Patient education, evidence-graded

Chronic venous insufficiency

Chronic venous insufficiency and varicose veins: the AU GP approach

Varicose veins and leg oedema from CVI — CEAP staging, ABI check before compression, and when to refer for endovenous ablation in AU general practice.

Pulmonary embolism

Pulmonary embolism: risk-stratify, anticoagulate, escalate — the AU GP approach

Pulmonary embolism — how to risk-stratify with Wells score and D-dimer, when to call 000, and which DOAC to start in Australian general practice.

Syncope

Syncope: classify the mechanism, exclude cardiac causes, counsel on driving

Syncope: classify vasovagal vs cardiac causes, recognise red flags, manage orthostatic hypotension and POTS, and document Austroads driving restrictions.

Abdominal aortic aneurysm

Aortic aneurysm: AU screening, surveillance and repair thresholds

Aortic aneurysm — who needs a one-time ultrasound screen, surveillance intervals, when repair is indicated, and optimal medical therapy in AU general practice.

Undifferentiated chest pain

Chest pain workup in general practice: ruling out the killers

How GPs approach undifferentiated chest pain — ruling out ACS, dissection, PE, and pneumothorax with the HEART score and serial high-sensitivity troponin.

Hypertensive disorders of pregnancy

Hypertensive disorders in pregnancy: aspirin, BP targets, and postnatal care

Pre-eclampsia and gestational hypertension — risk stratification, aspirin prophylaxis, BP management, and long-term cardiovascular follow-up.

Supraventricular tachycardia and palpitations

SVT and palpitations: diagnosis, acute management, and when to ablate

Palpitations in general practice — distinguishing benign causes from SVT, the modified Valsalva, adenosine, and catheter ablation as a curative option.

TIA and secondary stroke prevention

TIA & secondary stroke prevention: the AU general practice framework

TIA — why it is a stroke emergency, the 21-day dual antiplatelet regimen, and the prevention bundle that cuts recurrence by up to 80%.

Valvular heart disease

Valvular heart disease: murmur evaluation, aortic stenosis, and GP role

How to evaluate a heart murmur, when to echo, intervention thresholds for AS and MR, TAVR, and modern endocarditis prophylaxis — the AU GP framework.

Statin intolerance / statin-associated muscle symptoms

Statin intolerance (SAMS): the AU general practice rechallenge approach

Statin-associated muscle symptoms — nocebo evidence (SAMSON/StatinWISE), rechallenge protocol, PBS ezetimibe and PCSK9 inhibitors, rhabdomyolysis red flag.

Chronic heart failure

Chronic heart failure: four-pillar GDMT approach in Australian general practice

Chronic heart failure — how GPs diagnose HFrEF vs HFpEF, the four-pillar drug strategy, PBS access, and when to escalate in Australia.

Venous thromboembolism

Venous thromboembolism (DVT and PE): the Australian GP framework

Wells scoring, D-dimer, DOAC choice, anticoagulation duration and special populations — VTE management for Australian general practice.

Ischaemic heart disease / stable angina / ACS

Ischaemic heart disease and stable angina: the AU GP approach

Ischaemic heart disease in Australian general practice — diagnosis, antianginal therapy, secondary prevention, and when to call 000.

Dyslipidaemia

Dyslipidaemia and cardiovascular risk: the AU general practice approach

Cholesterol management in Australian general practice — absolute CVD risk, when to start statins, familial hypercholesterolaemia, and treatment targets.

Peripheral arterial disease

Peripheral arterial disease: the AU general practice approach

Peripheral arterial disease — how to diagnose with the ankle-brachial index, prevent cardiovascular events, manage claudication, and when to refer urgently.

Chronic heart failure

Heart failure: the four-pillar approach and what SGLT2 inhibitors changed

Heart failure — HFrEF vs HFpEF, the four-pillar therapy, SGLT2 inhibitors across the spectrum, and the AU general-practice pathway.

Atrial fibrillation

Atrial fibrillation: stroke prevention first, symptom control second

Atrial fibrillation — anticoagulation eligibility (CHA₂DS₂-VA), DOACs vs warfarin, rate vs rhythm control, and the AU primary-care pathway.

Breath work and autonomic regulation

Breath work: what slow-breathing trials show for BP, anxiety, and HRV

Breath work — what slow-breathing trials show for blood pressure, anxiety, and heart-rate variability, and where it fits in AU general practice.

Stroke prevention

Stroke risk in Australia: what the modifiable risk factors actually change

Stroke risk in Australia — modifiable risk factors, the AU absolute risk calculator, and how Australian general practice manages prevention.

Hypertension

High blood pressure (hypertension): what the evidence actually says

Plain-English guide to high blood pressure, from an AU integrative GP. Diagnosis thresholds, why targets matter, lifestyle first, what your GP will likely do.

Lung cancer (primary malignancy of the bronchus and lung)

Lung cancer: recognition, NLCSP screening and the GP's role in AU practice

Lung cancer — early recognition, NLCSP screening from 1 July 2025, the urgent 2-week referral pathway, and why no GP visit with a smoker should miss cessation.

Acute bronchitis and post-viral cough

Acute bronchitis and post-viral cough: why antibiotics don't help and what does

Acute bronchitis is almost always viral. AU general practice: symptom care, antibiotic stewardship, red-flag recognition, post-viral cough management.

Asthma–COPD overlap

Asthma–COPD overlap: recognising the mixed airway phenotype in general practice

Asthma–COPD overlap (ACO): airflow limitation with features of both. ICS-LABA first-line; never withhold corticosteroids when asthma features are present.

Influenza and COVID-19

Influenza and COVID-19: antiviral windows and the AU general practice approach

Influenza and COVID-19 — who benefits from antivirals, the drug interaction risks of Paxlovid, long COVID, and AU general practice management.

Upper respiratory tract infections

Upper respiratory tract infections: the AU antimicrobial stewardship approach

URTI — why antibiotics are rarely needed, when they are (GAS pharyngitis, ARF risk), and the AU general practice framework.

Stress and anxiety (self-management)

Breathing techniques: what the evidence shows, and when to use which

A GP's evidence review of guided breathing — coherent, 4-7-8, box, physiological sigh, extended exhale: how they work, what trials show, and when to use each.

Community-acquired pneumonia

Community-acquired pneumonia: diagnosis and treatment for Australian GPs

CAP severity assessment (CORB), empirical antibiotics, 6-week follow-up CXR, and vaccination — the eTG framework for Australian general practice.

Obstructive sleep apnoea

Obstructive sleep apnoea: diagnosis, CPAP, and the Australian GP approach

Obstructive sleep apnoea — STOP-BANG screening, home sleep study vs polysomnography, CPAP, mandibular devices, weight loss, and Austroads driving rules.

Allergic rhinitis

Allergic rhinitis (hay fever): the Australian general practice guide

Hay fever affects 1 in 5 Australians. Nasal corticosteroid sprays beat antihistamines for persistent symptoms. AU steps, PBS, and when immunotherapy helps.

Chronic cough

Chronic cough: causes, investigations, and treatment in AU general practice

Chronic cough — the three main causes, empirical treatment approach, red flags requiring urgent investigation, and how refractory cough is managed.

Asthma

Asthma: what AU general practice does in 2026 (and why blue puffers changed)

Asthma management — Australian Asthma Handbook framework, why SABA-only is gone, ICS-formoterol single-inhaler, severe-asthma biologics.

Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease

COPD: smoking cessation, pulmonary rehab, and the AU primary-care framework

COPD — diagnosis, why smoking cessation matters most, inhaler escalation, pulmonary rehab, and the AU GP pathway under COPD-X.

Hypercalcaemia and primary hyperparathyroidism

Hypercalcaemia and primary hyperparathyroidism: the GP approach

High calcium on a blood test: what it means, how to investigate in Australian general practice, when surgery is needed, and managing acute hypercalcaemia.

Sodium disorders (hyponatraemia and hypernatraemia)

Hyponatraemia and hypernatraemia: the AU general practice management guide

Sodium disorders — hyponatraemia and hypernatraemia diagnostic framework, ODS prevention, drug causes, and cautious correction — AU GP electrolyte guide.

Adrenal insufficiency

Adrenal insufficiency and steroid sick-day rules: AU general practice guide

Adrenal insufficiency — Addison's disease, iatrogenic steroid-induced AI, sick-day rules, emergency hydrocortisone kit, and the AU general practice pathway.

Type 1 diabetes mellitus

Type 1 diabetes: shared care, CGM, and annual review in AU general practice

The GP's role in type 1 diabetes shared care — annual complication screening, NDSS-subsidised CGM, driving requirements, and sick day planning.

Hereditary haemochromatosis

Hereditary haemochromatosis: diagnosis, venesection, and cascade testing

Hereditary haemochromatosis — iron studies, HFE genotyping, therapeutic venesection via Lifeblood, and family cascade testing in Australian general practice.

Gestational diabetes mellitus

Gestational diabetes: screening, glucose targets, treatment, and postnatal care

Gestational diabetes: ~15% of AU pregnancies. OGTT screening, glucose targets, nutrition therapy, metformin or insulin, and essential postpartum follow-up.

Metabolic dysfunction-associated steatotic liver disease

MASLD (fatty liver disease): the Australian general practice approach

MASLD (fatty liver disease): FIB-4 fibrosis staging, weight loss targets, lifestyle management, and hepatologist referral thresholds for GPs.

Menopause / perimenopause

What the WHI study actually showed about HRT and breast cancer

What the 2002 WHI trial actually showed about HRT, breast cancer and heart risk — a forensic, absolute-risk, plain-English read of the evidence.

Obesity and metabolic syndrome

Obesity and metabolic syndrome: the AU general practice approach

Obesity — a chronic relapsing disease. AU guide to diagnosis, GLP-1 RA, bariatric surgery, and metabolic syndrome in general practice.

Hyperthyroidism and thyroid nodule

Hyperthyroidism and thyroid nodule: the Australian GP guide

Hyperthyroidism — Graves' disease, toxic nodular goitre, thyroiditis — diagnosis, carbimazole, radioactive iodine, thyroid nodule TIRADS evaluation.

Perimenopause cognitive symptoms

Perimenopause and the brain: what actually changes, and what helps

Perimenopause brain fog — what actually changes in the brain, why bloods miss it, and the ROI-ordered AU general-practice approach to what helps.

Polycystic ovary syndrome

Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS): the AU general practice approach

PCOS — diagnosis using Rotterdam criteria, management of hyperandrogenism, metabolic risk, and fertility using the Australian evidence-based approach.

Hypothyroidism

Hypothyroidism: TSH, levothyroxine, and the grey zone in between

Hypothyroidism — what TSH means, when subclinical disease is treated, how levothyroxine is dosed, and what to do if symptoms persist.

Menopause / perimenopause

Menopause and perimenopause: the modern AU general-practice framework

Menopause and perimenopause — what changes, when MHT is appropriate, non-hormonal options, and the AU general-practice pathway.

Type 2 diabetes mellitus

Type 2 diabetes: what AU general practice actually does in 2026

Type 2 diabetes — diagnosis, AU GP management framework, second-line agents (SGLT2i, GLP-1 RA), and what lifestyle change actually changes.

Metabolic syndrome and weight management — dietary timing

Intermittent fasting: what trials show for weight, glucose, and metabolic risk

Intermittent fasting — what the trials show on weight, glucose, lipids and blood pressure, and how AU general practice weighs it for who and when.

First-episode psychosis

Psychosis recognition and early intervention: the AU general practice approach

First-episode psychosis in Australia — how GPs recognise it early, what the workup includes, and how to connect people to early intervention services.

Prolonged grief disorder

Grief and bereavement: normal grief, prolonged grief disorder, and AU GP care

How Australian GPs support bereaved patients, recognise prolonged grief disorder, and apply Complicated Grief Therapy and appropriate medication.

Adolescent major depressive disorder

Adolescent depression: AU general practice assessment and treatment

Depression in young Australians aged 12–25 — how to assess it, what treatments work, when medication is appropriate, and the GP's role in safety planning.

ADHD in females

ADHD in girls and women: recognition and management in AU general practice

ADHD in females — why diagnosis is delayed, hormonal modulation, the AADPA 2022 pathway, Schedule 8 stimulants, and comorbidities.

Adjustment disorder / Acute stress disorder

Adjustment disorder and acute stress: the Australian general practice approach

Adjustment disorder and acute stress disorder in Australian GP — diagnosis, psychological first-line approaches, safety-netting, and when to refer.

Hazardous alcohol use

Alcohol brief intervention: AUDIT-C screening in Australian general practice

How Australian GPs screen for hazardous drinking and deliver a brief intervention — among the highest-yield preventive activities in general practice.

Burnout and workplace mental health

Burnout and workplace mental health: the Australian GP approach

Burnout — exhaustion, cynicism, and reduced efficacy from chronic workplace stress — and how Australian GPs assess, certify, refer, and support recovery.

Suicidal ideation and behaviour

Suicidal ideation and safety planning in Australian general practice

Structured assessment, Safety Planning Intervention, means restriction, and AU management pathways for suicidality in general practice.

Eating disorders (anorexia nervosa, bulimia nervosa, binge-eating disorder)

Eating disorders: anorexia, bulimia, BED — AU general practice guide

Eating disorders in Australian general practice — types, SCOFF screen, MBS Eating Disorder Plan, evidence-based therapies, medications, and when to escalate.

Postnatal depression

Postnatal depression: AU general practice assessment and management

Postnatal depression affects 10–16% of Australian mothers. How to screen, diagnose, and manage safely — including SSRI choice in breastfeeding and red flags.

Generalised anxiety disorder and panic disorder

Generalised anxiety and panic disorder: AU general practice approach

How Australian GPs assess and manage GAD and panic disorder — CBT pathways, SSRI selection, avoiding benzodiazepine dependence, and when to escalate.

Major depressive disorder

Major depressive disorder: diagnosis and treatment in AU general practice

How Australian GPs diagnose and manage MDD — PHQ-9, stepped care, antidepressant selection, and the safety flags that change management.

Premenstrual syndrome and premenstrual dysphoric disorder

PMS and PMDD: premenstrual syndrome in AU general practice

Premenstrual syndrome and premenstrual dysphoric disorder — prospective symptom diary, SSRI and drospirenone COC options, and how to manage in general practice.

Perinatal mental health

Perinatal mental health: EPDS screening, sertraline, and postpartum psychosis

Perinatal depression, anxiety, and postpartum psychosis — EPDS screening, sertraline in pregnancy and breastfeeding, PANDA referral, and MBS pathways.

Alcohol use disorder

Alcohol use disorder: the AU general practice approach

Alcohol use disorder — diagnosis, PBS-subsidised pharmacotherapy, withdrawal management, and the AU care pathway in general practice.

Bipolar disorder

Bipolar disorder: recognition, lithium monitoring, and GP shared care

Bipolar disorder — MDQ screening, lithium as first-line maintenance, valproate restrictions, monitoring protocols, and GP shared care in Australia.

Adult attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD)

Adult ADHD: diagnosis and management in Australian general practice

Adult ADHD affects ~3–5% of Australians. How diagnosis, stimulant therapy, and GP shared care work — based on the AADPA 2022 guideline.

Post-traumatic stress disorder

PTSD: trauma-focused therapy first — the AU general practice approach

PTSD in Australia — trauma-focused therapy (CPT, PE, EMDR) is first-line. SSRIs as adjunct. GP entry via Mental Health Care Plan + Better Access.

Anxiety disorders

Anxiety disorders: CBT first, SSRIs when severity warrants — the AU GP pathway

Anxiety disorders — GAD, panic and phobic types, GAD-7 thresholds, CBT access, SSRIs, AU Mental Health Treatment Plan pathway, lifestyle inputs, escalation.

Major depressive disorder

Depression: psychotherapy, medication, and what your bloods can't tell you

Major depressive disorder — PHQ-9 thresholds, first-line psychotherapy, SSRIs, Mental Health Treatment Plan access, lifestyle evidence, caveats.

Mind-body interventions

Mind-body in chronic disease: placebo, expectation, and the contested zone

Mind-body interventions in chronic disease — placebo evidence, expectation effects, psychosomatic research, and where AU general practice sits.

Adverse childhood experiences and adult health

Childhood adversity and adult chronic disease: the ACE evidence and AU response

What the ACE study showed about childhood adversity and adult chronic disease, what's contested, and how AU general practice addresses it.

Chronic stress

Stress management: what the AU trial evidence actually supports

Non-pharmacological stress management — what the AU trial evidence supports, what doesn't, and how it fits into general practice chronic-disease prevention.

Meditation and mindfulness interventions

Meditation: what Cochrane and the major trials actually show

Meditation evidence — what Cochrane and the major trials show for blood pressure, anxiety, depression, and chronic pain, and how AU general practice uses it.

Depression and anxiety — dietary management

Diet and mental health: what the SMILES trial and follow-ups actually showed

Diet and mental health — what the SMILES trial showed, the Mediterranean pattern, and how AU general practice integrates diet into depression care.

Restless legs syndrome (Willis-Ekbom disease)

Restless legs syndrome: iron, gabapentinoids, and avoiding augmentation

Restless legs syndrome — the 2024 shift to gabapentinoids as first-line, iron repletion targets, recognising augmentation, and medications to avoid.

Chronic insomnia

Insomnia: CBT-I first, medication last — the AU general practice approach

Insomnia — why CBT-I is first-line, when medication is reasonable, what doesn't work, and the AU general practice pathway.

Acute kidney injury

Acute kidney injury: recognise, stop nephrotoxins, act fast

AKI — what triggers it, the drug combinations to avoid, when to call for help, and the AU general practice pathway for management and post-AKI follow-up.

Haematuria (blood in the urine)

Blood in the urine (haematuria): what it means and what tests you need

Seeing blood in your urine, even once, needs investigation. What causes haematuria, the tests your GP will order, and when to see a urologist in Australia.

Erectile dysfunction (ED)

Erectile dysfunction: what it means and how it's treated in Australia

ED affects about half of AU men aged 40-70 and is often an early warning sign of cardiovascular disease. How it's assessed and treated.

Nephrolithiasis / renal colic

Kidney stones: acute colic, passing the stone, and preventing the next one

Kidney stones — why NSAID beats opioid for pain, when CT KUB is essential, and how to prevent recurrence by stone type in AU general practice.

Benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH) / lower urinary tract symptoms (LUTS)

Enlarged prostate (BPH): symptoms, treatment, and when to see a GP

Benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH) causes urinary symptoms in most men with age. How GPs assess, what treatments work, and when to seek help.

Urinary tract infection

UTI: uncomplicated vs complicated, treatment, and recurrent prevention — AU GP

Urinary tract infection in Australian general practice — antibiotic selection, asymptomatic bacteriuria, recurrent UTI prevention, and escalation.

Chronic kidney disease

Chronic kidney disease: the four-pillar AU primary-care approach

Chronic kidney disease — what eGFR and UACR actually mean, the four-pillar evidence-led treatment framework, and the AU GP pathway.

Pancreatitis (acute and chronic)

Pancreatitis: acute and chronic — the AU general practice guide

Acute pancreatitis diagnosis, severity grading, early fluids, enteral nutrition, and chronic pancreatitis management — Australian GP guide.

Gastro-oesophageal reflux disease and dyspepsia

GORD and dyspepsia: heartburn, reflux and indigestion in AU practice

GORD and functional dyspepsia — when lifestyle and PPIs are enough, when to test for H. pylori, and which symptoms need urgent investigation.

Diverticular disease

Diverticular disease: the Australian general practice guide

What to do when your patient has diverticular disease — from incidental diverticulosis to acute diverticulitis — in Australian general practice.

Functional constipation

Functional constipation: evidence-based management in AU general practice

Constipation affects ~14% of Australian adults. Evidence-based management: Rome IV criteria, laxative selection, investigation thresholds, and when to refer.

Acute infectious gastroenteritis

Acute gastroenteritis: oral rehydration first, antibiotics rarely

Acute gastroenteritis — why rehydration is the treatment, when antibiotics matter, and the updated C. difficile guideline for AU general practice.

Coeliac disease

Coeliac disease: diagnosis, gluten-free diet, and long-term monitoring in AU

Coeliac disease — the diagnostic pathway, why the gluten-free diet is lifelong, nutritional repletion, bone health, and GP monitoring in Australia.

Helicobacter pylori infection

Helicobacter pylori: test-and-treat, eradication regimens, and confirming cure

H. pylori — who to test, which eradication regimen in 2026 given rising clarithromycin resistance, how to confirm cure, and when to refer.

Inflammatory bowel disease (Crohn's disease, ulcerative colitis)

Inflammatory bowel disease: diagnosis, treatment, and GP shared care in AU

IBD — how Crohn's and UC differ, the GP shared-care role, biologic and JAK inhibitor options, and what rising treatments mean for patients.

Irritable bowel syndrome

IBS: low-FODMAP diet, gut-directed therapy, and pharmacotherapy — AU GP

Irritable bowel syndrome in Australian general practice — Rome IV criteria, Monash low-FODMAP diet, gut-directed therapy, pharmacotherapy, and red flags.

Gastro-oesophageal reflux disease

GORD (reflux): what works, what doesn't, when to investigate

Gastro-oesophageal reflux disease — when to treat empirically, when to scope, deprescribing PPIs, lifestyle interventions, alarm features.

Hearing loss

Hearing loss: assessment and management — the AU general practice approach

Hearing loss in Australia — sudden SNHL emergency, presbycusis, paediatric OME, cochlear implants, and the Commonwealth Hearing Services Program.

Headache — primary and secondary

Headache: red-flag screening and workup — the AU general-practice approach

Headaches in general practice — SNOOP10 red-flag framework, when to image, dangerous secondary causes, and primary headache management.

Cluster headache

Cluster headache: acute care and prevention — the AU GP approach

Cluster headache — why oxygen is first-line for attacks, how verapamil is titrated safely, when to image, and the Australian general practice pathway.

Multiple sclerosis

Multiple sclerosis: GP shared care, DMTs, and symptom management in Australia

How Australian GPs recognise MS relapses, co-manage disease-modifying therapy, and support patients through symptom management and NDIS access.

Concussion and mild traumatic brain injury

Concussion: graded return, red flags, and the Australian GP approach

Concussion in Australian general practice — red flag screening, graded return-to-sport, persistent post-concussion symptoms, and when to refer.

Delirium

Delirium: recognising acute confusion in older patients — the AU approach

Delirium — acute fluctuating confusion in older patients. How to use CAM and 4AT screening, find the cause, and manage safely per AU clinical care standards.

Epilepsy and seizures

Epilepsy and first seizure: the Australian general practice approach

ILAE seizure classification, first-seizure workup, ASM choice, valproate teratogenicity, Austroads driving rules, and SUDEP in Australian general practice.

Migraine, tension-type headache, and medication-overuse headache

Migraine and tension headache: treatment, prevention and warning signs

Migraine and tension headache in AU general practice — acute treatment, when to prevent, CGRP therapies on PBS, and red flags requiring urgent assessment.

Chronic non-cancer pain

Chronic non-cancer pain: the biopsychosocial approach in AU general practice

Chronic non-cancer pain — biopsychosocial management first, opioid avoidance, SafeScript checks, and multidisciplinary care pathways in AU general practice.

Bell's palsy

Bell's palsy: steroid within 72 hours, protect the eye, watch for stroke

Bell's palsy — how to distinguish it from stroke, why prednisolone timing matters, essential eye care, and the AU general practice pathway for recovery.

Benign paroxysmal positional vertigo and vestibular neuritis

Vertigo: BPPV, vestibular neuritis, and when vertigo means stroke

BPPV and vestibular neuritis — Dix-Hallpike diagnosis, Epley canalith repositioning, the HiNTS exam to exclude stroke, and the AU general practice pathway.

Neuropathic pain

Neuropathic pain: first-line agents and AU prescribing rules

Neuropathic pain in AU general practice — DN4 screening, TCA and duloxetine first-line, PBS Authority for pregabalin, SafeScript, and multidisciplinary care.

Parkinson's disease

Parkinson's disease: diagnosis, treatment and GP coordination in Australia

Parkinson's disease — how GPs recognise the cardinal signs, distinguish mimics, coordinate levodopa therapy, and manage non-motor features.

Peripheral neuropathy

Peripheral neuropathy: assessment and management in Australian general practice

Peripheral neuropathy — causes, GP workup, neuropathic pain pharmacotherapy, diabetic foot care, and when to refer in Australian general practice.

Dementia (Alzheimer's disease, vascular, Lewy body, frontotemporal)

Dementia: cognitive assessment, treatment options, and coordinated care in AU

Dementia — cognitive screening, Alzheimer's and other subtypes, cholinesterase inhibitors, the 2025 anti-amyloid drugs, BPSD, and the My Aged Care pathway.

Migraine

Migraine: AU general practice in the CGRP era

Migraine — acute treatment, prevention, the CGRP biologics era, AU PBS criteria, and when to escalate to neurology.

Polymyalgia rheumatica; giant cell arteritis

PMR and GCA: diagnosis and steroid management in general practice

PMR causes bilateral shoulder stiffness in older adults; GCA is a sight-threatening emergency. Both require prolonged prednisolone with bone protection.

Ankylosing spondylitis & axial spondyloarthritis

Ankylosing spondylitis & axial spondyloarthritis: the GP guide

AxSpA — recognising inflammatory back pain under 45, the diagnostic workup, PBS biologic access, and long-term monitoring in Australian general practice.

Hip pain — greater trochanteric pain syndrome & femoroacetabular impingement

Hip pain: GTPS, gluteal tendinopathy & femoroacetabular impingement

GTPS and FAI — diagnosis, the LEAP trial, when corticosteroid injection helps, and the Australian referral pathway for lateral and groin hip pain.

Frailty and sarcopenia

Frailty and sarcopenia: identifying and reversing decline in older adults

Frailty affects ~15% of Australians aged 65+. Clinical Frailty Scale, resistance training, protein targets, polypharmacy review, and MDT care.

Ankle sprain — lateral ligament complex

Ankle sprain: Ottawa rules, POLICE protocol, and getting back to sport

Ankle sprain — when to X-ray, how to grade severity, the POLICE protocol, rehabilitation for preventing re-injury, and the AU general practice pathway.

Shoulder pain

Shoulder pain: causes, diagnosis and treatment in Australian general practice

Shoulder pain affects ~70% of adults at some point. How rotator cuff problems, frozen shoulder, AC joint and OA are assessed and managed in Australian GP.

Carpal tunnel syndrome

Carpal tunnel syndrome: symptoms, diagnosis, and treatment in Australia

Carpal tunnel syndrome causes night-time hand tingling and numbness. How AU GPs diagnose and treat it — splints, injections, and surgery.

Plantar fasciitis (plantar fasciopathy / plantar heel pain)

Plantar fasciitis: heel pain causes, stretches, and treatment

Plantar fasciitis causes stabbing morning heel pain. How AU GPs diagnose it, which stretches and orthoses help, and when injections or scans are needed.

Low back pain

Low back pain: the AU general practice approach to acute, chronic and radicular

Low back pain in Australia — red-flag exclusion, no routine imaging, NSAID first-line, physiotherapy, and the biopsychosocial approach for chronic pain.

Osteoporosis

Osteoporosis: bone density, fracture risk, and what actually works

Osteoporosis — how it's diagnosed in AU general practice, when bisphosphonates or denosumab are used, and why exercise plus calcium and vitamin D matter.

Gout

Gout: treat-to-target urate, not just the flare — the AU GP approach

Gout — why daily allopurinol to a urate target matters more than diet alone, how acute flares are treated, and the AU general practice pathway.

Osteoarthritis

Osteoarthritis: exercise, weight, topical NSAIDs first — the AU approach

Osteoarthritis — what it is, why exercise and weight loss come before pills, and the AU primary-tier pathway through pharmacotherapy and joint replacement.

Chronic pruritus

Pruritus (generalised itch): a systematic workup guide for general practice

Generalised itch without a rash — the systemic causes to rule out, how to investigate, and which treatments work for which conditions in Australian practice.

Scabies and lice

Scabies and lice: AU general practice diagnosis and treatment

How Australian GPs diagnose and treat scabies and lice infestations, including permethrin, ivermectin, contact management, and ATSI community protocols.

Contact dermatitis

Contact dermatitis: irritant vs allergic — the AU general practice approach

Contact dermatitis — irritant versus allergic types, how to identify the trigger, which treatments work, and when patch testing or referral is needed.

Lichen sclerosus

Lichen sclerosus: recognition, clobetasol treatment, and lifelong surveillance

Lichen sclerosus in general practice — recognising the ivory-white vulvar rash, applying clobetasol correctly, and monitoring for squamous cell carcinoma.

Herpes simplex and herpes zoster

Cold sores, genital herpes, and shingles: the AU general practice guide

Cold sores, genital herpes, and shingles — how to diagnose and manage HSV and herpes zoster in Australian general practice, including Shingrix vaccination.

Cellulitis

Cellulitis: diagnosis, treatment, and prevention in Australian general practice

Cellulitis — flucloxacillin first-line, necrotising fasciitis red flags, DVT differential, recurrence prevention, MRSA, and when to go to emergency.

Atopic dermatitis (eczema)

Atopic dermatitis: the AU general practice approach to eczema

Atopic dermatitis (eczema) — emollients first, site-matched steroids for flares, proactive maintenance, and when biologics change the equation in AU.

Solar keratosis and non-melanoma skin cancer

Solar keratosis, BCC, and SCC: skin cancer in Australian general practice

Australia has the world's highest skin cancer rates. Solar keratosis, BCC, and SCC — diagnosis, treatment, and prevention in general practice.

Melanoma

Melanoma and pigmented lesions: the Australian GP approach

Melanoma — ABCDE criteria, dermoscopy, excision biopsy, staging, immunotherapy and surveillance in Australian general practice.

Acne vulgaris

Acne vulgaris: stepwise treatment in Australian general practice

Acne vulgaris — causes, classification, topical and oral treatment, isotretinoin, hormonal options, scarring, and the AU general practice approach.

Alopecia (hair loss)

Hair loss (alopecia) in Australian adults: causes, tests, treatment

Hair loss affects half of adults by 50. Causes (androgenetic, areata, telogen effluvium), how AU GPs investigate, and what treatment involves.

Rosacea and seborrhoeic dermatitis

Rosacea and seborrhoeic dermatitis: AU general practice guide

Rosacea and seborrhoeic dermatitis — phenotypes, trigger avoidance, topical and oral management, ocular rosacea, and the Australian general practice approach.

Chronic plaque psoriasis

Psoriasis: diagnosis and management in Australian general practice

Psoriasis — subtypes, severity grading, topical and systemic treatment, biologics, PBS access, and comorbidity management in Australian general practice.

Atopic dermatitis (eczema)

Eczema: barrier first, then steroids done properly, then escalate

Atopic dermatitis (eczema) — emollient foundation, topical-steroid use done properly, TSW conversation, and when dupilumab / JAK inhibitors change the picture.

Early pregnancy loss / miscarriage

Early pregnancy loss and miscarriage — the AU general-practice approach

Miscarriage — GP diagnosis, excluding ectopic pregnancy, expectant/medical/surgical management, anti-D, recurrent loss workup, and bereavement support.

Postmenopausal bleeding

Postmenopausal bleeding: the AU general practice workup and pathway

Postmenopausal bleeding — why it is a cancer-exclusion pathway, the transvaginal ultrasound threshold, endometrial sampling, and managing benign causes.

Pre-conception care and infertility

Pre-conception care and infertility: the Australian general practice framework

Folate, iodine, carrier screening, infertility workup, and ART referral pathways for couples planning pregnancy in Australia.

Postnatal care

Postnatal care: the GP 6-week maternal and infant review

The GP 6-week postnatal review — EPDS screening, breastfeeding support, contraception after birth, infant immunisation, GDM follow-up, and the key MBS items.

Breast lump assessment and breast cancer screening

Breast lump assessment and screening: the Australian GP guide

Breast lump assessment in Australian general practice — triple test, BreastScreen Australia, BI-RADS, hereditary risk, MBS items, and when to refer urgently.

Recurrent urinary tract infection

Recurrent UTI: the Australian general practice approach to prevention

Recurrent UTI — definition, workup, non-antibiotic prevention (methenamine, vaginal oestrogen, hydration), prophylaxis, and when to refer.

Heavy and abnormal uterine bleeding

Heavy and abnormal uterine bleeding: AU general practice guide

Heavy or abnormal uterine bleeding affects 1 in 4 women. PALM-COEIN causes, investigation, treatment — from Mirena first-line to urgent referral pathways.

Menopause and perimenopause

Menopause and perimenopause: the Australian general practice guide

How perimenopause and menopause are diagnosed and managed in Australian general practice — MHT, non-hormonal options, bone health, and heart health.

Normal pregnancy — antenatal shared care

Antenatal shared care: the GP's role in Australian pregnancy management

Antenatal shared care in Australia — first-visit investigations, vaccinations, screening tests, GDM, pre-eclampsia prevention, and when to escalate.

Cervical cancer screening and HPV

Cervical screening and HPV in Australia: NCSP, self-collection, Gardasil 9

Cervical screening in Australia — 5-yearly HPV test, self-collection, Gardasil 9 single dose, result pathways, and Australia's elimination target.

Contraception

Contraception in Australia: LARC first-line, hormonal options and emergency

Contraception in Australia — LARC first for most women, combined hormonal eligibility, progestogen-only pills, emergency contraception, and the GP framework.

Perimenopause and midlife health in women

Perimenopause at 40-45: what an AU GP looks for, what helps, what to ignore

Perimenopause and chronic stress in women 40-45 — what an AU GP looks for in the workup, what helps, what to ignore.

B vitamin status

B vitamins: when they help, when they don't, and what high-dose does

B vitamins — when supplementation is supported, when it isn't, and what the trial evidence actually shows for high-dose use.

Drinking water quality

Drinking water quality in Australia: what the AU guidelines cover

Drinking water quality in Australia — what the AU Drinking Water Guidelines cover, what to know about specific contaminants, and when filters help.

Selenium status and cancer prevention

Selenium and cancer: what the SELECT trial and others actually showed

Selenium and cancer — what the SELECT, NPC, and other major trials actually showed, and where supplementation has any AU primary-tier support.

Radiofrequency electromagnetic field exposure

5G and health: what the radiofrequency evidence actually shows

5G and health — what IARC 2B classification, ICNIRP exposure limits, and the AU TGA position actually say, in plain English.

Radiofrequency electromagnetic field exposure

Are wireless frequencies a carcinogen? The honest IARC 2B story

Are wireless frequencies a carcinogen? What IARC 2B classification actually means, what's changed since 2011, and where the AU evidence sits.

AI in healthcare regulation

AI in Australian general practice: what's deployed and what's hype

AI in AU healthcare — what's deployed in general practice, the TGA software-as-medical-device framework, and where claims outrun evidence.

Patient safety and iatrogenic harm

Iatrogenic harm: what the data actually says, and what AU practice does

Iatrogenic harm — what the Makary 2016 'third leading cause of death' claim said, how it was challenged, and what the AU patient-safety system does.

Prescribing practice and polypharmacy

'Pharmaceutical deficiency' — what the term gets wrong, the kernel it gets right

'Pharmaceutical deficiency' — why the term is misleading, what the legitimate concern about over-prescribing actually is, and the AU response.

Medical-device claims evaluation

Bioelectric devices and 'energy medicine': how to evaluate any device claim

Bioelectric and bioenergetic medicine devices — what the AU TGA regulates, what the evidence shows, and how to evaluate any device claim before paying for it.

Diabetic retinopathy

Diabetic retinopathy: screening and prevention in Australian general practice

Why annual eye screening prevents blindness in diabetes, the GP's role in risk reduction, and Australian referral and treatment pathways.

Palliative care and advance care planning

Palliative care and advance care planning: the Australian GP approach

End-of-life care, symptom management, advance care directives, and voluntary assisted dying — the Australian general practice framework.

Pertussis (whooping cough)

Pertussis (whooping cough): recognition, treatment, and prevention in Australia

Whooping cough — how to diagnose it, when to give azithromycin, who needs prophylaxis, and why maternal dTpa in every pregnancy matters.

Sepsis

Sepsis recognition and immediate management: the GP's role in Australia

Sepsis — how to recognise it quickly in general practice, when to call 000, how to give the first antibiotic, and what post-sepsis survivorship looks like.

Tuberculosis and latent TB infection

Tuberculosis & latent TB: the AU general practice approach

TB and latent TB in Australia — who to screen, how to test, when to notify, and what treatment looks like from the GP's perspective.

HIV infection and PrEP

HIV and PrEP — the Australian general-practice approach

HIV in general practice — U=U treatment as prevention, PrEP prescribing, PEP within 72 h, GP shared care, and reducing HIV-related stigma.

Chronic pelvic pain

Chronic pelvic pain: multimodal care from day one

Chronic pelvic pain — why it's almost always multifactorial, how to start treatment before a diagnosis, and the AU general practice pathway for women and men.

Lymphadenopathy

Swollen lymph nodes: when to watch and when to act urgently

Lymphadenopathy — how to distinguish reactive from concerning nodes, which investigations matter, and when to refer for biopsy in Australian general practice.

Male hypogonadism

Low testosterone in men: diagnosis, PBS criteria, and treatment

Male hypogonadism — how to diagnose it correctly, what the Australian PBS criteria require, and when lifestyle change is the treatment rather than testosterone.

Genital herpes

Genital herpes (HSV): diagnosis, treatment, and the AU GP approach

Genital herpes — HSV PCR diagnosis, aciclovir regimens for primary and recurrent episodes, suppressive therapy, and pregnancy management in AU general practice.

Cholelithiasis and biliary colic

Gallstones & biliary colic: the AU general practice approach

Gallstones — who develops them, when treatment is needed, what laparoscopic cholecystectomy involves, and which complications need urgent care.

Age-related macular degeneration

Age-related macular degeneration: the AU general practice approach

AMD — who gets it, how it's staged, what AREDS2 supplements do, when to refer urgently, and what the new geographic atrophy treatments can and cannot offer.

Chronic rhinitis

Chronic rhinitis: intranasal steroids first — the AU general practice approach

Chronic rhinitis — intranasal corticosteroids first-line, how to distinguish allergic from vasomotor and NAR subtypes, and the AU management pathway.

Cancer survivorship

Cancer survivorship: what your GP manages after treatment ends

Over 1.4 million Australians live beyond cancer. This covers the GP-led survivorship programme: surveillance, late effects, lifestyle, and psychosocial support.

Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander health assessment

Aboriginal & Torres Strait Islander health assessment: MBS 715 guide

MBS Item 715, Closing the Gap PBS co-payment, and cultural safety in Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander health for Australian GPs.

Immunisation — National Immunisation Program

Australian immunisation schedule: NIP, adult vaccines and catch-up

National Immunisation Program schedule, Shingrix, RSV, single-dose HPV, Prevenar 20, cold chain, and AEFI management for Australian GPs.

Travel medicine — pre-travel consultation

Travel medicine: pre-travel consultation guide for Australian GPs

Vaccines, malaria prophylaxis, traveller's diarrhoea, altitude illness, and returning traveller assessment in Australian general practice.

Red eye and conjunctivitis

Red eye and conjunctivitis: triage and treatment in Australian general practice

Most red eyes in general practice are benign. This guide covers vision-threatening red flags, conjunctivitis management, and urgent referral criteria.

Anaphylaxis

Anaphylaxis: recognition, emergency treatment, and Australian prevention

How to recognise anaphylaxis, when to use adrenaline, 4-hour observation, and discharge planning with ASCIA Action Plans and allergist referral.

Persistent fatigue

Fatigue: the Australian GP workup — systematic investigation of tiredness

How Australian GPs investigate persistent fatigue — staged blood tests, red flags requiring urgent workup, and when ME/CFS or Long COVID applies.

Polypharmacy and inappropriate prescribing

Polypharmacy and deprescribing in Australian general practice

How Australian GPs review, reduce, and safely stop medications in older adults — STOPP/START criteria, deprescribing protocols, and MBS pathways.

Chronic hepatitis C

Chronic hepatitis C: DAA cure and the AU Section 100 prescribing pathway

Chronic hepatitis C in Australia — who to test, the 8-week Maviret cure, drug interactions to check, and how GPs access the Section 100 PBS prescribing pathway.

Chronic hepatitis B

Chronic hepatitis B: the Australian general practice management guide

Chronic hepatitis B — screening, serology, treatment indications, Section 100 prescribing, HCC surveillance, and vaccination in Australian general practice.

Pelvic organ prolapse and urinary incontinence (female)

Pelvic organ prolapse and urinary incontinence: AU general practice guide

Pelvic organ prolapse and urinary incontinence in Australian women: pelvic floor physio, pessary, medications, surgery, and the AU mesh context.

Prostate cancer screening

Prostate cancer screening and PSA: the informed decision in AU general practice

PSA screening, shared decision-making, mpMRI before biopsy, and active surveillance — the 2024 Australian approach to prostate cancer in general practice.

Sexually transmitted infections

STI screening and management: the AU general practice guide

Chlamydia, gonorrhoea, syphilis, HIV, and beyond — opportunistic screening, treatment, partner notification, and prevention in AU general practice.

Long COVID / Post-COVID-19 condition

Long COVID (post-COVID-19 condition): the AU general practice guide

Long COVID affects ~5–10% of SARS-CoV-2 infections. How to assess, investigate, and manage PEM-positive and PEM-negative presentations in general practice.

Colorectal cancer screening

Bowel cancer screening in Australia: NBCSP, FOBT, and colonoscopy surveillance

Bowel cancer screening in Australia — NBCSP iFOBT for ages 45–74, colonoscopy intervals after polyps, family history risk stratification, and the GP's role.

Falls in older adults

Falls in older adults: multifactorial prevention in Australian general practice

Falls in older Australians — GP-led multifactorial assessment, the Otago and Tai Chi evidence, medication deprescribing, vitamin D, and MBS pathways.

Nicotine dependence

Smoking cessation: the evidence-based approach for Australian GPs

5As brief intervention, combination NRT, varenicline and Quitline 13 78 48 — the RACGP framework for smoking cessation in Australian general practice.

Acute otitis media and otitis externa

Ear infections (otitis media and externa): what to do and when to see a GP

Otitis media and outer-ear infection (swimmer's ear): what helps, when antibiotics are needed, and warning signs that mean act now.

Vitamin B12 and folate deficiency

Vitamin B12 and folate deficiency: diagnosis and treatment

B12 and folate deficiency — causes, macrocytic anaemia, neurological features, investigation, IM or oral replacement, and the AU general practice approach.

Myalgic encephalomyelitis / chronic fatigue syndrome (ME/CFS)

ME/CFS and long COVID fatigue: diagnosis, pacing, and when to see a GP

ME/CFS is a real biological illness with post-exertional malaise at its core. How it is diagnosed, why pacing matters, and what Australian GPs can offer.

Haemorrhoids and anorectal complaints

Haemorrhoids and anorectal problems: a patient guide for Australians

Haemorrhoids, anal fissures, and rectal bleeding explained — causes, treatments from fibre to banding, and when bleeding needs urgent investigation.

Acute pharyngitis and tonsillitis

Sore throat, pharyngitis and tonsillitis: when antibiotics actually help

Most sore throats are viral and settle in a week. How to tell viral from strep, when a throat swab matters, and what red flags need urgent care.

Vitamin D deficiency

Vitamin D deficiency: testing, supplementation, and sun safety

Vitamin D deficiency — who to test, severity thresholds, cholecalciferol dosing, sun exposure guidance, and the Australian general practice approach.

Fibromyalgia

Fibromyalgia: understanding the pain that is real but invisible

Fibromyalgia affects 2-4% of Australians. Plain-language guide to what it is, how it's diagnosed, and what helps — per AU and international guidelines.

Sinusitis (acute and chronic rhinosinusitis)

Sinusitis: acute, chronic, and why most cases don't need antibiotics

How acute viral sinusitis differs from bacterial and chronic sinusitis — saline rinses, nasal steroid sprays, when antibiotics help, and when to see a GP.

Urticaria and angioedema

Hives (urticaria) and angioedema: causes, treatment, when to see a GP

Hives and angioedema for Australian patients — acute vs chronic causes, antihistamine and omalizumab treatment, and red flags for the ED.

Vertigo and dizziness

Vertigo and dizziness: causes, BPPV, and when to see a GP

Vertigo is the illusion of spinning. How Australian GPs sort peripheral causes like BPPV from central causes like stroke, and what treatment looks like.

Tinnitus

Tinnitus: causes, assessment, and management in Australian practice

Tinnitus affects roughly one in seven Australian adults. How it is assessed, when it needs urgent review, and what actually helps reduce distress.

Dysmenorrhoea and endometriosis

Dysmenorrhoea and endometriosis: the Australian GP management guide

Period pain and endometriosis — NSAID and COC first-line, when to use dienogest or Mirena, deep disease assessment, and fertility planning in Australia.

Iron deficiency anaemia

Iron deficiency anaemia: ferritin, alternate-day iron, and when IV is right

Iron deficiency anaemia — ferritin thresholds, why alternate-day oral iron now wins, when IV iron is right, and the AU general practice pathway.

Supplement regulation in Australia

Reading AU supplement labels: AUST L vs AUST R, and what they mean

Reading Australian supplement labels — AUST L vs AUST R, TGA listing vs registration, and what 'evaluated' actually means in practice.

Hydration

Hydration: water, electrolytes, and the '8 glasses a day' myth

Hydration in adults — what AU dietary guidelines say about water intake, electrolytes, and the '8 glasses a day' rule, with sensible clinical framing.

Diet and chronic disease — ultra-processed food intake

Ultra-processed food: what the NOVA classification and BMJ 2024 actually show

Ultra-processed food and health — NOVA classification, BMJ 2024 umbrella review, Australian Dietary Guidelines, and what to do in general practice.

Fatigue

Why am I tired all the time? An Australian GP's workup for chronic fatigue

Why am I tired all the time? A clinical GP workup for persistent fatigue — red flags, history that matters, and the AU primary-tier tests.

Lifestyle foundations — the MERIT framework

MERIT — five lifestyle pillars an AU integrative GP returns to for every chronic condition: Movement, Eating, Rest, Inner calm, Toxin-free.