Cardiovascular Disease Prevention: Improving outcomes in primary care
Publication date: Thursday, 22 February 2018
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 action and by targeting individuals at high CVD risk.
This issue sets out how to take practical action in primary care to tackle unwarranted variation in the diagnosis and treatment of high-risk CVD conditions, including atrial fibrillation, hypertension, hyperlipidaemia and chronic kidney disease.
Articles:
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…
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…
Stories in this Evidence in Practice include: Health survey for England, 2016: The good and the bad news Healthy lifestyle changes have a long-term benefit for type 2 diabetes prevention Weight loss diets reduce the risk of premature death for…
Approaches to the prevention of cardiovascular disease should be tailored to each individual. But almost everyone will benefit from lifestyle interventions that have been shown to reduce cardiovascular risk.
In the first 15 months of its operation, Bradford’s Healthy Hearts campaign has significantly improved the cardiovascular health of local people, and saved an estimated £1.2 m for the clinical commissioning group.
The prevalence of atrial fibrillation (AF), together with the condition’s associated stroke and systemic thromboembolic risk, is increasing significantly. Fortunately, there are clear, evidence-based clinical guidelines and risk stratification tools, to ensure that patients can make informed choices about optimising…
Atrial fibrillation (AF) is the commonest sustained cardiac dysrhythmia, and an important risk factor for stroke and systemic thromboembolic events. This wall chart outlines AF risk factors, and compares AF with normal heart rhythm.
Atrial fibrillation (AF) is the commonest sustained cardiac dysrhythmia, but is asymptomatic in about one quarter of patients. Case finding with subsequent assessment of the risk of stroke and bleeding are essential to ensure that the right patients receive appropriate…
The first Health Survey England (HSE) in 1994 revealed a ‘rule of halves’ since only half of people with hypertension were diagnosed, of which half were treated and of those, only half were controlled. Have matters improved over the more…
This useful wallchart gives at-a-glance advice on diagnosis and treatment of high blood pressure in adults, based on the most recent hypertension guidelines from NICE.
Hypertension is the most important single risk factor for cardiovascular disease (CVD). It affects over 25% of adults in England, but more than 5.5 million people remain undiagnosed. Although the number of adults with untreated hypertension has fallen, England’s performance…
This article seeks to demonstrate the close relationship between cardiovascular disease and chronic kidney disease (CKD). It also highlights the importance of identifying people with CKD as a means of recognising people at high risk of both cardiovascular events and…
About one fifth of people admitted to hospital each year as emergencies have acute kidney injury (AKI), and about two thirds of AKI starts in the community. These two useful wallcharts provide essential advice for GPs and practice nurses on…
Raised blood cholesterol is a major risk factor in developing coronary heart disease and other cardiovascular diseases. Effective and well-tolerated lipid-lowering treatment improves outcomes for patients with elevated cholesterol, especially those with familial hypercholesterolaemia.
This useful wall chart shows how just 5-10% weight loss improves important markers of cardiovascular health, including lipids, blood pressure, diabetes risk and inflammation.
NHS RightCare is a national NHS England-supported programme helping to ensure that the best possible care is delivered as efficiently as possible, and that this care is right for patients and will help ensure a sustainable NHS, now and for…
