at tailored pet food firm has helped with owners' queries for ten years. 4 4 Q) MY dog Petra refuses to go out in the rain. He's a 50kg crossbreed and loves his walks — yet as soon as the heavens open, he won't budge out the front door except to pee quickly. How can I persuade him wet walks are fun? Steve Brain, Manchester A) Maybe you can't. Every dog is different — they all have their own little quirks and eccentricities. Saying that, most can be convinced that something they previously feared or found unpleasant can be less of a big deal than they thought. Plenty of reward-based training and bribery with food may help Petra learn that rain means fun and treats. It's a well-used behavioural modification trick called counter conditioning — training your dog to associate something previously negative with something positive. If you are consistent, I bet you can make Petra do a happy rain dance. If not, don't push it. We can train behaviour, but rarely emotions. Q) ALTHOUGH I brush her every day, my cat Merlin gets terrible hairballs. World's Oldest Tortoise Jonathan Package - Joe Hollins She's a Norwegian Forest cat. Is there anything you can recommend? Kate Armstrong, Bradford A) Brushing is key but, in long haired breeds, we can't get away from the fact they are swallowing more hair than a normal coated cat. No offence to Norwegian Forest cats or their owners, but it's another example of us tinkering with our pets' genetics for the appearance of a breed we find appealing. Yet it leaves them more prone to health issues. Anyway, you can get products, usually in a tasty oral paste format, which help lubricate hairballs and have them pass out in the poop rather than build up in the stomach. Ask your vet for a recommendation based on Merlin's needs and history. Q) BOB, my lizard, has struggled to shed around the eyes. I have a big enclosure, plenty of enrichment, a humid area and maintain temperature. What else can I do? Steve Black, Doncaster A) You've left out a few bits of information. Firstly, what species of lizard? That's crucial to understanding what environmental conditions they experience in the wild. Your lizard has retained skin, so there is certainly a humidity problem and possibly incorrect temperature, too. I often recommend having a really humid damp hide box for reptiles to go into and seek out higher humidity when needed so they can shed well. Your vet can help remove retained skin. Q) WHEN we are on walks, my one-year-old rescue Labrador Barny barks at motorcycles. How can I stop him as it's stressful? I think it must be the noise. Mark Thomas, Bristol A) It sure is, and either he finds it really exciting so wants to join in with the racket or, more likely, it makes him anxious. If Barny is afraid of something, his instinct tells him to bark at it and hopefully that will fend it off. What happens when a dog barks at the postman coming to the door? The postman delivers the mail and takes off down the street. Peace and order are restored. The dog thinks they've done a great job guarding the home. Same with motorbikes — they appear, Barny barks, they whizz away. Job done! So you need to get him used to motorbikes from a distance and reward him when he doesn't bark at them any more, gradually increasing exposure over time. Star of the week HOMELESS kittens Bill and Barb survived against the odds after they got trapped next to boiling hot water pipes while hiding in a shed. The five-week-old pair became wedged in a gap which contained the pipes and wiring for a property in Truro, Cornwall. When the homeowner spotted them, he rang Cats Protection. Jasmine Nevitte from the charity's rescue team said: 'Amazingly, Barb didn't have any significant burns, but Bill burnt his bottom quite badly. 'He is now on antibiotics and needs daily bathing and close monitoring. 'But although they are shaken up, both of them are doing well – they are little stars.' WIN: £339 LAWNMOWER TO help keep grass trim for our four-legged pals, we're giving away a lawn mower worth £339, in conjunction with outdoor power equipment brand Husqvarna. The winner will also receive two adult and two child tickets to CarFest at Laverstoke Park Farm, Hants, where the brand will be showing off its animal-friendly goods from August 22 to 24. For a chance to win, send an email headed CARFEST to sundaypets@ by July 27. Check out T&Cs apply. GET SOME PUPPY LOVE ON YOGA RETREAT 4 BRITAIN is seeing a boom in yoga retreats where you can get into a downward dog with your pup. Dubbed 'Doga', dog yoga videos have had 228.9million views on TikTok. There are classes across the country, from Bude in Cornwall to London, Manchester and Edinburgh. Yoga teacher Camilla Sheeley, who runs a retreat at Down Hall Hotel in Bishop's Stortford, Essex, with her six-year-old golden working cocker spaniel Mitch, says it has become a staycation trend of 2025. She said of classes: 'They offer a fun-filled way to connect with your canine companion and are suitable for all breeds. "The humans stretch, balance, mobilise and breathe deeply, while your dog gets to join the fun, whether by chilling out beside you, mimicking your moves or (as most prefer) climbing on you or giving you plenty of enthusiastic licks. "It's a laughter-filled way to deepen your bond, move your body and create unforgettable memories. 'Mitch nails his downward dog and often balances on my knee during warrior poses. 'Our next retreat in August has already sold out because doga is now so popular. We are now arranging the next one.'