Issue 4, 2025

Modern Medicine is now available for you to read. We have some great articles featured in this edition:

Ethics (CPD) – Finding the Balance between Truth and Hope in Critical Illness Discussions
Pulmonology (CPD)– Promoting Prevention and Targeting Remission of Asthma: A EUFOREA Consensus Statement on Raising the Bar in Asthma Care
Rheumatology (CPD)– Inflammatory Arthritis and Ocular Complications: An Overview
Urology (CPD) – Benign Prostatic Enlargement and Lower Urinary Tract Symptoms: An Update on Treatment
A RoundUp Section & many more….

Also, a reminder that, not only do we have CPD questions available within the magazine itself, we also have an online CPD portal that allows you to score even more points by simply completing your test online.

September 9, 2025 by Domains Testing Uncategorized

Benign Prostatic Enlargement and Lower Urinary Tract Symptoms: An Update on Treatment

Benign Prostatic Enlargement and Lower Urinary Tract Symptoms: An Update on Treatment

Lower urinary tract symptoms (LUTS) are common among older men and often linked with benign prostatic enlargement, but they may not always correlate with prostate size. GPs play an important role in conducting a detailed patient history, physical examination and appropriate investigations to rule out other causes of LUTS. LUTS are categorised into storage, voiding and postmicturition symptoms. These symptoms can significantly affect quality of life, leading to an increased healthcare burden. In recent years, the number of newer treatments for benign prostatic enlargement has increased dramatically. As a result, management of the condition requires a comprehensive, individualised approach and continual evaluation of treatment efficacy and patient preferences.

Modern Medicine – Issue 4, 2025

September 9, 2025 by Domains Testing Urology

Promoting Prevention and Targeting Remission of Asthma: A EUFOREA Consensus Statement on Raising the Bar in Asthma Care

Promoting Prevention and Targeting Remission of Asthma: A EUFOREA Consensus Statement on Raising the Bar in Asthma Care

Asthma is a common, multifaceted respiratory disease with a major impact on quality of life. Despite increased insights into mechanisms underlying various asthma phenotypes and endotypes and the availability of targeted biologic treatment options, the disease remains uncontrolled in many patients with risk of exacerbations, requiring systemic corticosteroids, and with progressive disease. A personalised management approach to patients with uncontrolled severe asthma is advocated. This asthma expert panel was convened to discuss strategies to optimise asthma care and to prevent systemic corticosteroid overuse and disease progression. Current concepts and recommendations are summarised, and a rationale is provided to implement personalised asthma management at earlier stages of the disease. The ultimate goal is to move away from the current one-size-fits-most concept and shift toward a phenotype- and endotypetargeted approach aimed at curbing the disease course by improving outcomes. A consensus view on asthma care is provided that advocates a holistic approach and highlights some unmet needs to be addressed in future clinical trials and population studies. This is a shortened version of the article.

Modern Medicine – Issue 4, 2025

September 9, 2025 by Domains Testing Pulmonology

GLP-1 Agonists’ Impact on Bowel Preparation for Colonoscopy

GLP-1 Agonists’ Impact on Bowel Preparation for Colonoscopy

Colonoscopy has been widely used as a valuable tool for screening and treating colorectal disease in in type 2 Diabetes Mellitus, often accompanied by gastrointestinal discomfort and an increased risk of malignant colorectal tumours. Successful colonoscopy depends on good bowel preparation. Emerging evidence indicates that GLP-1 receptor agonists and DPP-4 inhibitors may significantly affect the gastrointestinal motor system, which in turn influences the bowel cleaning quality necessary for a successful colonoscopy.

Modern Medicine – Issue 4, 2025

September 9, 2025 by Domains Testing Gastroenterology

Inflammatory Arthritis and Ocular Complications: An Overview

Inflammatory Arthritis and Ocular Complications: An Overview

Inflammatory arthritis often leads to debilitating symptoms and systemic manifestations. Among its various complications, ocular involvement remains a concern, affecting up to 40% of patients with inflammatory arthritis. The diagnosis of ocular complications relies on clinical assessment, ophthalmic examination and laboratory investigations. Early recognition and appropriate referral to an ophthalmologist are crucial. Treatment options include corticosteroids, disease-modifying antirheumatic drugs and biologics targeting specific cytokines. The response to treatment varies depending on the type of ocular manifestation and the underlying inflammatory arthritis.

Modern Medicine – Issue 4, 2025

September 8, 2025 by Domains Testing Rheumatology

Platelet Transfusions Help Address Bleeding Risk in Cancer Patients

Platelet Transfusions Help Address Bleeding Risk in Cancer Patients

Blood transfusions are an indispensable component of healthcare. They contribute to saving millions of lives each year and can dramatically improve the life expectancy and quality of life of patients. Bleeding is a common problem in cancer patients due to the disease itself or to anti-cancer treatments. The use of platelet transfusions to mitigate bleeding risk due to cancer or cancer-related treatments has been shown to improve patient outcomes. The South African National Blood Service (SANBS) offers the crucial service of providing a safe and sufficient supply of blood products for those requiring transfusions.

Modern Medicine – Issue 4, 2025

September 8, 2025 by Domains Testing Haematology

Finding the Balance Between Truth and Hope in Critical Illness Discussions

Finding the Balance Between Truth and Hope in Critical Illness Discussions

Truth and hope are crucial, yet complex, aspects of healthcare, often in tension with each other. Balancing truth-telling with the need to inspire hope is a significant challenge for healthcare professionals, particularly in situations involving serious illness and end-of-life care. While truthfulness is generally valued, some situations may warrant a more nuanced approach to preserve a patient’s hope, especially when truth-telling could be detrimental.

Modern Medicine – Issue 4, 2025

September 8, 2025 by Domains Testing Ethics

Issue 3, 2025

Modern Medicine is now available for you to read. We have some great articles featured in this edition:

Ethics (CPD) – Integrated Care: A Strategy for Addressing Fragmented Healthcare
Pulmonology (CPD)– Common Cold
Endocrinology (CPD)– Diabetic Kidney Disease The Four Pillars of Therapy
Oncology (CPD) – Multiple Myeloma in General Practice: A Guide to Diagnosis and Management
A RoundUp Section & many more….

Also, a reminder that, not only do we have CPD questions available within the magazine itself, we also have an online CPD portal that allows you to score even more points by simply completing your test online.

July 14, 2025 by Domains Testing Uncategorized

Multiple Myeloma in General Practice A Guide to Diagnosis and Management

Multiple Myeloma in General Practice A Guide to Diagnosis and Management

This article is written on behalf of the Medical and Scientific Advisory Group, Myeloma Australia.
Multiple myeloma (MM) is a clinically aggressive blood cancer, most frequently diagnosed in late adulthood, and requires prompt assessment and treatment to avoid irreversible organ damage. The finding of monoclonal protein on serum or urine testing is a hallmark feature of MM, and other laboratory investigations are readily available to help establish the diagnosis. Patient outcomes are improving because of an expanding range of therapies that produce meaningful improvements in survival and quality of life. Care needs for patients with multiple myeloma can be complex and are best met with a multidisciplinary approach based on shared care between the GP and specialist haematologist.

Modern Medicine – Issue 3, 2025

July 14, 2025 by Domains Testing Oncology

Diabetic Kidney Disease: The Four Pillars of Therapy

Diabetic Kidney Disease: The Four Pillars of Therapy

Diabetic kidney disease (DKD) is a serious threat to public health in South Africa and globally, as a major cause of end-stage kidney disease, rising healthcare costs and premature mortality. The advent of several highly efficacious therapies over the last decade has dramatically altered the landscape of DKD management. In addition to lifestyle modification, the management of DKD secondary to type 2 diabetes now centres on four ‘pillars’ of treatment: renin-angiotensin system blockade (with ACE inhibitors or angiotensin receptor blockers), sodium-glucose cotransporter-2 inhibitors, nonsteroidal mineralocorticoid receptor antagonists (though not yet available in South Africa) and glucagon-like peptide-1 receptor agonists. Early implementation of these therapies is likely to confer substantial long term gains in survival, free from cardiovascular and kidney disease.

Modern Medicine – Issue 3, 2025

July 14, 2025 by Domains Testing Endocrinology