InnovAiT - current issue

News & Views

Etherington, C., van Hecke, O. — Tue, 17 Nov 2009 06:53:10 PST

Hypercalcaemia

Waters, M. — Tue, 17 Nov 2009 06:53:10 PST

Hypercalcaemia has an incidence of approximately 1 in 500 in the community. It is most commonly caused by malignancy or hyperparathyroidism (90% of cases). Severe hypercalcaemia can be a medical emergency requiring hospital admission. This article covers the management of the common causes, gives a brief overview of the rare causes and provides a strategy with which to investigate hypercalcaemia of unknown aetiology.

Treatment of type 2 diabetes

Gadsby, R. — Tue, 17 Nov 2009 06:53:10 PST

The prevalence of type 2 diabetes is rising rapidly in the UK, and most practices will now have around 4% of their registered population living with diabetes. The care of people with diabetes has in the last 20 years moved from being a largely hospital-based activity to one largely carried out in primary care (Gadsby, 2009). The Quality and Outcomes Framework of the new GP contract introduced in 2004 has provided encouragement and incentive for primary care to take on this work. All GPs and doctors training to become GPs therefore need to have an understanding of up to date diabetes management.

Insulin treatment in diabetes

Gadsby, R. — Tue, 17 Nov 2009 06:53:10 PST

Insulin therapy for people with type 1 diabetes is life saving and without insulin the condition is terminal. Insulin treatment is also needed in a significant number of people with type 2 diabetes to optimize glycaemic control. As more people with diabetes are now being managed exclusively in primary care, GPs and those training to become GPs need to have an understanding of insulin and its use in type 1 and type 2 diabetes.

AKT question relating to driving advice in diabetes

Nandakumar, M. — Tue, 17 Nov 2009 06:53:10 PST

From the Trainer

Richardson, J. — Tue, 17 Nov 2009 06:53:10 PST

Management of hypertension

Bond, R. — Tue, 17 Nov 2009 06:53:10 PST

High blood pressure (BP) is associated with an increased risk of stroke, coronary heart disease (CHD), heart failure and also an accelerated decline in both cognitive and renal function. As BP increases, so does the likelihood of these complications. In the UK, hypertension still remains undiagnosed and under treated with less than half of treated hypertensives having optimally controlled BP. A reduction of BP by an average of 12 mmHg systolic and 6 mmHg diastolic can be expected to reduce stroke by 40% and CHD by 20% (relative risk reduction).

Hypercholesterolaemia

Choudhary, F., Al-Hadithy, H., Simon, C. — Tue, 17 Nov 2009 06:53:10 PST

Cholesterol is a fatty substance manufactured by the body (mainly the liver) which plays a vital role in functioning of cell membranes. Hypercholesterolaemia is the presence of raised or abnormal levels of cholesterol in the blood. Cholesterol levels are found in a continuum within a population. Higher total cholesterol levels lead to increased risk of cardiovascular disease (CVD). Lowering cholesterol is effective for both primary and secondary prevention of all forms of CVD.

AKT question relating to blood pressure targets

Nandakumar, M. — Tue, 17 Nov 2009 06:53:10 PST

Endocarditis

Bhat, N. — Tue, 17 Nov 2009 06:53:10 PST

Endocarditis is the inflammation of the endocardium (the inner lining) of the myocardium and the heart valves. Endocarditis is a rare condition and is most commonly infective, resulting in significant mortality and morbidity from both intracardiac and systemic effects. Endocarditis occasionally presents as an acute and fulminating disease, but more often, it presents insidiously. The term ‘infective endocarditis’ (IE) is now preferred to the previously used ‘bacterial endocarditis’ as not all the infecting organisms are bacterial.

Getting a better grip on research: A simple system that works

Maskrey, N., Underhill, J., Hutchinson, A., Shaughnessy, A., Slawson, D. — Tue, 17 Nov 2009 06:53:11 PST

A complex system that works is invariably found to have evolved from a simple system that works.

John Gaule.

Church of England clergyman and author

(1603/4-1687)

This is the third paper in a series of five describing the use of evidence to support decisions made in clinical practice.

A case of faulty machinery?

Simon, C. — Tue, 17 Nov 2009 06:53:11 PST

Mr B is a 56-year-old Caucasian businessman who is usually very fit and well. He has long-standing hypertension and takes atenolol 50 mg daily, ramipril 10 mg daily and simvastatin 40 mg nocte. He has no other past medical history of note.

Write to learn: reflective practice writing

Bolton, G. — Tue, 17 Nov 2009 06:53:11 PST

Reflection is an attitude which makes the difference between 20 years of experience or only 1 year of experience repeated 20 times. Reflection is a state of mind, an ongoing constituent of practice, not a technique or curriculum element. It is a way of learning from one's own experience to inform practice, widen perspectives and challenge assumptions, taken-for-granteds and damaging social and cultural biases and a way of learning from the experience of others.

Crammer's Corner

Rughani, A. — Tue, 17 Nov 2009 06:53:11 PST

AKT answer relating to driving advice in diabetes

Tue, 17 Nov 2009 06:53:11 PST

AKT answer relating to blood pressure targets

Tue, 17 Nov 2009 06:53:11 PST