BMJ Best Practice Podcast

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,...

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 managem...

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 Associa...

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, Gynae...

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...

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...

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 Psychi...

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...

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, Associ...

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 Ho...

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. S...

The prevalence of cluster headache is about one in 500. In people coming to a headache clinic, the prevalence is about 10%. Cluster headaches are excruciating and incapacitating, and affect quality of life. 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 c...

Spinal cord compression is an extremely serious disorder that can have devastating consequences. These include weakness of the legs, bladder and bowel dysfunction, and loss of sensation. Rapid 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 spinal cord compressio...

Halitosis is common and can affect people of all ages. Severe halitosis is less common but it can affect confidence and quality of life. It can even result in social isolation. So it is important that we get the diagnosis and management of this condition right. In this BMJ Best Practice podcast on halitosis, Kieran Walsh talks with Professor Stephen Porter, Director of the UCL Eastman Dental Insti...

We release episodes fortnightly. Osteoarthritis is the most common form of arthritis. It is more common in women than in men, with incidence increasing sharply around the age of 50. And it can cause complications - including the inability to perform activities of daily living and spinal stenosis in cervical and lumbar osteoarthritis. So it is vital that we get the diagnosis and management of this...

We release episodes fortnightly. Data, AI, oncology, and patients are a wide range of subjects to be addressed in one podcast. Individually they are big topics and when you put them together you really get to high levels of complexity. In this BMJ Best Practice podcast, Kieran Walsh delves into all these topics with Dr Arun Sujenthiran, Senior Medical Director and UK Clinical Lead at Flatiron Heal...

We release episodes fortnightly. Stroke is the fourth and fifth leading cause of death in the UK and US, respectively. There are more than 100,000 strokes in the UK every year. And approximately 10% to 15% of all ischaemic strokes are associated with carotid artery stenosis. So it is important that we get the diagnosis and management of this condition right. In this BMJ Best Practice podcast on ca...

We release episodes fortnightly. Bell's palsy is the most common unilateral facial palsy in adults. It is most prevalent in people between 15 and 45 years of age. And it can cause a range of complications - including ongoing facial weakness, keratoconjunctivitis sicca, exposure keratopathy, and ectropion. So it is important that we get the diagnosis and management of this condition right. In this...

We release episodes fortnightly. Hypothermia is a serious condition - it can cause rhabdomyolysis, electrolyte disturbances, and cardiac arrhythmias. It can also kill. In the UK, the annual number of hypothermia-related deaths is about 300. And in countries with colder climates, the numbers are far higher. So it is important that we get the diagnosis and management of this condition right. In this...

We release episodes fortnightly. Rosacea is a common disorder. Studies suggest a prevalence of 5% for women and 4% for men. And rosacea can cause a range of problems including papules and pustules, telangiectasias, and eye problems. So it is important that we get the diagnosis and management of this condition right. In this BMJ Best Practice podcast on rosacea, Kieran Walsh talks to Dr Abel Jarell...

We release episodes fortnightly. Parkinson's disease is a common and serious condition. It is the second most common neurodegenerative disorder in the world - only Alzheimer's disease is more common. And Parkinson's disease can cause a range of complications - from dyskinesias to depression to dementia. So it is important that we get the diagnosis and management of this condition right. In this BM...

Data and big data in healthcare are both important and topical. Big data has the potential to transform how we provide healthcare but can also be problematic. There can be problems with how data is captured, cleaned, and corrected or with how we update data. BMJ is playing an increasing role in this field. We have our own BMJ Data Set which provides AI healthcare technologies with current, credibl...

Herpes zoster: an update on diagnosis and management The annual incidence of herpes zoster in the UK is between 2 and 4 patients per thousand population. It can cause a range of complications including post-herpetic neuralgia, herpes zoster of the eye, and disseminated zoster. So it is important that we get the diagnosis and management of this condition right. In this BMJ Best Practice podcast on...

Status epilepticus is a serious medical emergency. Fortunately, it is relatively rare but when it does occur it can cause a range of serious complications including focal neurological deficits, cognitive dysfunction, and behavioural problems. So it is important that we get the diagnosis and management of this condition right. In this BMJ Best Practice podcast on status epilepticus, Kieran Walsh ta...

Acute pancreatitis: an update on diagnosis and management Acute pancreatitis is a common and serious condition. The incidence of acute pancreatitis in the UK is about 50 per 100,000 per year. And it can cause a range of complications including acute renal failure, pancreatic abscess and of course chronic pancreatitis. So it is important that we get diagnosis and management of this condition right....