All change for the NHS; but stay as you were for practice nurses
All change’ is hitting the NHS once again. The coalition government’s health white paper shifting commissioning to primary care has prompted headlines predicting ‘the end of the NHS’. There is no doubt that the next few years will see massive change, but patients will still need looking after, and this is where practice nurses will continue to do what we have always done best – providing effective education and care. And the BJPCN will continue to support you in this – with evidence-based information and practical tips on the management of patients with cardiovascular disease and diabetes.
Cholesterol conundrums: juggling patients’ risk factors to optimise lipid lowering therapy
*The British Journal of Primary Care Nursing approached Merck Sharp & Dohme Limited to fund the production of this supplement following a meeting the company supported at the Primary Care Cardiovascular Society (PCCS) Conference 2009. The company was not involved in development, although it was asked to review the supplement for technical accuracy just prior to printing. Editorial control has remained with the British Journal of Primary Care Nursing at all times.
Omega-3 fatty acids: optimising their use in cardiovascular disease and diabetes
*The British Journal of Primary Care Nursing approached Abbott Healthcare Products Limited to fund the production of this supplement. The company was not involved in its development, although it was asked to review it for technical accuracy just prior to printing. Editorial control has remained with the British Journal of Primary Care Nursing at all times.
How to provide excellent care for patients with diabetes
How can primary healthcare professionals take diabetes care beyond the General Medical Services (GMS) contract towards creating a primary care centre of excellence, while earning maximum QOF points in the process? Many patients are currently not achieving good glycaemic control despite incentives to encourage healthcare practitioners to help their diabetes patients reach HbA1c targets. Several new policies and schemes have recently been implemented to provide incentives for reaching treatment goals, and this article discusses how these can be beneficial to both general practices and diabetes patients.
Caring for patients with diabetes who have intercurrent illness
Modern treatments available to people with diabetes enable the 1.3 million living with the condition in England alone to minimise and control its impact on their daily lives like never before. But what happens when a person with diabetes develops intercurrent illness, such as a cold or flu? We review the steps to take to ensure that these patients maintain good glycaemic control throughout the ups and downs of other health challenges.
Making the most of angina management programmes in patients with refractory angina
Refractory angina affects approximately 5-10% of patients with angina. Sufferers are significantly disabled by their symptoms, which are made worse by fears about what is happening to them. They are frequent attenders in GP surgeries, hospital outpatient departments and emergency admissions units. Patients who take part in an Angina Management Programme (AMP) that provides education, stress management and relaxation feel better, live longer and are able to avoid unnecessary invasive tests and palliative revascularisation procedures. AMPs can be effectively commissioned and delivered in primary care.
What is it like to have supraventricular tachycardia?
Supraventricular tachycardia (SVT) often begins in childhood or early adulthood. In this review, a patient describes her experience of coping with episodes of SVT and the experience of undergoing cardiac ablation and subsequently having a pacemaker fitted.
Continuous glucose monitoring: friend or foe?
Glucose monitoring has revolutionised the management of diabetes by providing the means for patients to check their blood glucose level in real time. This review provides an update on continuous glucose monitoring, looks at the devices available and analyses what the strategy adds to diabetes management.
Making the numbers add up: diagnosing the one in four UK adults with hypertension
Hypertension – high blood pressure – is one of the key ingredients in the recipe for cardiovascular disease (CVD). Since April 2009 all patients diagnosed with hypertension should have a cardiovascular risk assessment carried out in order to meet the requirements of the Quality and Outcomes Framework (QOF). This reflects the importance of hypertension as a risk factor for CVD. In this article, we will review the correct method for measuring blood pressure and the key guidelines setting out how and when a diagnosis of hypertension should be made.
Water, water everywhere: maintaining a healthy fluid balance
As health professionals, we can spend considerable time encouraging patients to think about what they eat and how their diet affects their health. But we tend to focus less on what they drink, which is perhaps surprising because fluid intake also plays a vital role in maintaining good health.
Helping people to quit smoking
Helping people who smoke to quit is one of the most important steps we can take in reducing their risk of cardiovascular disease, in addition to reducing the other harms caused by smoking.
