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
Student with sudden and worsening ‘palpitations’ seeks your help
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PRACTICE
Student with sudden and worsening ‘palpitations’ seeks your help
Wednesday 14 February 2018, 12:00 AM

A teenager has a 30-minute episode of increased heart rate with chest tightness, which leaves him weak and faint. Auckland cardiologist Chris Ellis reviews the patient history, the ECG features, the cause and its management
Key points
Approximately two in 1000 people have the ECG signs of the Wolff–Parkinson–White (WPW) syndrome, with two-thirds experiencing cardiac
Kia ora and welcome to New Zealand Doctor Rata Aotearoa
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