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CPD articles in this section relate to the cardiovascular system and reflect content in chapter two of the British National Formulary
Patients on anticoagulants are eligible for both the new medicine service and targeted medicines use reviews. This article aims to refresh your knowledge on warfarin
Menorrhagia and its management
Over-the-counter tranexamic acid is likely to become available from some pharmacies in the next month, so pharmacists are more likely to be asked about heavy menstrual bleeding. Sally Haynes gives an overview of menorrhagia
Hypotension: issues and management
January 2011With hypertension rarely out of the health news as one of the biggest challenges to improving public health, hypotension is often overlooked. Angus Thompson discusses whether the condition is a disease or a normal physiological state, and looks at its management and how pharmacists can contribute
Atrial fibrillation: clinical features and classification
November 2010Atrial fibrillation is not a benign condition — it increases mortality and can cause considerable symptoms. Classification and treatment are based on the temporal pattern of the arrhythmia
Atrial fibrillation: management
November 2010Treatment of atrial fibrillation usually involves controlling ventricular rate or restoring sinus rhythm. Equally important is thromboembolic risk assessment and prescription of an anticoagulant if required
Overview of hypertension treatment
October 2010Jon Waterfield summarises the current recommendations for the treatment of hypertension and explains the rationale behind them.
Monitoring hypertension: how and why
October 2010How many of your patients know their last blood pressure measurement? And for the few who do, what are the important numbers? Jon Waterfield focuses on some of the more pragmatic questions associated with hypertension and looks at some of the current debates in terms its monitoring and assessing cardiovascular risk
Biopharmaceuticals: what pharmacists need to know
May 2010 A few biopharmaceuticals — medicines such as epoetin alfa and somatostatin — have been around for a while. But as technology progresses, numbers will increase. Similarly, as patents expire, biosimilars are set to become more widely available. Roger Tredree explains the special features of these medicines and the role pharmacists can playTreatment of open-angle glaucoma
March 2010 (Clinical Pharmacist)Last year (2009) the National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence issued guidance on chronic open-angle glaucoma and ocular hypertension. Use this article to help you brush up on the available treatments
Managing pulmonary hypertension
May 2009Although pulmonary arterial hypertension has an incidence of only about three per million per year in the UK, there have been a number of recent advances in treatment. Mojgan Sani gives an overview of this disease and its pharmacological treatment
Can I take herbal products or dietary supplements with my warfarin?
April 2009A cautious and conservative approach would be to advise patients taking warfarin to avoid all dietary supplements and herbal medicines because the theoretical risk of reducing the efficacy of warfarin (thrombosis) or of increasing its efficacy (haemorrhage) probably outweighs the unproven benefits of many of these products
Lifelong learning: heart failure
January 2009Heart failure accounts for at least one in 20 admissions to hospitals in the UK. It occurs most commonly in older people, with prevalence rates doubling for every decade of ageing
Antipsychotics and stroke: the story to date (Adverse drug reactions)
January 2009)Both “conventional” antipsychotics and the newer “atypical” antipsychotics are dopamine receptor antagonists. However, the atypical antipsychotics are associated with fewer neurological (and some other) side effects
Managing Raynaud’s phenomenon
December 2007As temperatures lower, pharmacists are more likely to encounter people with Raynaud’s phenomenon. Susan Allan explains
Failings in the system - a case study (root cause analysis)
April 2007Graham Lavender, a supplementary prescriber in a GP practice, uses root cause analysis to look at how a patient could have been allowed to take two beta-blockers for over a year
Metronidazole causes an unexpected rise in INR in anticoagulated patients even after warfarin has been stopped
February 2007Interaction between metronidazole and warfarin is thought to potentiate the anticoagulant effect of warfarin. In this article, the authors propose mechanisms for this interaction, based on three case studies
Lipids
July 2004A series of three articles to help pharmacists understand hyperlipideamia now that drugs to reduce blood lipid levels are available over the counter
- Significance of lipid measurements
- Providing a lipid measuring service
- Reducing hyperlipidaemia and coronary heart disease
Chronic heart failure
March 2004Chronic heart failure affects more than 10 per cent of those over the age of 80 and is a major cause of sudden death. These articles review the epidemiology, pathophysiology, clinical features, investigation and prognosis of the disease and address the pharmacological management of patients with chronic heart failure.
Heart disease —9 parts
September 2002 to October 2003Seven articles looking at:
- Chronic heart failure
- Chronic stable angina
- Acute coronary syndromes
- Secondary prevention of heart disease
- Hypertension
- Primary prevention of heart disease
- Cholesterol control
- Arrhythmias (part 1)
- Arrhythmias (part 2)
- Cardiopulmonary resuscitation
Herbal therapeutics (4) Hyperlipidaemia
August 2002This article considers evidence for the efficacy and safety of herbal medicines used to lower raised plasma lipid concentrations
Stroke
February 2002An examination of the prevalence, causes, pathological features and symptoms of stroke, as well as the risk factors predisposing to the syndrome. The drug treatments available for stroke, and some of the trials which led to the acceptance of these treatments, are discussed
Myocardial infarction and angina
May 2001Coronary heart disease is the commonest cause of premature death in the United Kingdom. This three-part feature considers: (1) its pathophysiology, risk factors and features; (2) established and newer treatments; and (3) clinical trials of glycoprotein IIb/IIIa receptor antagonists and their role in both ACS and coronary revascularisation
- (1) Risk factors and features
- (2) Current drug therapy
- (3) Glycoprotein IIb/IIIa receptor antagonists
New uses for old drugs: Aspirin – the first miracle drug
March 2001Aspirin has justifiably been called the first miracle drug. In this article, a summary is given of the history of aspirin and its use in cardiovascular disease. A brief account of possible new uses is also included
An update on risk factors for vascular disease
August 2001There are many risk factors that predispose people to developing vascular disease. This article looks at developments in the understanding of some of these risk factors and at what prevention strategies might arise as a result
