This report sets out the findings of ethnographic research project which conducted indepth-interviews with 10 people living with multiple long-term health conditions (MLTCs). The research aimed to better understand the growing challenges facing those living with MLTCs and their interactions with the health and social care professionals that support them. Individuals describe their own perceptions of their quality of life, often describing what they have ‘lost’ over time, such as a loss of mobility, social connectedness,and a decrease in mental wellbeing. They also explain that by adapting and developing coping strategies, they could regain some agency and make decisions about their conditions and their lives. Maintaining meaningful relationships with family and friends, and developing strong relationships with health and social care professionals were also found to be helpful. You can request a copy of this article by replying to this email. Please be clear which article you are requesting.
This study compared the lifestyles of people who had a stroke with those who had not, involving nearly 27,000 participants from 32 countries.
But the 9 out of 10 figure is only an estimate. We don't know that these risk factors are the definite cause of stroke in the people involved in the study.
Also, much of the study's data is based on self-reported answers, and some answers may be inaccurate.
Nevertheless, the study provides further support for the well-established notion that lifestyle has a bearing on our cardiovascular health, as well as many other chronic diseases.
It should be pointed out that there is an important difference between UK and US guidelines. In the UK low-dose aspirin is usually recommended for people with a history of heart disease or stroke. In the US this advice is extended to people who are at risk of cardiovascular disease but don't have it yet.
We already know that aspirin reduces the risk of heart disease and strokes caused by blood clots (ischaemic stroke). There's some evidence it may reduce some types of cancer. However, aspirin also increases the risk of stroke caused by bleeding (haemorrhagic stroke) and increases the chances of bleeding in the stomach or gut.
A study found that "Plaque HD" toothpaste was related to a drop in inflammation levels (but this could have been coincidental), but it did not investigate if this had any long-term effects on cardiovascular outcomes such as heart attacks or stroke.
The "HD" toothpaste is designed to turn plaque (clumps of bacteria) green so you can spot areas where you need to focus your brushing.
The number of people with multiple long-term conditions, known as multimorbidity, is rising internationally, putting increased pressure on health care systems, including the NHS.
This study confirms that the most accurate way to measure blood pressure is using a 24-hour monitor. But that's not to say that the standard blood pressure test you have at the GP surgery isn't useful.
Most people would only be referred for 24-hour monitoring if they had discrepancies between different clinic readings or if clinic readings were high.
Guidelines for UK doctors recommend that people should have 24-hour blood pressure monitoring to confirm a diagnosis of high blood pressure.
More than two-thirds (70 per cent) of heart attack programmes are failing to meet the minimum requirements for patient care, research at the University of York has shown.
To test a self‐management intervention in primary health care for patients with Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease or Chronic Heart Failure on self‐efficacy, symptoms, functioning and health.. To read the full article, log in using your MPFT NHS OpenAthens details.
Open access. Physical activity (PA) is associated with reduced hospitalisations and maintenance of lung function in patients with Cystic Fibrosis (CF). PA is therefore recommended as part of standard care. Despite this, there is no consensus for monitoring of PA and little is known about perceptions of PA monitoring among children and young people with CF. Therefore, the research aimed to explore patients’ perceptions of PA and the acceptability of using PA monitoring devices with children and young people with CF.
Commentary on:
Varraso R, Chiuve SE, Fung TT, et al. Alternate Healthy Eating Index 2010 and risk of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease among US women and men: prospective study. BMJ 2015;350:h286.
Context
Cigarette smoking has been identified as the major risk factor for chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD); nevertheless, many patients with COPD have never smoked, which suggests the involvement of other modifiable risk factors such as diet. While some studies have revealed an inverse relationship between a prudent dietary pattern and COPD risk and a direct association between a Western dietary pattern and COPD risk in both men1 and women,2 the role of overall dietary quality as reflected by the Alternate Healthy Eating Index 2010 (AHEI-2010, a measure of overall diet quality) and COPD risk remains unknown. This study examines the association between AHEI-2010 and COPD risk among US men and women. To read the full article, log in using your NHS Athens
To identify factors that may serve as facilitators and barriers to self-management described by adults living with chronic illness by conducting a qualitative metasynthesis. Login using your SSSFT NHS OpenAthens for full text. SSOTP - request a copy of the article from the library - www.sssft.nhs.uk/library
Chronic Fatigue Syndrome (CFS) is a debilitating condition that affects 0.2–0.4% of the population. First-line treatments are Cognitive Behaviour Therapy or graded exercise therapy; however, these treatments yield only moderate effect sizes. Emerging research suggests that anxiety about health may be common in CFS. Health anxiety treatment models demonstrate good therapeutic outcomes; however, these models have yet to be applied to CFS. This paper describes the application of a novel cognitive behavioural approach to the treatment of both physical and anxiety related symptoms in a patient with CFS and, furthermore, presents a conceptual hypothesis regarding the mutually maintaining relationship between these two co-occurring conditions. Login using your SSSFT NHS OpenAthens for full text. SSOTP - You can request a copy of this article by replying to this email. Please ensure you are clear which article you are requesting.
The cross-sectional study, which linked stress to amygdala activity, was very small. It only included people with a history of PTSD, so again we can't be sure these results would apply to a wider population.
So we need to see larger, longer-term studies to test this theory that stress causes cardiovascular disease via amygdala, bone marrow and arteries.
However, we already know that long-term stress is linked to poor health, both in terms of mental and physical health, so lack of evidence about the pathway should not stop us from trying to alleviate stress.
The demand for Continuing Healthcare (CHC), packages of care which are arranged and funded solely by the NHS for individuals outside of hospital, is increasing, as is the cost. Staffordshire has been particularly heavily affected, with an average growth rate of 13% over the last three years.
To evaluate ‘remind-to-move’ (RTM) treatment by comparing it with constraint-induced movement therapy (CIMT) and conventional rehabilitation of the upper extremity in children with hemiplegic cerebral palsy (CP). Please contact the library to request a copy of this article - http://bit.ly/1Xyazai
The use of low-dose inhaled corticosteroids (ICS) to treat children with asthma can be life-transforming, and this is confirmed repeatedly when they are made widely available for the first time in a low and middle income setting.1 However, reading the National Report on Asthma Deaths (NRAD)2 among other documents makes it very clear that progress has stalled. In response to this perception, a Lancet commission has recently been published.3 This annotation reviews some of the implications of that document for paediatrics.. To read the full article, log in using your NHS OpenAthens details.
Patients with chronic illnesses are often required to take lifelong medication to alleviate symptoms and prevent disease progression. Many patients find it difficult to adhere to prescribed medication for various reasons, some of which may link to the way they conceptualise medicines and understand their illness and treatment. This study explores the medicine taking behaviours of patients presenting with Rheumatoid Arthritis (RA), a chronic inflammatory autoimmune disease. We focused particularly on patients’ conceptualisation and understanding of medicines within this disease context, against a backdrop of scarce healthcare resources.