To examine the role of community‐based nursing interventions in improving outcomes for community‐dwelling individuals exhibiting risk factors of cardiovascular disease (CVD).. To read the full article, log in using your MPFT NHS OpenAthens details.
To assess randomized controlled trials evaluating the impact of nurse practitioner‐led cardiovascular care.. To read the full article, log in using your MPFT NHS OpenAthens details.
To evaluate the effects of once‐daily valbenazine (40 or 80 mg/day) in older and younger adults with tardive dyskinesia (TD).. To read the full article, log in using your MPFT NHS OpenAthens details.
Prescribers should be alert for neuropsychiatric reactions in patients taking montelukast and carefully consider the benefits and risks of continuing treatment if they occur.
This guidance is for commissioners, public health directors and others involved in the local planning and provision of services and interventions that support people with cardiovascular disease (CVD) conditions.
Public Health England (PHE) collates and analyses available CVD data and produces intelligence resources to help with improving services and outcomes. This guidance supports health professionals with using these resources to make or influence decisions about local services.
Pharmacists are set to offer rapid detection and help for killer conditions like heart disease as part of a major revamp of high street pharmacy services.
The high street heart checks are part of an ambitious target the NHS in England has set itself as part of its Long Term Plan to prevent tens of thousands of strokes and heart attacks over the next ten years.
High dose statins could be made available directly from high street pharmacies as part of the NHS Long Term Plan to cut heart disease and stroke, NHS chief executive Simon Stevens has announced.
To study asthma control and acute health care visits among young adults with asthma.. To read the full article, log in using your NHS Athens details. To access full-text: click “Log in/Register” (top right hand side). Click ‘Institutional Login’ then select 'OpenAthens Federation', then ‘NHS England’. Enter your Athens details to view the article.
To quantify the impact of involving caregivers in self‐management interventions on health‐related quality of life of patients with heart failure or chronic obstructive pulmonary disease.. To read the full article, log in using your NHS Athens details. To access full-text: click “Log in/Register” (top right hand side). Click ‘Institutional Login’ then select 'OpenAthens Federation', then ‘NHS England’. Enter your Athens details to view the article.
To synthesize the effect of music intervention on patients with cancer‐related pain in randomized controlled trials.. To read the full article, log in using your NHS Athens details. To access full-text: click “Log in/Register” (top right hand side). Click ‘Institutional Login’ then select 'OpenAthens Federation', then ‘NHS England’. Enter your Athens details to view the article.
Free access. The objective of this study is to examine the effects of recent regular participation leisure activities upon cognitive functions between 3 and 6 months after stroke or transient ischemic attack (TIA). We also explored whether the cognitive effects interacted with the severity of white matter hyperintensities (WMH), a marker of cerebral white matter disease, in patients with low or high education.
Cognitive impairment is common in patients with chronic kidney disease (CKD), possibly leading to poor outcomes. However, the correlation between brain structural abnormalities and cognitive impairment remains unclear. The aim of this study was to investigate the impairment of specific cognitive domains and their association with brain structural abnormalities.. To read the full article, log in using your NHS Athens details. To access full-text: click “Log in/Register” (top right hand side). Click ‘Institutional Login’ then select 'OpenAthens Federation', then ‘NHS England’. Enter your Athens details to view the article.
Worldwide treatment recommendations for lowering blood pressure continue to be guided predominantly by blood pressure thresholds, despite strong evidence that the benefits of blood pressure reduction are observed in patients across the blood pressure spectrum. In this study, we aimed to investigate the implications of alternative strategies for offering blood pressure treatment, using the UK as an illustrative example.. Please contact the library to request a copy of this article - http://bit.ly/2HjNDf3
Open access. Low back pain (LBP) is common, affecting 58–84% of adults at some point. In benign cases, misinformation can lead to harmful coping strategies and prolonged recovery time. Deyo has identified seven ‘Myths of Back Pain’ as misconceptions commonly seen in clinical practice of which doctors-in-training should be aware. We sought to determine medical students’ baseline knowledge of the prognosis and management of LBP compared to the general public and to dispel the ‘Myths of Back Pain’.
The goal of this study was to describe the pattern of statin adherence in older patients, aged 80 years or older; identify factors associated with high adherence; and determine the association between statin adherence and all‐cause mortality.. To read the full article, log in using your NHS Athens details. To access full-text: click “Log in/Register” (top right hand side). Click ‘Institutional Login’ then select 'OpenAthens Federation', then ‘NHS England’. Enter your Athens details to view the article.
Nearly half of the population living with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) in the United States is now older than 50 years with at least 6% over age 65. Between 35% and 50% live with mild to moderate cognitive impairment. Older persons living with HIV (PLWH) also have a substantial burden of HIV‐associated non‐acquired immunodeficiency syndrome medical conditions and are at risk for frailty, geriatric syndromes, and early mortality compared with HIV‐uninfected peers. We sought to define the magnitude of geriatric conditions and multimorbidity in PLWH older than 60 years who are living with symptomatic cognitive impairment. In a subset of participants, we examined associations between these geriatric conditions.. To read the full article, log in using your NHS Athens details. To access full-text: click “Log in/Register” (top right hand side). Click ‘Institutional Login’ then select 'OpenAthens Federation', then ‘NHS England’. Enter your Athens details to view the article.
This study aims to investigate the impact of respiratory symptoms in current and former smokers with and without obstructive lung disease (OLD) on all‐cause mortality.. To read the full article, log in using your NHS Athens details. To access full-text: click “Log in/Register” (top right hand side). Click ‘Institutional Login’ then select 'OpenAthens Federation', then ‘NHS England’. Enter your Athens details to view the article.
To synthesize qualitative studies on the experience of hope in families of children and adolescents living with chronic illness.. To read the full article, log in using your NHS Athens details. To access full-text: click “Log in/Register” (top right hand side). Click ‘Institutional Login’ then select 'OpenAthens Federation', then ‘NHS England’. Enter your Athens details to view the article.
Open access journal. There is limited research on the economic burden of low back-related leg pain, including sciatica. The aim of this study was to describe healthcare resource utilisation and factors associated with cost and health outcomes in primary care patients consulting with symptoms of low back-related leg pain including sciatica. The study took place in the West Midlands.
In chronic kidney disease (CKD), hypertension is associated with poor outcomes at ages <70 years. At older ages, this association is unclear. We tested 10-year mortality and cardiovascular outcomes by clinical systolic blood pressure (SBP) in older CKD Stages 3 and 4 patients without diabetes or proteinuria.. Please contact the library to request a copy of this article - http://bit.ly/2HjNDf3
Headlines suggesting that a supplement can "slash" your risk of heart disease or stroke are attractive, but the study does not back up the headlines.
This type of study cannot prove that one factor (glucosamine) is the cause of the results they found.
While the researchers tried to take account of other possible causes of the results, they could not account for everything.
Clearly it's good news that more people are surviving stroke and fewer people are dying from it. But the finding that younger people are having more strokes is a concern.
We cannot tell from the study what's behind the improved survival rates for stroke.
But the NHS introduced many changes to stroke care during this period, including specialist stroke units in all hospitals taking stroke patients, better access to brain scans and improved use of medication for acute strokes.
Aspirin is one of the most frequently used drugs worldwide and is generally considered effective for the secondary prevention of cardiovascular disease. By contrast, the role of aspirin in primary prevention of cardiovascular disease is controversial. Early trials evaluating aspirin for primary prevention, done before the turn of the millennium, suggested reductions in myocardial infarction and stroke (although not mortality), and an increased risk of bleeding. In an effort to balance the risks and benefits of aspirin, international guidelines on primary prevention of cardiovascular disease have typically recommended aspirin only when a substantial 10-year risk of cardiovascular events exists. However, in 2018, three large randomised clinical trials of aspirin for the primary prevention of cardiovascular disease showed little or no benefit and have even suggested net harm. In this narrative Review, we reappraise the role of aspirin in primary prevention of cardiovascular disease, contextualising data from historical and contemporary trials.. Please contact the library to request a copy of this article - http://bit.ly/2HjNDf3
The research, published in the European Journal of Preventive Cardiology, showed that CR can benefit somebody who has had a significant heart event regardless of socioeconomic inequalities such as profession, income and the neighbourhood in which they live.
However, the research showed that despite its cost effectiveness, CR uptake is consistently poor, with figures ranging from 10% to 60% globally.
Current guidelines from the American Heart Association/American Stroke Association advocate against the administration of intravenous thrombolysis (IVT) in patients with acute ischaemic stroke (AIS) with a prior ischaemic stroke (IS) within 3 months (Class III: Level of Evidence B).1 This concern is based on a presumed increased risk of symptomatic intracranial haemorrhage (sICH) and mortality2 and therefore led to the respective guideline recommendation. Thus, patients with a history of prior IS have been excluded in the majority of the pivotal randomised controlled clinical trials that have established IVT as a treatment for . To read the full article, log in using your NHS OpenAthens details.
Given the profound impact of language impairment after stroke (aphasia), neuroplasticity research is garnering considerable attention as means for eventually improving aphasia treatments and how they are delivered. Functional and structural neuroimaging studies indicate that aphasia treatments can recruit both residual and new neural mechanisms to improve language function and that neuroimaging modalities may hold promise in predicting treatment outcome. In relatively small clinical trials, both non-invasive brain stimulation and behavioural manipulations targeting activation or suppression of specific cortices can improve aphasia treatment outcomes. Recent language interventions that employ principles consistent with inducing neuroplasticity also are showing improved performance for both trained and novel items and contexts. While knowledge is rapidly accumulating, larger trials emphasising how to select optimal paradigms for individualised aphasia treatment are needed. Finally, a model of how to incorporate the growing knowledge into clinical practice could help to focus future research.. To read the full article, log in using your NHS OpenAthens details.
Open access. The prevalence of asthma and obesity have increased over the last decades. A possible association between these two chronic illnesses has been suggested, since the prevalence of asthmatic symptoms rises with increasing Body Mass Index (BMI). However, asthma is only one of several possible causes of shortness of breath in obese children. The aim of this study is to evaluate the prevalence of overtreatment with asthma medication in a cohort overweight/obese children with respiratory symptoms visiting a pediatric outpatient clinic.
Despite the headlines, we do not know if this medicine would be useful, and most importantly safe, for people with heart failure.
Studies in animals help scientists understand how medicines work. But they do not tell us if the results will translate to humans.
The sheep had a pacemaker implanted, which made their heart beat artificially fast.
This is not automatically the same thing as a human heart that's lost the ability to pump blood because of high blood pressure or a past heart attack.
Open access. Nearly 1% of the population is currently treated with long-term corticosteroid therapy. When corticosteroids are introduced, information concerning potential adverse effects and recommendations for lifestyle changes aimed at preventing such effects is provided to patients. However, studies have shown patients often do not fully comprehend the information provided and have difficulty implementing the recommended dietary and physical activity advice. In this study, we aim to highlight the difficulties encountered by patients in comprehending and implementing recommendations in the context of long-term corticosteroid use. Such information can be used to better optimize care, particularly concerning adherence to the treatment, the diet, and thus improve the quality of life of patients.
Patients will be identified by specialist nurses and clinical pharmacists across the country who are trained to treat a heart condition – called atrial fibrillation – which increases the chance of having a stroke.
Specialist clinicians will identify patients in each surgery who have been diagnosed with atrial fibrillation but are not receiving treatment. Anyone identified as being at risk will be offered a personalised treatment plan developed with their GP.
The new scheme will treat more than 18,000 people, preventing around 700 strokes, saving an estimated 200 lives and stopping long-term health problems among thousands more, including disability.
To evaluate the effectiveness of educational interventions in improving medication adherence among adult patients diagnosed with hypertension, hyperlipidaemia, and/or diabetes.. To read the full article, log in using your NHS Athens details. To access full-text: click “Log in/Register” (top right hand side). Click ‘Institutional Login’ then select 'OpenAthens Federation', then ‘NHS England’. Enter your Athens details to view the article.
To explore the role of coping moderators in self‐management of breathlessness crises by people with advanced respiratory disease.. To read the full article, log in using your NHS Athens details. To access full-text: click “Log in/Register” (top right hand side). Click ‘Institutional Login’ then select 'OpenAthens Federation', then ‘NHS England’. Enter your Athens details to view the article.
The study highlights the need for doctors to review the cholesterol response in people who take statins. Notably, those who did not respond were on lower doses, but the study cannot tell us that specific statins or particular doses "do not work" because we do not know enough about why doctors prescribed as they did.
Importantly, the results of this study do not apply to people who have been prescribed statins after a previous heart attack or stroke: they will nearly always be prescribed higher dose statins.
This research sought to explore the pain management beliefs of members of the South Asian community living in the UK. In particular, their understanding of the key components of cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT) informed pain management programmes (PMPs) was explored. You can request a copy of this article by replying to this email. Please be clear which article you are requesting.
The Emergency Nurse Practitioner and Clinical Nurse Lead for Digital Health at Tameside and Glossop Integrated Care NHS Foundation Trust (TGICFT) led the implementation of a digital service that has significantly reduced avoidable admissions to the emergency department (ED), improved experiences for nursing and residential home service users and staff, as well as improved use of resources locally.
Conclusions: Adopters of digital health activity trackers tend to be more adherent to hypertension, diabetes, and dyslipidemia medications, and adherence increases with tracking frequency. This suggests that there may be value in examining new ways to further promote medication adherence through programs that incentivize health tracking and leveraging insights derived from connected devices to improve health outcomes.
E-learning tools are now available for cardiovascular disease prevention, adult obesity, antimicrobial resistance, physical activity, social prescribing, giving children the best start in life and supporting those at risk of, or experiencing, homelessness.
A new rehabilitation programme which significantly improves the quality of life of patients with heart failure from the comfort of their own homes will be rolled out at four NHS centres across the UK.
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This study raises the prospect of a possible new treatment to reduce LDL cholesterol for people who have not responded well to statins alone. Bempedoic acid has been shown to lower LDL cholesterol and appears safe over the course of 1 year.
To describe the type and the amount of formal and informal care received during the first year after home discharge and to identify the baseline predictors of the formal and informal care needs of stroke survivors.. To read the full article, log in using your NHS Athens details. To access full-text: click “Log in/Register” (top right hand side). Click ‘Institutional Login’ then select 'OpenAthens Federation', then ‘NHS England’. Enter your Athens details to view the article.
Young people in the UK are more likely to die from asthma or experience poor quality of life from long-term conditions than their counterparts in other high-income countries. To read the full article, log in using your MPFT NHS OpenAthens details.
Factors that influence the health of our blood vessels, such as smoking, high blood pressure, obesity and diabetes are linked to less healthy brains, according to new research part-funded by the MRC.
MRC-funded researchers led by the Universities of Leicester and Nottingham have discovered genetic differences that put some people at higher risk than others of developing chronic lung disease.
Assessing influence of anti-adalimumab (ADA) antibodies (AAA) on serum trough ADA levels and uveitis activity in long-term ADA treatment of juvenile idiopathic arthritis (JIA)-associated uveitis.. To read the full article, log in using your NHS OpenAthens details.
To undertake a theoretical systematic review to develop a conceptual model of illness‐related emotional distress in the context of symptom management in chronic respiratory disease.. To read the full article, log in using your NHS Athens details. To access full-text: click “Log in/Register” (top right hand side). Click ‘Institutional Login’ then select 'OpenAthens Federation', then ‘NHS England’. Enter your Athens details to view the article.
The NHS Long Term Plan includes a major ambition to prevent 150,000 strokes, heart attacks and vascular dementia cases over the next 10 years.
Improving the detection and treatment of the high-risk conditions atrial fibrillation, high blood pressure and high cholesterol has the potential to unlock considerable health gains.
People with long-term illness are just as likely to benefit from knee or hip surgery as those without. However, they are more likely to have complications following surgery and to be readmitted within three months.
Open access. Statin therapy has been shown to reduce major vascular events and vascular mortality in a wide range of individuals, but there is uncertainty about its efficacy and safety among older people. We undertook a meta-analysis of data from all large statin trials to compare the effects of statin therapy at different ages.
Statin therapy reduces major vascular events, such as heart attacks and strokes, in a wide range of people, including those over the age of 75, according to new research from MRC scientists.
For the new study, MRC scientists worked with Australian researchers to assess the effects of statins in nearly 187,000 people who had taken part in 28 large clinical trials. Participants were divided into six age groups from 55 to over 75 years old to assess the effects of statins on major vascular events, deaths and cancer incidence.
A statistically significant reduction in cardiovascular disease (CVD) and all-cause mortality was observed in participants aged 75-84 years with type 2 diabetes, but not in people without diabetes or older than this. NICE guidance and patient decision aids support shared decision-making between people and their health professional about whether to start taking a statin.
This guideline covers diagnosing and managing chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) in people aged 16 and older, which includes emphysema and chronic bronchitis. It aims to help people with COPD to receive a diagnosis earlier so that they can benefit from treatments to reduce symptoms, improve quality of life and keep them healthy for longer.
This guideline sets out an antimicrobial prescribing strategy for acute exacerbations of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). It aims to optimise antibiotic use and reduce antibiotic resistance.
To estimate the prevalence of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) and related risk factors in persons in opioid agonist treatment (OAT), to compare airflow limitation severity and age‐specific COPD prevalence rates with those in the general population, and to assess the OAT patients' willingness to adopt lifestyle changes and to use therapeutic offers for COPD management.. To read the full article, log in using your NHS Athens details. To access full-text: click “Log in/Register” (top right hand side). Click ‘Institutional Login’ then select 'OpenAthens Federation', then ‘NHS England’. Enter your Athens details to view the article.
This study adds evidence to confirm what doctors in the UK already knew – that aspirin increases the risk of bleeding and reduces the risk of heart attacks and strokes. The study adds useful information to make clear that people without cardiovascular disease benefit from only a small reduction in risk of heart attack or stroke, while increasing their risk of bleeding.
Because heart attacks are more common than major bleeding, the change to the absolute risk of either event with aspirin is about the same.
Health Psychology Vol. 38, Iss. 2, (Feb 2019): 151-161. DOI:10.1037/hea0000704
Objective: Guidelines recommend psychological intervention for children, adolescents, and adults with childhood-onset heart disease and their families, yet a comprehensive review of interventions is lacking. We aimed to determine the efficacy of psychological interventions for this population.. To read the full article, log in using your NHS OpenAthens details.
To examine the association between birth weight for gestational age and asthma in childhood and adolescence while controlling for potential confounders and considering smoking as an effect modifier.. To read the full article, log in using your NHS OpenAthens details.
The aim was to compare quality of life (QoL) among children and adolescents with different stages of chronic kidney disease (CKD) and determine factors associated with changes in QoL.. To read the full article, log in using your NHS OpenAthens details.
Improved treatments for patients with congenital heart disease (CHD) have led to a growing interest in long-term functional outcomes such as health-related quality of life (HRQoL). Studies on HRQoL in children with CHD have contradicting results. Therefore, we compared HRQoL of children with CHD with that of current healthy peers and stratify CHD cases by severity and diagnostic subgroups.. To read the full article, log in using your NHS OpenAthens details.
The profiles provide an overview of data on cardiovascular and cardiovascular related conditions of heart disease, stroke, diabetes and kidney disease. They are intended to help commissioners and health professionals assess the impact of CVD on their local population, make decisions about services and improve outcomes for patients.
Open access. Treatment decisions in children with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) are increasingly based on longitudinal tracking of faecal calprotectin concentrations, but there is little known about the stability of this protein in stool.
Open access. Physical activity (PA) is associated with a diverse range of health benefits. International guidelines suggest that children should be participating in a minimum of 60 min of moderate to vigorous intensity PA per day to achieve these benefits. However, current guidelines are intended for healthy children, and thus may not be applicable to children with a chronic disease. Specifically, the dose of PA and disease specific exercise considerations are not included in these guidelines, leaving such children with few, if any, evidence-based informed suggestions pertaining to PA. Thus, the purpose of this narrative review was to consider current literature in the area of exercise as medicine and provide practical applications for exercise in five prevalent pediatric chronic diseases: respiratory, congenital heart, metabolic, systemic inflammatory/autoimmune, and cancer.
Open access. Huge variability in quality of service delivery of cardiac rehabilitation (CR) in the UK. This study aimed to ascertain whether the variation in quality of CR delivery is associated with participants’ characteristics.
Open access. Community pharmacists’ (CPs’) interventions have a positive impact on managing respiratory patients. However, methods used by CPs to assess patients’ inhaler technique and adherence are subjective. New technologies to objectively assess inhaler technique and adherence were introduced to address such a gap. This study aimed to explore CPs’ perceptions towards the management of respiratory patients regarding inhaler technique and adherence. In addition, it explored the views of CPs and their need of technologies to objectively assess inhaler technique and adherence. CPs were probed with a new technology called Inhaler Compliance Assessment (INCA) device, designed to objectively monitor both inhaler technique and adherence of patients using a dry powder inhaler, as an example.
Open access. Patients with multi-morbidity have complex care needs that often make healthcare delivery difficult and costly to manage. Current healthcare delivery is not tailored to the needs of patients with multi-morbidity, although multi-morbidity poses a heavy burden on patients and is related to adverse outcomes. Patient-centered care and co-creation of care are expected to improve outcomes, but the relationships among patient-centered care, co-creation of care, physical well-being, social well-being, and satisfaction with care among patients with multi-morbidity are not known.
A nurse-led chest clinic is helping patients with learning disabilities to manage their respiratory conditions. A chest clinic set up to help patients with learning disabilities has not only transformed their hospital experience but has also supported them to manage their asthma and saved money. To read the full article, log in using your MPFT NHS OpenAthens details.
The management of patients with complex health and social needs is one of the main challenges for healthcare systems. Integrated care seems to respond to this issue, with collaborative working and integration efforts of the care system components professionals and service providers aimed at improving efficiency, appropriateness and person centredness of care. The authors conducted a narrative review to analyse the available evidences published on effectiveness and cost-effectiveness of integrated care models targeted on the management of such elderly patients. https://scie-mailing.org.uk/4O5-62651-IT0RQ9-3FFO37-1/c.aspx
Hetal Dhruve details what primary care nurses need to know to effectively manage this condition. To read the full article, log in using your MPFT NHS OpenAthens details.
We've added 10 new Be Aware updates following your suggestions:
Musculoskeletal ; Osteoporosis ; Nutrition and obesity ; Falls ; HR ; Research Methods ; Information Governance ; Bladder, bowel and pelvic healthcare ; Rheumatology ; Medicines and healthcare products regulatory agency (circulated email)
The study adds to evidence that exercise is a good way to keep blood pressure under control. However, the researchers found no studies that directly compared medicines with exercise programmes, meaning the results rely on indirect comparisons between groups of people that may have been quite different. This makes it harder to rely on the results.
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Implications for practice and research
> Practitioners who understand their patients’ explanatory model of illness and daily lived experiences may be better placed to offer effective, personalised support.
> Health mind mapping can increase practitioners’ and patients’ understanding of their situation.
> Further research using health mind mapping as an aid to self-management and understanding of patient perspectives is warranted. To read the full article, log in using your NHS OpenAthens details
This guideline covers diagnosing and managing chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) in people aged 16 and older, which includes emphysema and chronic bronchitis. It aims to help people with COPD to receive a diagnosis earlier so that they can benefit from treatments to reduce symptoms, improve quality of life and keep them healthy for longer.
A sequential desk-top task was applied, whose performance required the spatiotemporal attention function step by step, to patients after stroke. The relationship between the sequential task and conventional assessments of cognitive function was also assessed. To read the full article, log in using your MPFT NHS OpenAthens details
The development of radically new treatments for cystic fibrosis (CF) proceeds apace. In February 2018 Archivist reported on trials of double-modulator therapies (tezacaftor-ivacaftor) that produced modest benefits (doi:10.1136/archdischild-2017–3 14 602). Adding a third agent could, in theory, further enhance the intracellular functioning of the defective CFTR protein by binding to different sites on the molecule, particularly in those with the most common Phe508del mutation. Two such agents which showed promise in vitro were used in ….... To read the full article, log in using your NHS OpenAthens details.
irflow limitation and dynamic hyperinflation may limit exercise capacity in patients with cystic fibrosis (CF). The aim was to investigate whether the undertaking of airway clearance physiotherapy (ACT) prior to cardiopulmonary exercise testing (CPET) results in improvements in exercise capacity. . To read the full article, log in using your NHS OpenAthens details.
It is estimated that by 2020 chronic obstructive pulmonary disease is likely to become the fourth leading cause of death. People living with this condition may experience symptoms that can be managed with cognitive behavioural therapy. To read the full article, log in using your MPFT NHS OpenAthens details.
The trial finding that hypnotherapy works better than educational support adds evidence to previous studies showing that hypnotherapy may have a helpful effect. The finding that group hypnotherapy works about as well as individual hypnotherapy is interesting, as this means many people could be treated by the same therapist at the same time, which could reduce waiting times and the cost of treatment.
However, there are unanswered questions in the study, including why a large number of people dropped out of treatment. This could have affected the results, especially if people dropped out of group hypnotherapy because they didn't like group treatment. As said, it can't be assumed that hypnotherapy is better than other psychological therapies that may be considered at the same stage of treatment, such as CBT.
It's very important that these findings aren't taken out of context. Many people across the UK are prescribed statins and the reports may cause undue alarm that everyone should be on a higher dose. People who have risk factors for heart disease and a raised cholesterol, but who have no history of heart attack or stroke, are recommended to start on a low-dose statin (usually 20mg atorvastatin).
The people in this study were specifically high-risk patients, most of whom had already had a heart attack or stroke. Current UK guidelines already recommend that these people are given a high-dose statin (usually 80mg atorvastatin).
Open access. To quantify the association between patient self-management capability measured using the Patient Activation Measure (PAM) and healthcare utilisation across a whole health economy.
The report, led by Professor of Cardiovascular Health, Patrick Doherty, at the University of York's Department of Health Sciences, revealed that in England only 43% of women eligible for cardiac rehab take it up, compared to 53% of men.
These documents aim to:
highlight PHE’s work to address cardiovascular disease
showcase current projects and new resources
provide updates on the progress of ongoing initiatives