BMJ Best Practice Podcast

Acute severe asthma is common. The global prevalence, morbidity and mortality, and economic burden caused by asthma have progressively increased over the last few decades. About 300 million people worldwide currently have asthma. About 180,000 deaths annually are caused by asthma. And most asthma deaths are preventable. So it is important that we get the diagnosis and management of this condition...

ST-elevation myocardial infarction is a common and important condition. Myocardial infarction is a leading cause of morbidity and mortality so it is vital 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 Mahi Ashwath, Professor of Medicine and Radiology and Inaugural Reu...

Panic disorder is common. The prevalence of panic disorder is 2% to 3% in adults and adolescents. And panic disorder can cause distress, substance abuse, and treatment related side effects. 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 Cra...

Uterine fibroids are common. They represent the most common solid tumours of the female pelvis and are a leading indication for hysterectomy. And complications are frequent also - from bleeding to obstetric complications. So what can we do to ensure that we get the diagnosis and management of this condition right? To answer this and other important questions, please do have a listen to this podcas...

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...

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 O...

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 podc...

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 Stu...

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 wit...

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...

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 podc...

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 interv...

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 li...

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...

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 de...

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 G...

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 quest...

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 Medi...

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 liste...

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...

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...

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 manag...

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 i...

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 quest...

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 i...