Frailty

Frailty is a term we commonly encounter in urgent and emergency care, but can you actually define it? Have you been taught to use frailty scores, and do you know what they're for?
This month we've partnered with the fantastic MDTea podcast to look at the subject.

As always, find the article at www.generalbroadcast.org.uk
and check out the other fantastic resources from the MDTea at: thehearingaidpodcasts.org.uk/mdtea-podcast/

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Silver Trauma

Silver trauma is the term that is most commonly used to describe trauma in older patients. It is often used to refer to major trauma in this patient group and rates of major trauma in the over 65s are rising.
This month we're looking at the physiological changes that occur with ageing and trying to understand how these impact our older patients who suffer trauma.

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Paediatrics: Fever

When you think of Paediatrics medicine, the presentation of fever is probably not far behind. This is a common finding by paramedics and ambulance staff need to be confident in their assessment and management of this patient group.

Thats why this month we're tackling paediatric fever, with the help from paediatrics consultant Dr Wajeeh Khattam

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Aortic Pathologies

Diseases affecting the Aorta have been known for Centuries and were, historically, due to trauma or infectious disease. The Scientific advances of the 17th and 18th Centuries saw huge leaps in our understanding of anatomy, biology, medicine and germ theory and, as a result, the near disappearance of syphillitic aneurysms and an increasing understanding of how to successfully manage these conditions. But with the modern world comes modern problems - as our diets and lifestyles have changed, we have seen the emergence and rise of atherosclerotic degenerative aneurysms, inflammatory arterial disease and aortic dissection. These conditions, often misunderstood and misdiagnosed, can present a challenge to clinicians in the pre-hospital arena. So, this month, we're looking at some Aortic disease pathologies and everything you aorta know about them.

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Overdose: Cocaine

Cocaine might be a drug you associate with the 1980s, however, a 2018 audit found that it was still the 2nd most used recreational drug within the UK. Deaths associated with cocaine doubled between 2015 and 2018. 2019 marks the highest deaths on record linked to cocaine use after 8 years of successive increase.

This month we’re looking at the pathophysiology of cocaine, the symptoms involved with toxicity and what we need to do to manage these patients.

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Lower Back Pain

Affecting an estimated 80% of the population at some time in their lives, Lower back pain is a common presentation to ambulance crews. Often this will be muscular in origin, however there are many serious conditions that is im portant ambulance staff are able to recognise and diagnose. This month we’re looking at the assessment and managment of these varied differential diagnoses from Cauda Equina Syndrome to Discitis.

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Adult Head Injury

Every year in England and wales 1.4 million people attend A+E with a head injury.
Ultimately, 90% of people end up being diagnosed with a minor head injury and are discharged.

This week we’re tackling the assessment of Adult head injuries, we’ll go through some red flags to be aware of as well as how to appropriately safety net our patients.

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