‘Mind The Gap’
For those of us fortunate enough to travel to London and to enjoy the delights of the tube, a common exhortation heard constantly over the loudspeakers is to ‘mind the gap’—- between the carriage and the platform. Here in Sydney, it is more applicable to focus on closing the gap - between the disparate health of Indigenous and non-Indigenous Australians. As CVD is the leading cause of death for the Indigenous population in most states and running at 3 times the age-cause-specific rate for non-Indigenous Australians, it would make a difference to tackle this issue.

In fact, the latest NPS educational program for presentation to GPs is on CVD risk and lipid management! This new topic will explore the relationship between lipids and CVD risk, discuss the use and limitations of different risk assessment tools, consider the role of statins and ezetimibe and highlight the importance of lifestyle changes and ways to encourage patients to adherence. Resources for GPs and patients will also be available.

The financial cost of CVD alone is estimated at $11.5 billion this year. It is impossible to place a value on the emotional and spiritual burden of this condition.

So if you would like to brush up with a discussion on the latest thoughts regarding best practice on this condition, and make a difference in this reconciliation time of the year, contact Cameron Stewart or Beba Ostrugnaj at CSGPN on 9799 0933 for a NPS visit on this important topic.