Antiarrhythmic medicine brand changes: flecainide and amiodarone

Patients taking oral flecainide or amiodarone need to know that...

Knowing your patient with type 1 diabetes: the transition to self-management

Living with type 1 diabetes is challenging, particularly as...

Clinical Audit - Encouraging Smoking Cessation

Smoking rates have been steadily declining in New Zealand for...

Clinical Audit: Safe and Effective Use of Warfarin

Warfarin is a medicine frequently associated with adverse drug...

Clinical Audit: Sexual health checks in younger males

Increasing the uptake of opportunistic testing is essential...

Understanding the role of insulin in the management of type 1 diabetes

Insulin treatment is an essential component of type 1 diabetes...

Sexual health theme: What’s new in contraception?

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

Slowing progression of renal dysfunction in patients with diabetes

Diabetic kidney disease (DKD) is the leading cause of end-stage...

Dialling back treatment intensity for older people with type 2 diabetes

Type 2 diabetes management in older people can be complex due...

Weight loss: the options and the evidence

The benefits of intentional weight loss in people who are overweight...

Optimising pharmacological management of HbA_1c levels in patients with type 2 diabetes: from metformin to insulin

A variety of subsidised medicines are available to help manage...

Emerging issues in the management of chlamydia and gonorrhoea

New evidence suggests that a seven-day course of doxycycline...

Mycoplasma genitalium: considerations for testing and treatment in primary care

Mycoplasma genitalium infection is a potential cause of urethritis...

Syphilis rates continue to rise

New Zealand is in the midst of a syphilis epidemic. Men who...

HIV Pre-Exposure Prophylaxis (PrEP): a how-to guide

Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) Pre-Exposure Prophylaxis...

HPV vaccination: getting the programme back on track

Vaccination against human papillomavirus (HPV) infection provides...

Prescribing report: Proton pump inhibitor prescribing in primary care

This report provides prescribers with data about the patients...

Older people’s health theme: Frailty and deprescribing

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

Advice on measles vaccination from the Ministry of Health 14/3/19

Canterbury DHB are undertaking a MMR vaccination campaign in...

Contraception: which option for which patient?

Prescribing contraception is a core part of primary care practice....

Condoms: advising on the options

Condoms are the only form of contraception that protects against...

Oral contraceptives: selecting a pill

Oral contraceptive pills are a safe and effective contraceptive...

Depot medroxyprogesterone acetate (DMPA) injections: an intermediate option

Depot medroxyprogesterone acetate injections are a form of hormonal...

Long-acting contraceptives: implants and IUDs

Long-acting contraceptives include progestogen (levonorgestrel)...

Prescribing for a trial period: when and how?

When initiating or changing the dose of a medicine, simple changes...

Managing constipation in older people

Constipation is common in older people due to factors such as...

Hepatitis C management in primary care has changed

A new direct-acting antiviral (DAA) oral regimen for the treatment...

Testing for hepatitis C virus (HCV) in patients at high risk of infection

Hepatitis C infection occurs through exposure to infected blood...

Pre-treatment assessment for patients with chronic HCV infection

Patients should be assessed for cirrhosis via clinical examination,...

Management and follow-up of patients prescribed glecaprevir + pibrentasvir

Glecaprevir + pibrentasvir is taken once daily for eight weeks....

Hepatitis C is now curable:
contributed by Dr Tony Farrell

Dr Tony Farrell is a general practitioner in Mount Maunganui...

Stopping proton pump inhibitors in older people

Over one-third of people aged 65 years and older in New Zealand...

Bisphosphonates: addressing the duration conundrum

Bisphosphonates accumulate within bone tissue where they help...

Clinical Audit: Identifying patients who may benefit from “stepping down” PPI treatment

This audit identifies patients who are prescribed the proton...

Managing patients taking anticoagulants and antiplatelets prior to minor procedures and surgery

2018 Annual Prescribing Report

This report provides you with an opportunity to reflect on your...

Substance use disorder theme: Unintentional misuse of prescription medicines - Peer Group Discussion for Prescribers

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

Substance use disorder theme: Unintentional misuse of prescription medicines - Peer Group Discussion for Pharmacists

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

Stopping medicines in older people: the flip side of the prescribing equation

Older people are generally prescribed more medicines than younger...

Frailty in older people: a discussion

The concept of frailty identifies vulnerable people who have...

Cardiovascular disease risk assessment in primary care: the role of aspirin

In February 2018, the Ministry of Health released the Cardiovascular...

Assessment and management of alcohol misuse by primary care

Recent evidence shows that levels of alcohol consumption that...

Addressing methamphetamine use in primary care

Methamphetamine, commonly referred to in New Zealand as “meth”...

Cardiovascular disease risk assessment in primary care: managing lipids

The Cardiovascular Disease Risk Assessment and Management for...

Unintentional misuse of prescription medicines

There is a significant issue in the community with people taking...

Understanding the role of opioids in chronic non-malignant pain

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

Balancing the benefits and risks of prescribing antiepileptic medicines in women

Antiepileptic medicines reduce the risk of seizures in people...

Prescribing hypnotic medicines: a focus on zopiclone

Key practice points
• Zopiclone is the most frequently prescribed...

Vildagliptin: a new treatment for type 2 diabetes

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

NZF is changing the way that pregnancy and breast-feeding advice for medicines is presented

From 1 October, 2018, the New Zealand Formulary (NZF) will replace...

Hereditary diffuse gastric cancer: an overview for primary care

Hereditary diffuse gastric cancer makes up around 1% of stomach...

Prescribing ACE inhibitors: time to reconsider old habits

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

Smoke and mirrors: is vaping useful for smokers who cannot quit?

There are many approved and fully subsidised medicines that...

Cardiovascular disease risk assessment in primary care: managing blood pressure

The recently released Cardiovascular Disease Risk Assessment...

Hepatitis B: treatments now available for primary care

Tenofovir disoproxil and entecavir are once daily oral antiviral...

Guidelines for testing, perioperative and bleeding management for dabigatran and rivaroxaban

These guidelines have been produced by PHARMAC in conjunction...

Rivaroxaban: a fully-subsidised oral anticoagulant

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