Articles
Thermal Burns: Background and Pathophysiology
Thermal burns are a significant cause of morbidity and mortality, but following the Advanced Trauma Life Support (ATLS) basic principles of initial trauma resuscitation and initiating simple emergency measures can significantly minimise their effect. It is estimated...
Managing Acne in Primary Care
Acne vulgaris is a very common condition that affects children around the time of puberty. Virtually every teenager experiences a few ‘spots’, but approximately 15% will suffer acne of a severity that requires treatment. Acne seems like a trivial issue, but it can...
Compartments and Fluid Spaces in Health
The amount of water in the body varies with a patient’s age, weight, and sex. Total body water (TBW) accounts for around 60% of an adult male’s total body weight; a normally hydrated 75 kg man will consist of approximately 45 L of water. There are two major fluid...
Dr. Joseph Bell: The Real Life Sherlock Holmes
I have been fascinated with the detective Sherlock Holmes since childhood. His almost supernatural powers of observation and deduction in stories such as ‘The Sign of the Four’, ‘The Speckled Band’, and ‘A Study in Scarlet’ captivated me and I have re-read them many...
Hyperthyroidism
Hyperthyroidism is a clinical syndrome that results from an excess of circulating thyroid hormones. It is more common in women, and the incidence increases with age. In Europe, it affects approximately 1 in 2,000 people annually. Aetiology Hyperthyroidism can...
Hypothyroidism
Hypothyroidism is a clinical syndrome that results from a deficiency of circulating thyroid hormones. It affects women more commonly than men and is most frequently seen in the over 60s. The term myxoedema refers to a more severe form of the syndrome where there has...
Parkinson’s Disease Update
Parkinson's disease (PD) is a progressive neurodegenerative condition resulting from the death of the dopamine-containing cells of the substantia nigra. Epidemiology Parkinson’s disease is the second most common neurodegenerative disorder after Alzheimer’s...
Acute Epiglottitis
Acute epiglottitis is inflammation of the epiglottis. When there is involvement of the soft tissues surrounding the epiglottis, then it is referred to as acute supraglottitis. It can result in life-threatening airway obstruction and death if rapid treatment is not...
The Russian Plague of 1770-1772
In the summer of 2016 a 10-year-old Russian boy cut himself skinning a marmot whilst hunting with his grandfather in the remote Kosh-Agach region in the Atlai Mountains. A few days later he developed a fever and a flu-like illness and was taken to a local hospital. He...
Managing Hypertension in Primary Care
Hypertension is one of the most important risk factors for premature morbidity and mortality in the UK. It is a major risk factor for stroke, myocardial infarction, heart failure, cognitive decline and premature death. A recent JAMA paper from 2018 labelled...
