Over the last few decades, there has been a great focus on reducing premature deaths due to cardiovascular disease (CVD). Although this is true, CVD still remains a significant cause of disability and death in the United Kingdom. With nearly 7 million people are living with CVD in England, and a quarter of deaths each […]
Cardiovascular disease prevention: Improving outcomes in primary care
Cardiovascular disease (CVD) remains a significant cause of disability and death in the UK, and it is also a key driver of health inequalities. The burden of CVD is set to grow substantially with the ageing population and increasing prevalence of overweight and obesity. So It’s time to get serious about prevention, both through population-level […]
Sacubitril/valsartan in heart failure: A guide for primary care
This issue introduces a first-in-class oral treatment for heart failure – sacubitril/valsartan. It provides a comprehensive background to heart failure treatment in the UK, the pathophysiology of the disease and the pivotal trial data on the new drug. Articles give perspectives on the role of the GP, practice nurse, pharmacist and commissioner in using the […]
Living with frailty: A guide for primary care
Frailty is a distinctive health state related to the ageing process in which multiple body systems gradually lose their in-built reserves. This means the person is vulnerable to dramatic, sudden changes in health triggered by seemingly small events such as a minor infection or a change in medication. BJPCN, Volume 12, Special Issue 1, Jan-Feb-Mar […]
A primary care guide to alcohol and health
It has become increasingly clear that many people in this country are putting themselves at risk because they are continuing to drink above their recommended weekly units. Most of these people are not drunk drivers in police cells or antisocial drinkers arriving at A&E departments on Saturday night. They are people who come to see […]
A primary care guide to chronic liver disease
Chronic liver disease is a problem for all of us. It develops silently, often taking many years to cause sufficient damage to be detectable or cause signs or symptoms for which a patient would seek attention. Primary care has a central role in improving the prevention and early detection of chronic liver disease. This special […]
A primary care guide to chronic kidney disease
Chronic kidney disease (CKD) has shot up the primary care agenda over the last few years, and is now well recognised as an independent risk factor for cardiovascular disease (CVD). At the same time, CVD is a risk factor for progression of CKD. The close links between CKD and CVD mean we have to get […]
Chronic kidney disease: Helping practices to identify patients at risk and reduce progression
Chronic kidney disease (CKD) has moved rapidly up the healthcare agenda over the last few years. It has shifted from being considered as a rather nebulous condition of interest mainly to nephrologists to the front line of chronic disease detection and prevention in primary care as part of integrated management of vascular risk. In fact, […]
Optimising insulin treatment in primary care
Everyone with diabetes deserves the highest standards of personalised diabetes care, no matter where, when or by whom this care is delivered.
