BMJ Best Practice Podcast

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 herpes zoster, Kieran Walsh talks to Professor Michael Rothberg, Center for Value-Based Care Research, Cleveland Clinic, Cleveland, Ohio. MR declares that he has no competing interests.- The purpose of this podcast is to educate and to inform. The content of this podcast does not constitute medical advice and it is not intended to function as a substitute for a healthcare practitioner’s judgement, patient care or treatment. The views expressed by contributors are those of the speakers. BMJ does not endorse any views or recommendations discussed or expressed on this podcast. Listeners should also be aware that professionals in the field may have different opinions. By listening to this podcast, listeners agree not to use its content as the basis for their own medical treatment or for the medical treatment of others.

Explore the complexities of status epilepticus, from diagnosis challenges to management strategies. Learn about distinguishing convulsive from non-convulsive status epilepticus, the use of antidepressants in epilepsy patients, and the critical need for timely intervention to prevent adverse outcomes.

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. In this BMJ Best Practice podcast on acute pancreatitis, Kieran Walsh talks to Professor Scott Tenner, Clinical Professor of Medicine, State University of New York. ST is an author of references cited in the BMJ Best Practice topic on acute pancreatitis. He declares that he has no other competing interests. BMJ Relevant topic link - https://bestpractice.bmj.com/topics/en-gb/3000118 - The purpose of this podcast is to educate and to inform. The content of this podcast does not constitute medical advice and it is not intended to function as a substitute for a healthcare practitioner’s judgement, patient care or treatment. The views expressed by contributors are those of the speakers. BMJ does not endorse any views or recommendations discussed or expressed on this podcast. Listeners should also be aware that professionals in the field may have different opinions. By listening to this podcast, listeners agree not to use its content as the basis for their own medical treatment or for the medical treatment of others.

COPD or chronic obstructive pulmonary disease is common. The pooled global prevalence is 15% in men and 9% in women. The expanding epidemic of smoking and the ageing of the population means that its prevalence is increasing. And COPD is a serious disease. It is associated with recurrent pneumonia, cor pulmonale, and respiratory failure. In this BMJ Best Practice podcast, Kieran Walsh talks to Dr. Hanna Sandelowsky, GP, Head of Unit at the Academic Primary Healthcare Centre, and Senior Researcher at Karolinska Institutet in Sweden. - The purpose of this podcast is to educate and to inform. The content of this podcast does not constitute medical advice and it is not intended to function as a substitute for a healthcare practitioner’s judgement, patient care or treatment. The views expressed by contributors are those of the speakers. BMJ does not endorse any views or recommendations discussed or expressed on this podcast. Listeners should also be aware that professionals in the field may have different opinions. By listening to this podcast, listeners agree not to use its content as the basis for their own medical treatment or for the medical treatment of others.

Transient ischemic attacks are common - in the UK, the US and around the world. And they are important – mainly because of the high risk of stroke following a TIA. The risk of stroke is high in the first 7 days. So it is important to get on with diagnosis, investigations, and management as soon as possible. In this BMJ Best Practice podcast, Kieran Walsh talks to Dr Jennifer Simpson, Vascular Neurologist and Associate Professor in the Department of Neurology at the University of Colorado. - The purpose of this podcast is to educate and to inform. The content of this podcast does not constitute medical advice and it is not intended to function as a substitute for a healthcare practitioner’s judgement, patient care or treatment. The views expressed by contributors are those of the speakers. BMJ does not endorse any views or recommendations discussed or expressed on this podcast. Listeners should also be aware that professionals in the field may have different opinions. By listening to this podcast, listeners agree not to use its content as the basis for their own medical treatment or for the medical treatment of others.

Atrial fibrillation is the most common sustained heart rhythm disorder in adults worldwide. The prevalence is between 2% and 4%. If left untreated, atrial fibrillation is a significant risk factor for stroke, myocardial infarction and congestive cardiac failure. So it is important that we get diagnosis and management of this condition right. In this BMJ Best Practice podcast on new-onset atrial fibrillation, Kieran Walsh talks to Bharat Kantharia, Clinical Professor of Medicine, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York. - The purpose of this podcast is to educate and to inform. The content of this podcast does not constitute medical advice and it is not intended to function as a substitute for a healthcare practitioner’s judgement, patient care or treatment. The views expressed by contributors are those of the speakers. BMJ does not endorse any views or recommendations discussed or expressed on this podcast. Listeners should also be aware that professionals in the field may have different opinions. By listening to this podcast, listeners agree not to use its content as the basis for their own medical treatment or for the medical treatment of others.

Axial spondyloarthritis is a chronic progressive inflammatory arthropathy, which ultimately may lead to radiographical changes in the spine and sacroiliac joints. This radiographical stage is known as ankylosing spondylitis. Inflammatory back pain is the hallmark clinical feature. This is defined as back pain that is of insidious onset, is worse in the morning, and improves with exercise. In this podcast, Markku Kauppi, Professor of Rheumatology, Helsinki University, gives a clinical overview of the condition. For more on ankylosing spondylitis, visit BMJ Best Practice: bestpractice.bmj.com/topics/en-gb/366 - The purpose of this podcast is to educate and to inform. The content of this podcast does not constitute medical advice and it is not intended to function as a substitute for a healthcare practitioner’s judgement, patient care or treatment. The views expressed by contributors are those of the speakers. BMJ does not endorse any views or recommendations discussed or expressed on this podcast. Listeners should also be aware that professionals in the field may have different opinions. By listening to this podcast, listeners agree not to use its content as the basis for their own medical treatment or for the medical treatment of others.

Ischaemic stroke is a leading cause of morbidity and mortality. The World Health Organization defines stroke as “a clinical syndrome consisting of rapidly developing clinical signs of focal (or global) disturbance of cerebral function, lasting more than 24 hours or leading to death, with no apparent cause other than that of vascular origin”. David Wang, Professor of Neurology, Barrow Neurological Institute, Phoenix, Arizona, gives us a clinical overview of the condition. For more on ischaemic stroke, visit BMJ Best Practice: bestpractice.bmj.com/topics/en-gb/3000114 - The purpose of this podcast is to educate and to inform. The content of this podcast does not constitute medical advice and it is not intended to function as a substitute for a healthcare practitioner’s judgement, patient care or treatment. The views expressed by contributors are those of the speakers. BMJ does not endorse any views or recommendations discussed or expressed on this podcast. Listeners should also be aware that professionals in the field may have different opinions. By listening to this podcast, listeners agree not to use its content as the basis for their own medical treatment or for the medical treatment of others.

Essential tremor is characterised by a progressive tremor of the upper extremities, present in posture and action, without other neurological signs or symptoms. The prevalence and incidence increases with age, but the condition can appear in early adulthood in those who have a family history. Sheng-Han Kuo, Assistant Professor of Neurology, Columbia University, New York, gives us an overview of the condition. For more on essential tremor, visit BMJ Best Practice: bestpractice.bmj.com/topics/en-gb/1089 - The purpose of this podcast is to educate and to inform. The content of this podcast does not constitute medical advice and it is not intended to function as a substitute for a healthcare practitioner’s judgement, patient care or treatment. The views expressed by contributors are those of the speakers. BMJ does not endorse any views or recommendations discussed or expressed on this podcast. Listeners should also be aware that professionals in the field may have different opinions. By listening to this podcast, listeners agree not to use its content as the basis for their own medical treatment or for the medical treatment of others.

Patients with asthma present with recurrent episodes of shortness of breath, chest tightness, wheezing, or coughing. Examination typically demonstrates an expiratory wheeze; however, in severe asthma there is poor air entry and the chest is silent. Lauren Eggert, Clinical Assistant Professor, Division of Pulmonary, Allergy, and Critical Care Medicine, Stanford University School of Medicine, gives us a clinical overview of the condition. For more on asthma, visit BMJ Best Practice: bestpractice.bmj.com/topics/en-gb/44 - The purpose of this podcast is to educate and to inform. The content of this podcast does not constitute medical advice and it is not intended to function as a substitute for a healthcare practitioner’s judgement, patient care or treatment. The views expressed by contributors are those of the speakers. BMJ does not endorse any views or recommendations discussed or expressed on this podcast. Listeners should also be aware that professionals in the field may have different opinions. By listening to this podcast, listeners agree not to use its content as the basis for their own medical treatment or for the medical treatment of others.