Ep1: Diagnosing haemochromatosis in general practice with Dr Robert Menz

This is the final episode in this series of IRON MATTERS, our series of educational podcasts for GPs, allied health professionals and patients by some of the leading clinicians and medical researchers in the field in Australia exploring issues associated with iron overload and hereditary haemochromatosis. Here Professor David Playford, clinical cardiologist and Professor & Chair of Cardiology at the University of Notre Dame, Fremantle explores issues of iron overload in the heart further.  

Episode 9 “Detecting heart problems associated with haemochromatosis’ features Professor David Playford, clinical cardiologist and Professor & Chair of Cardiology at the University of Notre Dame, Fremantle. This is the first of two episodes with David. In the next episode he will further explore iron overload in the heart. 

Prof Pasricha is a haematologist at Royal Melbourne Hospital and scientist at the Walter & Eliza Hall Institute of Medical Research. In this he speaks about the role of hepcidin in iron regulation, iron deficiency and anaemia, iron overload and haemochromatosis, and thalassaemia.

Clinical Nurse Specialist Cindy Bryant talks about treating haemochromatosis by venesection.

Gastroenterologist and iron researcher Prof John Olynyk presents his second podcast in the Iron Matters series. This episode discusses the effects of iron overload on the organs of the body on the liver and pancreas.

Gastroenterologist and researcher Prof John Olynyk speaks about haemochromatosis, diagnosis, and new developments in research into iron in the body and health. “Haemochromatosis … the grandfather of all the knowledge that relates to iron because it’s the disease that made people need to study it”. Prof John Olynyk is Head of Gastroenterology, Fiona Stanley and Fremantle Hospital Group, Perth WA.

Assoc Prof Graeme Carroll is a Consultant Physician in Rheumatology at Fremantle Hospital. WA and Associate Professor of Medicine University of Notre Dame Australia and University of Western Australia. In this podcast Graeme talks about the arthropathy associated with haemochromatosis, our current understanding of the prevalence, cause, treatment and potential future research in the field.

Dr Peter Bentley, a Senior Medical Officer with Australian Red Cross Lifeblood based in Perth. His manages the therapeutic donor program for Lifeblood. He talks about the benefits of the program for people with haemochromatosis requiring venesections, the benefits for the community and how treating GPs and specialists can easily refer patients for venesection using the online High ferritin app. Listen now.

Clinical geneticist Professor Martin Delatycki discusses hereditary haemochromatosis genetics and screening. He explains the current screening protocols and why haemochromatosis is an ideal candidate for wider populations screening. 
Prof Delatycki is the Medical Director of Victorian Clinical Genetics Services and Co-director of the Bruce Lefroy Centre, Murdoch Childrens Research Institute, Melbourne.
He is also Principal Investigator and Co-Lead, Mackenzie’s Mission, Australia.

Dr Robert Menz discusses diagnosis of hereditary haemochromatosis in general practice. Dr Menz is an Australian General Practitioner based in Adelaide, South Australia. He has a particular interest in Chronic Disease Management.   He is the Royal Australian College of General Practitioners (RACGP) Medical Advisor for the  RACGP exam, a member of the SA/NT faculty board and also a senior examiner. He has an interest in Standards, and is an Australian General Practice Accreditation Limited (AGPAL) practice surveyor. Robert completed a Masters in Clinical Education in 2013 and teaches General Practice and Clinical Education. 
The IRON MATTERS podcast series is published by Haemochromatosis Australia (www.ha.org.au). Produced by Healthily.com.au.