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 However, many articles do not significantly go out of date in that time.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.
The annual diabetes review
Dr Roger Gadsby
InnovAiT 2008 1(12): p. 784–7
According to prevalence data from the Quality and Outcomes Framework, 3.8% of the UK population is registered as having diabetes. There is a strong evidence base that good control of blood glucose levels, blood pressure levels and the use of statin therapy all reduce the risk of developing complications of diabetes. This article explains what the annual diabetes review is and reviews its role in achieving optimum care for patients with diabetes in the community.
Pituitary problems in primary care
Professor Andy Levy
InnovAiT 2008 1(12): p. 793–800
Primary care is where most diagnoses of pituitary adenoma are made and pituitary adenomas are responsible for almost all pituitary problems. They typically present with a combination of symptoms of space occupation, hypopituitarism and/or inappropriate hormone secretion. Early diagnosis with optimal initial management and expert follow-up in the long term help minimize morbidity, even though the adenomas themselves are intrinsically benign. This article reviews the presentation and management of pituitary adenomas in primary care.
Falls in the elderly
Dr Deborah Lawrence
InnovAiT 2008 1(12): p. 802–7
Approximately 17% of the UK population is over the age of 65 years. A third of these people will have at least one fall in the next year. To reduce the impact of falls on individuals and on the National Health Service (NHS) as a whole, it is important to identify those people at risk of falls, find the causes and help reduce the risk for further falls. This article aims to look at the risk factors for falls, considers a framework for assessing falls in the community and addresses the principles of managing a patient who is at risk of falls.
Prescribing for the elderly
Dr Chantal Simon
InnovAiT 2008 1(12): p. 813–9
We live in an ageing society. Since the early 1930s, the number of people aged over 65 years has more than doubled and today, a fifth of the population is over 60. This has implications for prescribing in primary care. Prescription drug usage increases with age. One in three NHS prescriptions is issued to a patient over the age of 65 years, and 90% of these prescriptions are for repeat medications. Furthermore, adverse drug events are common reasons for hospital admission in the over 75 age group, accounting for 5–17% of admissions. Many are avoidable. This article aims to outline the principles of prescribing for older people in primary care.
Why should I become a rural GP?
Dr A. Gordon Baird
InnovAiT 2008 1(12): p. 820–5
In England (least rural of the UK), the rural population comprises 19% of the total. In Wales and Scotland, the figure is nearer to 40%. This article describes the challenges of working in an environment without the backup or support that is taken for granted in urban practice and also the benefits that give rural general practice the potential to be one of the most rewarding careers in medicine.