The edition · Family Medicine
Under the 2024 ESC categories, half of a family practice list moved into 'elevated' blood pressure
A primary care audit shows what the new blood pressure categories do to a real list, family physicians take on more of cancer care, and older smokers who relapsed mostly want another try.
The edition in brief
Applying the 2024 ESC blood pressure categories to 882 adults at a Turkish family health centre (BMC Primary Care, 11 September) placed 53.4% in the new 'elevated BP' group, including three-quarters of those previously below the hypertension threshold. Among treated patients, the share meeting target fell from 53.5% under the 2018 criteria to 30.8% under the 2024 ones. A review in American Family Physician (1 October) sets out the family physician's role across cancer care: tracking treatment, recognising adverse effects and oncological emergencies, and managing diabetes, cardiovascular risk and activity alongside it. A network meta-analysis of 60 trials (JMIR Aging, 28 October) found telerehabilitation and exergaming improved balance in older adults compared with no treatment, but none outperformed conventional exercise, and no trial reported falls. A telephone follow-up of older adults from a Turkish cessation clinic (BMC Primary Care, 8 September) found 81% of those still smoking would accept help for another attempt, though follow-up was incomplete. The pearl covers when to avoid antibiotics in bloody diarrhoea.
Family physicians carry much of cancer care between oncology visits
Keep a patient's cancer treatment visible in the record, and treat new symptoms as possible treatment effects.
Digital balance training helped older adults, but no more than ordinary exercise
Prescribe balance exercise in whatever form an older patient will keep doing; technology adds reach, not efficacy.
Most older smokers who had relapsed wanted help to try again
Offer another quit attempt to older smokers who relapsed; four in five in this study wanted help.
Bloody diarrhoea without fever: hold the antibiotics and check the kidneys
In bloody diarrhoea without much fever, avoid empirical antibiotics and watch for haemolytic uraemic syndrome.
The 2024 ESC categories put half a primary care list into 'elevated' blood pressure
Pair every elevated blood pressure reading with a cardiovascular risk estimate, and plan for many more follow-ups.
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