Back to Basics

This month’s Back to Basics feature is a useful optimal value pathway on cardiovascular disease prevention from NHS RightCare. The pathway shows a number of elements of an optimal CVD prevention pathway including the evidence base, clinical interventions, information on the risk conditions and potential opportunities for improvement.

This month’s Back to Basics focuses on the different drugs used in the management of hypertension. The wallchart provides a useful summary of the different antihypertensive drug classes and how they act to regulate blood pressure.

This month’s Back to Basics summarizes the main features of the key direct oral anticoagulants (DOACs or NOACS).   These drugs are becoming a standard therapy in many settings including stroke prevention, management of deep vein thrombosis and pulmonary embolism, and prevention of venous thromboembolism following hip and knee replacement.

This month’s Back to Basics highlights details of the upcoming flu vaccination campaign.

Last season’s higher level of activity was a reminder that flu can have a significant impact.

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. 

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.