In this episode Dhineli Perera speaks to John Turnidge, who leads the national surveillance program for Antimicrobial Use and Resistance in Australia. They discuss the significant impact of the pandemic on reducing antibiotic use in the community, and how this benefit can be sustained and improved on. Read the full article by John and his co-authors, Carolyn Hullick and Kim Stewart, in Australian Prescriber.

Laura Beaton chats with Debbie Rigby, from the National Asthma Council, about her paper on inhaler device selection for people with asthma or chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. Debbie outlines the different types of inhalers available, and explains their benefits, limitations and environmental considerations. They also discuss ensuring patients are using their inhalers effectively. Read the full article by Debbie in Australian Prescriber.

Jo Cheah talks to Tom Simpson, President, and Jerry Yik, Head of Policy and Advocacy, at Advanced Pharmacy Australia. They discuss the ongoing challenge of medicine shortages in Australia, and advise on how to identify, communicate and manage shortages using available resources. Read the full article by Tom and Jerry in Australian Prescriber.

Laura Beaton chats with endocrinologist Jillian Tay about her article on the pharmacological management of polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS). They discuss the 2023 international PCOS guideline, including updates to the diagnostic criteria, and different pharmacological treatments to manage symptoms of PCOS. Read the full article by Jillian and her co-author, Carolyn Ee, in Australian Prescriber.

Dhineli Perera talks to complex care coordinator Deirdre Criddle and senior pharmacist Rohan Elliott about their paper on safe medication management during transitions of care from hospital. They cover the potential hazards that arise during transitions of care, available services, and the need for a stewardship framework for managing hospital transitions. Read the full paper by Deirdre, Rohan, and their co-authors, in Australian Prescriber.

Laura Beaton sits down with infectious diseases physician Anna Pierce to discuss her article on the management of occupational exposure to blood and body fluids in primary care. Anna explains the importance of prevention measures, the steps to take after an exposure, as well as the principles of management for exposure to hepatitis B, hepatitis C and HIV. Read the full article in Australian Prescriber.

David Liew talks to rheumatologist Nicola Cook about the utility of common investigations for suspected inflammatory arthritis in adults. They discuss the notion of pretest probability and how this is used to determine the utility of testing, and the role of specific tests. Nicola also talks about the potential harm of overinvestigation. Read the full article by Nicola and her co-author, Rachelle Buchbinder, in Australian Prescriber.

Dhineli Perera chats with infectious diseases physician Emily Tucker about her article on controversies in the management of community-acquired pneumonia (CAP) in adults. Laura talks about severity scoring tools, organisms involved with CAP, and the antibiotics and other treatments used to manage CAP. Read the full article by Emily and her co-authors in Australian Prescriber.

Dhineli Perera talks to Jonathan Dartnell, managing director of QUM Connect, and Darlene Cox, Executive Director of Health Care Consumers’ Association, about changes to the quality use of medicines landscape. They discuss the challenges and opportunities following the closure of NPS MedicineWise and speculate on the future of QUM in Australia. Read the full article by Jonathan, Darlene, and their co-authors, in Australian Prescriber.

This interview was conducted on 3 July 2024.

Laura Beaton talks to pharmacist Aili Langford and geriatrician Sarah Hilmer about their article on deprescribing antihypertensive drugs in frail older adults. They discuss how the potential benefits and harms of lowering blood pressure may change with increasing age and frailty, the evidence for deprescribing, and how to deprescribe antihypertensive drugs. Read the full article by Aili, Sarah, and their co-authors, in Australian Prescriber.