Australian Prescriber Podcast
Health, Fitness & Longevity
About
The Australian Prescriber Podcast provides a regular dive into some of the many great articles that Australian Prescriber publishes every two months. In each episode, our host will chat with one of the authors from a recent issue of Australian Prescriber.
Episodes
- E214 - Therapeutic Guidelines Kidney and Urinary
Lee Fong discusses the new Therapeutic Guidelines for Kidney and Urinary conditions with Justin Coleman. The conversation covers GP management strategies for chronic kidney disease, lower urinary tract symptoms, and wetting in children.
- E213 - Metabolic dysfunction–associated fatty liver disease an update
Hepatology research fellow Richard O'Halloran provides an update on metabolic dysfunction–associated fatty liver disease (MAFLD). The discussion includes risk factors, comorbidities, diagnostic approaches, and management strategies involvi…
- E212 - Cytomegalovirus in pregnancy: prevention, maternal screening, and the role of antivirals
Maternal–fetal medicine specialist Lisa Hui discusses cytomegalovirus (CMV) in pregnancy with Dhineli Perera. The conversation covers strategies for infection prevention, maternal screening, and the role of valaciclovir in decreasing fetal…
- E211 - Preventing infections in immunosuppressed patients
Infectious diseases physicians Aadith Ashok and Bradley Gardiner discuss strategies for preventing infections in immunosuppressed patients, covering individualized risk assessments, screening investigations, and antimicrobial prophylaxis.…
- E210 - Intra-articular hyaluronic acid (viscosupplementation) for osteoarthritis – is it effective?
In E210 of the Australian Prescriber Podcast, Jessica Pisaniello discusses her paper on intra-articular hyaluronic acid for osteoarthritis, covering its limited benefits, risks, and current guidelines.
- E209 - Secondary prevention of acute coronary syndromes: a summary of the new 2025 Australian guideline
Laura Beaton chats with David Brieger, head of cardiology at Concord Hospital, Sydney, about the 2025 Australian acute coronary syndromes [ACS] clinical guideline. David explains the importance of secondary prevention for ACS, including ne…
- E208 - Pharmacological management of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder in adults
In a follow-up to our episode on attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) in children and adolescents , Justin Coleman talks to psychiatrist Shuichi Suetani about the pharmacological management of ADHD in adults. They discuss the di…
- E207 - Injectable drugs for weight management
Jo Cheah talks to Terri-Lynne South, Medical Director at Lifestyle Metabolic in Brisbane, about her paper on injectable drugs for weight management. Terri-Lynne outlines the available GLP-1 drugs and how they work in managing weight. The c…
- E206 - Testing for human immunodeficiency virus
Justin Coleman chats with sexual health physician Louise Owen about her paper on HIV testing. The conversation covers who and when to test, including higher risk populations and indicator conditions, and the types of HIV tests available, s…
- E205 - Top 10 drugs 2024-25
AP Podcast hosts David Liew and Dhineli Perera talk about Australia's top 10 drugs over the last year. They discuss the top drugs dispensed under the PBS, based on prescription count and cost to the government. They touch on changes to the…
- E204 - Oral anticoagulation for adults with atrial fibrillation or venous thromboembolism
Jo Cheah speaks to clinical pharmacologist Paul Chin about safe use of direct oral anticoagulants and warfarin for adults with atrial fibrillation or venous thromboembolism. They talk about dosing in renal impairment and extremes of body w…
- E203 - Pharmacological management of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder in children and adolescents
Justin Coleman chats with paediatrician Daryl Efron about his paper on the pharmacological management of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) in children and adolescents. They discuss the role of stimulants and non-stimulants, s…
- E202 - Gestational diabetes update on screening, diagnosis and maternal management
Laura Beaton talks to endocrinologist Chris Nolan about the new Australasian consensus recommendations on the screening and diagnosis of gestational diabetes. The conversation covers changes to diagnostic thresholds, indications for early…
- E201 - Practical guidance for stopping glucocorticoids
David Liew speaks with endocrinologists Faran Khalili and Morton Burt about their article on practical guidance for stopping glucocorticoids. The discussion includes common glucocorticoids used in Australia, when to stop abruptly versus wh…
- E200 - Therapeutic Guidelines Oral and Dental update
Justin Coleman chats to Lee Fong, member of the Oral and Dental Expert Group, about some of the updates in the latest version of Therapeutic Guidelines: Oral and Dental. With a focus on GP management of dental issues, the conversation incl…
- E199 - Aminoglycosides: an update on indications, dosing and monitoring
Dhineli Perera talks to infectious diseases physician and clinical microbiologist Carly Hughes about the latest recommendations for aminoglycoside use in Australia. They discuss indications for parenteral aminoglycosides, drug selection, d…
- E198 - Choosing a nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug for pain
Laura Beaton speaks with Steph Hopkins (rheumatology registrar) and David Liew (rheumatologist and clinical pharmacologist) about choosing a nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug (NSAID) for pain. Steph and David discuss the importance of co…
- E197 - Potentially inappropriate medicines for older people
Justin Coleman chats with geriatrician and clinical pharmacologist Alex Choo about potentially inappropriate medicines [PIMs] for older people. They discuss the challenges of prescribing for older people and how to use the new Australian P…
- E196 - Male and female pattern hair loss
Dhineli Perera talks to Laxmi Iyengar, dermatology research fellow and GP, and Jane Li, consultant dermatologist, about male and female pattern hair loss. Laxmi and Jane discuss presentations and available treatments, as well as important…
- E195 - Medicines used in the treatment of opioid dependence
Justin Coleman speaks with Hester Wilson, Chief Addiction Medicine Specialist for NSW, and pharmacist Jillian Kanck about the medicines used in the treatment of opioid dependence. They explain how opioid dependence is diagnosed and discuss…
- E194 - Using pharmacogenomics to personalise drug therapy
David Liew chats with Sophie Stocker, co-chair of the Royal College of Pathologists of Australasia Pharmacogenomics Working Group, about using pharmacogenomics to personalise drug therapy. They discuss pre-emptive, concurrent and reactive…
- E193 - Therapeutic Guidelines Antibiotic Part 2
Justin Coleman talks to Kate McKenzie, General Practitioner and member of one of the Antibiotic Expert Groups, in part 2 of our series on the latest updates to Therapeutic Guidelines: Antibiotic. This episode focuses on changes to guidance…
- E192 - Update on long- and short-acting contraceptive methods
Laura Beaton speaks with Emma Mason, lecturer in sexual and reproductive health, about the latest changes in contraceptive products in Australia. They outline key practice points for selecting appropriate contraception and managing adverse…
- E191 - Psoriasis an update on topical and systemic therapies
Jo Cheah chats to dermatologist Jonathan Chan about the latest therapies for psoriasis. Jonathan outlines the different treatments for mild to moderate and moderate to severe psoriasis, and when to refer patients to a non-GP specialist. Th…
- E190 - Safe and effective use of vancomycin
Dhineli Perera talks to pharmacists Amy Legg and Tony Lai about their paper on the safe and effective use of vancomycin. They discuss the evolution of vancomycin therapeutic drug monitoring, including trough concentrations, and demystify A…
- E189 - Noninvasive prenatal testing: an overview
Justin Coleman speaks with Alice Poulton, genetic counsellor, about noninvasive prenatal testing (NIPT) to screen for aneuploidies such as trisomy 21 (Down syndrome). Alice explains how NIPT differs from serum screening and ultrasound opti…
- E188 - RSV: an update on prevention and management
David Liew talks to Linny Phuong, paediatric infectious diseases physician, about changes to prevention and management of respiratory syncytial virus (RSV). They discuss how RSV infections affect communities in Australia, high-risk groups…
- E187 - Therapeutic Guidelines Antibiotic Part 1
Dhineli Perera chats with Allen Cheng, director of Infectious Diseases at Monash Health and member of the Antibiotic Expert Group, about some of the updates in the latest version of Therapeutic Guidelines: Antibiotic. Allen talks about cha…
- E186 - Calcitonin gene-related peptide–targeted therapies for migraine
Jo Cheah talks to Bronwyn Jenkins, consultant neurologist, about the role of calcitonin gene-related peptide (CGRP)–targeted therapies in migraine treatment. Bronwyn explains the difference between tension-type headaches and migraines, and…
- E185 - The role of triple antithrombotic therapy in patients with atrial fibrillation and coronary stent insertion
Justin Coleman speaks with Kate Ziser, a pharmacist at the Princess Alexandra Hospital in Brisbane, about her paper on the role of triple antithrombotic therapy in patients with atrial fibrillation following coronary stent insertion. Kate…
- E184 - Device-assisted therapies for Parkinson disease
Laura Beaton chats with Nadia Mouchaileh, senior pharmacist, and Jillian Cameron, head of movement disorders and consultant neurologist at Austin Health, about device-assisted therapies for Parkinson disease. They discuss the benefits vs t…
- E183 - Drug safety in pregnancy
Jo Cheah talks to Debra Kennedy, director of MotherSafe, about her paper on drug safety in pregnancy. Debra discusses the key considerations when stopping or starting a medicine during pregnancy, and the ways in which medicines can affect…
- E182 - A national standard for people living with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease
Dhineli Perera speaks with Lee Fong, a medical advisor for the Australian Commission on Safety and Quality in Health Care, about the need to establish a national clinical care standard for people with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease…
- E181 - Adverse drug reactions reporting
David Liew talks to Claire Larter, a medical officer at the pharmacovigilance branch of the TGA, about her paper on adverse event reporting. Claire explains why pharmacovigilance is important for clinicians, and outlines what type of adver…
- E180 - Diagnosis and management of antiphospholipid syndrome
Laura Beaton chats with Paul Kubler, director of Rheumatology at Royal Brisbane and Women's hospital, about how to identify and manage antiphospholipid syndrome. They discuss the key presentations of APS, classification criteria and approa…
- E179 - Therapeutic vapes for smoking cessation and nicotine dependence
Jo Cheah talks with Eileen Cole, GP lead, and Jennifer Kyi, pharmacist advisor at Quit, about the use of therapeutic vapes for smoking cessation. They discuss the current evidence and new Australian guidelines. The conversation also covers…
- E178 – Reflections on community antimicrobial prescribing in Australia
In this episode Dhineli Perera speaks to John Turnidge, who leads the national surveillance program for Antimicrobial Use and Resistance in Australia. They discuss the significant impact of the pandemic on reducing antibiotic use in the co…
- E177 - Inhaler device selection for people with asthma or chronic obstructive pulmonary disease
Laura Beaton chats with Debbie Rigby, from the National Asthma Council, about her paper on inhaler device selection for people with asthma or chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. Debbie outlines the different types of inhalers available,…
- E176 - Managing medicine shortages
Jo Cheah talks to Tom Simpson, President, and Jerry Yik, Head of Policy and Advocacy, at Advanced Pharmacy Australia. They discuss the ongoing challenge of medicine shortages in Australia, and advise on how to identify, communicate and man…
- E175 - Pharmacological management of polycystic ovary syndrome
Laura Beaton chats with endocrinologist Jillian Tay about her article on the pharmacological management of polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS). They discuss the 2023 international PCOS guideline, including updates to the diagnostic criteria,…
- E174 - Achieving safe medication management during transitions of care from hospital
Dhineli Perera talks to complex care coordinator Deirdre Criddle and senior pharmacist Rohan Elliott about their paper on safe medication management during transitions of care from hospital. They cover the potential hazards that arise duri…
- E173 - Management of occupational exposure to blood and body fluids in primary care
Laura Beaton sits down with infectious diseases physician Anna Pierce to discuss her article on the management of occupational exposure to blood and body fluids in primary care. Anna explains the importance of prevention measures, the step…
- E172 - Utility of common investigations for suspected inflammatory arthritis in adults
David Liew talks to rheumatologist Nicola Cook about the utility of common investigations for suspected inflammatory arthritis in adults. They discuss the notion of pretest probability and how this is used to determine the utility of testi…
- E171 - Controversies in the management of community-acquired pneumonia in adults
Dhineli Perera chats with infectious diseases physician Emily Tucker about her article on controversies in the management of community-acquired pneumonia (CAP) in adults. Laura talks about severity scoring tools, organisms involved with CA…
- E170 - Quality use of medicines: who owns it now?
Dhineli Perera talks to Jonathan Dartnell, managing director of QUM Connect, and Darlene Cox, Executive Director of Health Care Consumers' Association, about changes to the quality use of medicines landscape. They discuss the challenges an…
- E169 - Deprescribing antihypertensives in frail older adults
Laura Beaton talks to pharmacist Aili Langford and geriatrician Sarah Hilmer about their article on deprescribing antihypertensive drugs in frail older adults. They discuss how the potential benefits and harms of lowering blood pressure ma…
- E168 - New and emerging drug therapies for Alzheimer disease
David Liew speaks with geriatrician and dementia specialist Louise Waite about her article on new and emerging therapies for Alzheimer disease. Louise explains key biomarkers for Alzheimer disease, and the potentially disease-modifying mon…
- E167 - Diagnosis and management of obstructive sleep apnoea in adults
Justin Coleman talks to Darren Mansfield, Director of the Epworth Sleep Centre, about his article on the diagnosis and management of obstructive sleep apnoea (OSA) in adults. Darren outlines high-risk populations for OSA and the importance…
- E166 - Biologic therapies for severe asthma with persistent type 2 inflammation
Jo Cheah speaks to Peter Wark about his article on biologic therapies for severe asthma with persistent type 2 inflammation. Peter explains the difference between difficult and severe asthma and how to test for persistent type 2 inflammati…
- E165 - Assessing, communicating and managing cardiovascular disease risk
Justin Coleman talks to Garry Jennings, Chief Medical Advisor of the National Heart Foundation of Australia, about his article on the 2023 Australian Guideline for Assessing and Managing Cardiovascular Disease Risk. Garry discusses the upd…