BMJ Best Practice Podcast

BMJ Best Practice and The Darzi Review

The Darzi report states that “a recurring theme is that the recommendations of previous reviews have not been universally adopted.” So can we do better this time? In this podcast, Professor Martyn Patel discusses how healthcare professionals can use BMJ Best Practice to improve care in areas where Darzi says that it needs to improve. In things like comorbidities, cardiovascular care, and emergency medicine. Martyn works for Norwich Medical School, Norfolk and Norwich University Hospital, and is also an expert panel member of BMJ Best Practice. 

Testicular cancer

Among men aged 15 to 44 years, testicular tumours are the most common cancer diagnosed. And testicular cancer can cause considerable morbidity and mortality. 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 Corbin Eule, Assistant Professor of Medical Oncology at the University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus. And importantly Corbin is BMJ Best Practice author on testicular cancer. Competing interests: None
 

Precocious puberty

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 Endocrinology at Leeds Teaching Hospitals. Competing interests: TM has received support from Novo Nordisk and Pfizer to attend overseas conferences. He has also received honoraria from Kyowa Kirin for lectures and educational events.

Upper Airway Cough Syndrome

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 interests: FC has received remuneration for taking part in advisory board meetings on asthma, COPD, and cough, organised by GSK, AstraZeneca, Novartis, Merck, Boehringer Ingelheim, TEVA, Menlo Therapeutics and 4D pharma. KFC has also been on a speaker's bureau for AstraZeneca and Novartis, and has received educational grants from AstraZeneca, GSK, Bionorica, PGT Healthcare, and Vernalis Therapeutics, for supporting the Ninth London International Cough Symposium held in London in 2016.

Type 2 diabetes

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 Nicollet Minneapolis. Competing interests: GS declares that his employer, HealthPartners Institute International Diabetes Center, has organizational interests that include receiving unrestricted educational grants from Abbott Diabetes Care and Sanofi.

Hyperthyroidism

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 to his podcast interview with Dr Salman Razvi, Consultant Endocrinologist and Senior Lecturer at Queen Elizabeth Hospital, Gateshead. Competing interests: SR has received speaker fees from Merck, IBSA and Abbott Pharmaceuticals Ltd and research funding from Merck.

Pre eclampsia

Pre eclampsiaPre-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 to do a FBC, U&E, and LFTs in affected patients. Competing interests: JJW is Honorary President of the Baby Lifeline Training Company and Honorary Medical Director of Action on Pre-eclampsia. He lectures and teaches on pre-eclampsia and maternal safety both nationally and internationally, and is the author of national and local reports into safety investigations for the Healthcare Services Investigation Branch and national and local bodies as Clinical Director.

BMJ Best Practice: Improving Primary Care

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. Competing interests: none

Acute otitis media

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 Charlottesville in the US. Competing interests: none

Animal bites

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 Medicine at Croydon University Hospital NHS Trust.
Competing interests: none