Hopcroft - Instant wisdom for GPs: pearls from all the specialities

INSTANT WISDOM
FOR GPs

Pearls from All the Specialities

INSTANT WISDOM
FOR GPs

Pearls from All the Specialities

Edited by Keith Hopcroft

CRC Press

Taylor & Francis Group

6000 Broken Sound Parkway NW, Suite 300

Boca Raton, FL 33487-2742

2018 by Taylor & Francis Group, LLC

CRC Press is an imprint of Taylor & Francis Group, an Informa business

No claim to original U.S. Government works

Printed on acid-free paper

International Standard Book Number-13: 978-1-138-19620-9 (Paperback)

978-1-138-29692-3 (Hardback)

This book contains information obtained from authentic and highly regarded sources. While all reasonable efforts have been made to publish reliable data and information, neither the author[s] nor the publisher can accept any legal responsibility or liability for any errors or omissions that may be made. The publishers wish to make clear that any views or opinions expressed in this book by individual editors, authors or contributors are personal to them and do not necessarily reflect the views/opinions of the publishers. The information or guidance contained in this book is intended for use by medical, scientific or health-care professionals and is provided strictly as a supplement to the medical or other professionals own judgement, their knowledge of the patients medical history, relevant manufacturers instructions and the appropriate best practice guidelines. Because of the rapid advances in medical science, any information or advice on dosages, procedures or diagnoses should be independently verified. The reader is strongly urged to consult the relevant national drug formulary and the drug companies and device or material manufacturers printed instructions, and their websites, before administering or utilizing any of the drugs, devices or materials mentioned in this book. This book does not indicate whether a particular treatment is appropriate or suitable for a particular individual. Ultimately it is the sole responsibility of the medical professional to make his or her own professional judgements, so as to advise and treat patients appropriately. The authors and publishers have also attempted to trace the copyright holders of all material reproduced in this publication and apologize to copyright holders if permission to publish in this form has not been obtained. If any copyright material has not been acknowledged please write and let us know so we may rectify in any future reprint.

Except as permitted under U.S. Copyright Law, no part of this book may be reprinted, reproduced, transmitted, or utilized in any form by any electronic, mechanical, or other means, now known or hereafter invented, including photocopying, microfilming, and recording, or in any information storage or retrieval system, without written permission from the publishers.

For permission to photocopy or use material electronically from this work, please access www.copyright.com ( http://www.copyright.com/ ) or contact the Copyright Clearance Center, Inc. (CCC), 222 Rosewood Drive, Danvers, MA 01923, 978-750-8400. CCC is a not-for-profit organization that provides licenses and registration for a variety of users. For organizations that have been granted a photocopy license by the CCC, a separate system of payment has been arranged.

Trademark Notice: Product or corporate names may be trademarks or registered trademarks, and are used only for identification and explanation without intent to infringe.

Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data

Names: Hopcroft, Keith, editor.

Title: Instant wisdom for GPs : pearls from all the specialities / [edited by] Keith Hopcroft.

Description: Boca Raton : CRC Press/Taylor & Francis Group, [2018] |

Includes bibliographical references and index.

Identifiers: LCCN 2017033146 (print) | LCCN 2017033902 (ebook) |

ISBN 9781315116808 (ebook) | ISBN 9781138196209 (pbk. : alk. paper) |

ISBN 9781138296923 (hardback : alk. paper)

Subjects: | MESH: General Practice | General Practitioners | Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice

Classification: LCC RC46 (ebook) | LCC RC46 (print) | NLM WB 110 | DDC 616--dc23

LC record available at https://lccn.loc.gov/2017033146

Visit the Taylor & Francis Web site at

http://www.taylorandfrancis.com

and the CRC Press Web site at

http://www.crcpress.com

Contents

Tak Chin, Elizabeth Griffiths and S. Hasan Arshad

Jerome Ment

James Woodard

David Rutkowski, Zak Shakanti and Matthew Harries

Tahseen A. Chowdhury

Andrew Bath, John Phillips, Peter Tassone and Stephanie Cooper

Richard Davenport

Stephen J. Middleton

Keith Hopcroft

N.F.W. Redwood

Elizabeth Ball and Adam Rosenthal

Andy Hughes

Richard Davenport

Karol Sikora

Omar Rafiq

Phil Clelland and John Leach

Peter Heinz

Dylan Harris

David S. Baldwin

Aroon Lal

Rudy Sinha-Ray and Neal Navani

Charlotte Wing and Jessica Manson

Michael Rayment

Mark P.J. Vanderpump

Ian Eardley

Im fairly confident that, if anyone was dispensing Instant Wisdom on writing a book, they would say that no one ever reads a Preface. On that basis, Ill keep this brief.

The idea for this project has been kicking around in my brain for years. Partly because Ive always loved those wise nuggets you occasionally pick up from a particularly good lecture or article. And partly because of the event that spawned Pearl #20 in the General Practice chapter. Essentially, the book is an attempt to distil and collate gems of wisdom about medicine derived from study, evidence, teaching and, especially, years of experience that we all possess and which we might remember/reveal if we were held upside down and shaken long enough.

Of course, true wisdom cant be instilled by digesting a book. But something quite close perhaps can be, and it was an attractive enough notion for me to have a go.

The logical way to structure the book is by speciality. As it will be of most interest to generalists trainees, young GPs and established old timers like me who still genuinely learn something every day I sincerely hope it comes across as true enlightenment rather than unrealistic specialist dogma. If it errs towards the latter, then Ive failed in my editing duties. The fact that Ive contrived the General Practice chapter to be twice as long as all the others is some sort of insurance policy for this, plus it reflects the fact that, of course, general practice is the most difficult and wide-ranging speciality of all.

As for how you read the book, thats up to you. Dip in and out, or plough through methodically, as the fancy takes you. But I do hope it is read and that, as a result, you feel that bit wiser, and your patients feel that bit better.

Frankly, Ive lost track of all the people I should thank, there have been so many. But special mentions to Richard Davenport, Nick Summerton, Shaba Nabi and Alistair Moulds. Hats off to CRC Press/Taylor & Francis for taking the idea, and me, seriously. Obviously, a massive thank you to all the authors for turning around such high quality work within my deadline, with only a few needing the cattle-prod treatment (they know who they are). And, lastly, Id like to thank, and dedicate the book, to all GPs and their staff and especially those at Laindon Medical Group because its their wisdom, and their hard work, that keeps the NHS afloat.