Resources

This advertorial is the first in a sequence of educational articles, which will be published over the next few months. These individual learning activities will help to improve your understanding of the AQUACEL dressing range.

Lymphoedema is a debilitating condition that results in significant discomfort for patients and has no cure. However, with careful assessment and accurate diagnosis, appropriate treatment can relieve symptoms such as swelling and pain and improve patients’ quality of life. This article outlines the physiology of lymphoedema, before exploring the assessment and treatment measures, which include compression therapy to reduce oedema, skin care, manual manipulation of lymph fluid and exercise.

The number of patients with venous leg ulcers is growing as the population ages. Recent estimates indicate that 730,000 people with venous leg ulcers were treated in 2012/13 (Guest et al, 2015); a number that is predicted to increase year on year. Venous leg ulcers can be difficult to manage in some patients despite best practice, particularly in those with multiple comorbidities. These patients can develop chronic ulceration that can be present for months or even years in some cases. The cost of managing these patients presents a significant burden to the NHS. An evaluation was carried out to determine the efficacy of LQD® wound spray, a unique spray-on wound dressing that contains Chitosan FH02™, in promoting wound healing in patients with longstanding venous leg ulcers. The results indicated that LQD wound spray contributed to putting the wounds onto a healing trajectory.

Atopic eczema is becoming more prevalent across all age groups. It is a condition that occurs in childhood and can resurface or develop for the first time in later life in those who may/may not have previously had asthma or hayfever. Other forms of eczema, such as asteatotic eczema (where the skin is abnormally dry) and varicose eczema (which affects the lower limbs and is common alongside varicose veins), often develop in older people, while irritant or allergic contact dermatitis can develop as a result of occupational activities or hobbies which involve contact with disinfectants or petroleum products. Management of atopic eczema involves leave-on topical creams in mild cases, to the use of systemic immunosuppressive medication in severe cases. However, understanding environmental factors and physiological changes that can occur in atopic eczema, and which can affect the severity of the condition, can assist general practice nurses (GPNs) to eliminate or reduce patients’ exposure, thus improving the control of the condition and reducing the risk of exacerbations.

This article provides an overview of a collection of diseases collectively known as interstitial lung disease (ILD). The terminology and names have changed over time with an expanding, complex classification. This article discusses some of the more commonly recognised classes of ILD. These conditions are increasingly recognised but provide diagnostic and therapeutic challenges. General practice nurses (GPNs) are ideally placed for early symptom recognition and onward referral to secondary care specialist service for multidisciplinary team discussion, diagnosis and management.

Shingles is a painful and debilitating disease which disproportionately affects older adults. Despite an effective vaccine, the use of which has reduced cases of shingles and the subsequent complication of postherpetic neuralgia, many eligible older adults are not receiving the vaccine. Uptake is lower than would be hoped for and has declined each year since the programme was introduced in 2013. This year, efforts are being made to reinvigorate interest in the vaccination programme and to provide supporting literature and information. General practice nurses (GPNs) are instrumental in advising patients about vaccination and will deliver the majority of vaccines. This article provides an overview of the disease, its cause, the role of immunity, risk and incidence, disease course, treatment, prevention and how to improve uptake by employing best practice initiatives. GPNs can use this information to advocate shingle vaccination and improve uptake and protection for the vulnerable older adults in the population.

A woman’s average age for her periods to end, marking the menopause, is 51. Roughly, 80% of women suffer from some menopausal symptoms which last for two years on average. Lowered oestrogen levels are responsible for most menopausal symptoms; the most common in western culture being hot flushes, night sweats, vaginal dryness and sleep disturbance. Weight gain that is often associated with the menopause can further add to the development of health conditions, such as heart disease, and make certain symptoms, such as hot flushes, worse. The combination of a healthy diet, in particular with a low glycaemic load, keeping active, and avoiding weight gain can help alleviate or reduce severity of menopause symptoms. Some foods such as soya products, oily fish, oats, possibly probiotics, and milk products or their alternatives, can help with a number of symptoms. More evidence is gathering for how a Mediterranean diet can help with symptoms.