April issue of Australian Journal of General Practice now available

The April issue of the Australian Journal of General Practice (AJGP) focuses on respiratory tract and sleep disorder issues common in general practice, including obstructive sleep apnoea, difficult-to-treat asthma in adults, and insomnia.
 
Focus
Difficult-to-treat and severe asthma in adults: Towards a new treatment paradigm
Despite the availability of effective therapies and a national medicines subsidy scheme, a significant burden of disease still exists in Australia.
Josh Meyers, Jeannie Yoo, Helen Reddel  
 
Update on the assessment and investigation of adult obstructive sleep apnoea
Medicare Benefits Schedule rules regarding sleep-study eligibility have recently changed and incorporate validated questionnaires of obstructive sleep apnoea risk and subjective sleepiness.
Garun S Hamilton, Ching Li Chai-Coetzer
 
An update on the current management of adult obstructive sleep apnoea
Obstructive sleep apnoea is common in adults. Various contributing factors have resulted in the development of a number of potential treatment modalities, some of which are in evolution.
Lernik Sarkissian, Leon Kitipornchai, Peter Cistulli, Stuart G Mackay  
 
Paediatric inhaled airway foreign bodies: An update
Given the often sub-acute nature of airway foreign bodies, which may have no or limited symptoms, patients sometimes present to GPs and it is important airway foreign bodies are promptly recognised and referred for appropriate tertiary management.
Emily Guazzo, Hannah Burns  
 
Insomnia theory and assessment
Insomnia is diagnosed on the basis of a self-reported complaint of poor sleep quality concomitant with daytime disturbances. If left untreated, it is associated with a number of adverse health outcomes.
Natalie A Grima, Bei Bei, Darren Mansfield 
 
Insomnia management
Insomnia is a common condition that affects individuals of various ages. It can be addressed using a range of validated treatments.
Natalie A Grima, Bei Bei, Darren Mansfield  
 
Editorial
Sleep and health
The connection between sleep and health has been recognised for centuries, but it is only relatively recently that the study and treatment of sleep disorders has developed as a scientific discipline and medical specialty.
Glenn Duns
 
Letters
April correspondence
Readers express their opinions on published articles and topics of interest.
 
Clinical
Approach to palpitations
Palpitations are one of the most common presentations to general practice and, while they are usually benign, they may also have life-threatening significance.
Alex JA McLellan, Jonathan M Kalman  
 
Latest thinking on paruresis and parcopresis: A new distinct diagnostic entity?
A summary of associated psychopathology and comorbidity, diagnostic challenges and treatment recommendations paruresis and parcopresis.
Kenley LJ Kuoch, David W Austin, Simon R Knowles  
 
Paracetamol allergy in clinical practice
Paracetamol allergy is uncommon and, as a result, may be overlooked as a cause for immediate hypersensitivity, which can lead to a significant delay in diagnosis.
Grace Thompson, Christine Bundell, Michaela Lucas  
 
Research
Post-diagnosis skin cancer follow-up in rural general practice: A mixed-method study
Skin cancer follow-up is most effective when GPs establish strategies suited to rural populations and supported by evidence-based guidelines.
Ei T Aung, David G Campbell, Eleanor KL Mitchell  
 
The challenge of outpatient clinical triage in paediatric gastroenterology: Who is referred and what is needed?
Effective clinical triage is referral relies on the provision of adequate information – red flags – and invesitigations.
Kathleen H McGrath, George Alex  
 
Factors associated with high psychological distress in primary carers of people with disability
This paper quantifies the burden of high psychological distress in primary carers of Australians with disability and identifies modifiable factors to improve mental health care in this population.
Jiali Wang, Wei Du  
 
Clinical challenge
April clinical challenge
The clinical challenge is based on this month's Focus articles. The activity has been endorsed by the RACGP Quality Improvement and Continuing Professional Development (QI&CPD) Program and has been allocated four Category 2 points (Activity ID: 154009). To complete this activity, go to gplearning and log in with the username and password you use to log in to the RACGP website.

AJGP Australian Journal of General Practice respiratory tract sleep disorders