30th June 2025, A/Prof Chee L Khoo
You would have no doubt noticed headlines everywhere about the new criteria for GDM diagnosis that was just released a few days ago. Why is there such a buzz? Why is everyone seemingly that excited? We have covered many of the issues covered by ADIPS over the years leading up to this new guideline.…
30th June 2025, A/Prof Chee L Khoo
There are many reasons why some of our patients go vegetarian. A primarily plant-based diet with less meat is supposed to lower the morbidity of chronic diseases, including cardiovascular diseases, type 2 diabetes, and certain cancers [1]. Some patients may choose to reduce their food-related ecological footprint. A transition to a diet that contains more plant-based products and less meat could increase food availability while releasing the burden on the environment [2].…
12th June 2025, NIA Diagnostic Imaging
Papillary thyroid carcinoma (PTC) is the most prevalent type of thyroid malignancy, accounting for approximately 75–90% of all thyroid cancer cases (Cozens, 2011; Solbiati et al., 2017). These tumours are typically slow-growing and display distinctive histologic features, including papillary structures, nuclear alterations, and multiple subtypes (Gonzalez-Gonzalez et al., 2011; Limaiem et al., 2023). The prognosis is generally favourable, with survival rates exceeding 90% and low mortality rates, ranging from 4–8% (Cozens, 2011; Solbiati et al., 2017).…
11th June 2025, A/Prof Chee L Khoo
Atrial fibrillation (AF) is associated with 1.5 – 2-X risk of death (1,2), 2.4-X risk of stroke (2), 5-X risk of heart failure (HF) (2), 1.5-X risk of myocardial infarction (MI) (3), 2-X risk of sudden cardiac death (4), 1.6-X risk of chronic kidney disease (CKD) (2), 1.5-X risk of cognitive impairment or dementia (5) and 1.3-X risk of peripheral artery disease (PAD) (2).…
27th May 2025, A/Prof Chee L Khoo
Hypertriglyceridaemia (HTG) causes and contribute to a number of serious medical conditions including pancreatitis, cardiovascular disease, MAFLD and worsening of type 2 diabetes. The efficacy and treatment options are complicated. Apart from treating any secondary causes, our treatment options are quite limited. Marine-derive omega-3 fish oils, fenofibrate and the new icosapent ethyl are all we have in our tool kit.…
24th May 2025, A/Prof Chee L Khoo
One of the problems keeping up to date in primary care is not being aware of new guidelines that has been released. Well, the joint National Heart Foundation and Cardiac Society of ANZ released the new Australian clinical guideline for diagnosing and managing acute coronary syndromes (ACS) just a month ago (1).…
14th May 2025, NIA Diagnostic Imaging
Coronary artery calcium (CAC) scoring is a well-established, non-invasive imaging technique for assessing cardiovascular risk by identifying and quantifying calcified plaque in the coronary arteries. The CAC score, a direct marker of subclinical atherosclerosis, highly predicts future cardiovascular events, making it an essential tool for clinicians in assessing risk, even in asymptomatic individuals. (4, 5)
CAC scoring facilitates early identification of at-risk individuals by providing an objective assessment of coronary artery disease (CAD) burden, allowing for more targeted and proactive cardiovascular health care.…
13th May 2025, A/Prof Chee L Khoo
Patients with carotid stenosis either go for intensive medical treatment or carotid endarterectomy. Trials conducted in the 1980s and 1990s have shown that carotid endarterectomy (CEA) can reduced the risk of stroke in patients with symptomatic carotid stenosis of ≥ 50% and to a smaller extent in patients with asymptomatic stenosis, compared with best medical treatment.…
27th May 2025, A/Prof Chee L Khoo
We know about type 1 to type 3 diabetes mellitus. I didn’t know that there was a type 4 and now they tell us there is a type 5. For someone who has a special interest in things diabetes, this is definitely news to me. Actually, on further research, it’s actually not that new.…
13th April 2025, A/Prof Chee L Khoo
Continuous glucose monitoring (CGM) was first shown to be beneficial in the management of patients with type 1 diabetes. Later on, patients with type 2 diabetes on insulin also found CGM beneficial in more ways than one. Of course, patients with T2D not on insulin also found CGM beneficial. What else can we use CGM for?…
28th February 2025, A/Prof Chee L Khoo
Every so often you come across a study where the initial and immediate impression is that there must be more to the conclusion. The latest study which connects the use of anti-depressants with further cognitive decline in patients with dementia is just one of those studies. Now, many patients who have dementia also have depression and are on anti-depressants and we don’t think twice about whether the drugs might hasten the decline in cognitive function in these patients.…
24th February 2025, A/Prof Chee L Khoo
This is one of the most common questions asked at glucagon-like peptide 1 receptor agonist (GLP1-RA) CPD meetings. “What about the risk of thyroid cancer, doc?” As usual, the evidence is rather conflicting. The worry about the thyroid cancer risk with GLP1-RA is actually not without justification. The hypotheses is actually biologically plausible.…