Medical

Menopause, it’s normal, all women will go through it, with the majority experiencing it around the age of 51. In the last 20 years hormonal therapy has undergone dramatic changes, yet up to 20% of women continue to suffer with severe symptoms that impact their quality of life, and many remain fearful of the therapy options available to them. General Practitioners are in a unique position to therapeutically treat these women and in this interview, we discuss a good menopause consult.

Following on from our last interview, we GPs are in a unique position to diagnose and treat women presenting with menopausal symptoms. In this interview, menopause expert, Dr Kelly Teagle presents three common patient presentations, discussing the initial consult and practical tips for management.

Hypertension is so commonly seen in general practice and while it often goes really smoothly, some patients can be really challenging to treat. It is actually estimated that that 20-30% of our patients treated for hypertension continue to have uncontrolled blood pressure afterwards. Reasons for this include the actual causes of hypertension as well as poor treatment adherence. In this interview we discuss resistant hypertension and the new and emerging treatment options which will soon be available to Australian patients.

The number of cases of inflammatory bowel disease appears to be increasing worldwide. While treatments for moderate-to-severe ulcerative colitis have evolved significantly over the last several years, 5-aminosalicylates (5-ASAs) are still the backbone of treatment for many people living with this chronic condition. In this interview we discuss the optimal management of patients with mild to moderate ulcerative colitis and what to consider when prescribing 5-ASA medications.

Eosinophilic oesophagitis or EoE, is a chronic, progressive, inflammatory condition that affects the oesophagus and can lead to significant problems when swallowing food.  Not being able to eat properly or fearing you’ll choke can be highly distressing, In this interview we discuss how GPs can recognise the signs and symptoms of this tricky condition and know when to refer patients.

Autism spectrum disorder, now the word ‘spectrum’ reflects the wide range of challenges that people on the spectrum experience, and the extent to which they may be affected. It is a condition that affects how a person thinks, feels, interacts with others, and experiences their environment. It is often linked with physical, developmental, or mental health conditions, as well such as intellectual disability, epilepsy, gastro-intestinal issues, ADHD, dyspraxia, anxiety or depression. In this interview we discuss practical nutritional management strategies GPs can consider when supporting children with Autism.

A recent study showed that there is a mean delay of 8.9 years from the time a patient first starts to struggle with their weight to initiating a discussion with their doctor. In the first interview of a 5-part series, we are talking to Dr Vimal Chand, a GP from St Mary’s, NSW, about his experience and success in initiating weight-related conversations with patients, because by helping our patients make a start on their weight-loss journey, we can make a real impact on their quality of life.

This audio file contains all 7 interviews on this edition.

• Track 1,  Part 1: Menopause is an opportunity for preventative care
• Track 2, Part 2: Practical tips for the menopausal consult
• Track 3, Obesity – Part 1 of a 5-interview miniseries
  Starting the conversation around weight management
• Track 4, The backbone of treatment for ulcerative colitis
• Track 5, EOE – What is it, how frequently does it occur, and what causes it?
• Track 6, How to help fill the nutritional gaps in autism spectrum disorder
• Track 7, A third pillar in hypertension management

To view reference lists or product information please go to the individual tracks.

68% of people in aged care are malnourished or at risk of malnutrition, and of course this can increase the risk of falls and fractures. Fracture rates are high in the elderly and around 30% of all hip fractures happen in the aged care setting. With our ageing population, there is a greater need than ever before for cost-effective measures that improve the health and wellbeing of our older people, as well as reducing their healthcare costs, so listen to learn more…. 10 minute listen

Testosterone is a really important hormone for men’s health throughout life; however, in some men testosterone can decrease to low levels during adulthood. Identifying the signs of low testosterone, even potential causes, can be a challenge and then we need to find the appropriate treatment. This year in Australia, a testosterone formulation with a new site of application has become available, extending the options available to men with androgen deficiency. Intrigued? we join Dr Chris McMahon to discuss this great topic.