April 2020 edition of Australian Prescriber out now

Faecal transplants make a comeback

First reported in ancient China, human faecal transplants have made a comeback in modern medicine. In the latest edition of Australian Prescriber, gastroenterologist Dr Samuel Costello and co-authors from the Queen Elizabeth Hospital in Adelaide examine the evidence of this ‘ultimate probiotic’ to treat Clostridioides difficile, and discuss the future directions of research.

Management of dental pain in primary care

Patients with dental pain sometimes present to a medical practitioner if they can’t see a dentist. Specialist endodontist Dr Aovana Timmerman and Professor Peter Parashos from the Melbourne Dental School review the different types of dental pain. They advise on how pain can be managed while the patient is waiting for dental treatment. Antibiotics rarely have a role.

Antiemetic medicines: what to prescribe and when

Nausea and vomiting are common symptoms with many possible causes. If an antiemetic is needed, the choice depends on the age of the patient, the cause of the vomiting, medical comorbidities, the risk of adverse effects and special circumstances such as pregnancy. Advanced trainee in clinical pharmacology Dr Akshay Athavale from the Royal Prince Alfred Hospital in Sydney and co-authors give an overview of the different classes of antiemetics and when they can be used.

Also in the April issue of Australian Prescriber:

• Oral or intravenous antibiotics?
• Dental Note: Managing acute dental pain without codeine
• Medicinal Mishap: The perils of antiepileptic toxicity
• Prescribing in renal supportive care

New drugs: Fremanezumab for migraine, risankizumab for psoriasis, and teduglutide for short bowel syndrome