Live webinar: RSV - winter season management of older adult patients with comorbidities

Respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) is well-recognised as a leading cause of illness in small children, but it is also a threat to older adults, especially those with underlying comorbid medical conditions. Older adults who contract RSV can experience complications including worsening of common cardiopulmonary comorbidities such as COPD, asthma, and congestive heart failure. Compared with younger age groups, older adults also experience longer hospital stays with RSV infection, and a greater risk of in-hospital death. Large, off-season outbreaks of RSV have occurred in Australia in recent years with the easing of COVID-19 restrictions. Early in 2024, the first RSV vaccine for adults aged 60 years and over became available in Australia.

This webinar, presented by GP Dr Peter Eizenberg, Professor Lucy Morgan and Pharmacist Debbie Rigby, will help GPs and other primary healthcare providers to better understand the epidemiology of RSV in older adults with comorbidities in Australia and the importance of preventive measures, including RSV vaccination and includes the latest updates in the Australian Immunisation Handbook chapter on RSV.

Date: Thursday, 18 July 2024
7:00pm - 8:30pm AEST
6:30pm - 8:00pm ACST
5:00pm - 6:30pm AWST

Duration: 1.5 hours

Professional development: CPD 1.5hrs Educational Activities

Learning outcomes:

By completing this learning activity, participants will be able to:

  • Outline how the clinical burden of respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) in older adults has been historically underestimated.
  • Explain the evidence of serious outcomes with RSV infection in older adults, especially those with comorbidities.
  • Describe the current recommendations on RSV and influenza vaccine co-administration in older adults.
  • Educate appropriate patients about RSV vaccines in Australia, and outline their efficacy and potential side effects.

 

Presented by GP Dr Peter Eizenberg, Professor Lucy Morgan, and Pharmacist Debbie Rigby

Dr Peter Eizenberg

Dr Peter Eizenberg is a GP consulting at, and the former Director of, ‘Doctors of Ivanhoe’. Whilst maintaining his GP commitments, Dr Eizenberg is also a Principal Investigator with various vaccine research trials for vaccines including Influenza, RSV & Zoster. Dr Eizenberg has held a number of national immunisation committee & advisory group positions, including current membership on the NCIRS AusVaxSafety Advisory Group & the Immunisation Coalition SAC. He is also the past Chair of North East Valley Division of General Practice.

Professor Lucy Morgan

Professor Lucy Morgan is an adult respiratory and sleep physician. Lucy is a proud graduate of the University of Newcastle, trained at Concord Hospital and completed a PhD in chronic lung disease at the University of Sydney. Her clinical practice covers a wide range of lung problems including airways diseases (asthma and COPD, bronchiectasis), pulmonary fibrosis, lung infections and lung cancer. Lucy is committed to a multidisciplinary approach to respiratory health care and has strong links to other clinicians.

Lucy has academic appointments at Macquarie University and Sydney University with a strong interest in teaching and training junior doctors and lung researchers throughout the Macquarie University Hospital, Nepean Hospital and Concord Hospital Clinical Schools. Lucy has a very active clinical research portfolio. She is chair of the Australasian Bronchiectasis Consortium and the clinical lead for the Australian Bronchiectasis Registry project. She is currently the president of the NSW TSANZ , is a Director of Lung Foundation Australia, a member of the Australian Lung Cancer Trials Group and Director of Research for the Nepean Lung Cancer Group. She is widely published and an invited speaker at National and International conferences.

Debbie Rigby

Debbie Rigby is an Advanced Practice Pharmacist with postgraduate qualifications in clinical pharmacy, geriatrics and respiratory medicine. Debbie is the Clinical Executive Lead at National Asthma Council Australia. She is a member of Pharmaceutical Society of Australia Respiratory Community of Special Interest and Respiratory Pharmacy Taskforce, Lung Foundation Australia COPD Advisory Committee and Primary Care Committee, and the International Primary Care Respiratory Group. The Lung Foundation Australia honoured Debbie as the 2023 Lung Health Legend. Debbie conducts Home Medicine Reviews and provides medicines education to pharmacists, nurses, GPs and other health professionals through her company Pharmeducation.

This webinar has been has been approved as a Lung Learning Quality-Assured Activity. It can be viewed at https://www.lunglearninghub.com.au

This session is sponsored by GSK.

RELX Group plc