Integrated approach to tackle chronic disease “time-bomb”

Scientists have said an integrated approach is required to tackle the chronic disease “time-bomb”.

According to a new report published in the Lancet today, salt and tobacco control, cheap combination drugs for cardiovascular disease as well as simple, easily-applied mental health interventions are all recommended to tackle the disease.

The authors support nicotine replacement therapy as well as an increase in tobacco taxes and a reduction of salt in the average person’s diet by 15 per cent.

The report claims a combination course of therapy involving several drugs for people at high risk of cardiovascular disease could cost as little as $1.10 (£0.62) per person, yet avert almost 18 million deaths in 23 low-income and middle-income countries over the next ten years.

“Integrated primary care approaches are of central importance in tackling the growing burden of chronic diseases, irrespective of cause,” the report concluded.

“Management of chronic diseases in primary health care is fundamentally different from that for acute care. Primary health care is probably more effective when complemented by effective public policies to tackle the major risk factors, such as tobacco use, obesity, and excessive salt consumption.”