Table 1 – Types of vertigo (non-exhaustive list)[/caption]
Vomiting
In older people, dizziness significantly increases the risk of falls.7 Implementing appropriate interventions to address modifiable risk factors such as dizziness is of paramount importance. In cases of drug-induced dizziness, deprescribing can be considered if the medicine can be safely reduced, discontinued or substituted to prevent inappropriate prescribing cascades of potentially inappropriate medicines (PIM), especially in the context of older people.29
A national education program for pharmacists funded by the Australian Government under the Quality Use of Diagnostics, Therapeutics and Pathology program.[/caption]
The hypothalamus houses neurons that produce neuropeptides called orexin A and B, which were discovered in 1998, and represent one of the most exciting discoveries in sleep medicine.5,13–15 Orexin-producing neurons help us stay awake and alert, especially when we really need to focus, which is critical for survival.5,14 These neurons reach out to many brain areas that use other wakefulness messengers such as acetylcholine, dopamine, histamine, serotonin and noradrenaline. These areas ‘talk back’ to the hypothalamus, to further boost wakefulness signals.5 Similarly, the thalamus is an important region that also serves to relay wakefulness signals from the RAS.5
Another dual orexin receptor antagonist (DORA), vornorexant*, is under development and currently undergoing clinical trials.28 
Other medicines such as dimdazenil* (partial positive allosteric modulator at GABAA specific to alpha-1 and alpha-5 GABAA receptor subtypes)41 and zuranolone* (positive allosteric modulator for GABAA) have also been tested, with positive outcomes in trials. Zuranolone* is marketed overseas specifically for postnatal depression, but clinical trials for its use in insomnia are ongoing.40
Kristy Carter (she/her)
Louise Edwards (she/her) Harnessing different abilities
Some might assume employing someone with a declared disability would only bring complications. But some community pharmacies around Australia are leading the way in...
Medicine safety – a new national priority
A watershed moment for patients, pharmacists and medicine safety was reached last week when federal, state and territory health ministers declared Medicine Safety and...
Pharmacists play a key role in cow’s milk allergy diagnosis
ADVERTORIAL BY NUTRICIA
For many parents, the journey towards diagnosis of cow’s milk allergy in their baby is a long and difficult one. It is...
Call for pharmacist access to the MBS for Chronic Disease Management
Pharmacists within general practice is a positive step forward, but the exclusion from MBS Team Care arrangements in CDM items makes no sense.
After a...
Thousands suffering from undiagnosed type 2 diabetes
The CEO of Diabetes Australia, Professor Greg Johnson, recently called attention to the high numbers of Australians living with undiagnosed type 2 diabetes.
In a...
Push for pharmacists to do more in Queensland
A Queensland Government inquiry has recommended allowing pharmacists to provide some low-risk prescriptions, as well as lowering the minimum patient age requirement for pharmacist-administered...
