The BMJ Best Practice podcast publishes interviews with clinical experts, aimed at healthcare professionals and students with an interest in keeping up to date with the latest scientific developments, evidence-based medicine and guidelines. 

BMJ Best Practice is ranked one of the best clinical decision support tools for health professionals worldwide.* Structured around the clinical workflow and updated daily, BMJ Best Practice uses the latest evidence-based research, guidelines and expert opinion to offer step-by-step guidance on diagnosis, prognosis, treatment and prevention.

bestpractice.bmj.com

*Kwag KH, González-Lorenzo M, Banzi R, Bonovas S, Moja L. Providing Doctors With High-Quality Information: An Updated Evaluation of Web-Based Point-of-Care Information Summaries

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.

BMJ Best Practice Podcast

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.

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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.

New-onset atrial fibrillation

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

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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.

Acute pancreatitis

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 talks to Dr. Rajiv Mohanraj, Consultant Neurologist and Honorary Senior Lecturer at the Manchester Centre for Clinical Neurosciences

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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.

Status epilepticus

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.

Herpes zoster infection

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.

Data and healthcare

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 BMJ Best Practice podcast, Kieran Walsh talks to Delaram Safarpour, Assistant Professor of Neurology at Oregon Health & Science University.

Competing interests: DS has received honoraria for participation in advisory boards for Boston Scientific (the manufacturer of Deep Brain Stimulation devices) and Abbvie (the manufacturer of Duopa). She has received consultation fees from Abbott (the manufacturer of Deep Brain Stimulation devices). DS has received an institutional grant and has received an honorarium for lectures from the Parkinson’s Study Group.

Parkinson's disease

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, Dermatologist and Dermatopathologist, Northeast Dermatology Associates, Portsmouth, New Hampshire. Competing interests: none declared

Rosacea: an update on diagnosis and management

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

Hypothermia: an update on diagnosis and management

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

Bell's palsy: an update on diagnosis and management

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 carotid artery stenosis, Kieran Walsh talks to Brajesh Lal, Professor of Vascular Surgery, University of Maryland School of Medicine and Professor of Neurology, Mayo Clinic. 

Competing interests: None

Carotid artery stenosis: an update on diagnosis and management

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.

Data, AI, oncology and patients

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 condition right. In this BMJ Best Practice podcast on osteoarthritis, Kieran Walsh talks to Fadi Badlissi, Assistant Professor at Harvard Medical School and Director of the Musculoskeletal Medicine Unit at Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center in Boston. Competing interests: None

Osteoarthritis

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 Institute in London.

Competing interests: none declared

Halitosis: an update on diagnosis and management

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 compression, Kieran Walsh talks with Professor Kenneth Casey, Clinical Associate Professor in Neurosurgery at Michigan State University and Clinical Associate Professor in Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation at Wayne State University School of Medicine.

Competing interests: none declared

We release episodes fortnightly.

Spinal cord compression: an update on diagnosis and management

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 cluster headache, Kieran Walsh talks with Professor Amaal Starling, Associate Professor of Neurology at the Department of Neurology in the Mayo Clinic.

Further resources: clusterbusters.org/.

Competing interests: AS has received consulting fees from AbbVie, Allergan, Amgen, Axsome Therapeutics, Everyday Health, Lundbeck, Med-IQ, Medscape, Neurolief, Satsuma, and WebMD.

We release episodes fortnightly.

Cluster headache: an update on diagnosis and management

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. Sajjad Mahmood, Consultant Ophthalmic Surgeon, Medical Retina Specialist, and Honorary Clinical Lecturer at the University of Manchester.

For more on age-related macular degeneration, visit BMJ Best Practice: bestpractice.bmj.com/topics/en-gb/554

Competing interests: SM has done consultancy work and received honoraria for lecturing and travel from Bayer Pharmaceuticals and Novartis. He has also been a principal investigator for clinical trials on behalf of Bayer, Novartis, and Roche.

Age-related macular degeneration: an update on diagnosis and management

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 Hospitals NHS Trust.

For more on snoring, visit BMJ Best Practice: bestpractice.bmj.com/topics/en-gb/1035

Competing interests: SM has no competing interests

Snoring

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, Associate Professor of Clinical Medicine at The Division of Digestive Health and Liver Diseases in University of Miami Miller School of Medicine.

For more on GORD, visit BMJ Best Practice: bestpractice.bmj.com/topics/en-gb/82

Competing interests: None

Gastro-oesophageal reflux disease (GORD)

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 about it, Kieran Walsh, Clinical Director at BMJ, speaks with Professor Lance LeClerc, Associate Professor of Orthopedic Surgery at Vanderbilt University Medical Centre in Nashville.  

For more on adhesive capsulitis, visit BMJ Best Practice: bestpractice.bmj.com/topics/en-gb/1043

Competing interests: None

Adhesive capsulitis

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 Psychiatrist with expertise in digital health.

BMJ Best Practice Podcast

BMJ talk medicine