Paroxysmal atrial fibrillation - The BMJ
Dec 30, 2021 · What you need to know • More than half of patients with atrial fibrillation are either asymptomatic or have mild symptoms, and none of the classic symptoms of atrial fibrillation have high diagnostic sensitivity • Since paroxysmal atrial fibrillation cannot be excluded by normal 12 lead ECG or short term Holter monitoring, consider prolonged monitoring in symptomatic …
Gout: diagnosis and management—summary of NICE guidance
Aug 30, 2022 · ### What you need to know Gout is a painful and debilitating condition with long term complications, including joint damage and renal stones. Although gout flares are often treated with NSAIDs, colchicine or steroids, those with gout often continue to have flares which could have been prevented with lifestyle modification or urate lowering medication. However, …
Interpreting iron studies | The BMJ
Jun 15, 2017 · #### What you need to know A 63 year old woman visits her doctor with a three month history of fatigue and generalised joint pains. Her medical history is unremarkable and she reports no recent stress, infection, or weight loss. There are no abnormalities on clinical examination. Haemoglobin, creatinine, and electrolytes, liver enzymes, glucose, inflammatory …
Vitamin B12 deficiency: NICE guideline summary | The BMJ
Jun 13, 2024 · Vitamin B 12 deficiency is associated with a range of symptoms and signs, resulting in substantial variation in patient presentation. While epidemiological data are limited, cross sectional studies from the UK and US suggest a prevalence of 3% in people aged 20-39, increasing with age up to about 20% in people aged 85 and over.1 2 Complications of vitamin …
Quality improvement into practice | The BMJ
Mar 31, 2020 · Box 1 Definitions of quality improvement. Improvement in patient outcomes, system performance, and professional development that results from a combined, multidisciplinary approach in how change is delivered.3 The delivery of healthcare with improved outcomes and lower cost through continuous redesigning of work processes and systems.4 …
Impact of vaping on respiratory health | The BMJ
Jul 18, 2022 · Widespread uptake of vaping has signaled a sea change in the future of nicotine consumption. Vaping has grown in popularity over the past decade, in part propelled by innovations in vape pen design and nicotine flavoring. Teens and young adults have seen the biggest uptake in use of vape pens, which have superseded conventional cigarettes as the …
Essential tremor: diagnosis and management - The BMJ
Essential tremor is one of the most common movement disorders in adults and can affect both children and adults. An updated consensus statement in 2018 redefined essential tremor as an isolated action tremor present in bilateral upper extremities for at least three years. Tremor may also be present in other locations, commonly the neck or the vocal cords. Patients with …
Postural hypotension - The BMJ
Apr 23, 2021 · ### What you need to know Postural hypotension, also called orthostatic hypotension, is an abnormal drop in blood pressure on standing. It impairs quality of life and increases risk of falls, cardiovascular disease, depression, dementia, and death.1234 Early detection in patients with symptoms or certain risk factors may prevent some of these …
Investigating raised creatine kinase | The BMJ
Jun 23, 2021 · A 76 year old man with hypercholesterolaemia is referred to the lipid clinic because of persistently raised creatine kinase activity of 1000 IU/L or above (reference range 40-320 IU/L) after trying multiple statins. He describes no significant myalgia but had some proximal muscle weakness, which is demonstrated when he stands up from a seated position and when …
Covid-19: Two rare vaccine side effects detected in large ... - The BMJ
Feb 26, 2024 · The largest vaccine safety study to date has identified two new, but very rare, side effects associated with covid-19 vaccines—transverse myelitis and acute disseminated encephalomyelitis. The Global Vaccine Data Network cohort study included 99 million vaccinated people from 10 sites across eight countries. Researchers compared the observed with …