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EPCCS Cardiovascular Literature Updates

Cardiovascular Disease 2012 & European Primary Care:

Get up to date, view state-of-the-art expert opinions by EPCCS faculty on major topics in cardiovascular disease and its relevance for European Primary Care.

Room for improvement in smoking cessation treatment in GP practices

Selected literature
Mallaina P, Lionis C, Rol H, et al.
CV-ASPIRE confirms that smoking is a significant predictor of long-term CV events thus underscores the importance of addressing this modifiable risk factor
Read more...

The benefits of regular exercise training are clear but exploited too little

Selected literature
Schuler G, Adams V, Goto Y.
We summarise the molecular consequences of exercise and strategies to increase compliance to frequent exercise.
Read more...

Extent of second-hand tobacco smoke exposure predicts coronary artery calcification

Selected literature
JACC, March 2013. Exposure to second-hand tobacco smoke is a risk factor for coronary artery calcification, at least as strong as other well-established risk factors. Read more...

Dabigatran and bleeding risk – new FDA analysis

Selected Literature
NEJM, March 2013. Reassuring results on the rates of gastrointestinal and intracranial bleeds with dabigatran from a new analysis of an FDA database. Read more...

CV outcomes in hypertensive patients are affected by BMI

Selected literature
Lancet, february 2013. Calcium-channel blocker-based therapy gives more protection to non-obese patients than does diuretic-based therapy, whereas both regimes are effective in obese patients. Read more...

Support for prescribing statins as primary prevention

Selected literature
Eur J Prev Cardiol. 2013 Statins reduce all-cause mortality and major coronary events both in patients with cardiovascular disease and in high-risk individuals without disease. Read more...

Mediterranean diet diminishes cardiovascular risk

Selected Literature
NEJM Feb 2013, Suggested protective effect of Mediterranean diet on cardiovascular disease now confirmed in randomised trial. Read more...

Use of clopidogrel with or without aspirin in patients taking oral anticoagulant therapy and undergoing PCI

Selected Literature
Dewilde WJ et al. for the WOEST study investigators
Lancet. Feb 2013. Omitting aspirin from antiplatelet regimen reduces the incidence of bleeding, without compromising safety in patients receiving oral anticoagulants undergoing PCI Read more...

Novel use for new anticoagulant dabigatran

Selected Literature
Schulman S, Kearon O, Kakkar AK, et al
NEJM, Feb 2013. New information about the risks and benefits of extended prophylaxis with dabigatran in patients who have had venous thromboembolism (VTE) Read more...

Apixaban for prevention of venous thromboembolism

Selected Literature
NEJM, Feb 2013. New oral factor Xa inhibitor studied for prevention of recurrent venous thromboembolism
Read more...

Cardiovascular dilemmas in case studies

EPCCS 2012 Webcast
View Prof. Martin Scherer, Universitätsklinikum Hamburg-Eppendorf Germany, discusses in case studies the dilemmas general practioners might face in managing cardiovascular disease in daily practice, as also presented during the 5th Annual meeting of the EPCCS in Athens. Get up to date in only 3 minutes Read more...

Diabetes and cardiovascular disease

EPCCS 2012 Webcast
View Prof. Johan Wens, University of Antwerp, Belgium & General Practitioner, discuss the relation of Diabetes and Cardiovascular Disease and its relevance for primary care, as also presented during the 5th Annual meeting of the EPCCS in Athens. Get up to date in only 3 minutes Read more...

Global call for action to reduce cardiovascular risk

Smith SC Jr, Collins A, Ferrari R, et al. EHJ. 2012 Sep 17.
International cardiology group calls for aggressive public health goals. The Global Cardiovascular Disease Taskforce have proposed a set of aggressive measures to help achieve the goal to reduce premature mortality from non-communicable diseases by 25% by the year 2025. Read more...

Update on Familial Hypercholesterolaemia

EPCCS 2012 Webcast

View Dr. Carlos Brotons, Barcelona, Spain, discuss the importance of diagnoses and management of patients with Familial Hypercholesterolaemia in general practice, as also presented during the 5th Annual meeting of the EPCCS in Athens. Get up to date in only 3 minutes

New options for stroke prevention in patients with AF

EPCCS 2012 Webcast
View Prof. Richard Hobbs, University of Oxford, United Kingdom, Chairman of EPCCS discussing the potential role of novel anticoagulants in primary care as also presented during the 5th Annual meeting of the EPCCS in Athens. Get up to date in only 3 minutes Read more...

View all expert opinions of EPCCS 2012

Watch all faculty members of EPCCS 2012 provide 3 minute updates on key issues and new developments in cardiovascular disease relevant for primary care
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More EPCCS Commentaries & Literature reviews

What is happening in primary care?

A selection of recent international literature with a focus on primary care & CV disease

Effect of cardiovascular drug classes on all-cause mortality among atrial fibrillation patients treated in primary care in Sweden: a cohort study. Sweden, Eur J Clin Pharmacol. 2012 Sep 19
Treatment and blood pressure control in Spain during 2002-2010, Spain, J Hypertens. 2012 Sep 15
Assessment of a pay-for-performance program in primary care designed by target users. Netherlands, Fam Pract. 2012 Sep 20
Predictors of primary care referrals to a vascular disease prevention lifestyle program among participants in a cluster randomised trial. UK, BMC Health Serv Res. 2012 Aug 3
Applicability of the ankle-brachial-index measurement as screening device for high cardiovascular risk: an observational study. Netherlands, BMC Cardiovasc Disord. 2012 Jul 30
Does early intensive multifactorial treatment reduce total cardiovascular burden in individuals with screen-detected diabetes? Findings from the ADDITION-Europe cluster-randomized trial. Diabet Med. 2012 Jul 23
Variations in the organization and delivery of the 'NHS health check' in primary care, UK, J Public Health (Oxf). 2012 Jul 24
Process Evaluation of a Lifestyle Intervention to Prevent Diabetes and Cardiovascular Diseases in Primary Care. Netherlands. Health Promot Pract. 2012 Jul 6
A culture of care: the French approach to cardiovascular risk factor management. France. J Am Board Fam Med. 2012 Jul
Tinkering and tailoring individual consultations: how practice nurses try to make cardiovascular risk communication meaningful. UK, J Clin Nurs. 2012 Jul 13
Impact of age and sex on primary preventive treatment for cardiovascular disease in the West Midlands, UK: cross sectional study, BMJ. 2012 Jul 12
Prognostic value of reported chest pain for cardiovascular risk stratification in primary care, Germany, Eur J Prev Cardiol. 2012 Jun 27.
Predicting the 10 year risk of cardiovascular disease in the United Kingdom: independent and external validation of an updated version of QRISK2. UK, BMJ. 2012 Jun 21
Treatment of hypertension in central and eastern European countries: self-reported practice of primary care physicians, Slovenia. J Hypertens. 2012 Jun 7
Assessment of cardiovascular risk in primary health care, Finland, Scand J Prim Health Care. 2012 Jun
Blood pressure control in Italy: analysis of clinical data from 2005-2011 surveys on hypertension. Italy, J Hypertens. 2012 Jun
ASPIRE-2-PREVENT: a survey of lifestyle, risk factor management and cardioprotective medication in patients with coronary heart disease and people at high risk of developing cardiovascular disease in the UK. Heart. 2012 Jun

May

A cross-sectional study of quality of life in an elderly population (75 years and over) with atrial fibrillation: secondary analysis of data from the Birmingham Atrial Fibrillation Treatment of the Aged study, UK, Europace. 2012 May 10
Short sleep duration and increased risk of hypertension: a primary care medicine investigation, France, J Hypertens. 2012 May 16
Optimal type 2 diabetes mellitus management: the randomised controlled OPTIMISE benchmarking study: baseline results from six European countries. Belgium, Eur J Prev Cardiol. 2012 May 17.
Diagnosis and management of acute coronary syndrome in an outpatient setting: good guideline adherence in Swiss primary care. Switzerland, J Eval Clin Pract. 2012 May 8
Mixed dyslipidemias in primary care patients in France. France. Vasc Health Risk Manag. 2012

April

Atrial fibrillation: its prevalence and risk factor profile in the german general population. Germany. Dtsch Arztebl Int. 2012 Apr
Do Patients With High Vascular Risk Take Antihypertensive Medication Correctly? Spain. Rev Esp Cardiol. 2012 Apr 18
HF clinics versus primary care in stable patients on optimal therapy.Netherlands, Neth Heart J. 2012 Apr 24
Rapid Point-of-Care NT-proBNP Optimal Cut-off Point for Heart Failure Diagnosis in Primary Care, Spain, Rev Esp Cardiol. 2012 Apr 25
Determinants of heart failure self-care behaviour in community-based patients: a cross-sectional study, Germany, Eur J Cardiovasc Nurs. 2012 Apr 18
The impact of adherence to screening guidelines and of diabetes clinics referral on morbidity and mortality in diabetes. Italy, PLoS One. 2012;7(4):e33839. Epub 2012 Apr 3
Why is cardiovascular risk stratification important in hypertensive patients? Spain, Blood Press. 2012 Apr 10
A retrospective cohort study assessing patient characteristics and the incidence of cardiovascular disease using linked routine primary and secondary care data.UK, BMJ Open. 2012 Apr 13
Detection and treatment of hypercholesterolemia in Primary Health Care. The results of the POLKARD program of the Ministry of Health of Republic of Poland. Pol Arch Med Wewn. 2012 Apr 11
A retrospective cohort study assessing patient characteristics and the incidence of cardiovascular disease using linked routine primary and secondary care data, UK, BMJ Open. 2012 Apr 13
The influence of age, gender and socio-economic status on multimorbidity patterns in primary care. First results from the MultiCare Cohort study, Germany, BMC Health Serv Res. 2012 Apr 3
Bridging the gap between public health and primary care in prevention of cardiometabolic diseases; background of and experiences with the Prevention Consultation in The Netherlands, Fam Pract. 2012 Apr
Attitudes toward preventive services and lifestyle: the views of primary care patients in Europe. The EUROPREVIEW patient study. Spain. Fam Pract. 2012 Apr

Educational Resources & Literature

EPCCS 2011 - Expert Opinions

View primary care experts discuss the latest developments in cardiovascular disease

New oral anticoagulants for venous thromboembolism New oral anticoagulants for venous thromboembolism Prof. Henri Bounameaux (Geneva, Switzerland)	Optimising Lipid Management in Stable Disease Optimising Lipid Management in Stable Disease Prof. Furio Colivicchi (San Filippo Neri Hospital Rome, Italy)
What do GPs need to know about this new CVD epidemic Prof. Richard McManus (Birmingham, United Kingdom) explains what CKD is and how it should be treated, from the GP viewpoint.	Do biomarkers have a role in CVD prediction or follow-up? Prof. Arno Hoes (Utrecht, The Netherlands) discusses new biomarkers for predicting of future cardiovascular disease being developed in recent years .
Problems with oral anticoagulants in clinical practice Dr. Fokko de Haan (Germany) discusses daily problems with the new oral anticoagulants.	The future of lipid management in stroke Prof. Pierre Amarenco (Paris, France) describes how stroke can be prevented with statins and which patients already having stroke should receive statins.

More expert opinions

My top ten studies in primary care

Prof. Martin Scherer summarizes his favourite publications of primary care studies.

Update on HF Management

Prof. Martin R. Cowie, Imperial College, London, United Kingdom
There have been two very important randomized trials in the field of heart failure in the past 12 months, which should have an impact in everybody’s practice.

Welcome to the EPCCS

EPCCS 2013 - London

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Join the EPCCS in our efforts to reduce cardiovascualr disease in Europe. Membership is free.
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About the EPCCS

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EPCCS 2011 Meeting Highlights

written by dr. Sally Wood
Academic GP Registrar
University of Birmingham/South Birmingham VTS