The prevalence of precocious puberty is difficult to estimate - it is probably between 1 in 500 and 1 in 5000 children. Unfortunately, complications are common - from distress to short stature to psychological problems. So it is important that we get the diagnosis and management of this condition right. To find out more about this problem and what we can do about it, please do listen to this podcast interview with Dr Comfort King of BMJ and Dr Talat Mushtaq, Consultant in Paediatric Endocrinolog...
Sep 24, 2024•16 min•Ep. 25
Chronic cough is common. And from 10% to 70% of patients with chronic cough may have upper airway cough syndrome. So it is important that we get the diagnosis and management of this condition right. To find out more about this problem and what we can do about it, please do listen to his podcast interview with Professor Fan Chung who is Professor of Respiratory Medicine and Head of Experimental Studies Medicine at the National Heart and Lung Institute at Imperial College London. Competing interes...
Sep 09, 2024•21 min•Ep. 24
Type 2 diabetes is common. It accounts for over 90% of all diabetes, and has a prevalence of 8.5% in the US. And complications are common as well - from blindness to amputation to chronic kidney disease. So it is important that we get the diagnosis and management of this condition right. To find out more about this problem and what we can do about it, please do listen to this podcast interview with Gregg Simonson, Director of Professional Training at the International Diabetes Center at Park Nic...
Aug 20, 2024•24 min•Ep. 23
Hyperthyroidism The global prevalence of overt hyperthyroidism is between 0.2% to 1%. Graves disease is the most common form of hyperthyroidism in most areas of the world but there are other causes including toxic nodular goitre. Complications of hyperthyroidism are common - from bone loss to atrial fibrillation to heart failure. So it is important that we get the diagnosis and management of this condition right. To find out more about this problem and what we can do about it, please do listen t...
Jul 29, 2024•35 min•Ep. 22
Pre eclampsia Pre-eclampsia is common. It has been reported to affect between 2% and 8% of all pregnancies worldwide. And complications are common as well - from eclampsia to fetal growth restriction to pulmonary oedema. So it is important that we get the diagnosis and management of this condition right. To find out more about this problem and what we can do about it, please do listen to his podcast interview with Emeritus Professor James Walker of the University of Leeds. Please note: Remember ...
Jul 15, 2024•26 min•Ep. 21
BMJ Best Practice is freely available in England, Scotland and Wales. And in many other institutions around the world. We want to ensure that it is used. But we want more than just clicks. We want people to use it to improve individual patient care, to improve care processes and quality and safety, to improve education at all levels. So how should we do this? Please do listen to his podcast interview with Dr Dan Bunstone, GP Principal and Clinical Director of Warrington Innovation Network. Compe...
Jul 01, 2024•20 min•Ep. 20
Acute otitis media is common. More than 80% of children experience at least one episode of acute otitis media before the age of 2 years. And complications are common also - from perforated tympanic membrane to otitis media with effusion. So it is important that we get the diagnosis and management of this condition right. To find out more about this problem and what we can do about it, please do listen to his podcast interview with Dr. Carlos Armengol of the Pediatric Associates of Charlottesvill...
Jun 17, 2024•22 min•Ep. 19
Animal bites Each year in the UK, approximately 250,000 people attend emergency departments for the treatment of dog bites. And about 10% of patients will develop an infection. And that is just dogs. Animal bites are a common and serious problem - it is important that we get the assessment and management of this condition right. To find out more details about this problem and what we can do about it, please do listen to his podcast interview with Dr Oliver Spencer, Consultant in Emergency Medici...
Jun 03, 2024•19 min•Ep. 18
Burns are a common injury. The exact prevalence is difficult to know, as many people will not seek medical advice. But we do know that around 13,000 people in the UK require hospital attention from specialist burns services. And burns can cause a range of complications from scarring to sepsis to psychological trauma. So it is important that we get the management of burns right. To find out more details about this problem and what we can do about it, please do listen to his podcast interview with...
May 21, 2024•28 min•Ep. 17
COPD is common. It is the third leading cause of death worldwide, causing 3.23 million deaths in 2019. And anyone who has worked in a hospital will know that exacerbations are common also. So it is important that we get the diagnosis and management of this condition right. To find out more details about this problem and what we can do about it, please do listen to his podcast interview with Neil Greening, Associate Professor and Honorary Consultant Physician at the Institute for Lung Health, Lei...
May 08, 2024•29 min•Ep. 16
Syncope is common. It accounts for approximately 1% of all emergency department visits and 2% of all hospital admissions from the emergency department. Causes include dysrhythmias, pulmonary embolism, subarachnoid haemorrhage, and acute coronary syndrome - to name but a few. So what if anything can we do to ensure that it is diagnosed and managed correctly? To answer this and other important questions, please do have a listen to this podcast interview with Professor Shamai Grossman, Associate Pr...
Apr 26, 2024•23 min•Ep. 15
Sepsis is common. In 2018, more than one million US Medicare patients were admitted to hospital with sepsis. And complications are serious - from renal failure to ARDS to DIC. So what if anything can we do to ensure that it is diagnosed and managed correctly? To answer this and other important questions, have a listen to this podcast with Professor Andre Kalil, from the Department of Internal Medicine at the University of Nebraska Medical Center. For more on sepsis, visit BMJ Best Practice . Com...
Feb 26, 2024•26 min•Ep. 14
Acne is a common condition. The Global Burden of Disease estimates the prevalence of acne to be 8%, ranking it the eighth most prevalent disease worldwide. And acne can cause complications - from scarring to dyspigmentation to mental health problems. So what if anything can we do to ensure that it is diagnosed and managed correctly? To answer this and other important questions, please have a listen to this podcast interview with Professor John Barbieri, Assistant Professor of Dermatology at Harv...
Feb 12, 2024•23 min•Ep. 13
Cervical spine injuries result primarily from motor vehicle accidents, sports activities, and diving into shallow water. These mainly happen with young people. In older people, falls are a common cause. And such injuries can cause a range of complications from pain to radiculopathy to other neurological disability. So what if anything can we do to ensure that cervical spine trauma is diagnosed and managed correctly? To answer this and other important questions, listen to this interview with Mich...
Jan 23, 2024•25 min•Ep. 12
Croup is a frequent cause of acute respiratory distress in young children. Typically, it affects those between six months and three years of age, peaking in the second year of life. And croup can be serious and can cause complications - such as pneumonia. So what if anything can we do to ensure that it is diagnosed and managed correctly? To answer this and other important questions, please do have a listen to this podcast interview with Professor David Johnson who is from the Department of Pedia...
Jan 09, 2024•19 min•Ep. 11
As the climate changes, we are getting more diseases associated with extremes of temperature - such as frostbite. Frostbite is classically associated with mountaineering and winter activities. But it also occurs in armed conflict and of course in homeless people. Frostbite can result in wound infection, gangrene and amputation. So what if anything can we do to ensure that it is diagnosed and managed correctly? To find the answer to this and other important questions, please have a listen to this...
Dec 18, 2023•22 min•Ep. 10
A US study of high-risk drinking patterns suggests that deaths due to alcohol-associated liver disease are expected to double in the next twenty years. And this condition is associated with a range of complications - including hepatic encephalopathy, GI bleeding, and hepatorenal syndrome. So what if anything can we do to ensure that it is diagnosed and managed correctly? To answer this and other important questions, please have a listen to this podcast interview with Professor Craig McClain, Chi...
Dec 04, 2023•23 min•Ep. 9
Benign paroxysmal positional vertigo (BPPV) has an incidence of 64 per 100,000 per year, increasing by 40% with each decade of life. This means about 200,000 new patients per year in the USA. And BPPV can cause problems - including falls and accidents and of course injuries. So what if anything can we do to ensure that it is diagnosed and managed correctly? To answer this and other important questions, please do have a listen to this podcast interview with Professor Lorne Parnes of the Departmen...
Oct 09, 2023•16 min•Ep. 8
In 2019, lower respiratory tract infections affected 489 million people worldwide, and were the cause for approximately 2.5 million deaths. Children less than 5 and adults older than 70 were the populations most affected by pneumonia. Mortality was highest in patients aged over 70. So what if anything can we do to ensure that pneumonia is diagnosed and managed correctly? To answer this and other important questions, please do have a listen to this podcast interview with Dr Catia Cillóniz, Associ...
Sep 26, 2023•13 min•Ep. 7
Primary hyperparathyroidism is a common disorder affecting 1 in 500 women and 1 in 2000 men aged over 40 years. It can cause a range of complications from osteoporosis to fractures to nephrolithiasis. So what if anything can we do to ensure that it is diagnosed and managed correctly? To answer this and other important questions, please do have a listen to this podcast interview with Dr John Ayuk, Consultant Endocrinologist at University Hospitals Birmingham NHS Foundation Trust. For more on prim...
Sep 11, 2023•16 min•Ep. 6
Diabetes mellitus is one of the most common chronic diseases worldwide. Diabetic foot disease is an all too common complication. And it can cause a range of problems - including the ultimate complication - amputation. So it is important that we get the diagnosis and management of this condition right. In this BMJ Best Practice podcast, Dr. Kieran Walsh talks to Nicole Mottolini about safer management of diabetic foot disease. Nicole is a Podiatrist and Clinical Fellow at NHS Resolution. Competin...
Aug 28, 2023•18 min•Ep. 5
In the UK, the prevalence rate of type 2 diabetes in children is approximately 2.9 per 100,000. This number is rising and another constant has been the increasing rates of obesity. So it is vital that we get prevention and management of this condition right. In this BMJ Best Practice podcast, Dr Christine Bowen talks to Professor May Ng, OBE, Honorary Professor at Edge Hill University, Hon Associate Professor at University of Liverpool, and Consultant Paediatrician and Paediatric Endocrinologist...
Aug 14, 2023•19 min•Ep. 4
Endometriosis is a chronic inflammatory condition defined by endometrial stroma and glands found outside of the uterine cavity. The most common sites affected are the pelvic peritoneum and ovaries. May present incidentally in asymptomatic women, or more commonly in women of reproductive age who complain of chronic pelvic pain and/or sub-fertility. M. Jonathon Solnik, Professor of Obstetrics, Gynaecology and Medical Imaging by Cross-Appointment, Temerty School of Medicine at the University of Tor...
Jul 26, 2023•31 min•Ep. 3
Fibrocystic breasts are common. The incidence peaks at 400 per 100,000 woman-years at the age of 40 to 44. The condition can cause pain and tenderness that fluctuate with the menstrual cycle. And there is a higher prevalence of cysts as women approach the menopause. In this BMJ Best Practice podcast, Kieran Walsh talks with Professor Ingrid Lizarraga, Clinical Associate Professor at the Division of Surgical Oncology and Endocrine Surgery, University of Iowa Hospitals and Clinics. Competing inter...
Jun 19, 2023•14 min
The diagnosis of menopause is clinical, based on the absence of menses for 12 months, and does not require further testing for appropriately presenting patients. Oestrogen therapy is an effective treatment for the management of menopausal symptoms including hot flushes, night sweats, and urogenital symptoms. In this podcast, Bradford W. Fenton, Independence Park Medical Services, Anchorage, Alaska, gives us further details of diagnosis and management. For more on menopause, visit BMJ Best Practi...
Jun 05, 2023•20 min•Ep. 2
There are concerns that junior healthcare professionals do not use decision support as they don’t see senior staff using it. There are concerns that seniors don't use clinical decision support as they worry about looking things up people in front of people. So a complex issue to discuss. To find out more about this, listen to this interview with Dr Tom Foley, Consultant Child and Adolescent Psychiatrist with expertise in digital health.
May 23, 2023•26 min
Adhesive capsulitis affects 2% to 5% of the population. It is slightly more common in women than in men, and is most common in people between the ages of 40 and 70. And it can cause a range of problems - including pain, stiffness, and loss of function. So it is important that we get the diagnosis and management of this condition right. To give us more details about this problem and what we can do about it, Kieran Walsh, Clinical Director at BMJ, speaks with Professor Lance LeClerc, Associate Pro...
Apr 24, 2023•18 min
Gastro-oesophageal reflux disease (GORD) is a common condition that affects between 10% and 30% of people in developed countries. There can be a range of complications from haemorrhage to stricture to Barrett's oesophagus. So it is important that we get the diagnosis and management of this condition right. In this BMJ Best Practice podcast on GORD, Kieran Walsh talks with Dr Andres Carrion, Associate Professor of Clinical Medicine at The Division of Digestive Health and Liver Diseases in Univers...
Apr 11, 2023•29 min
Snoring is common. In the 30- to 35-year-old age group, 20% of men and 5% of women snore. By 60, 60% of men and 40% of women will snore habitually. And snoring can affect the quality of life - of both the patient and their partner. In this BMJ Best Practice podcast on snoring, Kieran Walsh talks with Dr Showkat Mirza, Consultant in Otorhinolaryngology and Head & Neck Surgery, Sheffield Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust. For more on snoring, visit BMJ Best Practice: bestpractice.bmj.com/topics/en-...
Apr 03, 2023•23 min
Age-related macular degeneration is the third most common cause of visual impairment worldwide. The main risk is advanced disease and resultant visual loss. Prompt diagnosis and treatment can make a big difference to the outcome - so it is vital that we get the diagnosis and management of this condition right. In this BMJ Best Practice podcast on macular degeneration, Kieran Walsh talks with Dr. Sajjad Mahmood, Consultant Ophthalmic Surgeon, Medical Retina Specialist, and Honorary Clinical Lectu...
Mar 28, 2023•26 min
