Things to Consider When Delivering Bad News to Patients
At some point during their practice, most clinicians will need to impart to their patients some bad news about a medical situation. But how can doctors deliver this in the most effective and compassionate way possible, without creating confusion or additional suffering for their patients?
Modern Medicine – Issue 5 2019
Life Kingsbury Hospital Boasts New Illumination Tech for Kidney Sparing Surgery
A new technology aptly called Firefly™, is helping doctors at Life Kingsbury Hospital, during kidney surgery, to remove cancer tumours with greater safety and efficiency through fluorescence imaging, assisting surgeons to better identify and remove cancerous tissue while sparing healthy kidney tissue.
Modern Medicine – Issue 5 2019
Modern Medicine gets a facelift.
Issue 4 of Modern Medicine for 2019 is here, and it’s looking better and brighter than ever before! We’ve just finished a complete rework of the look and feel of the magazine, making it easier to read and quicker to skim through; we’re sure you’ll like it.
This edition of the magazine includes a superb article on burn care; an insightful ethics article on consultation durations, and some super CPD articles on diverticular disease, allergic rhinitis, and nonvitamin K oral anticoagulants.
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.
Pre-exposure Prophylaxis Cuts HIV Risk
In 2015, recognising that HIV pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) has potential population-wide benefits, the World Health Organisation’s (WHO) guidelines recommend that PrEP should be offered as a choice to people who are at substantial risk of HIV infection as part of a combination HIV prevention programme. Previously, PrEP was only recommended for certain key affected populations such as sex workers, men who have sex with men and people who inject drugs.
Modern Medicine – Issue 4 2019
How Should We Be Using Nonvitamin K Antagonist Oral Anticoagulants?
Atrial fibrillation is a common cardiac arrhythmia, and the most common cause of stroke in the elderly. Current US and European guidelines recommend the use of nonvitamin K antagonist oral anticoagulants (NOACs) over warfarin or aspirin for patients with nonvalvular atrial fibrillation (NVAF) who require anticoagulation for stroke prevention. The recommended parameters for prescribing represent a shift towards considering which patients with NVAF do not require anticoagulation, rather than focusing on those who do.
Modern Medicine – Issue 4 2019
An Understanding Attitude Helps Kids Who Wet the Bed
Bedwetting (enuresis) and daytime wetting are common paediatric problems. Most children attain daytime bladder control at around 3 years and night-time bladder control between the ages of 4 and 6 years, but it is not uncommon for school-age children to experience urinary incontinence (UI). An understanding attitude on the part of parents and doctors can help reduce unwanted long-term psychological effects.
Modern Medicine – Issue 4 2019
When Treating Depression and Insomnia, Consider the Gut-brain Axis
Major depressive disorder is one of the leading causes of disability, morbidity and mortality worldwide. The disorder affects approximately one in five people at any stage of their lifespan. It is generally agreed upon that depression is induced by the cumulative effect of genetic information and environmental stresses. Certain genes and psychological features might predispose some people to depression and stressful life events including early-life stress are important inducements of depression. Research has indicated that the gut microbiota also play a crucial part in the pathophysiology of depression.
Modern Medicine – Issue 4 2019
The Ins and Outs of Diverticular Disease
Diverticular disease is a common condition that increases in prevalence with age. Management is multidisciplinary and can range from outpatient treatment to emergency surgery. Diverticular disease is thought to be prevalent in developed countries, but contrary to this belief, an increasing trend in prevalence has been noted in Africa over the past four decades.
Modern Medicine – Issue 4 2019
Hand Hygiene – The Cornerstone of Combatting Infections
Medical advances have brought lifesaving care to patients in need, yet many of these advances come with a risk of healthcare-associated infections (HAIs).
These unanticipated infections that develop during the course of medical or surgical treatment may result in significant patient morbidity and mortality, prolong the duration of hospital stays and necessitate additional diagnostic and therapeutic interventions, which generate added costs.
Modern Medicine – Issue 4 2019
Dual Diagnosis of Bipolar and Substance Use Disorders
Substance use disorders (SUD) and mental illnesses have many of the same symptoms. Additionally, having a substance use disorder may predispose someone to develop a mental illness and vice versa. Further, those with BD (Bipolar Disorder) and SUD are at increased risk for non-medical use of prescription opioids.
Modern Medicine – Issue 4 2019