Rub shoulders with Kerri Barwick MPS (centre) and other members of team PSA at CPC24[/caption]
The use of insulin, considered a high-risk medication with APINCHs classification,5 Ms Barwick notes, provides justification for a Home Medicines Review (HMR). ‘There’s an advantage to going into the home to observe the patient’s diet, consider potential interactions, and educate patients on the best effects and outcomes,’ she says.
Advice around cleaning blood glucose level (BGL) monitors to ensure accuracy can also be provided. ‘Pharmacists can explain how to put test drops through and clean blood spills on the monitor, common in pregnancy due to higher blood volume,’ says Ms Barwick.
With only 50% of women diagnosed with GDM receiving tests for heart disease and type 2 diabetes post-pregnancy,6 HMRs can be beneficial at this stage of the journey, too.
‘Along with conversations around diet choices, exercise regimes and sleep, I also explain how often testing is required over the next 5–10 years, and how to monitor for signs of the development of diabetes,’ Ms Barwick advises.
Nausea and vomiting in pregnancy
The presence of iron in pregnancy multivitamins may exacerbate symptoms of nausea and vomiting in some pregnancies, according to Ms Barwick.
‘Pharmacists can recommend a trial cessation of the iron component of pregnancy vitamins, often unnecessary in pregnancy,’ she says.
In 2020, photographer Bobbi Lockyer created a Birthing on Country project to highlight and create awareness around birthing issues and outcomes in Aboriginal women. For more, see 
Suzanne Nielsen MPS[/caption]
With the ever-changing landscape of over-the-counter (OTC) pain management in recent years, it’s important to revisit guideline recommendations to optimally assess and manage patients with acute pain.
Unrelieved acute pain can negatively impact patient well-being, affecting their sleep, physical functioning, and overall quality of life, and increases the risk of transition to chronic pain.1 Applying appropriate evidence-based interventions throughout an acute pain consultation can help pharmacists minimise the risk of inadequate pain management.2,3
In this CPD-accredited podcast, pharmacist John Bell discusses reducing risk in the management of acute low back pain (LBP), alongside a real patient for a first-hand perspective on how pharmacists can apply guideline recommendations to enhance care.
The first step to reduce risk in acute LBP is thorough assessment and history taking to ascertain the impact of the pain.3 This is critical for identifying ‘red flags’ that suggest a serious pathology requiring referral, or ‘yellow flags’ that suggest risk factors for chronicity and may need further attention.3 For patients with acute, mild episodes, this also provides an opportunity to reassure on the benign nature of the pain and favourable prognosis.3
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