For older people and frail people, the long-term benefit of medicines reduces and the potential for harm from adverse effects increases. When the benefit–risk balance changes in this way, medicine review and optimisation are important to simplify the therapeutic regimen, reduce inappropriate medicines and minimise risks. In this article, pharmacist prescriber Linda Bryant uses two case studies to illustrate important considerations during medicine reviews
Culture-independent diagnostic testing for enteric pathogens: Coming to a lab near you
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From the Lab
Culture-independent diagnostic testing for enteric pathogens: Coming to a lab near you
Wednesday 19 June 2019, 03:00 AM

IIt is not always easy to culture the pathogenic bacteria while suppressing the many other bacteria present in faeces
A PCR testing regimen for enteric pathogens means stool sample results are available sooner, but there are other important differences as laboratories progress from sample culture to culture-independent diagnostic testing
A four-year-old boy returns home from day care com- plaining of “blood in his poos”.
Key points
Culture-independent diagnostic testing is mor
Kia ora and welcome to New Zealand Doctor Rata Aotearoa
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