Hypertension

Transcript

Welcome to this collection of learning and assessment on the topic of hypertension. Hypertension is one of the most important preventable causes of premature morbidity and mortality in the UK. It is a major risk factor for stroke, heart attack, heart failure, kidney disease and cognitive decline. However, it may be managed effectively with lifestyle interventions and appropriate medicines. At least one quarter of adults (and more than half of those older than 60) have high blood pressure. Those who do often have no symptoms. This may introduce challenges with taking medicines when multiple medicines are prescribed. Pharmacy professionals in all sectors have an important role to play in the prevention, identification and management of hypertension. Here you will find several types of learning resource including learning programmes, guidelines and helpful tools which you can apply to your pharmacy practice. The learning will help you to feel confident in raising the awareness of hypertension and supporting patients in making healthy lifestyle choices. Being up-to-date with the clinical guidelines will support discussions around medicines options, and aid the shared decision-making process. Take a look at the resources now to find out how you can develop your practice.

This learning programme aims to enable you to interpret and apply clinical guidance to support people with hypertension. You will consider how to optimise their treatment and use a shared decision-making approach to empower people with hypertension to self-manage their condition.

Learning Outcomes:

On completion of all aspects of this learning programme you should be able to:

• apply NICE clinical guidance in practice to support the initiation and optimisation of therapy for people with hypertension
• apply principles of shared decision making (SDM) to support people with hypertension
• support the self-monitoring of people with hypertension
• recommend ways for people to successfully self-manage hypertension
• support people to make changes to their lifestyle to reduce their risk of hypertension, worsening hypertension or complications associated with hypertension.

The aim of this e-learning programme is to provide you with a better understanding of vascular risk and the NHS health check programme.

It looks at the health policy surrounding the NHS health check programme and how it is commissioned. This learning defines cardiovascular risk and looks at some of the different assessment tools available and how these are used to estimate an individual’s cardiovascular risk.

It looks at the importance of communication with patients about their modifiable risk factors. Information on how to perform the NHS health check has been included and how to embed clinical governance into your NHS health check service.

Learning Outcomes:

• define the term cardiovascular risk and discuss which vascular diseases are included in the NHS health check programme
• describe how the NHS health check programme fits into current health policy, how it is commissioned and some of the practical aspects of providing a pharmacy-based service
• assess an individual’s risk of developing cardiovascular disease (CVD) using appropriate evidence-based tools
• explain management options for modifiable risk factors following an NHS health check
• manage patients identified as having low, medium or high risk
• identify situations where referral to another practitioner is appropriate following the NHS health check
• develop strategies for communicating with patients who are at risk of CVD.

The aim of this e-course is to develop your knowledge and skills in cardiovascular therapeutics. This will enable you to provide a person-centred approach to support the healthcare of people living with or at higher risk of cardiovascular disease. It is designed for pharmacy professionals working in all areas of practice.

To facilitate your learning, we have structured the course into seven units. Some units are larger than others, but we estimate that you will need to commit an average of three hours of learning for each unit.

• Unit 1 – Introduction to cardiovascular therapeutics
• Unit 2 – Atrial fibrillation
• Unit 3 – Blood pressure
• Unit 4 – Cholesterol
• Unit 5 – Stable angina
• Unit 6 – Acute coronary syndrome
• Unit 7 – Heart failure

Learning Outcomes:

On completion of all aspects of this learning programme, you should be able to:

• describe the anatomy and function of the cardiovascular system
• explain the changes to cardiovascular system anatomy and function occurring in common cardiovascular conditions
• identify opportunities to develop your role and professional networks to deliver holistic and seamless care for people living with or at higher risk of cardiovascular disease
• apply your knowledge of medicines and cardiovascular guidelines to support evidence-based decisions and medicines optimisation for the prevention and treatment of cardiovascular disease
• demonstrate a shared decision making approach to the care of people living with or at higher risk of cardiovascular disease
• create a personal action plan that describes the actions you will take to support people living with or at higher risk of cardiovascular disease

When you have worked through this e-learning programme, you will have gained an understanding of how the NMS should be delivered in a patient-centred, effective way as part of your day-to-day practice.

Learning Outcomes:

• describe the background of the NMS, including the evidence base
• describe possible options to engage and recruit patients into the service
• explain how to deliver a patient-centred approach to supporting individuals with their medicines.

The Hypertension case finding service page has links to service specifications, training requirements, optional self-assessment tool and links to learning programmes to support your knowledge and skills to deliver the service.

This e-assessment is linked with the CPPE Hypertension focal point programme and assesses you on the learning outcomes within that programme.

Why should I do this assessment?

This e-assessment is linked with the CPPE Vascular risk and the NHS health check programme and assesses you on the learning outcomes within that programme.

Why should I do this assessment?

This e-assessment is linked with the CPPE Fundamentals of cardiovascular therapeutics e-course programme, and assesses you on the learning outcomes in that programme. 

Why should I do this assessment?

This e-assessment completes the learning you began with the CPPE Fundamentals of cardiovascular therapeutics e-course. Access and successful completion will contribute to your own personal development plan, be recorded in your My CPPE record and will enable you to complete a CPD entry on the learning. It may also provide evidence for achieving competencies in the RPS Foundation or Advanced Pharmacy Frameworks. If you are working towards completing a Declaration of Competence for a pharmacy service, successful completion of this assessment will provide evidence of your learning.

This tool presents an overview of data on cardiovascular and cardiovascular related conditions of heart disease, stroke, diabetes and kidney disease.

We have a portfolio of clinical fact sheets which includes topics such as hypertension, pneumonia, UTIs and healthcare associated infections. Each fact sheet should refresh your knowledge of that particular condition and provide you with links to appropriate further resources.

The aim of this e-learning programme is to consider the concept of medicines optimisation. You will then plan your own development so you can practice medicines optimisation routinely to improve outcomes for your patients.

Learning Outcomes:

• explain what is meant by the term medicines optimisation and why it is important to improve patient outcomes
• access the national guidance and tools supporting medicines optimisation
• discuss how you can use future and innovative models of care to deliver medicines optimisation for your patients and local population
• describe the importance of patient-centred care, shared decision making and consultation skills in optimising medicines
• explain the need for effective communication between health and social care practitioners across all care settings.

Medicines optimisation: helping patients to make the most of medicines

NICE Clinical audit tool: lipid modification

To help a person decide what option would help them to best manage their blood pressure, NICE have created a hypertension patient decision aid.

How do I control my blood pressure? Lifestyle options and choice of medicines, includes information and a table of options with advantages and disadvantages for each of the options.

NICE Clinical Knowledge Summary: Hypertension

Blood pressure UK is a charity dedicated to lowering blood pressure.  Their information leaflet ‘ introducing high blood pressure’ is available in 32 languages.  Blood Pressure UK is also known for their Know Your Numbers! campaign.  The campaign raises awareness of high blood pressure, encouraging all UK adults to get a blood pressure check.

The British heart foundation is a charity that has information, and resources related to conditions of the heart including hypertension.  Resources include leaflets in a number of languages and a heart helpline linking to cardiac nurses.