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According to data recently published in Circulation: Cardiovascular Quality and Outcomes [1], patients with atrial fibrillation, who were treated with catheter ablation using the NAVISTAR® THERMOCOOL® Catheter, reported markedly fewer symptoms and substantially improved quality of life than patients treated with antiarrhythmic drugs at one year.

The rising number of people with long term conditions (LTCs), such as diabetes, heart disease and lung disease, could overwhelm NHS resources, according to a new report from 2020health.org. Their report Healthcare without walls – A framework for delivering telehealth at scale’ warns that the current NHS approach to delivering care to people with LTCs is unsustainable both in terms of cost and quality.

A new survey from the Royal College of Physicians of the way care for very ill patients is managed in England, Wales and Northern Ireland recommends that hospitals need to increase the availability of senior doctors in acute admissions units, particularly at weekends. Previous studies show that a consultant-delivered service is best for patient treatment and recovery.

The lives of thousands of patients with atrial fibrillation (AF) could be at risk due to poor diagnosis, failure to follow treatment guidelines and lack of quality information for AF patients, warns a report[1] published recently by the AF AWARE partnership*.

Edwards Lifesciences Corporation, has announced that in addition to the improved survival seen in inoperable aortic stenosis patients treated with the Edwards SAPIEN transcatheter heart valve in The PARTNER Trial, a newly released analysis of the same patients shows that they also experienced substantially better quality of life. These results were presented at the American Heart Association’s Scientific Sessions 2010.

Responding to the Public Health White Paper Healthy Lives, Healthy People published recently by the Department of Health, Sir Richard Thompson, president of the Royal College of Physicians said: “The white paper gives a clear overview of how this government plans to improve public health, and is to be welcomed for attempting to bring to the field a much needed strategic focus and coherence.

November 14 was World Diabetes Day (WDD), a worldwide initiative to raise awareness and understanding of the global diabetes pandemic. To mark this event, Andrew Lansley, CBE MP, Secretary of State for Health was principal guest speaker at a meeting bringing together members of the diabetes community as part of a reception focusing on issues currently faced by patients, healthcare professionals, politicians and policy makers throughout the UK. To coincide with this reception, the Merlin Entertainments London Eye was illuminated blue, representing the WDD blue circle logo.

In this year’s Harveian Oration at the Royal College of Physicians, Professor Sir John Bell, regius professor of medicine at Oxford University and president of the Academy of Medical Sciences, said that if we were able to redefine disease according to its true causes this would transform our understanding of medicine and improve diagnosis and treatment for patients.

In an unprecedented effort to bring prevention of chronic diseases to the top of the EU agenda, the MEP Heart Group , the MEP Group for Kidney Health , the EU Diabetes Working Group and MEPs Against Cancer have recently organised a joint meeting in the European Parliament, together with representatives of health professionals and health activists at European level.

The number of people diagnosed with diabetes in the UK has increased by more than 150,000 to 2.8 million in the past year, warns leading health charity Diabetes UK.