Aust Fam Physician
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Redback spider bite is thought to be the commonest serious spider bite in Australia. The treatment for the envenomation syndrome it causes, termed 'latrodectism', is the most frequently used antivenom in Australia. Several cases of a 'latrodectism-like' illness after cupboard spider bites ('steatodism') have also appeared to respond to redback antivenom. ⋯ Redback spider antivenom is safe and appears to be broadly cross reactive with the venom of other spiders of the Theridiidae family. Guidelines for the use of this product are also provided.
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Practice Guideline Guideline
Clinical practice guidelines for the psychosocial care of adults with cancer. Welcome support for GPs.
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Patients' safe and effective use of medicines could be far lower than many doctors would like to believe. The Home Medicines Review (HMR) program was introduced into the Australian Medicare Benefits Schedule in 2001 to increase the appropriate use of medicines and reduce the incidence of adverse events. To date, the uptake of this program has been slow. ⋯ The HMR is a simple and effective way of improving a patient's appropriate use of medicines. It involves the general practitioner, community pharmacist and an accredited pharmacist working together to assess and educate the patient on safe and effective medication use. The process can be effectively streamlined to provide maximum efficiency utilising computerisation. The bottom line is improved patient outcomes through teamwork and improved communication.