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Articles

Read the latest articles relevant to your clinical practice, including exclusive insights from Healthed surveys and polls.

By reading selected clinical articles, you earn CPD in the Educational Activities (EA) category whenever you click the “Claim CPD” button and follow the prompts. 

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Dr Linda Calabresi
  • Clinical Articles

Live longer – eat less meat

Want your best chance for living a long, healthy life? Have a diet that is high in plant protein, say Japanese researchers. That’s the suggestion following their prospective study of over 70,000 adults, recently published in JAMA Internal Medicine. According to their findings, a higher intake of plant protein was associated with lower total mortality, specifically mortality related to cardiovascular disease. In fact, those people whose diet was proportionally in the highest bracket for plant protein were up to 41% less likely to die from a heart attack or stroke.

By Dr Linda Calabresi
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Dr Lawrie Bott
  • Clinical Articles

Understanding glomerular filtration rate

Glomerular filtration rate (GFR) is the best single measure of kidney function. A subnormal GFR is an important early indicator of possible chronic kidney disease. However, it also does not identify the cause. It is also not a ‘catch all’, for example, in early diabetes mellitus, GFR will typically be normal or even increased, due to ‘hyperfiltration’. Optimal detection and risk stratification of early kidney disease also requires measurement of urine albumin, rather than just eGFR.

By Dr Lawrie Bott
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Dr Vivienne Miller
  • Clinical Articles

Assessing stroke risk – easier than saying “CHA2DS2-VA Score”!

General Practitioner Dr Vivienne Miller takes a look at what’s changed in the recently updated CHA2DS2-VASC Score for the determination of stroke risk factors from atrial fibrillation. The CHA2DS2-VA Score was updated from the CHA2DS2-VASC Score last year to exclude female sex (represented by Sc) in the determination of stroke risk factors from atrial fibrillation. The two scores are identical, apart from the exclusion of female sex, which is no longer considered an outright risk factor in stroke from atrial fibrillation, but more of a ‘risk modifier’ of this complication.1General Practitioner Dr Vivienne Miller takes a look at what’s changed in the recently updated CHA2DS2-VASC Score for the determination of stroke risk factors from atrial fibrillation. The CHA2DS2-VA Score was updated from the CHA2DS2-VASC Score last year to exclude female sex (represented by Sc) in the determination of stroke risk factors from atrial fibrillation. The two scores are identical, apart from the exclusion of female sex, which is no longer considered an outright risk factor in stroke from atrial fibrillation, but more of a ‘risk modifier’ of this complication.

By Dr Vivienne Miller
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Brian Brooks
  • Clinical Articles

Concussion in kids: Insomnia treatment linked to faster recovery

Active kids sustain injuries. It is estimated that every year more than 100,000 Canadian children and adolescents get a concussion while participating in normal childhood activities, like sports and play. Most kids return to school and activities within about one month of the injury, but sometimes they need specialized concussion treatment and rehabilitation. Our recent study, published in the Journal of Head Trauma Rehabilitation, found that psychotherapy can improve adolescents’ insomnia after concussion and that it also improves overall post-concussion recovery.

By Brian Brooks, Lianne Tomfohr-Madsen
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Dr Linda Calabresi
  • Clinical Articles

Subclinical hypothyroidism in pregnancy, is it a real risk?

In the ‘largest analysis to date’, researchers have determined that subclinical hypothyroidism is associated with preterm birth but have stopped short of recommending screening. It is well-known that overt thyroid disease in pregnancy is linked with preterm birth, as defined as delivery before 37 weeks. But whether milder forms of thyroid disease make a difference has been controversial.

By Dr Linda Calabresi
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Dr Linda Calabresi
  • Clinical Articles

Sprained ankle physiotherapy

It’s that time of year. Cold weather. Footy season. Finals approaching. Muscles pulled. Ankles twisted…. Of course, the elite sportspeople will have their support team to strap, massage, rehabilitate and retrain the injured joint or muscle – coaxing it back to good health. But for your average ill-fated weekend exerciser with a sprained ankle, they will present in general practice (generally on a Monday) wanting advice on how to expedite their recovery inexpensively and in a manner that doesn’t risk further injury.

By Dr Linda Calabresi
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A/Prof Joachim Sturmberg
  • Clinical Articles

Less bureaucracy needed to improve aged care

Last week’s hearings at the aged care royal commission in Brisbane looked at regulation in aged care. While rules and regulations are designed to safeguard residents, bureaucratic “red tape” also contributes to the failings in aged care. The fear among nursing home staff of failing a review visit by an Aged Care Quality and Safety Commission surveyor has been known to shift the focus from care for residents to meeting paper trail requirements.

By A/Prof Joachim Sturmberg
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Dr Linda Calabresi
  • Clinical Articles

Exercise – the underutilised antidepressant

Physical activity not only helps prevent depression, but should be considered an effective therapeutic option for patients who already have the condition, researchers say. According to a review published recently in Current Sports Medicine Reports, major depressive disorder is an exceedingly common, disabling condition with prevalence estimates ranging from 6% to 18% across different countries worldwide.

By Dr Linda Calabresi
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Dr Linda Calabresi
  • Clinical Articles

Podcast series for patients with advanced cancer

Cancer Council NSW has developed a fantastic new podcast series specifically for patients with advanced cancer. The series, entitled ‘The Thing About Advanced Cancer’ provides evidence-based information and practical tips for this group of patients who are often hungry for answers and guidance beyond the usual facts and statistics currently available for their condition.

By Dr Linda Calabresi
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A/Prof Ken Sikaris
  • Clinical Articles

So you think you understand pregnancy tests?

Less than 40 years ago pregnancy was typically diagnosed by history and examination alone. While clinical skills always remain useful, there have been major advances in pregnancy testing that have been both clinically and medicolegally important. Like all diagnostic testing, pregnancy tests are not infallible, and it is very helpful for clinicians to understand their strengths and weaknesses.

By A/Prof Ken Sikaris
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Dr Linda Calabresi
  • Clinical Articles

A carrot a day keeps SCC at bay

Even more reason to eat your vegetables. Researchers have determined that having a diet rich in vitamin A actually protects you from developing one of the commonest forms of skin cancer, squamous cell carcinoma.

By Dr Linda Calabresi
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Dr Linda Calabresi
  • Clinical Articles

Melanoma in pregnancy

Did you know that melanoma is the most common malignancy in pregnancy? It accounts for one third of pregnancy-associated malignancies in Australia. Terrifying stuff isn’t it? Fortunately, melanoma occurring in a pregnant woman remains a very rare occurrence. But no one wants to be the doctor that misses it, especially as we all know picking it up early can, quite literally, be the difference between life and death. The really tricky part is that pregnancy does add an extra dimension to detecting and managing melanoma. For a start melanocytic naevi darken during pregnancy in one in ten women.

By Dr Linda Calabresi

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