Cardiology.
This article describes recent developments in cardiology and cardiovascular disease that are likely to be relevant to primary healthcare professionals and their patients. The following subject areas are covered: Primary prevention: recent developments in pharmaco-logical interventions, drug interactions, and drugs that are likely to cause harm; cardiovascular risk estimation and shared decision making with patients; and new developments in 24-hour ambulatory blood pressure monitoring. Secondary prevention: new models of care, including nurse-led care for the provision of hypertension and secondary prevention clinics; new drugs for the treatment of angina and myocardial infarction; ambulatory electrocardiography for the diagnosis of arrhythmias in primary care; and new developments in the treatment of atrial fibrillation - direct thrombin inhibitors and implantable devices. Tertiary prevention: recent developments in cardiac rehabilitation; recent evidence concerning revascularisation procedures and appropriateness criteria for referral; and implantable defibrillators.
Fahey
Tom
T
Tayside Centre for General Practice, University of Dundee, Dundee. t.p.fahey@dundee.ac.uk
Schroeder
Knut
K
D002309:Cardiology / Q000639:trends*; D017147:Defibrillators, Implantable; D006331:Heart Diseases / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000517:prevention & control* / Q000534:rehabilitation; D006801:Humans; D009204:Myocardial Revascularization; D012307:Risk Factors; D040242:Risk Reduction Behavior