Clinical medicine (London, England)
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Since the introduction of the European Working Time Directive, specialist registrars arguably contribute less to clinical service. The purpose of this study was to broadly quantify the service contribution of specialist registrars across a range of specialties and their value to an NHS organisation. A questionnaire-based survey of the clinical activities of specialist registrars in a large NHS trust was undertaken. ⋯ Medical trainees took more referrals and attended more clinics. An analysis of costings suggested that surgical trainees might have generated around £700,000 income per year for the trust. Overall, specialist registrars make a substantial contribution to NHS clinical service and are cost-effective.
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Heart failure (HF) and atrial fibrillation (AF) are among the commonest cardiovascular conditions encountered in clinical practice and frequently coexist. Over the last decade, they have evolved into global cardiovascular epidemics. This, in turn, has huge clinical and economic implications. ⋯ AF is not only a marker of HF severity but also affects HF prognosis independently. This article presents the close pathophysiological relationship between AF and HF and the adverse prognostic consequences of this bidirectional interaction. The scope of various therapeutic modalities and their potential impacts are discussed briefly.