Improved arthritic knee health in a pilot RCT of phytotherapy.

Although practitioner-prescribed 'western' herbal medicine (phytotherapy) is a popular complementary therapy in the UK, no clinical studies have been reported on patient-orientated outcomes. The objective of this pilot study was to investigate the effects of phytotherapy on symptoms of osteoarthritis of the knee. A previous study of Chinese herbal medicine for the treatment of irritable bowel syndrome, published in the Journal of the American Medical Association, acted as a model in the development of the protocol of this investigation.

Identifying patients with familial hypercholesterolaemia in primary care: an informatics-based approach in one primary care centre.

Background: Familial hypercholesterolaemia (FH) is associated with highly raised low-density lipoprotein-cholesterol and causes early-onset cardiovascular disease. Its autosomal dominant inheritance allows family cascade screening to be performed once an index case has been identified. However, the vast majority of people with FH in the United Kingdom have not been identified, and there is no national screening programme.

Workload implications of identifying patients with ischaemic heart disease in primary care: population-based study.

Background: The aims of this study were to develop ischaemic heart disease (IHD) registers in three primary care groups (PCGs) in SW London; to determine what proportion of patients with IHD were already identified; and to estimate the workload in producing an IHD disease register.

Methods: A population-based cross-sectional study was carried out in 46 out of 49 general practices in three PCGs in SW London, using computerized and paper medical records. Outcome measures were proportion of patients with IHD on existing disease registers, and workload and cost of producing complete registers.

Use of Read codes in diabetes management in a south London primary care group: implications for establishing disease registers.

Objective: To establish current practice in the use of Read codes for diabetes.

Design: Cross sectional study.

Setting: 17 practices in the Battersea primary care group in southwest London.

Prevalence and management of coronary heart disease in primary care: population-based cross-sectional study using a disease register.

Background: Patients with coronary heart disease are at high risk of further coronary events. Hence, one of the main priorities in the National Service Framework for Coronary Heart Disease strategy is the identification and treatment of patients with pre-existing coronary heart disease. We aimed to determine the prevalence of established coronary heart disease in a large primary care population and to compare the management of risk factors in these patients with the standards given in the National Service Framework.

Teaching elderly patients how to use inhalers. A study to evaluate an education programme on inhaler technique, for elderly patients.

Elderly patients often receive little or no teaching on the use of their inhalers. This study evaluated a patient teaching programme, designed specifically for elderly people. The sample (n = 27) was taken from patients who were prescribed inhalers and had been admitted to the elderly care wards of an acute provider unit.