2020 Annual Report

Pharmaceutical Utilisation January, 2020 – December, 2020

National report: Overview of national dispensing during 2020

Follow-up and surveillance for people after treatment for bowel cancer

Bowel cancer is a leading cause of cancer mortality in New Zealand,...

Surveillance for people with polyps or inflammatory bowel disease

Guidance for following up people who have had polyps identified...

Childhood eczema: improving adherence to treatment basics

Emollients form the basis of treatment for all patients with...

Topical corticosteroids for childhood eczema: clearing up the confusion

Topical corticosteroids are one of the key medicines used in...

Managing gout in primary care
Part 1 - Talking about gout: time for a re-think

Gout is a treatable form of arthritis that is associated with...

Managing gout in primary care
Part 2 -  Controlling gout with long-term urate-lowering treatment

Urate-lowering medicines should be considered and discussed...

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 IUCs

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

Peer group discussion: What’s new in contraception?

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

New diabetes medicines funded: empagliflozin and dulaglutide

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

Initiating insulin for people with type 2 diabetes

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

Clinician’s Notepad: type 2 diabetes

A rising tide of type 2 diabetes in younger people: what can primary care do?

An increasing incidence of early onset type 2 diabetes in New...

Type 2 diabetes management toolbox: from lifestyle to insulin

The management of type 2 diabetes is multi-faceted, including...

Weight loss for the prevention and treatment of type 2 diabetes

Obesity is contributing to the increasing rate of type 2 diabetes...

The annual diabetes review: screening, monitoring and managing complications

An annual diabetes review allows for assessment of glycaemic...

Prescribing vildagliptin for type 2 diabetes

With two new medicines, empagliflozin and dulaglutide, available...

Lead absorption notification levels have reduced

On 9 April, 2021, the level at which lead absorption becomes...

Baseline testing before treatment with ACE inhibitors/ARBs

This audit focuses on the measurement of serum creatinine (to...

The role of medicines in the management of depression in primary care

A selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor (SSRI) is usually the...

Prescribing statins to reduce cardiovascular risk

Lowering lipid levels should be viewed as one aspect of reducing...

Management of impetigo

Impetigo is a highly contagious, bacterial infection of the...

Cancer care: the role of primary care in identifying and managing cachexia

Through improvements in diagnosis and treatment, one in three...

Prescribing ACE inhibitors: time to reconsider old habits

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

Peer group discussion: Early detection of lung cancer in primary care

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

Clinical Audit: Reviewing type 2 diabetes management in patients at high risk of cardiovascular and renal complications

This audit helps health professionals in primary care identify...

Early detection of lung cancer in primary care

Lung cancer is one of the most common cancers in New Zealand...

An update on the pharmacological management of stable COPD

New national guidelines for the management of chronic obstructive...

The COPD tool for modifying pharmacological treatment - Tool 1

The patient has been diagnosed with COPD but has not been prescribed...

The COPD tool for modifying pharmacological treatment - Tool 2

The patient is currently taking long-term inhaled medicines...

Benzodiazepines and zopiclone: is overuse still an issue?

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

Endometriosis: diagnosis and management

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

Limiting the use of quinolone antibiotics

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

Inflammatory bowel disease – a focus on Crohn’s disease and ulcerative colitis

Crohn’s disease and ulcerative colitis are the principal forms...

Withdrawing patients from long-term use of benzodiazepines or zopiclone

Stopping benzodiazepine or zopiclone treatment in people who...

Peer group discussion: Limiting the use of quinolone antibiotics

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

Appropriate use of zopiclone and benzodiazepines for the treatment of insomnia

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

Consider blue-green algal blooms this summer: Identifying and managing suspected cyanotoxin poisoning in primary care

Cyanobacteria, also referred to as blue-green algae, are micro-organisms...

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...