Healthcare professionals in all settings increasingly encounter people with diabetes. Suboptimal control of diabetes may have harmful effects on multiple systems in the body and can result in life-changing and life-threatening complications. Therefore, it is crucial that all healthcare professionals have an understanding of diabetes. This article considers the increase in people developing diabetes worldwide. It defines type 1 and type 2 diabetes and discusses the associated pathophysiology and predisposing factors. The article outlines the basis for the development of the typical signs and symptoms associated with high blood glucose levels. Current guidelines for diagnosing a person with diabetes are considered. To read the full article, log in using your NHS OpenAthens details
The 5-year follow-up results for the 1202 middle-aged men prospective study of coronary heart disease (CHD) incidence were published in 1980. This paper extends the follow-up, relating the development of CHD to 10 risk factors. To read the full article, log in using your NHS OpenAthens details
We reviewed the evidence about whether using antiseptic treatments on people's skin helps reduce infections related to central venous catheters (CVCs).
The author talks about the potential for better management provided by a new understanding of chronic oedema and lymphoedema. Topics covered include the uptake of the interstitial fluid from most parts of the body, the discovery that the lymphatic system is the main route for the flow of fluid and the macromolecules it carries and the main body states which are noteworthy in relation to treatment decisions. To read the full article, log in using your NHS OpenAthens details
To develop a dietary self-management programme for salt-, fluid-, fat- and cholesterol-intake behaviours for older adults with low literacy and heart disease and evaluate the feasibility and acceptability of the programme. 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.
A cohort of children with arterial ischemic stroke (birth–18y) was enrolled at 21 centers and followed for 1 year. Acute seizures (≤7d after stroke) and active epilepsy (at least one unprovoked remote seizure plus maintenance anticonvulsant at 1y) were identified. Predictors were determined using logistic regression. 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 aims of the present study were to develop and validate a scale specifically focused on shame feelings derived from chronic illness-related experiences, the Chronic Illness-related Shame Scale (CISS) and to fill a gap in literature and analyse the role of this construct in the association between inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) symptomatology and depressed mood. 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.
Stroke patients are getting on the road to recovery quicker, thanks to a partnership between health services. The Early Supported Stroke Discharge Team is a collaboration between North Cumbria University Hospitals NHS Trust and Cumbria Partnership NHS Foundation Trust. The teams work closely to manage the care and therapy of stroke patients to ensure they get home as early as possible with the appropriate package of care.
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.
Objective Assessing the effectiveness of the Assessment of Burden of COPD (ABC) tool on disease-specific quality of life in patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) measured with the St. George's Respiratory Questionnaire (SGRQ), compared with usual care. Open Access Article
Self-management is considered as an essential component of chronic care by primary care professionals. eHealth is expected to play an important role in supporting patients in their self-management. For effective implementation of eHealth it is important to investigate patients’ expectations and needs regarding self-management and eHealth. The objectives of this study are to investigate expectations and needs of people with a chronic condition regarding self-management and eHealth for self-management purposes, their willingness to use eHealth, and possible differences between patient groups regarding these topics.
To explore people's experiences of living with lymphoedema and to assess the impact of access to local lymphoedema clinics on their condition and thus their lives. 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 idea that delirium is a risk factor for dementia, broadly defined, is derived from heterogeneous patient samples. We reviewed available evidence as to whether stroke survivors who developed delirium during the acute phase of treatment are at a higher prospective risk of incident post-stroke cognitive impairment or dementia. 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.
In the latest of a series of blogs on Personal Health Budgets, NHS England’s Director of Personalisation and Choice explains why the choice agenda is so important for disabled people and those with long term conditions – whether it’s the small everyday lifestyle decisions we make, or the crucial conversations when people are facing the end of their life
Come and visit our first pop-up library at Severn Fields, Shrewsbury 19th July 11.00am-3.00pm. Join the library, borrow and return books, get help finding information and evidence, set up an Athens account, find out what the library can do for you and your team.
Open access. To critically appraise and synthesise the best available evidence on the effectiveness of interventions suitable for delivery by nurses, designed to enhance cardiac patients’ adherence to their prescribed medications.
In the latest in the series of blogs from the Musculoskeletal Programme within the Long Term Conditions Team, Henry Mace, from the National Osteoporosis Society, discusses Fracture Liaison Services and their upcoming webinar with NHS England
A variety of “telehealth” approaches may be worth considering for encouraging physical activity after a heart attack or heart surgery, suggests a review of published research. Cardiac rehabilitation and exercise programmes are well known to be effective in improving survival following a heart attack.
General practices with higher patient reported access to appointments or telephone advice have lower rates of emergency hospital admissions for asthma, a study has shown.1
Researchers analysed data from 7806 practices in England covering 2010-11, looking at associations between emergency admissions for asthma and patients’ self reported access to general practice services. To read the full article, log in using your NHS OpenAthens details
This study aimed to estimate the effect on the use of statins in the UK after a six-month period of intense media coverage about the risks and benefits of the drugs.
It found that patients were more likely to stop taking statins after exposure to the high media coverage compared with before the six-month period. However, there was no effect for people who had been newly prescribed statins.
As the researchers acknowledge, interrupted time series studies like this one cannot confirm a causal link between the media coverage and the observed likelihood of stopping statin treatment.
We cannot know the exact reasons why these people may have stopped taking statins. It is possible that other external factors played a role in the observed changes.