bpj-sce-august-2020

CONTENTS
SCE Issue 1 August 2020
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Upfront: oxycodone – did we fix it? ?
For more than ten years bpac nz has been at the frontline of New
Zealand’s battle against oxycodone overprescribing. We review the
oxycodone story, examine how the problem occurred in the first
place, and analyse where we are at now. Much of the work is now
set in place, but there is never a time to become complacent about
this medicine.
A rising tide of type 2 diabetes in younger people:
what can primary care do?
An increasing incidence of early onset type 2 diabetes in New
Zealand is putting more people at risk of early mortality and
complications such as cardiovascular disease at an age when other
people in the community are at their prime. Primary health care
professionals should consider how they can use their role to identify
people at high risk and support them to create a different future.
Topical antibiotics: keep reducing use
Encouraging progress has been made by prescribers in New Zealand
in reducing the use of topical antibiotics such as fusidic acid;
however, the challenge is to maintain this momentum and reduce
use even further as there are very few indications for prescribing
these medicines.
Hypertension: the silent killer
Hypertension is associated with a wide range of cardiovascular
and end-organ damage and is one of the most frequent reasons
for patient attendance in primary care. The ideal treatment of
hypertension continues to be debated. However, management
often requires multiple medicines to achieve blood pressure targets
and reduce overall cardiovascular risk, alongside lifestyle changes.
Melatonin: is it worth losing any sleep over?
Modified-release melatonin is the only approved formulation of
melatonin in New Zealand and it has relatively few indications. It
is funded for children or adolescents with neurodevelopmental
disorders and sleep disturbances. It is moderately effective, but not
funded for improving sleep quality in adults with insomnia.
www.bpac.org.nz
Best Practice Journal – SCE Issue 1 1