This supplement was developed in conjunction with and its production paid for by Merck Sharp & Dohme Limited.
Stroke prevention in atrial fibrilliation: How can we improve management in primary care?
Atrial fibrillation (AF) is an important – yet preventable – cause of stroke. About 12,500 strokes each year are thought to be directly attributable to AF.1 Cost-benefit analysis from the Department of Health suggests that for stroke patients with AF there are about 4,300 deaths in hospital, 3,200 discharges to residential care and 8,500 deaths […]
Atrial fibrillation and stroke: Optimising prevention and treatment
Uniquely, AF is an eminently preventable cause of stroke with a simple and highly effective treatment. AF is common and affects over 600,000 patients in England (1.2%). It is a major predisposing factor for stroke, and strokes caused by AF can be particularly severe and disabling. The annual risk of stroke is five to six times greater in AF patients, but […]
Ensuring that patients are prescribed statin therapy tailored to individual risk
It is unsurprising that statins have become the most commonly prescribed drugs in many parts of the world, given the extraordinarily large and complete evidence base that supports their use. Their role in reducing cardiovascular (CV) events in both primary and secondary prevention is clear and predictable, with recent data extending their utility across most […]
Solving your cholesterol conundrums: Case studies in lipid management for primary care today
The benefits of lowering low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol with statin therapy for cardiovascular disease (CVD) prevention are well established. Recent guidelines from the National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence (NICE) have emphasised the importance of achieving lower lipid levels, by adopting targets of 4 mmol/L for total cholesterol and 2 mmol/L for LDL cholesterol […]
Lipids on trial
By focusing on total cholesterol alone, primary care is guilty of not going far enough to address cardiovascular residual risk. Through extensive landmark clinical studies, the use of statins to reduce the level of low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) and the risk of cardiovascular events has been demonstrated unequivocally, and now the treatment makes up the […]
Navigating the new NICE guideline on type 2 diabetes: Finding the best treatment pathway for each patient
The new NICE guideline enables us to individualise care bearing in mind the needs of the person in front of us. It is concerned with clinical efficacy, and – for once – the cost of care has not noticeably influenced its recommendations. In contrast, QOF does the exact opposite, demanding that we drive our patients’ HbA1c down to low […]
Symbicort® (budesonide/formoterol) Maintenance and Reliever Therapy – Symbicort SMART® – A new approach to asthma management
Nurses know from first-hand experience that although asthma treatment has come a long way over the past few years, many patients with asthma remain uncontrolled. This results in unscheduled hospital appointments for patients and unnecessary limitations on their lifestyle.
Education for Health – Pioneering Primary Care Education 1987-2007
Over the past 20 years, Education for Health and its previous organisation The National Respiratory Training Centre, has provided immensely valuable training support for primary healthcare professionals, particularly in the management of long-term diseases. From small beginnings the organisation has developed into a world leader in nurse training and is actively sharing UK quality and […]
The problem with asthma…
The current treatment of asthma in the UK is rightfully seen as a triumph of chronic disease management within a primary care setting. Almost all routine asthma care and, increasingly, elements of acute asthma care, are now provided in general practice. Over the past twenty years, significant effort and investment have gone into the production […]
Dragging their feet: The cost of sub-optimal treatment for patients diagnosed with peripheral arterial disease
Target PAD is a multidisciplinary group of expert clinicians, working to improve outcomes and quality of life for patients with peripheral arterial disease (PAD). PAD is an important and common condition, which is currently under-diagnosed and underrated worldwide and in the UK. Target PAD’s mission is to improve education and awareness of the disease among patients, health professionals and […]
