Geriatric Medicine

In the past few years, the management of rheumatoid arthritis has changed considerably with the introduction of biological therapies. Older disease modifying treatments still have an important role since the newer treatments are relatively…

More than $100 million is spent on research into Parkinson's disease each year. Where is thisresearch leading us? Can we expect a cure or prevention of the disease in the foreseeable future? Are new developments in research likely to change…

An ageing population and advances in the treatment of heart failure have led to greater numbers of elderly patients surviving withheart failure. This article discusses the current evidence base for the management of heart failure.

The Department of Health has recently announced the rollout of the NHS National Bowel Cancer Screening Programme (NBCSP). The following article outlines the principles of bowel cancer screening and examines the evidence supporting such a…

This charity profile looks at the work of the British Lung Foundation in attempting to raise awareness of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease€”a condition that women are more susceptible to developing as their lung function worsens with…

Osteoarthritis is the most common cause of disability in older people, and diseased hip and knee joints cause most difficulty for older individuals because activities of daily living are significantly affected. Verbal and numerical rating…

Type 2 diabetes usually develops in people over the age of 40 years, and the risk of getting it increases with age. It is more common in men and hyperglycaemia caused by untreated type 2 diabetes can lead to a number of long-term…

Generalised anxiety disorder is increasingly recognised as an important treatable clinical disorder. It has an overall prevalence of about 2€“5%, and twice as many women as men have this condition. This disorder can present with a variety…

Stroke is the third leading cause of death in the world. The incidence of stroke approximately doubles each decade after the age of 45, with a 2% annual risk over 80 years of age and a 3€“7% annual risk over 95 years of age. Hypertension is…

A study was undertaken to define the prevalence of nocturia and urgency in the hip fracture population immediately prior toadmission to hospital and to determine the frequency that urinary problems caused the fall leading to hip fracture.

Carotid endarterectomy is a surgical procedure in which an atherosclerotic plaque is removed from the carotid artery to avoid future stroke. A small proportion of patients will have adverse effects from surgery and need emergency…

The vision of the British Heart Foundation is of a world in which people do not die prematurely of heart disease. The charity, which was created in 1961, hopes to achieve this through pioneering research, vital prevention activity and by…

Breast cancer is the collective term for all the cancers that originate in breast tissue. Most of these begin in the glandular tissue, though the most common of all breast cancers starts in the ducts. Breakthrough Breast Cancer is a UK…

Dehydration in frail, elderly, nursing-home residents is a common problem usually leading to hospital admission for rehydration with intravenous fluids. Such admissions increase pressure on secondary care and may cause distress to the…

Revalidation is almost upon us. Relicensing should, subject to legislation, finally start this autumn, followed by recertification as part as a 5-year rolling programme. The impact this will have on consultants' continuing professional…