The British journal of general practice : the journal of the Royal College of General Practitioners
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Randomized Controlled Trial Multicenter Study
Hypotensive effects of hawthorn for patients with diabetes taking prescription drugs: a randomised controlled trial.
Hawthorn (Crataegus laevigata) leaves, flowers and berries are used by herbal practitioners in the UK to treat hypertension in conjunction with prescribed drugs. Small-scale human studies support this approach. ⋯ This is the first randomised controlled trial to demonstrate a hypotensive effect of hawthorn in patients with diabetes taking medication.
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Multicenter Study
Patient involvement in primary care mental health: a focus group study.
Patient involvement in health care is a strong political driver in the NHS. However in spite of policy prominence, there has been only limited previous work exploring patient involvement for people with serious mental illness. ⋯ Meaningful change in patient involvement requires commitment and belief from primary care practitioners that the views and experiences of people with serious mental illness are valid and valuable.
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If physician-assisted suicide/euthanasia is legalised in the UK, this may be the work of GPs. In the absence of recent or comprehensive evidence about GPs' views on either legalisation or willingness to take part, a questionnaire survey of all Welsh GPs was conducted of whom 1202 (65%) responded. Seven hundred and fifty (62.4% of responders) and 671 (55.8% of responders) said that they did not favour a change in the law to allow physician-assisted suicide/voluntary euthanasia respectively. These data provide a rational basis for determining the position of primary care on this contentious issue.
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Antidepressant prescribing in general practice has dramatically increased since the beginning of the last decade. ⋯ There is no evidence of an increase in incidence, prevalence, care-seeking behaviour or identification of depression during the period of a sharp increase in antidepressant prescribing. Further work is required to explain the increase.