Oct 5, 2018
New evidence sheds additional light on the risks inherent to combined opioid/benzodiazepine treatment. In a cross-sectional study of 517 adults with musculoskeletal pain and current prescriptions for long-term opioid therapy, 25% had concurrent benzodiazepine and...
Oct 4, 2018
An excellent international review of antidepressant discontinuation syndrome has recently been published in the the journal Addictive Behaviours. The authors conclude that “guidelines on antidepressant withdrawal [should] be urgently updated as they are clearly...
Oct 3, 2018
In a media release issued today by the Society of Hospital Pharmacists of Australia, a reminder is provided that minimum staffing levels must be preserved to protect the public. More information may be obtained from SHPA. Clinical pharmacy services are a proven means...
Oct 1, 2018
An excellent resource created by the team at the Centre for Medicine Use and Safety, Faculty of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences, Monash University, published by the Royal Australian College of General Practitioners. Medication-related guidance includes: Carefully...
Oct 1, 2018
With up to 1 in 10 adult patients claiming to be allergic to penicillin, an excellent resource has been published, addressing the management of those affected. Read more at the website of UW Health – the full resource can be viewed here
Oct 1, 2018
One complication associated with previously prescribed chemotherapy regimens is cardiotoxicity, which can prove to be dose limiting. Although newer agents (e.g. the tyrosine kinase inhibitors) are now widely used, the cardiac safety profile of these drugs has as yet...
