Tachyarrhythmias are abnormal heart rhythms with a pulse rate of >100 beats per minute (bpm). This can be due to a variety of causes, including physiological and pathological, and is a commonly encountered issue whilst on the wards – a patient’s heart rate contributes to their NEWS score (National Early Warning Score) and thus may
Bronchiectasis is a chronic respiratory condition characterised by the irreversible widening and scarring of the bronchi, leading to recurrent infections and a decline in lung function. While relatively rare, bronchiectasis can be a debilitating condition that severely impacts a patient’s quality of life. It is important to recognise the signs and symptoms of bronchiectasis, as
Myocarditis (derived from ‘myocardium’ = cardiac muscle, and -itis = inflammation) describes the inflammation of the muscular layer of the heart, the ‘myocardium’. The myocardium forms the majority of the atrial and ventricular wall thickness, with the pericardium superficial (surrounding the myocardium) and the endocardium deep (beneath the myocardium). The pericardium is formed of two
In this guide, we’ll walk you through how to set up local, regional and national teaching programmes with top tips we’ve learnt over the last several years of running programmes ourselves. We include top resources to make your life a lot easier. We welcome your questions and we offer our personalised help if you want
The Multiple Specialty Recruitment Assessment (MSRA) is a computer-based exam increasingly being used by many different specialties as part of core training applications. For all specialties, the MSRA score will contribute to or be the sole consideration for shortlisting candidates for limited interview slots for each specialty. Subsequently, the MSRA score will also (often) contribute
Cortisol is the body’s natural steroid (glucocorticoid) which helps maintain blood pressure, blood glucose, sodium balance and suppress inflammation. It is a critical hormone which if not replaced when needed could result in life-threatening adrenal crisis. In this article, we discuss diagnosis, emergency management and discuss steroid-induced adrenal suppression.
INTRODUCTION This article covers common gastroenterological presenting complaints seen in primary care. Presentations covered are: dyspepsia, diarrhoea, PR bleeding, constipation and deranged LFTs. DYSPEPSIA Definition Spectrum of upper GI symptoms including epigastric pain and heartburn and acid reflux. Can be categorised into functional causes vs. structural causes (e.g. GORD, PUD, GI malignancies) Overview of causes Management
In this article, we give an overview of the most important and serious haematological emergencies that junior doctors should know about! Neutropenic sepsis Case 1: 54-year-old woman Recent new diagnosis of a high-grade lymphoma Received R-CHOP chemotherapy 7 days ago Presents to ED with a fever of 38c What could be going on here? What
Skin cancers have one of the highest global incidences of any type of cancer. Early diagnosis and management of melanoma can be life-saving. Junior doctors are in a position to spot such lesions and it is therefore important to be able to recognise them. The different types of skin cancer can usually be identified clinically,
Bradyarrhythmias are abnormal heart rhythms with a pulse rate of <60 beats per minute (bpm). This can be due to a variety of causes, including sinus node disease, atrioventricular disease, or toxins. Although the definition of bradyarrhythmia (brady- = slow, arrhythmia = abnormal rhythm) is defined as a heart rate (HR) <60bpm, many patients remain
