Pre-eclampsia Early Identification is Vital
Pre-eclampsia is a multisystem disorder that typically affects 2%–5% of pregnant women and is one of the leading causes of maternal and perinatal morbidity and mortality, especially when the condition is of early onset.
Modern Medicine – Issue 2 2020
Preserve Fertility Freezing Eggs for Later Childbearing
In women, fertility begins to decline in their fourth decade of life. Fecundity is well publicised; therefore, some women delay time of childbearing in order to fulfil other personal goals such as education, employment and/or to overcome financial constraints. Relationship status has also been identified as a possible reason to preserve childbearing time. With the intention to share parenthood with a future partner, and defy the natural age-related fertility decline, some women have chosen to store their eggs.
Modern Medicine – Issue 2 2020
Effective Contraception and Fertility Planning Starts with Asking the Right Questions
Unintended pregnancies pose a significant public health burden, so improvements in contraceptive counselling and care aim to improve fertility awareness. Pregnancy intentions are increasingly being assessed prospectively during clinic visits. Various initiatives are training clinicians to ask female patients about their intentions to become pregnant, and, depending upon the response, to initiate preconception care and/or contraceptive counselling.
Modern Medicine – Issue 2 2020
Obesity is a Biochemical Phenomenon
The greatest challenge to health provision in virtually every country across the globe is obesity; the scale of the epidemic threatens to outstrip resources in even the richest of societies. The burden of morbidity arising from obesity and its sequelae of type 2 diabetes, cardiovascular disease and cancer present many challenges that are not restricted to those providing healthcare but reaching across society.
Modern Medicine – Issue 2 2020
Varicella More than just a rash
Often considered a benign childhood illness, varicella (chickenpox) can be associated with serious and life-threatening complications. GPs have an important role in providing varicella vaccinations and in identifying patients with varicella infection or exposure, especially high-risk individuals who require counselling, prophylaxis and possible hospital referral.
Modern Medicine – Issue 2 2020
Chronic Diarrhoea – It Happens!
Diarrhoea that persists beyond a few weeks can be functionally debilitating and an indication of a significant underlying medical problem. A systematic approach to diagnosis involving a thorough history, examination and carefully targeted investigations allows for identification of cause in most cases. Appropriate treatment of the underlying problem is associated with improved outcomes for patients compared with symptomatic management alone.
Modern Medicine – Issue 2 2020
Patent Protection in Times of Crisis
In recent years, globalisation has forced a deeper appreciation of the relationship between intellectual property law and global health. The threat of an emergent avian bird flu pandemic led to calls for Roche to relax patent restrictions on oseltamivir, a drug with potential efficacy against bird influenza. In the context of the fall 2001 anthrax attacks, the US government faced pressure to break Bayer’s patent on ciprofloxacin in order to increase availability of the drug. Such situations have generated intense debate over the value of patent protection amidst health crisis.
Modern Medicine – Issue 2 2020
Manage the Patient, Not Just the Disease
Dr Isaac Chikwanha is a medical advisor for TB, HIV & Hepatitis C at MSF’s Access Campaign. He joined Doctors Without Borders (MSF) in 2009 and has helped treat HIV and tuberculosis in Kenya, Cambodia and Papua New Guinea.
Modern Medicine – Issue 2 2020
Issue 1 of Modern Medicine for 2020 is here. This edition of the magazine includes articles on Pain, Ethics, Urology, and much more. Have a look through and I’m sure you’ll find something to your liking to read in it.
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
Modern Medicine, the journal that’s with you wherever you go.
Managing Pain in Patients
with Rheumatoid Arthritis
Patients with rheumatoid arthritis who are responding to disease-modifying drug therapy but continue to complain of pain – in joints and elsewhere – present a management challenge. Although biomedical factors may play the major role in the pain experienced by such patients, consideration of the psychological and social dimensions is essential. A sociopsycho-biomedical framework is useful for patient assessment and for identifying other, nondrug, therapeutic pathways.
Modern Medicine – Issue 1 2020
