Lyme disease can present a number of particular difficulties in primary care, and these are often linked to clinical findings and the availability and timing of testing. In this podcast, Dr Roger Henderson discusses those and looks at Lyme disease’s three stages — early, disseminated and late — and whether it can be diagnosed clinically if erythema migrans is or is not present. He also looks at diagnostic difficulties and whether acute or convalescent serological testing is helpful. Treatment with antibiotics is also discussed along with prognostic indicators.

Access episode show notes containing key references and take-home points at: https://gpnotebook.com/en-GB/podcasts/infectious-disease/ep-81-lyme-disease.

Did you know? With GPnotebook Pro, you can earn CPD credits by tracking the podcast episodes you listen to. Learn more. 

With tourism having now rebounded from the declines during and after the coronavirus pandemic, our patients are once again travelling globally. But what happens when their destination is 5000 metres above sea level? Many GPs will have been faced with a “travel consultation”, but it can be a daunting prospect when carried out infrequently. What are the risks of high altitude? What medication might be needed? And why might beer taste funny at high altitude? In this episode, Dr James Waldron asks Dr Rashbal Ghattaora about his experiences working at high altitude in Tibet. They discuss how to approach a travel consultation, relevant medications, counselling and much more.

Access episode show notes containing key references and take-home points at: https://gpnotebook.com/en-GB/podcasts/general-information/ep-80-altitude-medicine-heightening-understanding-of-travel-consultations.

Did you know? With GPnotebook Pro, you can earn CPD credits by tracking the podcast episodes you listen to. Learn more. 

The number of young people struggling with anxiety and depression seems to be on the rise and resources to help these young people are increasingly stretched. In this episode, Dr Kate Chesterman and Dr Dave Ledward (GP with an interest in mental health) discuss the growing problem of managing the mental health of children. They focus on the vital role that parents and caregivers play in supporting young people through emotional turmoil and discuss the educational sessions that Dave has run for the families of young people with mental health issues. Dave discusses some of the pitfalls and traps that caregivers can fall into when trying to support their young people and shares his top tips for parents and professionals to help manage an emotional crisis.

Access episode show notes containing key references and take-home points at: https://gpnotebook.com/en-GB/podcasts/mental-health/ep-79-child-mental-health.

Did you know? With GPnotebook Pro, you can earn CPD credits by tracking the podcast episodes you listen to. Learn more. 

In this episode, Dr Hannah Rosa is joined by Dr Shan, a GP colleague and father to Oscar, an 8-week-old baby. Together, they go through the 6-week baby check, while discussing the recently updated guidance from Public Health England. They also explore the key role that the examination plays in screening for a variety of physical conditions, which, if picked up early, can make a huge difference to the future health of a child.

Access episode show notes containing key references and take-home points at: https://gpnotebook.com/en-GB/podcasts/paediatrics/ep-78-the-6-week-baby-check.

Did you know? With GPnotebook Pro, you can earn CPD credits by tracking the podcast episodes you listen to. Learn more. 

In this podcast, Dr Kate Chesterman discusses recurrent urinary tract infection (UTI). She covers the pathophysiology, some risk factors for UTI recurrence and treatment options including lifestyle changes and the use of antimicrobials. She also focuses on non-antimicrobial management, including the current advice regarding the use of probiotics, cranberry products, D-mannose and methenamine hippurate.

Access episode show notes containing key references and take-home points at: https://gpnotebook.com/en-GB/podcasts/urology/ep-77-recurrent-urinary-tract-infection.

Did you know? With GPnotebook Pro, you can earn CPD credits by tracking the podcast episodes you listen to. Learn more. 

In this follow-up to episode 52, Dr James Waldron and Mr Sam Dobson (Consultant Gynaecologist, Sub-specialist in Reproductive Medicine and BMS-accredited Menopause Specialist) consider the impact of menopause on libido. They talk through the physical and psychological features of menopause that can lead to a reduction in libido, the conversations and initial investigations in primary care, and consider available options for the management of menopause-related loss of libido, including topical and systemic hormone replacement therapy (HRT) and testosterone.

Access episode show notes containing key references and take-home points at: https://gpnotebook.com/en-GB/podcasts/gynaecology/ep-76-passing-the-test-of-testosterone-replacement-menopause-and-hormone-replacement-therapy-part-2-test.

Did you know? With GPnotebook Pro, you can earn CPD credits by tracking the podcast episodes you listen to. Learn more. 

The call to adventure is felt by many and general practice is a career that can take you there! As GPs grow their portfolios, they look for interesting and unusual ways to forge their own paths. This can take them all round the world (and back again). In this follow-up to episode 71, Drs James and Rebecca Waldron continue their discussion about Rebecca's 3-month voyage with the marine conservation charity Sea Shepherd. As the boat's medic, she tended to crew members' daily illnesses, performed infection control during a COVID outbreak, and provided emotional support.

Access episode show notes containing key references and take-home points at: https://gpnotebook.com/en-GB/podcasts/general-information/ep-75-expedition-medicine-part-2.

Did you know? With GPnotebook Pro, you can earn CPD credits by tracking the podcast episodes you listen to. Learn more. 

In this episode, Dr Kate Chesterman is joined by Dr Alex Brightwell (Consultant Paediatrician with a specialism in allergy) and Liz Ingham (Lead Paediatric Allergy Dietician), both of whom work at the Norfolk and Norwich University Hospital. Together, they explore paediatric dietary allergies. They discuss cow’s milk protein allergy (CMPA), including: its different types, how to differentiate it from other causes of unsettled infant behaviour and the importance of de-challenging and rechallenging to make the diagnosis. Furthermore, they offer practical advice for breastfeeding mothers, as well as covering the indications for the different formula milks. They highlight the importance of maintaining balanced nutritional intake for infants and breast-feeding mums and avoiding unnecessary exclusion diets. They finish by discussing the current evidence and advice regarding early introduction of potentially allergenic foods in infants at risk of food allergies.

Access episode show notes containing key references and take-home points at: https://gpnotebook.com/en-GB/podcasts/paediatrics/ep-74-paediatric-dietary-allergy.

Did you know? With GPnotebook Pro, you can earn CPD credits by tracking the podcast episodes you listen to. Learn more. 

In this episode, Dr Kate Chesterman talks to Dr Briony Arrowsmith, who is a Consultant Paediatrician at the Haven, a sexual assault referral centre in London. They discuss the many and varied ways that sexual abuse can present, as well as the considerations surrounding who the abuse should be disclosed to. They talk through the physical health concerns that need to be addressed and the role of the sexual assault referral centre in the care of abused children and their families. Finally, they discuss agencies that can offer ongoing psychological support to children, families and healthcare practitioners who have been affected by cases of abuse.

Access episode show notes containing key references and take-home points at: https://gpnotebook.com/en-GB/podcasts/paediatrics/ep-73-sexual-abuse-in-children.

Did you know? With GPnotebook Pro, you can earn CPD credits by tracking the podcast episodes you listen to. Learn more. 

In this episode, which has been recorded for Chronic Conditions Month 2023, Dr Yassir Javaid (GP with a Specialist Interest in Cardiology) discusses auscultation of the heart sounds. Auscultation is an important aspect of the cardiac examination and can give an indication of significant underlying structural heart disease – particularly valve disease, which is becoming increasingly prevalent as the population ages. But which patients should be auscultated and what specifically should clinicians be listening for? Dr Javaid answers these questions with reference to audio examples of heart sounds and murmurs, and it is highly recommended to listen to this episode using good-quality headphones.

Access episode show notes containing key references and take-home points at: https://gpnotebook.com/en-GB/podcasts/cardiovascular-medicine/ep-72-back-to-basics-heart-sounds-and-cardiac-examination.

Did you know? With GPnotebook Pro, you can earn CPD credits by tracking the podcast episodes you listen to. Learn more.