In 2014, the Five-Year Forward View articulated clearly that, if the NHS is to be sustainable, it needs to get serious about prevention. The initial focus was on diabetes prevention; now the national prevention focus has switched to prevention of cardiovascular disease.
Make every contact count for CVD prevention
Cardiovascular disease (CVD) remains a significant cause of disability and death in the UK, and it is one of the conditions most strongly associated with health inequalities. We can help reduce the CVD burden by reminding our patients of the benefits of a healthy lifestyle.
Ischaemic heart disease: One of the biggest killers
Ischaemic or coronary heart disease is the single leading cause of death in any Western population but more critically is one of the leading causes of premature deaths (i.e. deaths 75 years) in both men and women. There are numerous risk factors for ischaemic heart disease and understanding these and other comorbidities is critical to achieving optimal outcomes.
Reducing the pressure in diabetes management
We all know that diabetes prevalence is increasing. It is estimated that by 2025, 5 million people will have Type 2 diabetes in the UK (Diabetes UK). That potentially means more pressure on an already creaking healthcare system and more people at risk of developing debilitating complications from their diabetes. It doesn’t have to be that way!
A review of stroke prevention in 8 primary care practices
GP practices have a central role in the prevention of stroke. This review assessed the adequacy of primary and secondary preventive interventions that were provided for patients who were on the stroke register between January 2009 to December 2012, in the six months before and after a stroke. Eight GP practices in a deprived locality of North London participated in the review.
Sponsored Feature – Heart valve disease is a ticking time bomb: The time to listen to the heart is now
Heart valve disease is an often neglected chronic condition that is found incidentally through investigation of other conditions, such as echocardiography of a patient with suspected heart failure. However, with the ageing population the prevalence of valve disease is likely to explode over the coming decades.
Challenges in type 2 diabetes control: Slipping control and weight gain
This case study presents an everyday clinical situation for you to review with guidance from an expert in the field.
HRT and cardiovascular disease
HRT has been shown to reduce future risk of cardiovascular disease when taken within ten years of the menopause. Some experts recommend that HRT is considered as part of a general prevention strategy at the onset of the menopause. However, some doctors and nurses feel apprehensive about this as they are confused about the association of HRT with cardiovascular disease.
Sponsored feature: Identification of malnutrition in COPD patients
People with COPD should be reviewed at least annually according to the Quality and Outcomes Framework. However, there is little mention of the importance of assessing nutritional status and no ‘QOF’ points for doing so. This article describes the assessment and management of COPD patients with a risk of malnutrition.
Dementia – the forgotten cardiovascular disease
In general, deaths from cardiovascular disease (CVD) are falling, except for the forgotten CVD, dementia. The rate of dementia is rising year on year and it is now one of the top 5 causes of death in the UK. Risk factors for dementia are similar to other CVDs and risk modification can reduce the risk of development of the condition.
A guide to the diabetic foot check
The annual diabetic foot check plays a vital part in the support and education of people with diabetes. This can be performed easily and with minimal expense, but despite the NICE recommendation (NG19) that everyone with diabetes should have a foot check at least once a year, Diabetes UK reports that up to 400,000 people are not having this performed.
The effect of hormonal contraception on bleeding patterns
The endometrium undergoes a series of well-recognised cycles of proliferation, differentiation and tissue breakdown on a monthly basis, in response to exposure to the circulating sex steroids oestrogen and progesterone.
