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Veteran Brochure:
8 steps to
taking warfarin (245KB pdf)
INR Record Sheet (135Kb pdf)
Therapeutic Brief:
The S.A.F.E approach to warfarin therapy (300Kb pdf)
Bibliography (58Kb pdf)
8 steps to taking warfarin is a brochure providing information on how veterans can play a key role in the management of their warfarin therapy by understanding how warfarin works and affects their lifestyle. The brochure encourages veterans to discuss warfarin therapy with their doctor and to record the results of their blood tests. An INR Record Sheet is also available for download.
The S.A.F.E. approach to warfarin therapy contains information for doctors and pharmacists on warfarin as a highly effective medicine and outlines how careful patient selection, regular therapeutic monitoring and systematic on-going patient education will improve the day to day management of veterans using warfarin therapy and reduce the risk of bleeding.
Veteran Brochure:
Keeping Track of Your Medicines (256Kb pdf)
Therapeutic Brief: DAAs
Dose Administration Aids: Preventing Medication Error (545Kb pdf)
Keeping track of your medicines is a brochure for veterans providing information on the benefits of using a Dose Administration Aid (DAA) and the particular benefits of the DVA DAA Service. The brochure encourages veterans to discuss with their doctor any concerns they may have regarding good medicine habits and whether the DVA DAA Service could benefit them. It also explains that although the veteran pays for their medicine, the DAA Service is free of charge.
Dose Administration Aids: Preventing Medication Error contains information on the DVA DAA Service, which brings the benefits of a Dose Administration Aid to veterans in conjunction with increased monitoring by GPs and pharmacists working together. The Therapeutic Brief also contains information on:
Veteran Brochure:
Looking after your bones
Therapeutic Brief: Osteoporosis
Strategies to minimise fracture risk
Therapeutic Brief Reference List (99 Kb pdf)
Looking after your bones is a brochure for veterans providing information on maintaining healthy bones and identifying risk factors for osteoporosis. The brochure encourages veterans to discuss with their doctor any concerns they may have regarding healthy bones and the treatment of osteoporosis.
Osteoporosis: Strategies to minimise facture risk contains information for doctors and pharmacists on early recognition and optimal management of patients with osteoporosis. This Therapeutic Brief outlines risk factors for osteoporosis and suggests preventative measures that may be taken by veterans. The Brief also contains information on specific osteoporosis therapies.
Therapeutic Brief Reference List contains a list of all the reference documents utilised during the development of the Osteoporosis: Strategies to minimise facture risk Therapeutic Brief.
Veteran Brochure:
8 tips to help you get the most out of your inhalers (pdf)
Therapeutic Brief:
Simplifying inhaler devices for Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (pdf)
Therapeutic Brief Insert (pdf)
“8 tips to help you get the most out of your inhalers” is a brochure for veterans to learn more about the inhalers and puffers that they may use for breathing problems, and to ensure that they are using these medicines appropriately. This brochure encourages veterans to speak with their doctor or pharmacist about their medicines, and to consider getting a flu vaccination.
“Simplifying inhaler devices for Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease” contains information for doctors and pharmacists on the pharmacological management of COPD. This Therapeutic Brief outlines suggestions on how to simplify the medication regimes of veterans to assist them in maximising the therapeutic benefits of these medicines.
Veteran Brochure:
Antiplatelet medicines that help prevent heart attack or stroke (191 Kb pdf)
Doctors’ Therapeutic Brief:
Aspirin and clopidogrel in cardiovascular disease (166 Kb pdf)
“Antiplatelet medicines that help prevent heart attack or stroke”, provides useful information for veterans on the use of antiplatelet medicines and their application in the treatment to prevent heart attack or stroke. The brochure also outlines possible side effects and the reduction in risk of blood clotting. This information was sent to veterans in January 2008.
“Aspirin and clopidogrel in cardiovascular disease”, contains information for doctors and pharmacists on the use of aspirin and clopidogrel in the prevention of thrombotic events. It outlines the use of aspirin as a highly cost-effective agent in these treatments, and how combinations of aspirin and clopidogrel are beneficial in management of heart attack, unstable angina or when a stent is implanted. This information was released to doctors and pharmacists in December 2007.
Veteran Brochure:
Managing behaviour change in dementia (190 Kb pdf)
Doctors' Therapeutic Brief :
Antipsychotics in dementia (156 Kb pdf)
“Antipsychotics in dementia" provides useful information on the behavioural and psychological symptoms of dementia (BPSD) which are often distressing for patients and carers, and may trigger a move to residential care.
“Managing behaviour change in dementia” contains information for doctors and pharmacists.
Veteran Brochure:
Caring for your health if you have diabetes (195 Kb pdf)
Doctors' Therapeutic Brief :
Building a comprehensive care cycle for veterans with diabetes (168 Kb pdf)
‘Caring for your health if you have diabetes’, provides useful information on diabetes and how veterans with diabetes can best care for their health. This information was sent to veterans in July 2007.
‘Building a comprehensive care cycle for veterans with diabetes’, contains information for doctors and pharmacists on the benefits of providing formalised plans for the testing and managment of microalbuminuria and glycaemic control for veteran patients with diabetes. This information was released to doctors and pharmacists in June 2007.
Veteran Brochure:
What you can do about Constipation (193 Kb pdf)
Doctors' Therapeutic Brief :
Constipation: a quality of life issue for veteran patients (590 Kb pdf)
‘What you can do about Constipation’, provides useful information to those in the veteran community who may experience constipation. The brochure provides information on causes of constipation and information on healthy bowel habits for veterans and the wider community. This information was sent to veterans in April 2007.
‘Constipation: a quality of life issue for veteran patients’, contains information for doctors and pharmacists on prevention and treatment of constipation and information on medicines known to commonly cause constipation. This information was released to doctors and pharmacists in March 2007.
Veteran Brochure:
Home Medicines Review (123 Kb pdf)
Doctors' Therapeutic Brief :
The HMR Cycle: benefits for GPs and veterans (1204 Kb pdf)
‘Home Medicines Reviews’, provides useful tips to those in the veteran community who use multiple medicines. This brochure provides information on Home Medicines Reviews, which are available to veterans and the wider community. This information will be sent to veterans in January 2007.
‘The HMR Cycle: benefits for GPs and veterans’, contains information for doctors and pharmacists on how to conduct a HMR and tips to help identify those veterans who may benefit. This information will be released to doctors and pharmacists in November 2006.
Veteran Brochure:
What you need to know about medicines and getting older (218 Kb pdf)
Doctors' Therapeutic Brief :
Reducing adverse drug events (ADEs) for your veteran patients (1415 Kb pdf)
What you need to know about medicines and getting older, provided information to elderly people in the veteran community who use medicines. This brochure suggests questions to ask your health care provider when starting a new medicine, and other medicine-taking tips. This information was disseminated in October 2006.
Reducing adverse drug events (ADEs) for your veteran patients, contained clinical information aimed at assisting doctors and pharmacists to manage their elderly patients who are taking certain ‘high-risk’ medicines.
Veteran Brochure:
What you need to know about Medicines for Heartburn (218 Kb pdf)
Doctors' Therapeutic Brief :
PPIs in GORD. Reduce the dose- keep the benefits (217 Kb pdf)
What you need to know about Medicines for Heartburn, provided useful tips to those in the veteran community who use medicines for problems such as heartburn, reflux and indigestion. This information was provided in July 2006.
PPIs in GORD. Reduce the dose- keep the benefits, provided doctors and pharmacists with information to assist in managing their patients with gastroesophageal reflux disease (GORD).
Veteran Brochure:
What you need to know about using inhalers for lung problems (302Kb pdf)
Doctors' Therapeutic Brief :
Inhaled respiratory medicines: optimising use in COPD (407Kb pdf)
What you need to know about using inhalers for lung problems, provided useful tips to those in the veteran community who use inhaled medicines for lung problems such as asthma, emphysema and chronic bronchitis. This information was sent to veterans in April 2006.
Inhaled respiratory medicines: optimising use in COPD, provided doctors and pharmacists with information to assist in managing their patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease.
Veteran Brochure:
What you need to know about using multiple medicines safely (210Kb pdf)
Doctors' Therapeutic Brief :
Antidepressants: three steps towards safer use (130Kb pdf)
What you need to know about using multiple medicines safely, provides useful tips to those in the veteran community using more than one medicine at a time and informs them how to avoid unwanted side effects. This information was sent to approximately 46,000 veterans in January 2006 and the 12,500 doctors who care for them.
Antidepressants: Three steps towards safer use, provided doctors and pharmacists with information on a three-step approach to managing potential drug interactions between antidepressants and other medicines.
Veteran Brochure:
What you need to know about common Arthritis Medicines (204Kb pdf)
Doctors' Therapeutic Brief :
Clinical Risk Management: NSAIDs (157Kb pdf)
What you need to know about arthritis medicines, provided the veteran community with useful information on medicines used to treat arthritis and aimed to raise awareness of medicines that can be purchased over-the-counter (OTC) to treat similar conditions. This is particularly important if the veteran has other medical conditions such as diabetes or heart failure, as some of these OTC medicines can have adverse effects with some medical conditions.
Clinical Risk Management: NSAIDs has been prepared for doctors and pharmacists and provides up-to-date information on the appropriate use of NSAIDs (including COX-2 inhibitors) particularly in patients with heart failure or diabetes.
Veteran Brochure:
Caring for your Heart if you have Diabetes (202Kb pdf)
Doctors' Therapeutic Brief :
Diabetes Triple Check (208Kb pdf)
Caring for your heart if you have diabetes, included information for veterans with diabetes, their doctors and community pharmacists. It was mailed to 8,000 doctors and approximately 17,500 veterans. Module material was also made available to over 5,000 community and hospital pharmacies. The message is intended to optimise the medicines prescribed for veterans with diabetes and for the veteran to understand the need for and use of the various medicines they may be taking.
Veteran Brochure:
Caring for your heart (207Kb pdf)
Doctors' Therapeutic Brief :
Beta-Blockers: take the next step for heart failure (160Kb pdf)
Caring for your heart, focused on new information available on medicines that can assist in managing heart failure and improving the quality of life for those in the veteran community with this condition. Module material was sent to 13,000 veterans who are prescribed certain medicines for the treatment of heart conditions and to the 6,500 doctors who prescribe those medicines for the veterans in their care.
Veteran Brochure:
Home Medicines Review (120Kb pdf)
Doctors' Therapeutic Brief :
Flag Veterans for Medicines Review (203Kb pdf)
Flag Veterans for Medicines Review, was directed towards the more than 38,500 veterans who have 5 or more medicines dispensed each month, and to the 11,000 doctors who treat them. It presented an important opportunity for veterans, their doctors and pharmacists to examine the medicines that the veteran was taking and to discuss the reasons for each of the medicines, how they were managing their medicine and if there were any unwanted effects from their various medicines.
