New diabetes medicines funded: empagliflozin and dulaglutide

Sodium-glucose co-transporter 2 (SGLT-2) inhibitors and glucagon-like...

Prescribing ACE inhibitors: time to reconsider old habits

Prescribers in New Zealand are highly reliant on cilazapril...

Benzodiazepines and zopiclone: is overuse still an issue?

Despite being recommended for short-term use only, and usually...

Limiting the use of quinolone antibiotics

Quinolones (e.g. ciprofloxacin, norfloxacin) are associated...

Withdrawing patients from long-term use of benzodiazepines or zopiclone

Stopping benzodiazepine or zopiclone treatment in people who...

The COPD prescribing tool for initiating medicines

This tool provides pharmacological treatment options for patients...

Vildagliptin: a new treatment for type 2 diabetes

Vildagliptin is a dipeptidyl peptidase-4 (DPP-4) inhibitor available...

Prescribing ACE inhibitors: time to reconsider old habits

Prescribers in New Zealand are highly reliant on cilazapril...

Rivaroxaban: a fully-subsidised oral anticoagulant

From 1 August, 2018, rivaroxaban will be fully subsidised without...

Selected topics in acute pain management for primary care

There are a multitude of causes of acute pain, however, the...

Prescribing tramadol appropriately

Tramadol is an atypical opioid used for moderate pain when paracetamol...

When to consider strong opioids for patients with acute pain

There are few indications for prescribing a strong opioid for...

Celecoxib: the “need to know” for safe prescribing

Celecoxib is a selective cyclo-oxygenase-2 (COX-2) inhibitor...

Intravenous ferric carboxymaltose: now available for the treatment of iron deficiency

Intravenous ferric carboxymaltose is now a potential option...

Beta-blockers for cardiovascular conditions: one size does not fit all patients

Metoprolol succinate accounts for almost three-quarters of the...

Amiodarone brand-change and a reminder on patient monitoring

The funded brand of amiodarone has now changed, see: Antiarrhythmic...

Oxycodone prescribing: New Zealand solutions to a global problem

Inappropriate prescribing of opioids for non-cancer pain is...

Vitamin D

This report provides data on the use of vitamin D supplementation...

Vitamin D and calcium supplementation in primary care: an update

In 2011, bpacnz produced guidance on vitamin D supplementation...

Upfront: Tips for prescribing newly-subsidised medicines for patients with COPD

In March, 2016, subsidy changes came into effect for medicines...

The COPD prescribing tool

This tool provides pharmacological treatment options for patients...

Polypharmacy Update

This report provides prescribers with details about patients...

Medicine use in youth mental health

This report provides an overview of dispensings of medicines...

Newly-subsidised medicines for the treatment of patients with COPD

Subsidy changes for medicines used to treat patients with COPD...

Valaciclovir – a first line antiviral medicine

Valaciclovir is an antiviral medicine which can be used for...

Oxycodone Update

This report provides an update on the use of oxycodone over...

Overuse of benzodiazepines: still an issue?

Melatonin: is it worth losing any sleep over?

An update on antithrombotic medicines: What does primary care need to know?

Biosimilars: what does a primary care clinician need to know?

Biosimilars - what does a primary care clinician need to know?

”Biosimilars” is likely to become an increasingly familiar term...

Melatonin: is it worth losing any sleep over?

Modified-release melatonin is an unsubsidised medicine that...

Use of Hypnotics

Zopiclone and some benzodiazepines, such as temazepam and triazolam,...

News Update

Brand changes for cardiovascular medicines: carvedilol, ezetimibe...

An update on antithrombotic medicines - What does primary care need to know?

Antithrombotic medicines, such as aspirin and warfarin, have...

Dabigatran - An Update

This report provides an update on the use and monitoring of...

Overuse of benzodiazepines: still an issue?

Benzodiazepines may be considered as a short-term treatment...

Research updates

Shorter courses of oral corticosteroids for the management of...

2014 Annual Practice Report - Pharmaceutical and Laboratory Test Utilisation

This report has been developed to give you an opportunity to...

An update on bisphosphonates

This report provides an update on the use of bisphosphonates...

Polypharmacy

Polypharmacy is a marker of potential problematic prescribing....

Polypharmacy in primary care: Managing a clinical conundrum

Polypharmacy can be appropriate and beneficial for patients....

Topical antibiotics: very few indications for use

Topical antibiotics in general have been excessively used in...

News Updates

This article has been archived. If you would like access...

News Updates

Does aspirin protect against cancer? More high-quality research...

Safer prescribing of high-risk medicines: Colchicine – extremely toxic in overdose

Updated 2021Colchicine is a plant-based alkaloid, extracted...

Oxycodone Update

Since 2011, bpacnz has produced a series of reports and articles...

Oxycodone: how did we get here and how do we fix it?

Following on from the interview with Dr Jeremy McMinn in the...

Safer prescribing of high-risk medicines: Clozapine

Pharmacological treatment is an integral part of the practice...

The role of triptans in the treatment of migraine in adults

Paracetamol or a non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug (NSAID)...

News Updates

Evidence that alternate dosing of paracetamol and ibuprofen...

Gout update: Febuxostat now subsidised on Special Authority

This article has been archived. If you would like access...

News Updates

Reminder: Most broad-spectrum antibiotics do not interact with...

News Updates

Simvastatin and atorvastatin: beware of potential CYP3A4 interactions...

Managing patients with dementia: What is the role of antipsychotics?

Concerns have been raised, both in New Zealand and internationally,...

Biologic medicines for the treatment of inflammatory conditions: What does primary care need to know?

Patients with severe immune-mediated inflammatory diseases,...

The use of omeprazole in infants is still high

Omeprazole is not approved for use in infants (children aged...

2013 Annual Practice Report - Pharmaceutical and Laboratory Test Utilisation

This report has been developed to give you an opportunity to...

Risedronate now fully subsidised: What is its place in practice?

This article has been archived. If you would like access...

Prescribing update: Low dose isotretinoin for acne?

New evidence is increasingly suggesting that isotretinoin may...

Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs): Making safer treatment choices

Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) are successfully...

Appropriate use of amoxicillin clavulanate

Amoxicillin clavulanate is a broad spectrum antibiotic which...

Ticagrelor – out with the old, in with the new?

Ticagrelor (Brilinta) is a new oral antiplatelet medicine, which...

Dabigatran in general practice

Dabigatran is an oral anticoagulant approved for use in non-valvular...

Upfront: Unapproved medicines and unapproved uses of medicines: keeping prescribers and patients safe

An approved medicine is a medicine which has been through a...

Dabigatran revisited

Dabigatran has been available for general practitioners to prescribe...

Appropriate use of sulfonamides

What are sulfonamides and how do they work? | Prescribing co-trimoxazole...

2012 Annual Report - Pharmaceutical & Laboratory Test Utilisation

Welcome to your annual practice report This report has been...

News and updates: Update on azithromycin

This article has been archived. If you would like access...

When and how to use a syringe driver in palliative care

Syringe drivers are often required to provide medicines for...

Appropriate use of tetracyclines

What are tetracyclines and how do they work? | Which infections...

The appropriate use of macrolides

Macrolides are a class of antibiotic that includes erythromycin,...

Appropriate use of metronidazole

How does metronidazole work? | Which infections should metronidazole...

Looking back, looking forward: key messages 2005 – 2011

This report highlights four key prescribing and laboratory testing...

Initiating insulin for people with type 2 diabetes

Due to its progressive nature, many people with type 2 diabetes...

Prescribing atypical antipsychotics in general practice

The use of atypical antipsychotics such as quetiapine and olanzapine...

The use of dabigatran in general practice

Dabigatran (Pradaxa) is now available in New Zealand, fully...

Medicine safety

Dr Janice Wilson, Health Quality & Safety Commission's Chief...

Appropriate use of amoxicillin clavulanate

Amoxicillin clavulanate is an important and effective medicine...

Community-based IV administration: primary care reducing hospital admissions

Intravenous (IV) administration of medicines in general practice...

2011 Annual Report
Pharmaceutical & Laboratory Test Utilisation

This web version is a sample only, all data below the national...

Management of depression in older people

Older people respond well to treatments for depression. The...

Vitamin D supplementation: Navigating the debate

Despite the increasing focus on vitamin D levels and claimed...

Oxycodone Prescribing

Examines oxycodone prescribing compared to that of morphine.

Quinolone antibiotics - limit use

Quinolones are associated with increasing antimicrobial resistance....

Contraception in early adolescence

Young people are having sex. Advice about sexual health and...

News in brief

This article has been archived. If you would like access...

Snippets: Fentanyl patches

This article has been archived. If you would like access...

Snippets: Jadelle & Sibutramine

This article has been archived. If you would like access...

Snippets: Insulin glargine & Ezetimibe

This article has been archived. If you would like access...

Which Antihypertensive?

Once the decision has been made to initiate antihypertensive...

Access to clopidogrel now widened

This article has been archived. If you would like access...

ANTIMICROBIALS how should they be used in primary care?

Ideally antibiotics should be reserved for the treatment of...

An update on statins

The decision to initiate a statin should be based upon an individual’s...

The pharmacological management of Alzheimer’s disease: The place of donepezil

From November 1, 2010 donepezil will be funded without Special...

Do cough and cold medicines work in children?

The short answer is no. There is little evidence that cough...

Snippets: Gabapentin Humalog & Tramadol

Humalog, Tramadol and Gabapentin

Medicines for weight loss - do they work

A more recent article has been published on this subject: Weight...

Low molecular weight heparin use in primary care

Enoxaparin (Clexane) is a low molecular weight heparin used...

Oxycodone: place in therapy

Oxycodone is a strong opiod and is a second line option (after...

Topical corticosteroid treatment for skin conditions

Topical corticosteroids are used to treat many skin conditions....

Pharmacological Management of Depression in Adults

All antidepressant drugs are approximately equal in effectiveness,...

Selected topics in asthma

Intermittent or persistent asthma? Which inhaled corticosteroid?...

Smoking cessation - Pharmacological therapy

Nicotine replacement therapy, nortriptyline, bupropion and varenicline...

The use of insulin in type 2 diabetes

There is evidence that early use of insulin in people with type...

Getting the most out of nicotine replacement therapy

Nicotine replacement therapy (NRT) is not a magic cure but it...

The role of antiplatelet agents

Antiplatelet drugs including aspirin, clopidogrel and dipyrimadole,...

Warfarin vs. aspirin for the prevention of atrial fibrillation related stroke

The decision whether to choose aspirin or warfarin for stroke...

WHO Analgesic Ladder: which opioid to use at step two?

There are several different opioid options that can be considered...

Safe Prescribing of Morphine in Primary Care

Advice from the 'Safe and Quality Use of Medicines Group'.

Widened access to fentanyl patches

Fentanyl is a synthetic opioid which is available as a transdermal...

Imiquimod cream (Aldara) for genital warts and basal cell carcinoma

Imiquimod enhances the immune response to viral infections and...

Using nebulisers safely

Nebulisers are used to deliver bronchodilators to people with...

Dilemmas: Managing cardiovascular risk in elderly people

Older people have a higher cardiovascular risk and therefore...

GP guide to some topical eye treatments

Some eye medications are used when there is high risk of visual...

Role of calcium channel blockers in hypertension

Thiazides are considered to be appropriate initial treatment...

Upfront: co-enzyme Q10 supplements

“Would you like fries with that”. The role of co-enzyme...

Is carvedilol superior to metoprolol in heart failure?

Carvedilol may be an option for patients initiating beta-blocker...

10 minute audit: Identifying your patients on colchicine

Dear Dave

Can Sumatriptan be used safely with SSRIs? Can you ever use...

Upfront: The Augmentin-free office

Practical advice on reducing the use of augmentin

Safe use of paracetamol in children

The evidence-base for the information contained in this article...

Over-the-counter medication in children: friend or foe?

The information in this article is now out of date. An updated...

Herceptin the facts

A focus on the clinical issues surrounding the use of Herceptin...

Key messages on the use of SSRIs

Key messages on the use of SSRIs.

Dear Dave

Can smoking cessation affect the dose of antipsychotics?Do statins...

Lithium in General Practice

In this article we provide an overview and guidance on the management...

TCAs are useful for depression and neuropathic pain

Tricyclic antidepressants (TCAs) are an effective alternative...

Update on the use of LABAs for the treatment of Asthma

Long acting beta agonists (LABAs) are useful drugs in asthma...

Warfarin

An update on treatment of atrial fibrillation with a focus on...

COPD update

Tiotropium is an effective option | Long acting beta agonists...

Dear Dave

Is it safe to use beta-blockers for cardiac disease in people...

Depression antidepressant update

Venlafaxine: how and when to use | Antidepressants for elderly...

NSAIDs and coxibs

Cardiovascular risk associated with NSAIDs and coxibsNSAIDs...

Appropriate use of cephalosporins

There are very few indications for the use of cephalosporins...