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Inside Health

Factual: Health & Wellbeing

Series that demystifies health issues, bringing clarity to conflicting advice.

Series that demystifies health issues, separating fact from fiction and bringing clarity to conflicting health advice.

BBC Radio 4 FM

Mark Porter

Deborah Cohen

Erika Wright

Inside Health: Care data, New gastric balloon, Vocal dysphonia, Antacids

21/01/2014

Care data, New gastric balloon, Vocal dysphonia, Antacids

BBC Radio 4 - Inside Health, Care data, New gastric balloon, Vocal dysphonia, Antacids

A new gastric balloon, overuse of stomach drugs, the new NHS database and vocal dysphonia.

Dr Mark Porter investigates a new gastric balloon, overuse of drugs for stomach problems, vocal writer's cramp, and if the anonymity of a new NHS database can be guaranteed.

Recent reports say that as many as 2 million people in England could be eligible for bariatric surgery. Dr Mark Porter investigates if a new gastric balloon swallowed in a capsule could be a valuable new tool for weight loss. Targeted for people whose BMI is lower than those who would be eligible for weight loss surgery, Inside Health finds out what the new balloon involves and asks two NHS bariatric surgeons - Sally Norton in Bristol and Guy Slater in Chichester - is this a boon to the arsenal of weight loss surgeons or is it a just slimming aid?

Proton pump inhibitors are a family of drugs which reduce stomach acids to stop the symptoms of heartburn and ulcers. But they are being widely overused according to many gastroenterologists and doctors. Mark talks to gastroenterologist, Anton Emmanuel about the scale of the overuse, the potential side effects of being on them for too long as well as what people can do if they think they should come off the drug.

Margaret McCartney and Mark Porter ask whether the anonymity of patient records on a new NHS database can be guaranteed? And using botox to treat vocal dysphonia, a kind of writer's cramp for the voice.

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