Back to Basics
This month’s Back to Basics feature is a patient information card that is included in the 2018 European Heart Rhythm Association Practical Guide on the use of non-vitamin K antagonist oral anticoagulants in patients with atrial fibrillation. The card can be folded into pocket size and is crucial both for the patient and for healthcare providers. The EHRA states that this generic and universal card can serve all patients under NOAC therapy.
This month’s Back to Basics feature is a useful wallchart showing estimates of alcohol content and calorie counts of typical alcoholic drinks. Many people forget the considerable calorific content of drinks and are unaware of how much pure alcohol they are consuming. Having these facts to hand are useful for the patients we see in practice and for our own healthy living!
Many newer drug classes are available to healthcare professionals for the management of type 2 diabetes. This month’s Back to Basics feature is a useful wallchart showing the targets for oral type 2 diabetes medications in the liver, gut, pancreas, kidney and muscle/adipose tissue.
This NHS Health Check overview shows the target age groups and risk factors assessed during the process. All these details should be recorded on the primary care record. The overview highlights the risk assessment, lifestyle management, clinical assessment and risk management processes involved in the NHS Health Check.
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.
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 how to recognise and respond to AKI in adults.
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.
