BJGP open
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On the 11 March 2020, the World Health Organization (WHO) declared that COVID-19 was a pandemic. To date, there are no medical treatments for COVID-19 with proven effectiveness. Novel treatments and/or vaccines will take time to be developed and distributed to patients. In light of this, there has been growing interest in the use of existing medications, such as chloroquine (CQ) and hydroxychloroquine (HCQ), as potential treatments of this disease. ⋯ At present, there is insufficient evidence to determine whether CQ/HCQ are safe and effective treatments for COVID-19. High quality, adequately powered randomised clinical trials in primary and secondary care settings are urgently required to guide policymakers and clinicians. These studies should report medium- and long-term follow-up results, and safety data.
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General practice in the UK faces continuing challenges to balance a workforce shortage against rising demand. The NHS England GP Forward View proposes development of the multidisciplinary, integrated primary care workforce to support frontline service delivery, including the employment of paramedics. However, very little is known about the safety, clinical effectiveness, or cost-effectiveness of paramedics working in general practice. Research is needed to understand the potential benefits and drawbacks of this model of workforce organisation. ⋯ The contribution of paramedics in general practice has not been fully evaluated. There is a need for research that takes account of the substantial variation between service models to fully understand the benefits and consequences for patients, the workforce, and the NHS.
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Although long-term use of benzodiazepines (BZDs) and Z drugs is associated with various side effects, they remain popular among the older population. Possible reasons for this phenomenon could be ineffective ways of transmitting information on the health risks associated with long-term use, and communication gaps between patients and healthcare professionals. ⋯ Patients, physicians, nurses, and pharmacists reported differences in the perception of long-term BZD and Z drug use. Nevertheless, all of the participants described lack of information and expressed the need for greater communication exchange.
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Limited research has been performed that focused on the diagnosis of the underlying cause of anaemia of chronic disease (ACD) in general practice or on prevalence data of the underlying causes of ACD in general practice, although this is one of the most common types of anaemia. ⋯ For most patients with newly diagnosed ACD, the GP undertakes additional investigations to establish underlying causes. However, the cause of ACD remains unknown in a small proportion of patients. The use of oral iron supplementation in these patients requires caution.
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Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) are widely prescribed in primary care despite being a high-risk drug group causing significant adverse events, yet little is known about GPs' perceptions of NSAID risks and benefits. ⋯ NSAID prescribing is a complex balance between pragmatism and potential adverse events. Given the costs of morbidity, hospitalisation, and patient demand there is an urgent need to secure a more detailed evidence base and develop practical pathways to support safer prescribing.