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) Don’t judge the obese
Most people with clinically severe obesity live and die without the underlying disease having ever been treated, leading global expert in obesity, Professor John...
Medicines as a team sport
How pharmacists can respond to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander community needs in an integrated, collaborative way that uses their full set of skills....
Improved medicines use must be a target of mental health reform
Mental illness has been treated as an ‘add-on to the physical health system’, the Productivity Commission has found, with up to 1 million Australians...
Marea O’Donnell extended interview
As a pharmacist who cares about people, any extra involvement of having pharmacists in aged care is going to be good. It’s going to...
Collaborate to identify and resolve drug-related problems
An Australian study indicates pharmacists should play a larger role in identifying and resolving drug-related problems (DRPs) as part of a collaborative general practice...
Two important new updates to diabetes management
Changes to the National Diabetes Services Scheme (NDSS) now allow more people to access the Continuous Glucose Monitoring (CGM) products available under the scheme...
