Everyday Medicine with Dr Luke

Gastroesophageal reflux (GORD) is common reported by 5 %-10% of our population as a daily occurrence,15-20% as a weekly event and experienced by 25-40% monthly. It occurs when gastric content flows up into the oesophagus across the lower oesophageal sphincter initiating a burning sensation that is felt rising behind the breastbone and at times is associated with an acidic taste in the mouth. Sympt...

Constipation is a very common clinical problem in our community, characterised by infrequent bowel motions or difficulty passing stool. It affects an estimated 24% of adults, with up to 18% of adults regularly using laxatives. Constipation may be secondary to slow colonic transit, pelvic dyssynergia, pelvic floor disorders associated with organ prolapse, or all of the above.  Slow transit constipa...

Diverticular disease is both very common and largely asymptomatic. It is increasingly prevalent with age. Less than 10% of 40-year-olds have diverticulosis; however, the figure increases to 30–40% by age 60 years and 50–70% by age 80 years. It is more common in industrialised countries and associated with low fibre diets, obesity, sedentary lifestyle and smoking. NSAID use and corticosteroids are...

Patients with ulcerative colitis (UC) and Crohn's disease (CD) involving the colon are at an elevated risk of developing colorectal cancer (CRC), secondary to long-term chronic mucosal inflammation. The level of risk depends primarily on disease duration, the extent of colonic involvement, and the presence and grade of precancerous cell changes (dysplasia) present.  While most IBD patients nev...

Colon polyps develop on the inner lining of the large intestine or rectum and are medically significant, as a small percentage may subsequently develop into colon cancer.  They affect roughly 15% to 40% of all adults and become increasingly frequent with age. Whilst we are now observing an increasing prevalence of polyps and colon cancer in young adults, they are still relatively uncommon before t...

In the preceding episode with Dr Peverelle, we reviewed pharmacologic approaches to obesity management. In this episode, we review an alternative approach to bariatric surgery referred to as Endobariatrics. These are endoscopic interventions sitting between lifestyle-pharmacotherapy and bariatric surgery and are suited for patients with BMI’s between 30-40 kg/m2 who don’t want surgery or are not s...

Australians who are either overweight or obese are increasingly turning to pharmacological approaches coupled with dietary measures to achieve their weight loss goals before considering bariatric surgery. These therapies are typically considered for adults whose BMI’s are equal or above 30 kg/m2 or above 27 kg/m2 with associated comorbidities and include the following: Incretin based therapies inc...

Medical cybercrime refers to criminal activities involving cyber-attacks on healthcare systems, devices and data. These attacks can range from ransomware and data breaches to the exploitation of vulnerabilities in medical devices, posing serious threats to patient safety, data privacy and the stability of healthcare operations. According to the Office of the Australian Information Commissioner in...

It is now increasingly recognised that women’s health care needs at menopause have been both under-recognised and under-treated by medical practitioners, and that menopause management has not been emphasised adequately in graduate and post-graduate education. Considering that half the world’s population spend about a third of their lives after menopause, this unmet need must be recognised and addr...

It is now increasingly recognised that women’s health care needs at menopause have been both under-recognised and under-treated by medical practitioners, and that menopause management has not been emphasised adequately in graduate and post-graduate education. Considering that half the world’s population spend about a third of their lives after menopause, this unmet need must be recognised and addr...

Australians in their 30s and 40s are experiencing unprecedented rates of at least 10 different cancers. Between the year 2000 and 2024, for 30- to 39-year-olds, early onset prostate cancer increased by 500%, pancreatic cancer by 200%, liver cancer by 150%, uterine cancer by 138%, and kidney cancer by 85%. Australia is a world leader when it comes to bowel cancer and, again since the year 2000, the...

A pandemic is defined as a new disease or new strain of an existing disease spreading worldwide. An ‘outbreak’ refers to a localised epidemic – something that affects hundreds, sometimes thousands; an ‘epidemic’ refers to an illness or infection that is in excess of normal, and ‘pandemic’ is an epidemic that occurs over a very wide area, crosses international boundaries, and touches thousands or m...

Memory is the cognitive process of acquiring, storing and retrieving information. It's the mind's ability to encode, store and recall experiences and knowledge, allowing for learning, adaptation, and the formation of personal identity. There are different types of memory, including short-term memory, where information is held briefly and long-term memory, where information is held for exte...

Obesity has reached crisis levels in Australia, with 67% of Australians classified as being overweight or obese (2022 data). BMI measurements have been used in epidemiological studies to define overweight individuals with a measurement of 25 kilograms per metre squared and obese individuals with a BMI measurement of more than 30 kilograms per metre squared. It is now recognised, however, that BMI-...

Molecular pathology combines molecular analysis with traditional morphology and immunohistochemistry to understand disease at its most fundamental level. The field continues to evolve as new discoveries enter clinical practice. Through molecular pathology, our knowledge of genetic mutations and targeted therapies has expanded. It is now rare for a tumour report to omit genetic findings. This disci...

Each year in Australia, there are about 1,800 new diagnoses of ovarian cancer and over 1,000 deaths, making ovarian cancer the fifth most common cause of death from cancer in women. The lifetime risk is about 1.6%, increasing to 5% if a first-degree relative is affected, and 45% and 25% respectively if the BRCA1 or BRCA2 mutation is present. The median age of diagnosis is 63 years, with two-thirds...

On a recent vacation to Exmouth on Western Australia’s far North coast, home to the amazing Ningaloo National Park, I had the pleasure of meeting Anaesthetist and outdoor adventurer Dr Neil Banham. I discovered that when Neil wasn’t kiteboarding, his daytime job was Director of Hyperbaric Medicine at Fiona Stanley Hospital in Perth. Our conversation exposed my deep ignorance of the potential use o...

Cancer is one of the biggest health challenges worldwide. In 2021, about 15% of all deaths were cancer-related. In Australia, there are approximately 624 cases of cancer per 100,000 people, an incidence which has increased by about 7 % over 20 years, with an estimated 43 % of people being diagnosed by the age of 85 years. On a positive note, improved oncological medicine and care have reduced mort...

Uterine cancer is the fifth most common cancer in females and the most common cancer of the female genital tract in Australia, with about 3,300 cases annually and 660 deaths. The major prevalence is in women between 50 and 70 years, and the quoted major risk factors include: early onset menarche and late menopause, obesity, nulliparity, unopposed oestrogen treatments, polycystic ovaries with prolo...

The pace of modern life may not give many of us the time to stop, rest and recover with a good night’s sleep, yet sleep is as important for good health as diet and exercise. Regular healthy sleep improves brain performance, mood and health. Poor sleep hygiene is associated with increased risk of heart disease, stroke, obesity, impaired immune and cognitive function. Sleep consists of two distinct...

Falls in the elderly are associated with significant morbidity and, after a serious fall, indeed predict the transition within a year of 10-15% of seniors to long-term care facilities. Additionally, the one-year and three-year mortality for seniors is 16.4 % and 40.5% following a report of more than one fall in the past 3 months (about double the average). When a hip fracture complicates the fall,...

The Greek messenger Pheidippides famously ran 42 kilometres from Marathon to Athens delivering news of victory in battle before dropping dead, still a young man. Pheidippides was undoubtedly fit and an accomplished runner as he had been a Greek herald messenger his entire life. Was his untimely death due to excessive exercising or unforeseen preexisting cardiac risk factors? This stand-out story m...

Artificial intelligence is a wide-ranging branch of computer science concerned with building smart machines capable of performing tasks that typically require human intelligence. It is widely accepted that artificial intelligence computer systems will be used extensively in Medical Sciences. Common applications are likely to include illness diagnosis, end-to-end drug discovery and development, imp...

Good oral health is fundamental to overall health and well-being, and a person's quality of life is compromised without it. By Oral health, we are referring to the condition of a person's teeth and gums, as well as the health of the muscles and bones in their mouth. Tooth decay, gum disease and tooth loss affect many Australian children and adults and contribute 4.5% of all the burden that...

Cardiovascular disease is a major cause of mortality in Australia, responsible for around one in four (24%) of all deaths. On average, around 120 people in Australia die from CVD each day - equivalent to one person every 12 minutes. 40% more men die from CVD compared to women. With these statistics in mind, it is perhaps as well that the field of cardiology appears to be galloping toward the futur...