One in 15 Australian adults living with diabetes: ABS Around 6.6% of adults now have diabetes, up from 5.1% a decade earlier, according to new data.
Call for ‘soft launch’ of lung cancer screening program The RACGP’s call comes ahead of a new national program, with a ‘slow build-up of screening’ urged to mitigate extra GP workload.
List of dementia risk factors grows The addition of untreated vision loss and high LDL cholesterol have bumped up the number of modifiable risk factors to 14.
Feminist language being hijacked to market medical tests Narratives around empowerment and women’s rights are being co-opted to market interventions not backed by evidence, according to new research.
Make breast density reporting mandatory: RANZCR The radiologist body is calling for an expansion of mammogram services, and a GP expert agrees it will help patients make more informed choices.
Opioids ineffective for acute low back or neck pain: Study The commonly prescribed medication may even result in worse pain, researchers from the University of Sydney have found.
Is moderate exercise for statin users safe? According to new research, the commonly prescribed drug does not exacerbate muscle injury, pain or fatigue for people doing moderate exercise.
Breast density: Should it be reported? GP Dr Sandy Minck’s experience has led her to believe screening programs should notify women of the potential cancer implications.
Heart attack risk: Is expanded cholesterol testing warranted? Some specialists say screening is needed to detect ‘bad cholesterol’ linked to heart attacks in younger people, but the RACGP is cautious.
Statins ‘not likely to cause much muscle pain’: Study New research has challenged the widespread view of statins’ link with muscle pain, leading to calls for medication labels to be revised.