GP Training - Catalogue

John is a 62 year old male diagnosed with hypertension 4 years ago.
His blood pressure has not improved in spite of self-reported
compliance with his medication. He has not attended the practice
every 6 – 8 weeks for a check on his blood pressure. This online
learning module reviews the latest findings in the area of
epidemiology and pathophysiology of hypertension and looks at the
rationale for various combinations of antihypertensive agents in the
context of a patient who appears to be highly resistant to therapy.

At the conclusion of this online learning module you will be able to:

• describe the epidemiology of hypertension in Australia
• discuss the underlying pathophysiology of hypertension
• discuss the target blood pressure goals for various groups of patients
• list the different classes of antihypertensive agents
• understand the rationale for combination therapy in hypertension
• tailor antihypertensive regimens to meet the needs of individual patients.

Don is a 49-year-old male who presents for a follow-up visit after being
diagnosed with Type 2 diabetes and dyslipidaemia 3 months ago. He
was diagnosed with hypertension a year previously. At the time, he
refused lipid-lowering therapy and was counselled on lifestyle
modifications and referred to a nutritionist. Don admits that he has not
instituted any lifestyle changes to date. This online learning module
focuses on patients with Type 2 diabetes who often have a pattern of
dyslipidaemia characterised by high TGs and low HDL-C.

At the conclusion of this online learning module you will be able to:

• understand the relationship between diabetic dyslipidaemia and cardiovascular risk
• discuss triglyceride levels in patients with Type 2 diabetes and their impact on increasing cardiovascular risk
• describe the role of lipid-modifying agents in reducing macrovascular risk in patients with Type 2 diabetes
• tailor lipid-lowering treatment regimens to suit the needs of individual patients.

Dave is a 55-year-old man, relatively fit and healthy looking but a little
overweight. On two previous occasions, his BP has been elevated. He
returns after one month to have his blood pressure checked again, it
remains high. His doctor wishes to prescribe Dave antihypertensive
therapy.

Most patients will need more than one medication to control their high
blood pressure. In many cases, patients with hypertension have other
cardiovascular risk factors such as dyslipidaemia or insulin resistance,
requiring additional medications. Thus, the total pill burden can be
quite overwhelming for the patient. Learn about compliance and
barriers to compliance, so you will be better equipped to help patients
stay on their medications and gain benefits from these treatments.

At the conclusion of this online learning module you will be able to:

• define compliance
• discuss the consequences of non-compliance
• identify patients who do not comply with prescribed therapy
• recognise the barriers to compliance
• implement strategies to promote compliance to help patients achieve their medical goals.

Penny is a 50-year-old overweight woman, new to the practice. Penny
was diagnosed with hypertension approximately two years ago. She
has a close family history of hypertension and coronary heart disease.
She notes that she has “high cholesterol.” This online learning module
reviews the latest evidence in relation to epidemiology and prevalence
of the metabolic syndrome together with treatment and patient
management options. Some patients respond well to lifestyle
modifications but others may need quite aggressive management to
reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease.

At the conclusion of this online learning module you will be able to:

• list the criteria for diagnosing the metabolic syndrome
• identify patients with the metabolic syndrome
• identify patients at high risk for cardiovascular events
• tailor treatment regimens to address each of the disorders associated with the metabolic syndrome.

Lillian is a 56-year-old slightly overweight woman with type 2 diabetes,
dyslipidaemia, and hypertension. Her GP is concerned because her
glucose level and blood pressure remain high despite adherence to
medication.

For many years, the dominant theory in blood pressure regulation has
been that the kidney is the primary long-term regulator and the
autonomic system is important in short-term regulation. In this online
learning module, review the evidence from animal and human studies
which show that the sympathetic nervous system plays a significant
role in longer-term blood pressure regulation and remains an
important target for potential drug and non-drug therapies.

At the conclusion of this online learning module you will be able to:

• describe the role of the sympathetic nervous system in blood pressure regulation
• describe why sympathetic activity, as well as renal mechanisms, is important in the pathophysiology of hypertension
• discuss treatment options that address sympathetic nervous system overactivity.

Evaluating patients with apparently resistant hypertension
should confirm that treatment resistance actually exists.
Through recent research and expert opinion into resistant
hypertension, identify causes contributing to treatment
resistance, including secondary causes of hypertension and
document target-organ damage. This final module in the
cardiovascular risk series reviews case studies and provides
additional expert commentary on patient treatment and management
options as well as patient safety issues.

At the conclusion of this online learning module you will be able to:

• Develop antihypertensive regimens to meet the needs of individual patients.
• Describe the role of lipid-modifying agents in reducing macrovascular risk in patients with Type 2 diabetes.
• Implement treatment regimens to address each of the disorders associated with the metabolic syndrome.
• Implement strategies to promote compliance to help patients achieve their medical goals.
• Discuss treatment options that address sympathetic nervous system overactivity