Acute Myocardial Infarction is still the main cause of death in industrialised nations.

Time is an important factor for its successful treatment.

The most important factor for successful treatment of an acute myocardial infarction is minimising the time to treatment. Reality shows, however, that from onset of symptoms until treatment a lot of precious time can be wasted. Delays are caused by the patient's hesitance to call for help as well as by ambulance response and journey times and in-hospital procedures. Thrombolytic therapy has established itself as one of the most successful modern treatment options for an acute myocardial infarction.

Arthritis is a general term that refers to disorder of the joints.

Osteoarthritis (OA) is the most common form of arthritis. It develops when cartilage (the smooth covering over bones in the joints) starts to break down, usually as a result of trauma, ageing or failure of joint repair and maintenance mechanisms. Common risk factors for developing OA include being overweight, advancing age and joint trauma (such as in sports injuries).

Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is the second most common form of arthritis and the most common autoimmune disease in Australia. RA is characterised by inflammation which damages joint structures.

The pain and suffering that arthritis patients endure as a result of their condition can decrease their quality of life, and while mortality rates for arthritis are low, there is also a cost in terms of years of life lost.

COPD is a progressive respiratory illness characterised by chronic airflow limitation, shortness of breath (or dyspnoea), cough, wheezing and increased sputum (mucus or phlegm) production. These symptoms, in particular breathlessness, can restrict a patient's ability to perform normal daily activities. Smoking is the predominant cause of COPD, accounting for 80-90% of the risk of developing chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. The disease is increasingly observed in women.

COPD has a significant physical and emotional impact on those who suffer from the disease. As chronic obstructive pulmonary disease progresses, lung function declines over time and physical activity becomes more limited, eventually disrupting the patient's ability to lead a full life and interfering with everyday tasks like participating in family routines and social interactions. Early diagnosis and treatment is important to help patients remain independent, prevent complications and exacerbations, and improve quality of life.

The most effective intervention in COPD remains giving up smoking. Consequently, smoking cessation should be standard treatment for COPD, accompanied by the usage of medications including bronchodilators and steroids and non-pharmacological therapies such as pulmonary rehabilitation.

HIV/AIDS is a continuously growing pandemic, with 33.4 million people worldwide infected with the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV). It is no longer a disease predominantly affecting men.

Since 1985, the percentage of women among adults living with HIV has grown particularly, from 35% to 48% globally. Worldwide, there are now nearly 16 million women living with the disease. As women may respond to HIV/AIDS treatment differently to men, there is a need for additional medical investigation.

About one billion people worldwide are affected by hypertension. The prevalence of essential hypertension increases steadily with age. As the world population ages and preventative strategies in terms of lifestyle changes are hard to implement, the prevalence of hypertension is set to increase even further.

Antihypertensive treatment against cardiovascular events

Hypertension is a major risk factor for cardiovascular morbidity and morality. The organs at risk are primarily the heart, the main blood vessels, the brain and the kidneys. The primary goal of any antihypertensive treatment is to prevent cardiovascular events, such as heart attacks or strokes, and finally to reduce cardiovascular mortality. Current evidence suggests that even moderately high blood pressure increases cardiovascular risk and should therefore be treated and targeted with "the lower the better" approach.

Patients often notice motor symptoms, like hand tremor (shaking), as their first sign of the disease, which progresses eventually to include shaking of the arms, legs or head. Other motor symptoms that may develop over time include stiffness and a gradual slowing or loss of motion or 'freezing'.

Parkinson's Disease often includes non-motor symptoms

About 30-40% of patients also suffer from non-motor symptoms associated with PD, such as depression and sleep disorders. These are often equally important to them and have an enormous impact on their health-related quality of life, as everyday tasks such as dressing, walking, speaking and even writing, become increasingly difficult. PD is therefore considered to be a much more complex syndrome involving motor, as well as non-motor symptoms, and a balanced treatment approach capable of managing these symptoms is required in order to minimise significant functional disability as much as possible.

RLS is a neurological disorder characterised by an uncontrollable urge to move the legs, usually accompanied by unpleasant and sometimes painful sensations in the legs.

Sleep disruption compromises work performance

Restless Legs Syndrome affects up to ten percent of the population worldwide aged between 30 and 79 years and around one-third of suffers experience symptoms more than twice weekly causing moderate to severe distress.

The motor-restlessness worsens during the evening and night causing difficulty initiating and maintaining sleep. The sleep disruption can lead to excessive daytime sleepiness and compromise work performance. Restless Legs Syndrome also has considerable impact on social activities that require immobility.

More high-quality years of life are lost due to stroke than to any other disease. The disability caused by the disease can be significantly reduced by efficient treatment of those affected.

Stroke kills brain cells

A stroke occurs when a clot blocks a blood vessel, or when a blood vessel ruptures, interrupting blood flow to an area of the brain. When a stroke occurs, it kills brain cells in the immediate area. This can happen anytime from a few minutes after the stroke starts, to a few hours later.

Thromboembolic disease is a condition in which a blood vessel is obstructed by a clot carried in the bloodstream from the site of formation.

Venous thromboembolism (VTE) is one type of thromboembolic disease and refers to two conditions: deep vein thrombosis (DVT) and its potentially fatal complication, pulmonary embolism (PE). VTE has been estimated to be the third most common cardiovascular disorder after ischaemic heart disease and stroke. PE accounts for 5-10% of deaths in hospitilised patients, making VTE the most common preventable cause of in-hospital death.

Risk Factors for VTE

Numerous risk factors are associated with VTE, the most important being:

• Increasing age
• Immobility
• Orthopaedic surgery

Orthopaedic surgery and VTE

Major orthopaedic surgery without prophylaxis carries a serious risk of VTE. Without preventative treatment, up to 60% of orthopaedic surgery patients could develop DVT, and 0.2%-10% could develop PE.

A DVT results from the formation of a blood clot (thrombus) inside a deep vein which either partially or totally blocks the flow of blood in the vein. Symptoms include pain and swelling in the legs, which in severe cases may cause serious, life-threatening conditions. If a thrombus or fragment of the thrombus breaks loose, it can travel to the lungs where it may block circulation. It is a serious condition that can cause sudden death or permanent damage to the affected lung(s) and other vital organs in the body.