The aim of the National Primary Care Development Team (NPDT) is to develop healthcare professionals who have the knowledge and skills to apply quality improvement methods to local priorities. CHD is one such priority and has been within the focus of our work for almost four years. Working in partnership with other agencies who share our priorities is essential. Janet Potts, who leads on the work of the NPDT in West Yorkshire, joined forces with Adele Graham from the CHD Collaborative in West Yorkshire, to give the strongest possible support to local primary healthcare professionals. The CHD register ‘recipe’ was devised by this partnership.
How to: create and maintain a Coronary Heart Disease
Atrial Fibrillation
Atrial fibrillation (AF) is one of those terms that we are hearing more and more in general practice. It is an important risk factor for stroke – particularly in older people – making it a good candidate for primary care teams to target in efforts to prevent cardiovascular disease.
Stop the clot: achieving effective anticoagulation in patients with heart disease
Thromboembolism is a common complication of heart disease – particularly in patients with atrial fibrillation (AF). Decisions to prescribe an anticoagulant are based on assessment of an individual patient’s risk of clotting and the side-effects of treatment. With growing numbers of patients with heart disease, the number of patients on anticoagulants is increasing and there is a shift to primary care-based anticoagulation clinics. Practice nurses have a central role in educating patients about anticoagulation therapy and in monitoring their ongoing care.
Disease Focus on… Angina
Angina is a common problem in primary care, affecting around one in every six patients aged 65 years and over. It ispredominantly chest pain due to transient myocardial ischaemia caused by coronary artery disease. Episodes of angina are typically caused by exertion or emotion, and are relieved by rest. Treatment with drugs and/or surgery that improves blood flow to the heart and lifestyle changes can significantly improve patients’ quality of life and survival.