Acute low back pain

Low back pain is the leading contributor to disability in New...

An overview of medicinal cannabis for health practitioners

Recent regulatory changes will make medicinal cannabis much...

Gabapentinoids: when and how should they be prescribed?

Limited pharmacological treatment options to manage chronic...

Endometriosis: diagnosis and management

Endometriosis is characterised by the presence of endometrial-like...

Codeine: all formulations prescription-only

All combination codeine products will be reclassified as prescription-only...

Codeine reclassified as a prescription-only medicine: a community pharmacy perspective

The range of analgesics available over-the-counter (OTC) in...

Understanding the role of opioids in chronic non-malignant pain

There is no evidence that opioids such as tramadol are effective...

Avoiding the triple whammy in primary care: ACE inhibitor/ARB + diuretic + NSAID

Angiotensin converting enzyme (ACE) inhibitors, angiotensin-II...

Pain theme Peer Group Discussion

The following questions can be used as discussion points for...

Prescribing gabapentin and pregabalin: upcoming subsidy changes

From 1 May, 2018, pregabalin will be available to prescribe,...

Prescribing tramadol appropriately

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

Selected topics in acute pain management for primary care

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

Paracetamol dosing for children in primary care

Paracetamol dosing errors can lead to acute liver failure in...

When to consider strong opioids for patients with acute pain

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

The principles of managing acute pain in primary care

The primary aim of acute pain management is to provide treatment...

Medicinal cannabinoids: current regulations for prescribing

Recent amendments have been made to regulations concerning the...

Managing pain in osteoarthritis: focus on the person

The progression of osteoarthritis varies from person to person....

Celecoxib: the “need to know” for safe prescribing

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

Methylnaltrexone is a subsidised treatment option for opioid-induced constipation in palliative care

Methylnaltrexone injections are now subsidised for the treatment...

Diagnosing and managing headache in adults in primary care

A systematic approach is recommended when assessing patients...

Oxycodone prescribing: New Zealand solutions to a global problem

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

Diagnosis and management of axial spondyloarthritis in primary care

Ankylosing spondylitis is a relatively uncommon inflammatory...

Managing patients with neuropathic pain

Neuropathic pain results from a lesion or disease affecting...

Oxycodone Update

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

Chronic pelvic pain in women

Chronic pelvic pain in women

Chronic pelvic pain can cause significant disruption to the...

Upfront: An avoidable death: the importance of communication in clinical care

The following treatment injury case study was prepared by the...

The Year in Review - What did we learn in 2014?

In 2014 we published over 60 medical education articles in Best...

Identifying and managing addiction to opioids

The increased use of opioid analgesics in recent years, particularly...

Helping patients cope with chronic non-malignant pain: it’s not about opioids

The role of opioids in the management of chronic non-malignant...

Investigating myalgia in patients taking statins

Muscle pain (myalgia) and weakness is experienced by up to 10%...

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...

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...

Assessing diabetic peripheral neuropathy in primary care

Diabetic peripheral neuropathy is one of the most common long-term...

Upfront: “A disaster in the making”: it’s time to take action against misuse of oxycodone

Dr Jeremy McMinn is a consultant psychiatrist and addiction...

The use of analgesics in children

This report discusses the use of analgesics for the treatment...

Managing patients with renal colic in primary care: Know when to hold them

Approximately one in ten people will be affected by renal colic...

Managing pain in children aged under 12 years

“Pain is what the patient says it is”. This definition of pain...

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

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

Calcium pyrophosphate deposition disease: The arthropathy formerly known as “Pseudogout”

A number of clinical syndromes are associated with the precipitation...

Polymyalgia rheumatica: Look before you leap

Polymyalgia rheumatica is an inflammatory condition that causes...

Strong opioids for pain management in adults in palliative care

Pain is estimated to be the most prevalent symptom preceding...

Oxycodone update

In June 2011, bpacnz produced a report on oxycodone dispensing...

Update on oxycodone: what can primary care do about the problem?

The volume of oxycodone prescribed in New Zealand is continuing...

The fear of enabling; misuse of prescription medicines

Misuse of prescription opioids is increasing worldwide and many...

Oxycodone use still increasing

Oxycodone is a strong opioid used for the treatment of moderate...

Oxycodone Prescribing

Examines oxycodone prescribing compared to that of morphine.

Snippets: Fentanyl patches

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

Snippets: Dextropropoxyphene & Donepezil

Donepezil to be funded on pharmaceutical schedule | Dextropropoxyphene...

Snippets: Gabapentin Humalog & Tramadol

Humalog, Tramadol and Gabapentin

Common issues in paediatric oral health

How to recognise and manage common oral health issues in younger...

Oxycodone: place in therapy

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

Acute low back pain

Acute low back pain is common and most patients will fully recover...

Management of non-specific back pain and lumbar radicular pain

Key aspects of management include reassurance, education and...

Five-minute back examination with neurological assessment

Instructions and illustrations for performing a quick examination...

Correspondence: Dose titration for pain

WHO Analgesic Ladder: Methadone - safe and effective use for chronic pain

Methadone is a strong opioid that may be suitable for people...

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

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

Symptomatic management of osteoarthritis

The key treatment of osteoarthritis is to provide information...

Safe Prescribing of Morphine in Primary Care

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

Pharmacological management of chronic pain

Managing pain includes helping the patient understand why they...

Pharmacological management of neuropathic pain

The treatment of neuropathic pain involves a different step-wise...

The problem of pain memory: persistent central sensitisation pain

Pain memory occurs when the nervous system has become up-regulated...

Widened access to fentanyl patches

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

Snippets: NSAIDs dextropropoxyphene and antibiotic resistance

Drug information of topical interest

Dilemmas: Recognition and treatment of pain in elderly people

Chronic pain is common in elderly people, however it is often...

Lumiracoxib linked to deaths in Australia

Medsafe have just announced that approval for lumiracoxib (Prexige)...

A slow death from colchicine

Contributed by Safe and Quality Use of Medicines.

Safe use of paracetamol in children

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

NSAIDs and coxibs

Cardiovascular risk associated with NSAIDs and coxibsNSAIDs...