The British journal of general practice : the journal of the Royal College of General Practitioners
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Prescription medication sharing refers to the lending or borrowing of prescription medications where the recipient is someone other than the person for whom the prescription is intended. Sharing prescription medication can cause significant harm. Adverse consequences include an increased risk of side effects, delayed health seeking, and severity of disease. Prevalence estimates vary across different populations and people's reasons for, and perceptions of risks from, sharing are poorly understood. ⋯ Findings suggest that medication-sharing behaviour is common and involves a range of medicines for a variety of reasons. Data on the prevalence and predictors of prescription medication sharing are inconsistent. A better understanding of non-modifiable and potentially modifiable behavioural factors that contribute to sharing is needed to support development of effective interventions aimed at mitigating unsafe sharing practices.
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Review Comparative Study
Comparing dietary strategies to manage cardiovascular risk in primary care: a narrative review of systematic reviews.
Nutrition care in general practice is crucial for cardiovascular disease (CVD) prevention and management, although comparison between dietary strategies is lacking. ⋯ For primary prevention, energy deficit, Mediterranean-like diets, and sodium substitution have modest evidence for risk reduction of CVD events. Strategies incorporated into clinical nutrition care should ensure guidance is person centred and tailored to clinical circumstances.
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Studies utilising genotyping methods report the prevalence of familial hypercholesterolaemia to be as high as one in 137 of the adult population. ⋯ The estimated prevalence of familial hypercholesterolaemia was one in 608 of the population, less than expected from other studies, which may indicate that familial hypercholesterolaemia is under-recognised in UK primary care. Over one-third of diagnosed patients were undertreated and many did not achieve target goals, placing them at risk of cardiovascular events.