Aust Fam Physician
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Aerobic exercise has a marked impact on cardiovascular disease risk. Benefits include improved serum lipid profiles, blood pressure and inflammatory markers as well as reduced risk of stroke, acute coronary syndrome and overall cardiovascular mortality. Most exercise programs prescribed for fat reduction involve continuous, moderate aerobic exercise, as per Australian Heart Foundation clinical guidelines. ⋯ Aerobic exercise has numerous benefits for high-risk populations and such benefits, especially weight loss, are amplified with HIIT. High intensity interval training involves repeatedly exercising at a high intensity for 30 seconds to several minutes, separated by 1-5 minutes of recovery (either no or low intensity exercise). HIT is associated with increased patient compliance and improved cardiovascular and metabolic outcomes and is suitable for implementation in both healthy and 'at risk' populations. Importantly, as some types of exercise are contraindicated in certain patient populations and HIIT is a complex concept for those unfamiliar to exercise, some patients may require specific assessment or instruction before commencing a HIIT program.
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Dementia is an increasingly common condition in the community. On average, every general practitioner in Australia will see three new cases each year. There are strong reasons for making an early diagnosis of dementia, as this may enable families to plan ahead and to institute management that could reduce cognitive impairment and slow disease progression. ⋯ Several new strategies for the management of dementia have emerged recently and GPs should be aware that optimal management of cardiovascular risk factors will improve cognition and may delay onset. Management of exercise, socialisation and cognitive training may improve cognitive function in early-diagnosed cases. The GP's role in initiating service delivery is an important one, and the practice nurse may play an important role in coordinating services for patients in the early stages of dementia.