Signs to encourage stair use

Source: National Heart Forum

Follow this link for fulltext

Date of publication: February 2012

Publication type: News item

In a nutshell: A recent American report tells how signs in three different public buildings, one a health clinic, encouraging people to use the stairs rather than the lift, led to much increased stair-climbing even after a 9 month period. A simple idea to promote more physical activity, integrated into daily life.

Length of publication: 1 web page

Some important notes: Please contact your local NHS library if you cannot access the full text. Follow this link to find your local NHS library.

Diet, physical activity and cardiovascular disease prevention in Europe

Source: european heart network

Follow this link for fulltext

Date of publication: 23 November 2011

Publication type: Report

In a nutshell: Reviews the progress made over the last 10 years, the scientific evidence on diet, physical activity and cardiovascular health, and proposes policy changes across Europe.

Length of publication: Full report 196 pages, summary 64 pages, briefing 4 pages

Some important notes: Please contact your local NHS library if you cannot access the full text. Follow this link to find your local NHS library.

Acknowledgement: National Heart Forum Briefing of the Year 2011

Healthy Places

Source: National Heart Forum (NHF)

Follow this link for fulltext

Date of publication: 21 October 2011

Publication type: News item

In a nutshell: The NHF announced the launch of Healthy Places, a new interactive online resource developed with the backing of the Department of Health.  It covers legal issues, planning law and regulations to show local councils, planning groups and health practitioners how they can use existing legislation to improve public health. Features a wide range of highly practical case studies from throughout the UK, showing how the legal regulatory environment is used in areas such as travel, food, physical activity, to proactively support healthy communities.

Length of publication: 1 web page

Some important notes: Please contact your local NHS library if you cannot access the full text. Follow this link to find your local NHS library.

Acknowledgement:

UK physical activity guidelines

Source: Department of Health

Follow this link for fulltext

Date of publication: July 2011

Publication type: Report

In a nutshell: These physical activity guidelines from the CMO are scientifically informed, and cover early years, children and young people, adults and older adults across the four countries of the UK.

Length of publication: 1 webpage plus linked factsheets

Some important notes: Please contact your local NHS library if you cannot access the full text. Follow this link to find your local NHS library. 

Tool for GPs predicts public health savings to NHS

Source: GPonline.com

Follow this link for fulltext

Date of publication: 4 July 2011

Publication type: News item

In a nutshell: A toolkit has been developed by the National Social Marketing Centre, in conjunction with NICE and the Department of Health. It is designed to indicate the health gains and cost effectiveness of interventions such as those aiming to reducing levels of alcohol consumption, obesity, smoking, etc. 

Length of publication: 1 webpage

Some important notes: Please contact your local NHS library if you cannot access the full text. Follow this link to find your local NHS library.

Achieving ideal cardiovascular and brain health: opportunity amid crisis. Presidential address at the American Heart Association 2010 Scientific sessions

Source: Circulation, 7 June 2011,

Follow this link for fulltext

Date of publication: June 2011

Publication type: Journal article

In a nutshell: Ralph L Sacco, Miller School of Medicine, University of Miami, is the first neurologist to become President of the American Heart Association. In this address, he outlines 7 simple key factors and behaviours which support ‘ideal cardiovascular health’. He discusses the challenges, and the prevention strategies that need to be taken to build healthier nations, free from cardiovascular disease and stroke.

Length of publication: 6 pages

Some important notes: You will need an NHS Athens username and password to access this article. Please contact your local NHS library if you cannot access the full text. Follow this link to find your local NHS library.

Considerable uncertainty remains in the evidence for primary prevention of cardiovascular disease

Source: The Cochrane Library

Follow this link for fulltext

Date of publication: 14 January 2011

Publication type: Editorial

In a nutshell: This editorial is written by Carl Heneghan, Director of the Centre for Evidence Based Medicine, and Clinical Reader in the Department of Primary Health Care, University of Oxford. It is based on the evidence from two new Cochrane reviews of preventive strategies: multiple risk factor interventions for primary prevention of CHD, and statins for the primary prevention of CVD.

Length of publication: 1 web page

Some important notes: Please contact your local NHS library if you cannot access the full text. Follow this link to find your local NHS library.

Quality of life and cost-effectiveness of a 3-year trial of lifestyle intervention in primary health care

Source: Archives of Internal Medicine, 13 September 2010, vol 170 no 16, pp 1470-1479

Follow this link for fulltext

Date of publication: September 2010

Publication type: Journal article

In a nutshell: This Swedish study of 151 patients over 3 years, demonstrated clear and cost-effective impact of group-based lifestyle interventions on quality of life (QOL) in patients at moderate to high risk of CVD. The researchers performed health economic evaluation, cost-utility analysis and cost-effectiveness using the net monetary benefit method.

Length of publication: 10 pages

Some important notes: You will need an NHS Athens username and password to access this article. Please contact your local NHS library if you cannot access the full text. Follow this link to find your local NHS library.

Will cardiovascular disease prevention widen health inequalities?

Source: PLoS Medicine August 2010, volume 7 issue 8

Follow this link for fulltext

Date of publication: 24 August 2010

Publication type: Journal article

In a nutshell: The authors, Simon Capewell of University of Liverpool, and Hilary Graham of University of York, discuss evidence that the strategy of screening, in order to identify patients at high risk of CVD, and then treating by encouraging lifestyle changes and medication, actually increases health inequalities. In comparison, legislation and wider public health strategies are less divisive and more effective.

Length of publication: 5 pages

Some important notes: Please contact your local NHS library if you cannot access the full text. Follow this link to find your local NHS library.

Acknowledgement:  National Library for Public Health e-newsletter October 2010

Practical organisation of preventive cardiology programmes: integrating prevention and rehabilitation

Source:  European Journal of Cardiovascular Prevention and Rehabilitation August 2009, volume 16 (suppl 2), S37-S42

Follow this link for fulltext

Date of publication:  August 2009

Publication type:  Journal Article

In a nutshell:  Hugo Saner,  from the Swiss Cardiovascular Centre, University Hospitals, Inselspital Bern, Switzerland, and David Wood, from the National Heart and Lung Institute, Imperial College Healthcare NHS Trust, Imperial College, London, discuss the European Heart Health Charter, the challenges in CVD prevention in Europe, and the core components of cardiovascular prevention and rehabilitation services.  There is particular focus on the creation of modern cardiovascular prevention centres and services, as called for by the European Association for Cardiovascular Prevention and Rehabilitation.

Length of publication:  6 pages

Some important notes: Please contact your local NHS library if you cannot access the full text. Follow this link to find your local NHS library.

Acknowledgement:   European Society of Cardiology

Polypill: Is a single pill the answer to preventing stroke and heart disease?

Source: Blood Pressure Association, 31st March 2009

Follow this link for the full text

Date of  Publication:  March, 2009

Publication Type: News item

In a nutshell: Reports on the results of research carried out in India, which indicate that a cheap five-in-one pill may safely and effectively reduce the incidence of cardiovascular disease.

Length of Publication: 1 page

Further dissemination:  If you think anyone would benefit from receiving this posting or from subscribing to this blog, please e-mail them the link to this blog and suggest that they sign up to the e-mail newsletter to stay up to date with new content. 

Acknowledgements: National Heart Forum weekly e-news briefing 1.4.09

Westminster primary care trust introduces programme to prevent heart disease

Source: BMJ 2009; 338: b377

For fulltext link, click here

Year of Publication: 2009

Publication Type: Journal article

In a nutshell: The ‘Healthy Hearts and Minds’ programme includes checks to assess vascular risk carried out at both GPs and pharmacies, a programme to prevent cardiovascular disease, and a new community cardiac team. NHS Westminster is the commissioning body.

Length of Publication: 1 page

Some important notes: You will need an NHS Athens username and password to access this article. If you cannot access the full text, please contact your local NHS library.

Further dissemination: If you think anyone would benefit from receiving this posting or from subscribing to this blog, please e-mail them the link to this blog and suggest that they sign up to the e-mail newsletter to stay up to date with new content.