A pregnancy complication is a heart risk for life, and primary care is where it gets followed up

The edition in brief

Today's family medicine edition closes on women after adverse pregnancy outcomes such as pre-eclampsia and gestational diabetes, which affect about 30% of pregnancies and carry lifelong cardiovascular risk. A BJGP qualitative review of 18 studies and 339 women found slow recovery, childcare and work crowded out prevention, while knowing the risk, personalised advice and proactive follow-up helped. In a Turkish family health centre, applying the 2024 ESC blood pressure categories to 882 adults moved 53.4% into the new elevated group, and the share of treated patients at target fell from 53.5% to 30.8%. A BJGP interview study with patients, pharmacists and GPs found polypharmacy reviews often lack clear case-finding and purpose, and that deeper problems yielded only to continuity and trust. A Chinese trial of 134 people with type 2 diabetes at high risk of kidney disease reported improvements in HbA1c, eGFR, systolic pressure and LDL cholesterol with a 12-week self-management programme, but not in albuminuria. The pearl is on confirming a raised clinic reading outside the clinic.