BMJ Best Practice Podcast

Learn about the diagnosis and management of osteoarthritis, including the importance of X-rays, weight management, exercise, and different treatment options. Expert insights discuss the use of injections, pitfalls in drug therapy, and potential future treatments and surgeries for cartilage building.

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 Health. Flatiron Health is a healthtech company that specialises in data science and oncology. Competing interests: AS is an employee of Flatiron Health Inc, an independent subsidiary of Roche, and holds stock in Roche.

Brajesh Lal, a renowned Professor of Vascular Surgery at the University of Maryland and of Neurology at the Mayo Clinic, shares his expertise on carotid artery stenosis. He dives into the intricacies of diagnosis, highlighting diagnostic techniques like ultrasound and velocity analysis. Lal discusses the importance of intensive medical management and explores the debate around screening asymptomatic patients. He provides insights on carotid endarterectomy, potential risks, and the timing of interventions after TIAs, all crucial for effectively preventing strokes.

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 BMJ Best Practice podcast, Kieran Walsh talks with Professor Matthew Miller about Bell's palsy. Matt is Assistant Professor Otolaryngology and Head and Neck Surgery, University of North Carolina Chapel Hill. Competing interests: none declared

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 BMJ Best Practice podcast, Kieran Walsh talks to Dr Alexander Alexiou, Emergency Medicine Consultant, Barts Health NHS Trust about hypothermia. Competing interests: none declared

In this discussion, Dr. Abel Jarrell, a dermatologist and dermatopathologist, sheds light on rosacea, a common inflammatory skin condition affecting many. He highlights the importance of accurate diagnosis, detailing symptoms like persistent redness and papules. Dr. Jarrell discusses various treatment options, including topical agents and light therapies, and emphasizes the need for personalized management. He also cautions against misdiagnosis and the significance of identifying triggers, offering valuable insights for both patients and practitioners.

Delaram Safarpour, an Assistant Professor of Neurology at Oregon Health & Science University, dives into the complexities of Parkinson's disease. She outlines how it presents with both motor and non-motor symptoms, including key diagnostic signs and the importance of careful patient history. Delaram discusses the role of levodopa and the trade-offs with dopamine agonists, alongside treatment for associated issues like depression and cognitive decline. Practical advice on managing symptoms and recognizing atypical syndromes rounds out her insights.

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, credible, and AI-ready content. In this BMJ Best Practice podcast on healthcare and data, Kieran Walsh talks to Professor Dipak Kalra, President of The European Institute for Innovation through Health Data.

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.