NB Hot Topics Podcast

The big news this week has been the risk of cerebral venous sinus thrombosis post-AZ vaccine and it's been giving us all a headache, but this has overshadowed further new data confirming benefit of inhaled corticosteroids for acute mild covid and guidance that we can offer this to older patients on a case-by-case basis.In the latest Hot Topics podcast Neal Tucker discusses the facts, figures, management and ethics of post-AZ vaccine thrombosis, reviews the Principle trial showing we now have a viable treatment for mild covid; and data on the rate of multi-organ dysfunction and death at 4 months post-hospital discharge for covid.ReferencesMHRA data on AZ vaccine and thrombosis riskCDC Data on Johnson&Johnson vaccine and thrombosis riskCDC Data on Transmission ReductionSTOIC trial Lancet RespPrinciple trialNHS recommendations from the Principle trial dataBMJ post-covid syndrome dataUnHerd Did I Give My Patients COVID?www.nbmedical.com/podcast

Big news in this new Hot Topics podcast as we discuss very positive data on the role of inhaled budesonide for early mild COVID in community-based patients - the STOIC trial may radically change our management of COVID but why hasn't this been a huge story and should we wait to change our practice?Also, we look at a BMJ paper examining the risk of catching and dying from COVID if you are an adult with children at home, a Lancet paper looking at only 3 days of antibiotics for pneumonia and more data on semaglutide and it's role in weight loss and improvement in non-alcoholic steatohepatitis.References:STOIC website and pre-printBMJ COVID and kids cohort studyLancet Pneumonia trialLancet Semaglutide and weight loss in T2DMNEJM Semaglutide and NASHwww.nbmedical.com/podcast

Welcome back to the Hot Topics Podcast. In this episode, Neal Tucker talks about Long COVID in children, changes in violence injuries during lockdown, the prospect of a universal coronavirus vaccine, and the challenges of increasing vaccination rates in general practice.In new research, we discuss papers from the BJGP on health inequalities, who is faring badly and how consultation length impacts on inequality. Also, novel research in the BMJ examining muscle symptoms with statins. Or not as the case may be...ReferencesLong COVID in childrenJAMA Lockdown violence in CardiffBJGP Inequalities in health-related quality of lifeBJGP Multimorbidity, deprivation and consultant lengthBMJ Statins and muscle symptomswww.nbmedical.com/podcast

Welcome to another Hot Topics Podcast! As we rapidly vaccinate the UK our thoughts today turn to the longer term and how environmental issues affect our patients and what practices can do about it. Neal Tucker is joined by Terry Kemple, GP and founder of the Green Impact for Health Toolkit, to chat about how practices can make positive changes to save money, improve the health of our patients now, and help save the world in the longer term. Too much for general practice? A year ago I might have said yes, but now I think we can do anything.We also talk about COVID  vaccine efficacy and how PCNs might help my summer holiday, plus the latest research - do BP meds cause falls (the surprise answer) and a new treatment for weight loss that actually works. If you can stomach it...ReferencesGreen Impact for Health ToolkitPfizer vaccine efficacy after single doseBMJ Antihypertensive therapy and fallsNEJM Semaglutide and weight losswww.nbmedical.com/podcast

Belated Happy New Year! In this new podcast, Dr Neal Tucker chats about the latest news and research in general practice. Firstly, what do the SARS-CoV-2 variants mean for the efficacy of the vaccines and should we continue the vaccine programme? The new GP contract is out and the most controversial aspects is financial incentivisation for weight loss referrals. What works? We look at two Lancet papers. New research in the BMJ on antidepressants for back pain and OA - can this be the magic cure? And finally, research on parental burnout - feeling it during lockdown? You are not alone.ReferencesVaccine and variants infoGP Contract detailsLancet Weight loss studyLancet Metabolic Surgery studyBMJ Antidepressants for Back and OAParental Burnoutwww.nbmedical.com/podcast

Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year! There's no time to take stock of 2020 in this latest podcast. Instead Neal Tucker talks about the latest science on the new, highly transmissible variant of SARS-CoV-2 sweeping the south of England. He also looks at the success of general practice in starting the Covid vaccinations for thousands of vulnerable patients. And research on clowns in hospitals - should we have jesters in surgeries???See you in 2021 everyone, NealReferencesNew Scientist and Variant SARS-CoV-2Lancet Oxford/AZ Vaccine in ElderlyBMJ Clowns in Hospitalswww.nbmedical.com/podcast

There's really only one topic of conversation: COVID vaccines, when will we get them, how do we give them and what's going to happen about Christmas...In this latest episode, Neal Tucker discusses the latest on general practice's role in vaccinating the nation, mistakes in the Oxford/AstraZeneca vaccine trial, the cost of vaccines and vaccinating, and how to keep thing below minus 70 degrees. We also have a look at some new research examining whether it really matters which blood pressure medication we give first, and two papers suggesting 100 year-olds should get statins.ReferencesBMJ What do we know about the covid vaccines?BMJ 1st BP medLancet LDL levels and CVD risk in the elderlyLancet Efficacy of Lipid LoweringWest Yorkshire Healthy Hearts AlgorithmBMA COVID guidancewww.nbmedical.com/podcast

Welcome back to the Hot Topics podcast with Neal Tucker.Finally some hope with an imminent COVID vaccine. But how good is it really and where is the data? Meanwhile general practice has been set up as the saviour of the nation but can we really vaccinate the entire population? The Committee of Horribly Absurd Orders thinks so or is it part of their long-game to say CHAO to GPs? And also some good news that we may not have to store this new vaccine at -70oC after all...For published research we look at SSRIs for acute COVID in the community, suspect rapid antibody tests and the harm from delayed cancer treatments.ReferencesNS Vaccine review and report on storageJAMA SSRI and COVID trialBMJ Accuracy of Rapid Antibody TestsBMJ Mortality due to cancer treatment delaywww.nbmedical.com/podcast

Hello again! In this podcast Dr Neal Tucker is joined by Dr Philippa Davies, a GP with a special interest in dermatology, to talk about the many and varied skin presentations of COVID-19 and how we might want to carefully scrutinise the rashes we're seeing over the next few months.To make it as interactive as possible follow along using www.covidskinsigns.com and you'll be able to see exactly what we're talking about!Also today, comedic one-liners to lighten the mood, rates of Long Covid and who is at risk, QCOVID and the latest from the major journals from the last two weeks.ReferencesCOVID Skin Signs website from the British Association of DermatologistsPre-print of Long Covid RatesLancet SARS-CoV-2 Antibody Rates in Dialysis PatientsJAMA Editorial on Excess Mortality Rates 2020 BMJ QCOVID Paper www.nbmedical.com/podcast

Welcome back! In this episode, Dr Neal Tucker talks about the world's biggest news story: President Trump and his treatments. Should we all be getting the same? He also looks at flu vaccinations and appraisals, and challenges the Committee of Pointless S%&t to cut the crap.In the latest research, we look at newly published data on SGLT2 inhibitor use for heart failure and renal disease in patients without diabetes and the benefits of high intensity training for longevity.Resources:J o Hospital Medicine and Dexamethasone studyCEBM Review of REGN-CoV2BJGP Editorial on AppraisalsNEJM Journal with SGLT2i dataBMJ Paper on Exercise in Older peoplewww.nbmedical.com/podcast