Welcome back to the Hot Topics podcast from NB Medical with Dr Neal Tucker. In this episode, we look at three new pieces of research and have a special interview in conjunction with Prostate Cancer UK. First, do antidepressants have physiological side effects? How do they compare to each other, and how does this influence what we prescribe to whom? Second, exercise is a key treatment for knee osteoarthritis, but which type is best? What should we recommend to our patients? Third, h...

Welcome to the Hot Topics podcast from NB Medical with Dr Neal Tucker! In this episode, we talk about some real research rather than stuff made up by over-tanned heads of state. Three papers. First, can researchers fill the gap on whether anti-inflammatory reliever therapy is best for mild asthma? Second, how effective are SCAN pathways for suspected cancer in patients with non-specific symptoms who don't meet site-specific referral criteria, and what lessons can we learn from yea...

Welcome back to the Hot Topics podcast from NB Medical with Dr Neal Tucker. In this new season, we chat to Dr Simon Curtis about the upcoming Autumn 2025 Hot Topics course, then discuss three new pieces of research. First, in the Lancet, which are the best anti-hypertensives, what effect does increasing a dose actually have and how good are combinations? Second, in the NEJM, does giving all the drugs improve CKD outcomes? The case for finerenone and empagliflozin. Third, do ADHD drugs help ou...

Welcome to the Hot Topics podcast from NB Medical with Dr Neal Tucker. I hope you are all enjoying the summer and that your IT treats you well. In this podcast, we have two new studies to think about. First, should children with gastroenteritis be given anti-emetics? Would ondansetron help and improve outcomes? Second, can methotrexate help knee osteoarthritis? It would be great if this would work, but hope only gets us so far. What does the research show? References NEJM Ondanset...

Welcome to the Hot Topics podcast from NB Medical with Dr Neal Tucker. While everyone tries to unpick the new NHS 10-year plan, we focus on the here and now with three new pieces of research. We kick off with two gems in the BJGP - first, examining whether anti-depressants actually help with insomnia, and second, whether anti-depressants cause postural hypotension in older people, and which may be the worst. Finally, we look at a good news story, with data publishing on a new treatment for ca...

Welcome to the Hot Topics podcast from NB Medical with Dr Neal Tucker. In this episode, we look at three new pieces of research with implications for general practice. Firstly, can exercise prevent the recurrence of colorectal cancer? Short answer, yes. But how much exercise did you need to do, and what on earth is a MET? Secondly, what are the concerns around low-dose amitriptyline use for IBS from patients and GPs? How can we aid the discussion? Finally, can SLGT2 inhibitors imp...

Welcome to the Hot Topics podcast from NB Medical with Dr Neal Tucker. In this edition, we look at three new pieces of research. First, in the BMJ, a paper exploring whether a GP-led psychological intervention can help PTSD symptoms in our patients after ICU. Could this also be successful for other forms of trauma? Second, in the Lancet, research looking at whether semaglutide can improve walking distance in patients with diabetes and intermittent claudication. Finally, in the BJGP, can a pra...

Welcome to the Hot Topics podcast from NB Medical with Dr Neal Tucker. In this episode, we are joined by Dr Stephen Bradley, lead author of a new paper published in the BJGP looking at rates of CXR use in general practice and how this influences lung cancer stage at diagnosis and mortality. He discusses the findings of his research and how this might influence our practice. In other research, we look at a new paper in the BMJ on orthostatic HYPERtension - yes, you read that correc...

Welcome to the Hot Topics podcast from NB Medical with Dr Neal Tucker. In this episode, we look at three new papers with practice-changing consequences. Firstly, can treating partners of women with bacterial vaginosis prevent recurrence? Secondly, can semaglutide be effective in alcohol misuse? Finally, is tirzepatide an effective treatment for pre-diabetes in people with obesity (take a guess...!)? References NEJM Male partner treatment for BV JAMA Psychiatry GLP1a & alcohol NEJM T...

Welcome to the Hot Topics podcast with Dr Neal Tucker. This is the fourth in our series of special podcasts where we talk to interesting and influential people from the world of general practice. In this interview, we talk to Dr Helen Salisbury, GP & BMJ columnist. A working GP for more than 20 years, Helen has also reached the wider medical community through her regular column in the BMJ. A fierce advocate for general practice, we talk about her career, how general practice has change...

Welcome to the Hot Topics podcast from NB Medical with Dr Neal Tucker. This week we look at three new pieces of research. First, we have a paper in the BMJ exploring arterial thrombosis risk with modern hormonal contraceptives including newer treatments such as the combined patch and ring. Second, we have a BJGP paper looking at which type of safety net advice is the most effective. Finally, a new paper in JAMA Internal Medicine collates trials on anti-virals for influenza. Can any of them ...

Welcome to the Hot Topics podcast with Dr Neal Tucker. This is the third in our series of special podcasts where we talk to interesting and influential people from the world of general practice.In this interview, we talk to Dr Euan Lawson, GP and editor of the BJGP. The journal will be familiar to all clinicians in general practice and has gone from strength to strength over the past few years. We talk about his career and how he became editor, discuss the world of research including the most...

Welcome to the Hot Topics podcast from NB Medical with Dr Neal Tucker. A belated Happy New Year! In our round-up of new research, we look at three papers. Firstly, what have been the effects of increased hybrid working in general practice, particularly with the introduction of digital tools and triage? Secondly, do patient decisions aids help patients with choices on anticoagulation in AF and does this help us? Finally, can appendicitis be safely treated with antibiotics and could we be doing...

Welcome to the Hot Topics podcast from NB Medical with Dr Neal Tucker. It's Christmas time and that means a song to get you in the festive spirit. We'll be back with the regular podcast in the New Year. Happy holidays everyone!Nealwww.nbmedical.com/podcast

Welcome to the Hot Topics podcast with Dr Neal Tucker. This is the second in a series of special podcasts where we talk to interesting and influential people in general practice.In this interview we talk to Dr Katie Bramall-Stainer, GP and chair of the BMA GPC England, who is currently leading much of UK general practice through 'collective action'. We talk about her career and how she came to her current role, about the BMA collective action in England and what impact this is achieving, and ...

Welcome to the Hot Topics podcast from NB Medical with Dr Neal Tucker. In this edition, we look at three new research papers.Firstly, can eating chocolate actually reduce our chance of type 2 diabetes? Sounds too good to be true... Secondly, could a blood test predict your 30-year cardiovascular risk? Finally, how does general practice access going digital affect minoritised ethnic populations? Look out next week for the second of our special interviews. We talk to Dr Katie Bramall-Stainer, c...

Welcome to the Hot Topics podcast with Dr Neal Tucker. This is the first in a series of special podcasts where we talk to the movers and shakers of general practice. We will talk to people in GP politics, leadership, media and research and discuss how their careers evolved, how they see current general practice and how they may be influencing the future of the specialism. We start with Dr Claire Fuller, GP and current primary care medical director for NHS England. Hugely influential, you will...

Welcome to the latest Hot Topics Podcast from NB Medical with Dr Neal Tucker. In this episode, we look at two new papers on the drugs de jour: GLP1 receptor agonists and SGLT2 inhibitors. Can the former reduce pain in knee osteoarthritis and can the latter prevent recurrent renal stones? Our third paper is a consensus paper published in the BJGP on optimising PSA testing for the early detection of prostate cancer in asymptomatic men. Sponsored by Prostate Cancer UK, Neal is joined by Dr Alex ...

Welcome to the Hot Topics podcast from NB Medical with Dr Neal Tucker. In this episode, we have three exciting new papers. Firstly, in the BMJ a network meta-analysis on acute migraine treatments - can the new GEPANTs drugs beat existing therapies? Secondly, a paper in NEJM does screening for prostate cancer using MRI actually help? Finally in the BJGP can first contact physio be better than a GP appointment? Listen on! ReferencesBMJ Acute migraine therapiesNEJM Prostate cancer screening with...

Welcome to Season 6 of the Hot Topics podcast with Dr Neal Tucker. The summer holidays are over and it’s back to work so time for a new podcast. In this episode, we look at research on whether SGLT2i might prevent dementia, on if it is safer to de-escalate sooner rather than later from dual anti-platelet therapy post-MI, and how effective is the new RSV vaccine at preventing hospitalisation in older people.ReferencesBMJ - SGLT2i & dementiaLancet - De-escalation of DAPT post-MIJAMA - RSV V...