Are you well aware of the health risks to adults from air pollution, but want to know more about the risk to pregnant women and their unborn children? Your ears are in the right place. The wonderful Professor Cathy Thornton helps us pick apart: The effects of air pollution on mothers, fetuses and pregnancy outcomes. The long-term effects on children. The evidence behind this. What you can do to help. We will be having a break from JournalSpotting for a few months! But don't unsubscribe. We...

Wondering how we have reached 2023, you still are the only one in the hospital who can do an LP overnight, half your patients have dementia with no cure, and people are still researching vitamin C? Your ears are in the right place Dr Barney Hirons flies solo and covers: The best dementia trials from the last few months: Blood pressure reduction reduces risk. Ultra-processed food worsens cognition. Correcting hearing loss corrects the risk. Ketones for Alzheimer’s. Really? Lecanemab in...

Aware that microplastics are bad for the environment but want to better understand their effects on human health? Your ears are in the right place. We chat with the brilliant Professor Barbro Melgert from the University of Groningen, Netherlands.  Don't know her? She is an expert performing cutting-edge research on the effects of microplastics on humans and shares with us her fascinating, if not daunting, findings. We cover: What microplastics are. How they form. Where they are found...

Love a Christmas tune? Ever wondered if the lyrics are detrimental or beneficial to health? Your ears are in the right place! LJ and Barney, with help from Jon, performed a thematic analysis of the top 41 Christmas song lyrics from 2021, then completed a semi-systematic review analysing their risks and benefits to health! The conclusion? A list of recommendations on which songs to listen to, and which to avoid based on their underlying health messages. We cover the risks and benefits...

Worried that the ocean is dying, and your favourite dolphin may well become extinct?! Want to know what you can do to help? Your ears are in the right place Firstly LJ and Barney outline the good and bad of COP27. Barney then interviews the inspiring Dr Richard Hixson, chair of Healthcare Ocean. We cover: Why the oceans are essential for the planet. Why the oceans are at risk. The biggest problem sources. The role of healthcare. The importance of NHS procurement, and what needs to...

Barney, LJ, and Jon are back with all the most interesting and practice-changing articles published in the last month: 💉Should I exercise before my next COVID Jab? Does magnesium work in COPD exacerbations and should we give fewer antibiotics? 📽Is a colonoscopy a good way to screen for cancer? 🧂Should we restrict salt in HFPEF? Why does skin colour matter when it comes to CPR? 🕺Things you can do: Support the show by buying us a coffee (or monetary equivalent)!Visit the website Follow us on...

Want to understand the planetary impact of the medications you prescribe, whilst enjoying your high tea? Your ears are in the right place. ClimateZone host Dr LJ Smith discusses the role of pharmacy with the awesome Tracy Lyons and Minna Eii, co-founders of the excellent organisation Pharmacy Declares. In the interview, we discuss: Carbon lifecycles of medications. How Carbon is not the whole problem. How climate change is affecting procurement and storage of vital meds. What healthcare...

Wondering what to do with the post-op patient in front of you with new AF, who drinks buckets of tea, takes multivitamins for dinner, and is just getting over pneumonia?  Your ears are in the right place. Jon and Barney tackle 2 topics of recent research: latest evidence in diet and 'secondary' AF. Articles we digest for your spongey brains: Diet etc: Tea reduces mortality! MortaliTEA! Flavanoids in CVD / cerebrovascular disease Link with Ca and hot tea Time-restricted eating vs not Fasting...

Want to get active fighting Climate Change, but need some inspiration on things to do, people to talk to and a large dose of Climate Joy? Your ears are in the right place. We talk to the incredible medical students: MEHAJABEEN FARID, MARINA POLITIS, & LIZZIE O'BRIEN. They are fighting Climate Change. This wide-ranging discussion covers COP26, activism, medical education, Climate anxiety, Climate Joy, the pressure on the younger generation, and how YOU can get involved. LJ and Barney...

Were your school teachers right? Are psychedelics really dangerous tree hugging hippy drugs? Or are they safe medications that might play a crucial role in modern medicine?  Your ears are in the right place. Fascinating discussion with psychedlic medicine expert Prof Allan Young on: The history of Psychedlics. How they work. The evidence behind them. The risks & the benefits. What is currently being investgated. What the future holds. Get up to date. Help us grow! Share us everywhere...

Confused over which drink to offer your patients? Orange juice or Coffee? Is the sugar bad for them, or is caffeine worse? Which has more fibre? Don’t those septic people need vitamin C? Your ears are in the right place. Dr Camille and Barnaby Hirons cover the latest and greatest in the medical literature including: 4-hour ED targets - useless government orders or life savers? Choosing wisely - the most low-value care which we need to scrap Thunderstorm Asthma - it exists! And it may pose...

Feel even more anxious about the climate crisis after the termostat hit 40 degrees? Your ears are in the right place.  LJ interviews the inspiring Dr. Rosie Spooner We cover: How the climate crisis will affect children and their health How to talk about the climate crisis with children How to find hope while facing the climate crisis. The CliamteZone team then discuss their latest challenge: try and cut out fast fashion! Excellent links for you to browse, amuse and amaze: Children, Cities...

*Warning* the experiences and stories described may be disturbing for some listeners.   Are you trying to imagine what it might be like for a medic, maybe such as yourself, on the front line of a war? Do you want to understand how you can help? Your ears are in the right place. We speak with Taras, a doctor working in the closest hospital to the frontline in the South of Ukraine. He takes us through his life, his daily routine, the cases he sees and the devastating impact this is having on...

Wondering if you should get that X-ray on your pregnant lady who is suffering from hip pain whilst doing Tai Chi, which is associated with inpatient hypertensive spikes that might (just might) be related to your bad singing? No? Well, your ears are still in the right place. Today you have Jon, Barney and Alvin delving into the latest and greatest of medical literature! We cover: Steroid injections for OA - sure?Radiology in pregnancy - risky?Pregnancy HTN - treat?IP Hypertensive episodes -...

Worried about the effect the awful war in Ukraine is having on their doctors and healthcare system? Want to hear their experiences first-hand and find out how you can help? Your ears are in the right place. A change from our usual Round-Ups and Climate shake-ups, today we talk candidly to two inspiring Ukrainian doctors. Dr Andrei  Semikhodskii: A geneticist living in England, who set up a wonderful charity which sends ambulances with bespoke medicine and equipment directly to Ukrainian...

Want to hear key medical literature facts to help become that awesome doctor, whilst also being able to tell if people like beer by their facial expressions? Your ears are in the right place. Dr LJ Smith, Dr Camille Hirons, Dr Jonathan Hudson and Dr Barnaby Hirons scour and digest the latest and greatest medical literature out there... and some other fun stuff too:  Why pulse oximeters miss deadly hypoxia in people of colour. How paracetamol and sodium can kill. Are sweeteners a safe...

Want to do more to combat climate change but current events and your state of Weltshmerz is holding you back?  Do you need some positive practice-changing, actionable advice?  Your ears are in the right place! LJ and Katia interview the brilliant Dr Alex Wilkinson. We cover: The huge carbon cost of inhalers. The key stats and evidence. Why change is needed and how to make it. Barriers to change and how to overcome them. With Barney & Jon we discuss our latest climate challenge-...

We're back for another Journal Roundup and check out www.journalspotting.com for the full backcatalogue. Barney, LJ, Katia, and Jon cover: We unpick the facts and figures behind COVID-19 vaccination and the risk of myocarditis. 🧫The looming threat of antimicrobial resistance 😴Why more sleep might help people lose weight. 🛌 Trying to let patients sleep better in hospitals 🎲Why  diabetes CV risk prediction scores don't work that well. The use of eosinophilia in COPD. 🧬Mendellian...

Listen to interview with world experts on the links between climate change and cardiovascular disease.  Featuring:  Professor Annette Peters director of the Institute of Epidemiology, Helmhotz Zentrum, Germany Dr. Mark Miller Senior Research Fellow within the University/BHF Centre for Cardiovascular Science at the University of Edinburgh. 🔗 Links: 📜 Professor Peters recent review in Nature Reviews Cardiology 📜 Study on high temperatures and MI in Germany 📜 A great British Heart...

Do you love your medical podcasts, but sometimes wish your favourite shows would just team up for the odd awesome episode?? Your ears are definitely in the right place. Jon and Barney are joined by brilliant MDTea hosts Dr Iain Wilkinson and Dr Stephen Collins. Together they deliver a masterclass in many aspects of elderly care and we uncover the greatest medical literature in the world! (From the last few months). 1) Physical Activity in Hopital patients - They do too little but you can...

Trying to keep up with Climate Change facts,  but really, you want to know what you can do as a healthcare professional more than suggesting your patients should watch Cowspiracy on Netflix? This is an interview with Climate legend Robin Stott. We cover: Amazing climate activist stories including his arrest with extinction rebellion - documented in this Lancet article: Doctors and civil disobedience.The successes and failures of COP26Climate Justice - what it is and how to solve itWhat you...

Trying to keep up with the medical literature, but it's another COVID Christmas and you can’t wait to unwrap your stocking filled with lateral flows, rota gaps, and cancelled leave…you're ears are in the right place. Barney & Jon are back to cover the latest medical literature. We cover: How long is too long for a liver transplant? The harms of tramadol? HFPeF gets a breakthrough. ARB vs ACEi: a battle you didn't know you cared about. Personalised your steroids in COPD. Why Iron &...

Trying to get to medical conferences but no one knows the study leave code, no one will cover your shift, you don’t like online learning, and anyway, you actually thought BTS was an Asian boyband? Your ears are in the right place. With fantastic Professors, Consultants and Trainees, we unofficially cover the best bits from BTS Winter Meeting 2021. In Part 1, hosted by Dr Barnaby Hirons  and Dr Katia Florman, we cover: Social determinants of health by Dr Smith Pollution and nutrition:...

Trying to get to medical conferences but no one knows the study leave code, no one will cover your shift, you don’t like online learning, and anyway, you actually thought BTS was an Asian boyband? Your ears are in the right place. With fantastic Professors, Consultants and Trainees, we unofficially cover the best bits from BTS Winter Meeting 2021. In Part 1, hosted by Dr Barnaby Hirons  and Dr Katia Florman, we cover: Crucial Cough updates with Prof McGarvey Zero Tolerance for COPD...