Abstract
InnovAiT is produced on a 3 year cycle. However, many articles do not significantly go out of date in that time. This section of InnovAiT summarizes articles from the previous cycle of InnovAiT that GPs and GPs in training might still find useful today.
Occupational lung disease
Dr Chantal Simon
InnovAiT 2008 1(10): p. 686–692
Exposure to gases, vapours and dusts at work can lead to lung disease. If a patient develops an occupational lung disease, a doctor is obliged to notify the patient's employer with the patient's consent. The doctor does not need to make a judgement about whether the disease is, in that particular case, caused by the occupation. This article overviews the presentation and management of a range of occupational lung diseases that may be seen in primary care and describes the compensation and benefits that patients with occupational lung disease may be entitled to.
Good record keeping
Dr Veronica Wilkie
InnovAiT 2008 1(10): p. 693–7
Keeping good notes is essential for effective medical care and for the day-to-day smooth and safe running of general practice. The General Medical Council (GMC) states as part of Good Medical Practice that in providing care (a doctor) must keep clear, accurate and legible records, reporting relevant clinical findings, the decisions made, the information given to patients and any drugs prescribed or other investigation or treatment provided. It is important to make records at the same time as the events that you are recording or as soon as possible afterwards. This article takes a step back and explores why good medical records are essential and how best to keep them.
Sudden visual loss
Dr Emma Harding
InnovAiT 2008 1(10): p. 699–705
A patient presenting with sudden visual loss can be a terrifying experience for both patient and doctor. Patients want to know if they could be permanently blinded and doctors are faced with a rarely encountered highly distressing symptom which they can often do little to improve in the surgery. This article proposes a systematic approach to history taking and examination and explores the differential diagnosis of sudden visual loss. A good working knowledge of the potential causes of sudden visual loss and a focused consultation can enable the GP to formulate a differential diagnosis and aid prompt referral for appropriate specialist care.
Management of dry eyes
Mr Richard Newsom
InnovAiT 2008 1(10): p. 706–9
A dry eye (sometimes called ‘keratoconjunctivitis sicca’) is an eye where there are insufficient or inadequate tears to keep the front surface of the eye moist. Patients usually complain of grittiness or irritation which often worsens towards the end of the day. Dry eye is a common condition, affecting 10–30% of the population. It is more common in women than men and particularly affects older people. In its severest form, dry eye can lead to sight-threatening corneal disease. This article explores the presentation and management of dry eye in primary and secondary care.
Age-related macular degeneration
Mr Richard Newsom
InnovAiT 2008 1(10): p. 710–3
Age-related macular degeneration (AMD) is the most common cause of blindness in the UK accounting for 16 000 registrations of blindness every year. One in 50 people over the age of 65 years in the UK are blind in one or both eyes due to AMD. Macular degeneration is always a bilateral disease but one eye is usually more severely affected than the other. Smoking is the most important risk factor for development of AMD. The risk of developing AMD is 3.6 times greater for smokers and former smokers than those who have never smoked. This article explores the presentation, classification and management of this important disease.
Crammer's corner
Dr Ben Riley
InnovAiT 2008 1(10): p. 715–7
General practice is a very broad specialty and it is sometimes difficult to know where to start when faced with so many different topics and skills to master. Identifying your learning needs effectively is an important step in the learning process as it enables you to set some priorities. This issue of Crammer's Corner considers how you can identify your learning needs and use the curriculum to direct your learning activities.