29th January 2021, Dr Chee L Khoo
I know we have touched on this vaccine before when we discussed Covid-19 vaccine candidates. We briefly discussed the interim results then but since we are likely to get the AstraZeneca/Oxford (AZO) vaccine in the national vaccine roll-out in primary care, there will be many questions coming from our patients in the coming weeks.…
24th January 2021, Dr Chee L Khoo
PERSONAL OPINION
Is it deliberate that we are given 10 days lead time to submit an expression of interest (EOI) to participate in the national Covid-19 vaccine Phase 1b roll-out? 18 pages of information released on a Friday afternoon in the hope that we might skim over the details and sign up without reading the fine print?…
17th January 2021, Dr Chee L Khoo
The pathogenesis of type 2 diabetes involves insulin resistance, β-cell failure, α-cell over-activity and the loss of the incretins. The brain is responsible for homeostatic control of a broad range of variables upon which our survival depends. Why wouldn’t the brain be involved with glucose control? There is increasing evidence that both the pancreas and the brain are jointly responsible for maintaining glucose within and tight setpoint.…
Dear Colleague
NSW Health would like to thank you for your continued work in the response to COVID-19. In order to continue to identify any undetected cases and break chains of transmission, we need to remain vigilant. The key to achieving this is to test people with even the very mildest symptoms of COVID-19. While testing rates have been relatively high in recent weeks, we need to continue to encourage testing and remain on high alert. …
12th January 2021, Dr Chee L Khoo
So, here we are. It’s almost 12 months since the beginning of the Covid-19 pandemic. A number of vaccines will become available within weeks. GPs can’t be the sole provider of the vaccines but we will a major part of the vaccination roll out program. We haven’t heard much from NSW Health on how the program will be rolled out, which will be the first subgroups we will be vaccinating nor will the vaccine ordering system be better than last year’s influenza vaccination program.…
11th January 2021, Dr Chee L Khoo
Sex hormones are not just responsible for the function of the reproductive system. They are also responsible for bone and cardiovascular health. Interestingly, they are produced, not only by the gonads, but also by other organs (1,2) including the central nervous system (CNS). Well, the eye is a neural structure and there is increasing evidence that oestrogens exert a neuro-protective role (3,4).…
27th December, 2020, Spectrum Radiology
This month Dr Yehia El Hgar from Spectrum Interventional Radiology discuss two interesting cases: one a 39-year-old female with constant heaviness in the pelvis associated with urinary frequency and severe disabling menorrhagia and the other a 29-year-old female with a past history of left lower limb DVT and underwent a left iliac vein thrombectomy and venoplasty.…
27th December 2020, Dr Chee L Khoo
Every time we come across some rare genetic disorder, we learn more about the intricacies of metabolism. Nothing is more true when it comes to lipid and lipoprotein metabolism. Familial combined hypolipidemia (FCHL) is a relatively recently recognised autosomal recessive disorder characterised by globally reduced levels of LDL and HDL cholesterol and triglyceride, with no apparent adverse effects.…
24th December 2020, Dr Chee L Khoo
It’s been a couple of years since we first previewed the PCSK9 inhibitors (PCSK9i) on the PBS for patients with dyslipidaemia despite maximal statins and ezetimibe. Since then PCSK9i have been demonstrated in many trials of its efficacy in patients with high cardiovascular risk with dyslipidaemia despite maximally tolerated statins. The qualifying criteria under the PBS has significantly loosened and suddenly we all have a number of patients who will meet those PBS criteria.…
14th December 2020, Dr Chee L Khoo
We explored the Covid-19 vaccine candidates in the last issue. You would have read that the Pfizer vaccine has been approved and has been rolled out in UK and US. I have yet to come across the full disclosure of the trial anywhere. The Oxford/AstraZeneca trial has been published in full and it is worthwhile dissecting the study and ponder the implications as other vaccines are being rolled out internationally and will hit Australian shores in early 2021.…
13th December 2020, Dr Chee Khoo
First, we have twice daily then once daily GLP1 injections. This was followed by weekly GLP1 injectables. The same is occurring with the insulins. Once daily insulins have been around for a few years and is well established as basal insulins in patients with type 1 and type 2 diabetes. We now have a weekly insulin coming onto the market.…
13th December 2020, Dr Chee L Khoo
If you have been following GPVoice over the years, you would have realised that I am easily confused. I am confused again. Why are some patients who has had a TIA or minor stroke on aspirin and some on dual antiplatelet therapy (DAPT)? With supplies of some of these agents interrupted during the pandemic, can we swab one anti-platelet agent for another?…