Colorectal Cancer Prevention, Investigation and Treatment
The incidence of colorectal cancer has been falling overall but increasing among younger people, so prevention and detection of the disease remain important population health concerns. Early diagnosis and treatment confer a substantial survival advantage, and appropriate screening can aid with detecting the disease at an earlier, curable stage.
Modern Medicine – Issue 5 2019
Urinary Tract Infections in Children Diagnosing and Treating
Acute UTIs are relatively common in children. By seven years of age, 8% of girls and 2% of boys will have at least one episode. It is important for primary care doctors to appropriately diagnose and treat UTIs in children as some underlying aetiologies can lead to considerable morbidity later in life.
Modern Medicine – Issue 5 2019
Ovulation InductionWhen and how to use it
Anovulatory infertility should prompt investigation and treatment of endocrinopathies. With monitoring, ovulation induction using oral or injectable medications results in good pregnancy rates and has a low risk of multiple pregnancies. Oligomenorrhoea or amenorrhoea are hallmark signs of anovulation. Identifying and correcting underlying endocrine disorders are the first steps in treating anovulation, before initiating targeted ovulation induction therapies. Referral of the patient to a fertility specialist is recommended for ovulation induction with gonadotropins or if other fertility factors exist.
Modern Medicine – Issue 5 2019
Women’s Health and Evening Primrose Oil
Obtained from the seeds of a North American wildflower (Oenothera biennis), evening primrose oil (EPO) is widely used thanks to the omega 6 fatty acids, linoleic acid (LA) and gamma-linolenic acid (GLA) inherently present in the oil. Research has shown that the use of EPO may be beneficial in a variety of conditions, such as dermatitis, hormone imbalances and diabetic neuropathy. A study reported a statistically significant improvement in neuropathy scores – including nerve conduction tests – in those taking EPO for six months.
Modern Medicine – Issue 5 2019
Obesity is a serious, chronic, relapsing disease with a high prevalence and a substantial unmet medical need. For every 5-unit increase in BMI above 25kg/m2, overall mortality increases by 29%, vascular mortality by 41% and diabetes-related mortality by 210%.
Modern Medicine – Issue 5 2019
A Proactive Tacrolimus Approach Reduces AD Flares
Atopic dermatitis (AD) is a very common, chronic, inflammatory eczematous skin disease, affecting up to 20% of children in Western Europe and Australia. The prevalence of AD in adults is less well defined, but it is believed that about 40% of childhood cases will continue into adulthood. The morbidity and impact on quality of life of these patients can be very severe and the psychological distress suffered correlates well with the severity of the dermatitis.
Modern Medicine – Issue 5 2019
A Proactive Tacrolimus Approach Reduces AD Flares
Atopic dermatitis (AD) is a very common, chronic, inflammatory eczematous skin disease, affecting up to 20% of children in Western Europe and Australia. The prevalence of AD in adults is less well defined, but it is believed that about 40% of childhood cases will continue into adulthood. The morbidity and impact on quality of life of these patients can be very severe and the psychological distress suffered correlates well with the severity of the dermatitis.
Modern Medicine – Issue 5 2019
Hypertrophic Cardiomyopathy Keys to minimising morbidity and mortalitydiastolic
Hypertrophic cardiomyopathy can be an asymptomatic condition or can cause incapacitating symptoms. It is the most common cardiovascular genetic condition and genetic testing of affected individuals and their family members can help prevent the morbidity and mortality associated with hypertrophic cardiomyopathy. Treatment options include lifestyle modifications, medical therapies and interventions such as implantable cardioverter defibrillator therapy and surgical myectomy.
Modern Medicine – Issue 5 2019
Calming Essential Tremor with Deep Brain Stimulation
Essential tremor (ET) is the most common movement disorder.It is characterised by bilateral action tremor of the hands and forearms, the head, and, less commonly, the voice, in the absence of other neurological signs. High-frequency stimulation of the ventral intermediate nucleus (VIM) has been shown to be highly effective in the suppression of tremor.Stimulation provides tremor relief on the side contralateral to the stimulator, completely eliminating tremor in as many as 50% of patients.
Modern Medicine – Issue 5 2019
Contraceptive Counselling More important now than ever before
Each year there are 193 million pregnancies worldwide, of which 85 million (44%) are unintended. Despite the availability of highly effective contraception, the number of unplanned pregnancies remains high. Research indicates that women want to talk about a wide range of different aspects of their contraception.
Modern Medicine – Issue 5 2019