Diabetes mellitus, more simply called diabetes, is a chronic (long-lasting) disorder in which the body does not produce enough insulin or it does not respond normally to the hormone insulin, causing blood sugar levels to be too high. Insulin is an essential hormone made in the pancreas. It allows glucose from the bloodstream to enter […]
Continue Reading... No Comments.After receiving several requests for a module on cannabis, we bring you a module which describes the current situation in South Africa. Pharmacists are facing increasing demands from patients, their caregivers and also from prescribers for access to cannabis- or cannabinoid-containing medicinal products for a wide variety of indications. Managing these demands requires careful consideration […]
Continue Reading... No Comments.Primary care is becoming increasingly important and pharmacists are well positioned and qualified to play a valuable role in this regard. As a component of primary care, screening services have become part of the armamentarium of services which pharmacists can provide in a pharmacy. This is recognised by the South African Pharmacy Council which has […]
Continue Reading... No Comments.High blood pressure (BP) or ‘hypertension’ is a common condition and a major risk factor for heart attacks, strokes, and kidney disease. High blood pressure does not usually cause any symptoms. People who have high blood pressure, therefore, are often unaware that they have the condition. Hypertension is therefore frequently referred to as a ‘silent […]
Continue Reading... No Comments.South Africa is one of the countries with the highest burden of tuberculosis in the world. This is exacerbated by the HIV/AIDS epidemic and wide-spread drug resistance in the country. Globally, an estimated 2 – 3 billion people are infected with tuberculosis (TB) and an estimated 10 million people developed active TB disease in 2018. […]
Continue Reading... No Comments.TB is one of the top 10 causes of death and the leading cause of death as a result of an infectious disease. In South Africa in 2018, approximately 301,000 people fell ill with TB and 64,000 people died of tuberculosis (TB). This of a disease that is both preventable and curable. TB is currently […]
Continue Reading... No Comments.Fair-skinned people are more likely to develop most forms of skin cancer because they produce less melanin. Melanin is the protective pigment in the outer layer of the skin (epidermis) and helps protect the skin from ultraviolet (UV) light. About half of fair-skinned people who live to age 65 will have at least one skin […]
Continue Reading... No Comments.The skin is the largest and most accessible of our organs, directly exposed to environmental carcinogens. Skin cancer – the abnormal and atypical growth of skin cells – most often develops on skin exposed to the sun including the scalp, face, lips, ears, neck, chest arms and hands. However, skin cancer can also form in […]
Continue Reading... No Comments.Sinusitis is one of the most common medical conditions seen in the community setting. Sinusitis may be caused by either a viral or bacterial infection, or by an allergy. About 0.5% of all upper respiratory tract infections, such as colds, are complicated by sinusitis. Healthy sinuses are filled with air. However, when someone has a […]
Continue Reading... No Comments.Migraine is a common condition in primary care, and the pharmacist is often the first healthcare provider who is consulted by a patient who has migraine. Migraine is a type of headache characterised by attacks that each last from 4 to 72 hours. Typically, the headache is unilateral, pulsating, moderate or severe in intensity, aggravated […]
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