Beverley Bostock-Cox considers the clinical implications of findings published recently in The Lancet on the significance of variability in blood pressure readings

The incidence of type 2 diabetes is rising alongside increasing rates of obesity, in part because of people's lifestyle behaviours, such as an unhealthy diet and a lack of physical activity. The pathophysiological changes caused by central obesity can lead to metabolic syndrome and type 2 diabetes, both of which increase the risk of developing cardiovascular disease. Managing obesity has been identified as the optimum strategy for preventing the development of type 2 diabetes and cardiovascular complications. This article discusses the role of healthcare professionals in educating patients and the public about the causes and effects of obesity and diabetes, and outlines the evidence-based strategies that can enable healthcare professionals to reduce patients' risk of developing these conditions. The article examines some of the strategies that healthcare professionals can implement to minimise the risk of further complications for patients who have been diagnosed with type 2 diabetes.

This musculoskeletal condition can have debillitating effects on patients, writes Beverley Bostock-Cox

Asthma is an inflammatory condition which affects all age groups and causes significant and unecessary morbidity and mortality. Appropriate management will depend on making the correct diagnosis and offering suitable medication through a device that the patient can use. Where indicated, self management through the use of asthma action plans should be encouraged.

Research into chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) has identified different phenotypes, which require a variety of approaches to treatment. As a result, the Global Obstructive Lung Disease (GOLD) guidelines group has updated its advice on the diagnosis and management of COPD. The 2017 GOLD guidelines offer a fresh approach to the identification and management of these COPD phenotypes, so that inhaled therapies and other treatments can be offered appropriately both in stable and acute exacerbations of COPD. This article reviews the treatment options as suggested by the GOLD guidelines group and discusses the rationale for taking a risk: benefit approach to treatment decisions. COPD is a disease with a variety of different phenotypes. Beverley Bostock-Cox discusses treatment options for these phenotypes