Cardiovascular

Retinal artery occlusion as a cause of sudden visual loss: a management strategy

Retinal artery occlusion (RAO) is a frequent cause of sudden, painless, monocular visual loss.Many patients with symptomatic RAO also have systemic vascular diseases that may increasethe risk of future ipsilateral hemispheric cerebral vascular events. For healthcare professionalswho assess patients with RAO, knowledge of the possible ocular and systemic causes may notonly improve the patient’s visual prognosis, but may also reduce its associated mortality andmorbidity by encouraging prompt and appropriate referrals.

Cardiovascular risk management: 8 Pharmacotherapy – improving the lipid profile

Epidemiological and clinical research has determined that lipids contribute substantially to cardiovascular disease (CVD) and that modifying the lipid profile has a significant impact on coronary events. These findings are reflected in continuously updated CVD management guidelines, which focus on low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) as the primary therapeutic target. The guidelines have further defined LDL-C levels to which patients should be treated. An individual’s eligibility for treatment, and their LDL-C treatment goal and intensity of therapy is determined by their absolute CVD risk. Lipid abnormalities can be partly modified by lifestyle changes, which are integral to reducing risk for all patients. However, as lipid goals are progressively lowered, many patients will not be able to achieve them using lifestyle changes alone and these patients usually require treatment with lipid-modifying drugs. This article aims to provide practitioners with a concise guide to managing lipids with pharmacotherapy, based on recommendations from six of the most up-to-date clinical practice guidelines for prevention of cardiovascular disease.

Pharmacy-based health checks – acceptable and feasible

Pharmacists in the ethnically diverse city of Leicester piloted Healthy Life Checks in inner-city pharmacies, forpeople aged 40-74. Pharmacists conducted checks including blood pressure, weight and glucose measurementand gave lifestyle advice. We present here the findings from semi-structured telephone interviews conductedwith pharmacists and service users.

Cardiovascular risk management: 7 Lifestyle changes to reduce cardiovascular risk

Epidemiological research has clearly established that many risk factors contribute to cardiovascular disease(CVD). Some of them are modifiable, and treatment decisions are based on the level of risk determined by risk assessment. Positive lifestyle changes are crucial to the prevention and management of CVD, and can result in substantial risk reduction. These changes can include smoking cessation interventions, acardioprotective dietary pattern and increased physical activity. However, lifestyle changes are challenging forboth the healthcare professional and the patient, and behavioural counselling and regular follow-ups are often required to overcome barriers, encourage adherence and assist in the achievement of long-term lifestyle goals.This article aims to provide practitioners with a concise guide to the role and impact of lifestyle changesbased on recommendations from six of the most up-to-date clinical practice guidelines for prevention ofcardiovascular disease.

National GPwSI in cardiology survey 2010

The first general practitioners with a special interest (GPwSI) in cardiology services were set up more than 10 years ago but there is little information available on the national level about service provision. The authors invited all GPwSIs in cardiology to complete a survey detailing their qualifications and experience, range of services provided, capacity and clinical governance. The results are presented here.

A primary care service for cardiovascular risk reduction in first-degree relatives of patients with premature coronary heart disease

Cardiovascular disease continues to be the leading cause of premature morbidity and mortality in the UK.1 Primary prevention not only is cost-effective but is endorsed as a priority by healthcare systems in the UK, and indeed globally. We describe here a targeted prevention service, which showed that the modifiable risk factors of obesity and overweight, smoking and low levels of high-density lipoprotein cholesterol were highly prevalent in first-degree relatives of patients with premature coronary heart disease.

Left atrial myxoma presenting as worsening dyspnoea with a distinct positional relief of symptoms

Worsening dyspnoea is a very common presenting complaint in the community; the causes varyhugely. We present a case of a patient with worsening dyspnoea and a positional change in hissymptoms who was found to have a left atrial myxoma.

Validating heart failure registers in primary care: a way to higher QOF payments and better outcomes

We hypothesised that practice heart failure registers may not be complete or robust due to patients not always being allocated the correct READ codes. We set up a project which improved practice heart failure registers. Ensuring practices have robust registers, by improving clinical coding in general practice, means more accurate prevalence levels can inform planning and commissioning of heart failure services.

Improving the diagnosis and management of aortic stenosis

Aortic stenosis (AS) is the commonest cardiac valve disease in developed countries, with aortic sclerosis affecting 26% of people aged 65 and over and severe AS occurring in 3% of people over 75 years. It will become more prevalent with the ageing population. Symptoms include dyspnoea and chest pain, but these are often missed so many patients are currently undiagnosed. Once symptoms occur, prognosis is poor, with average survival being only two to three years.Aortic valve replacement is the only effective treatment for severe, symptomatic AS and is recommended in both European and US guidelines, but many older patients with co-morbidities are currently considered unsuitable or too high-risk for open-heart surgery. The development of transcatheter aortic valve implantation (TAVI) offers an effective treatment option for these patients. Latest figures show the number of patients undergoing TAVI in the UK is below that recommended by the National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence (NICE) and the rate in other European countries, indicating scope for increased referrals and use of this procedure to improve outcomes.

Reducing hospital admissions for patients with heart failure: the impact of a Local Enhanced Service

Managing heart failure requires a holistic approach: as well as optimal medical treatment, patients and their families need to have a sufficient understanding of the condition. There also needs to be a service to deliver this care. Heart failure affects about 0.5% of the population, depending on the age of the population, so each general practice has a manageable number of patients. However, the expertise and confidence needed to deliver optimal care to heart failure patients and their families are not widely held in primary care. There is largely a reliance on secondary care to provide community services, led by consultants and delivered by specialist nurses. Within this system patients are usually well served, but sometimes patients fall between the community service and general practice. In Central Manchester there is no community heart failure service. About one in five patients with heart failure were being admitted each year, indicating that heart failure management in the community needed to improve.

Broken heart syndrome (Takotsubo cardiomyopathy)

Heart rate control in people with heart failure: education may improve outcomes

There is emerging evidence that heart rate control is an important element in the management of people with heart failure. The major beta-blocker trials have shown improved mortality and reduced hospitalisation when patients with impaired left ventricular (LV) function are managed with optimal doses. In a meta-analysis of these trials, McAlister et al. have shown a correlation between heart rate control and improved outcomes.1 Beta-blockers may have other actions apart from heart rate control; for instance, they may be anti-arrhythmic or have some other mechanisms for their action. Ivabradine, whose only function is heart rate control, has also shown a reduction in hospitalisation for heart failure.2 Heart rate is additionally an indicator of optimal beta-blockade3, and so may be a proxy for optimal medical treatment.

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