Perspectives

Disordered breathing: assessing and managing the misbehaving larynx

Debra Phyland, Meg Brear

Inducible laryngeal obstruction often presents with overlapping and heterogeneous symptoms. Careful assessment to differentiate other respiratory conditions, individualised treatment and input from a multidisciplinary team can help optimise patient management.

Respiratory infections

Influenza vaccination in the over 65s — winter is coming

Paul Van Buynder

With winter approaching and the influenza A(H3N2) subtype likely to be the dominant circulating strain, influenza vaccination in older people is particularly pertinent. Enhanced adjuvanted and high-dose vaccines that provide superior protection are available to people aged 65 years and over, with the adjuvanted vaccine provided free for this age group under the National Immunisation Program.

Hypertension

Chronic thromboembolic pulmonary hypertension: an overview

Hayley Barnes, Shaun Yo, Trevor Williams

Identifying pulmonary hypertension and pulmonary embolism in patients with persistent breathlessness can allow referral to an expert centre for further investigation and potentially curative treatment of this rare condition.

Perspectives

New definition for heart failure: implications for general practice

Christina Mew, John J. Atherton

A proposed universal definition and classification of this complex clinical syndrome allows for a standardised international approach to diagnosis and aims to make the stages of heart failure and goals of treatment clearer for GPs.

Therapeutics clinic

SGLT-2 inhibitors: the gift that keeps on giving

Dimity L. Williams, Serena Rafail, John J. Atherton

Sodium-glucose cotransporter-2 inhibitors should be considered in the early management of patients who have chronic heart failure and chronic kidney disease, with or without diabetes.