Coronary heart disease: Stable angina

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

This factsheet covers coronary heart disease in general while offering a description of what acute coronary syndromes are. It goes on to discuss management options and signpost to patient resources.

An online course to build pharmacy teams' understanding of vascular risk, cardiovascular disease (CVD) and risk assessment, and the NHS Health Check programme and its commissioning. It includes communications with patients about their modifiable risk factors, and embedding clinical governance into your 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.

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 different competency frameworks that apply across your career. 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 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 completes the learning you began with the CPPE Vascular risk and the NHS health check programme. 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 different competency frameworks that apply across your career. 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.

Use this tool to calculate a person’s risk of developing a heart attack or stroke over the next ten years.

NICE CG126 Stable angina: management

Coronary heart disease is a very common condition affecting around 2.3 million people in the UK. CHD is sometimes called ischaemic heart disease (IHD) or coronary artery disease (CAD). Some people may also refer to it as heart disease.

Angina is a symptom. It’s a pain or an uncomfortable feeling when blood flow to your heart is reduced. It's not dangerous but it can be a sign of heart problem, like coronary heart disease.

It's usually felt in your chest. Some people feel the pain in their arm, neck, stomach, back or jaw.