– a generally known phenomenon? This is probably because it is being referenced more and more in policy (and funding related) documents and this is because multimorbidity is identified as a cause of increased health care costs.
A few decades ago, chronic diseases began to assume importance as they became relatively more common when compared to acute illnesses and as infectious diseases have become more treatable. Co-morbidities then began to be mentioned in specialist clinics where it was noted that, for instance, patients with COPD might also have cardiac or peripheral vascular disease – and that these co-morbidities and their treatments might impact on the disease under care.
This was a rather specialist view. In the Geriatric
In
The American Geriatric Society has produced a handy Pocketcard summary of their guidelines.
In the UK, Multimorbidity guidelines have been produced
Minimally Disruptive Medicine: Is healthcare careful? Is it kind?
MedEdPurls has three posts on Teaching Multimorbidity:
http://mededpurls.com/blog/index.php/2016/10/31/teaching-multimorbidity-part-one/
http://mededpurls.com/blog/index.php/2016/11/05/teaching-multimorbidity-part-two/
http://mededpurls.com/blog/index.php/2016/11/13/teaching-multimorbidity-part-three/
Become a member and get unlimited access to 100s of hours of premium education.
Learn moreAge-related macular degeneration (AMD) causes half of all blindness and severe vision loss among older Australians. Though there is currently no definitive cure, early identification and intervention can help to slow disease progression and preserve sight. This FastTrack highlights the role of GPs in recognising AMD, providing primary care interventions, and when to refer.
The management of chronic hepatitis C infection can be challenging. This FastTrack discusses when and how to screen, indications for urgent specialist referral, and the use of direct-acting antiviral medications. 30mins RP and 30mins EA CPD are available with the quiz.
Sepsis is a time-critical medical emergency. The National Sepsis Program urges GPs and primary care clinicians to enhance early recognition and management of sepsis to save lives. This update outlines key actions and available resources to support timely diagnosis and intervention across primary care settings.