CPD Portal
Quitting smoking improves heart health
Smoking is a well-known cardiovascular risk factor and smoking cessation leads to a reduced risk of cardiovascular events including mortality and smoking cessation is much more effective as any pharmacological drug in this regard.
Dealing with early morning BP surges
Cardio-metabolic disorders are the most important cause of mortality and morbidity worldwide. Hypertension, obesity, diabetes, metabolic syndrome and hyperlipidaemia, cause 60% of global deaths annually. Hypertension is the main driver of cardiovascular (CV) events and morbidity.
Preserving renal function in diabetic patients with AF
More than 40% of atrial fibrillation (AF) patients have diabetes. Chronic kidney disease (CKD), defined as an estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) below 60mL/min per 1.73 m2 or kidney damage for three or more months, is a common complication of diabetes.2,19
SAHS provides clarity on new hypertension threshold
In 2017, the publication of the new American College of Cardiology (ACC)/American Heart Association (AHA) hypertension guideline created considerable controversy. Should the new recommended thresholds for hypertension be incorporated, it would increase the prevalence of hypertension by 43%.
How to TREAT-AF
Studies show that the prevalence of AF ranges from 1% to 15% in people between the ages of 35 and 85. Age is a risk factor for AF, which means as life expectancy increases, the number of people with the condition will continue to rise. It is expected that by 2050, the prevalence of AF will increase by 250%.
Medical Chronicle August 2019 CPDs
These are both CPDs produced for the August 2019 issue of Medical Chronicle, accredited for 3 points. This month’s CPDs focus on dry skin and skin integrity, and the cardiovascular complications of diabetes.
Reducing heart failure with hypertension treatment
Worldwide the prevalence of heart failure is rising. Prognosis is poor with symptomatic heart failure with yearly mortality rate of 6-7% in stable heart failure and 25% or more in patients admitted to hospital with acute heart failure.
Angina: warn patients to listen to their heart
More South Africans die of CVD than of all the cancers combined. A common symptom of CAD is angina, yet many people don’t even know what that is.
Simplifying hypertension guidelines
The International Society of Hypertension (ISH) is currently writing new global hypertension guidelines to be published during the first half of 2020. The Southern African Hypertension Society will soon comment on the impact of lowered blood pressure threshold recommended by some international societies.
Anticoagulation in non-valvular AF
Atrial fibrillation is the most common persistent cardiac arrhythmia that a practitioner of medicine will encounter in clinical practice and it significantly impacts on health and healthcare.
CVD risk factors in PD patients
Parkinson’s disease (PD) is the second most common neurodegenerative condition after Alzheimer’s disease. The incidence of PD rises rapidly with age and affects more than 1.7% of the population over 65 years of age.
Down the ABC pathway
Atrial fibrillation (AFib) is the most common arrhythmia diagnosed in clinical practise. However, some patients experience no symptoms. Left untreated, the condition could have important implications.
Fast facts about Takotsubo
Takotsubo syndrome was first described in early 1990s in Japan as a transient cardiomyopathy after a stressful event in the absence of coronary artery disease.
Inflammation, immunity and infection in atherothrombosis
This is a new review topic addressing the overall concept of atherosclerosis and where we are at this moment in time in terms of pathogenetic concepts with an emphasis on inflammation and immunity.
Updated atrial fibrillation guidelines
There is now a focused Update of the 2014 American Heart Association/American College of Cardiology/Heart Rhythm Society (AHA/ACC/HRS) Guideline for the Management of Patients with Atrial Fibrillation (AF).
Preventing cardiovascular disease: where to start
Cardiovascular disease affects 33% of adults in the world and as such is the largest epidemic ever known to mankind, according to Prof Neil Poulter, co-director of the International Centre for Circulatory Health.
AFib Better Care
The Mayo Clinic hosted its annual Arrhythmias and the Heart: A Cardiovascular Update in Hawaii (United States) at the end of January. Several sessions focused on reviewing current guidelines on atrial fibrillation (AFib) and stroke prevention.
Future trends in cardiology
The future of cardiology looks bright, and cardiologists need to be aware of an increased focus on fractional flow reserve-computed tomography (FFRCT) and shockwave intravascular lithotripsy (IVL).
7 key recommendations for management after PFO closure
The first position paper on the management of patients with patent foramen ovale (PFO) and left circulation embolism explores the available trial evidence and define the principles needed to guide decision-making.
As time goes by
The treatment of hypertension using drugs and the achieved benefits of such treatment is founded on a solid body of evidence representing a very large number of well-conducted randomised clinical trials.
