Brit J Hosp Med
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The National Confidential Enquiry into Patient Outcome and Death review into the quality of care provided to UK patients with a new diagnosis of acute pulmonary embolism highlights both clinical and organisational changes that should be made to improve patient care and outcomes.
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Current best practice in placement of arterial lines is to attempt to cannulate the radial artery in the first instance. However, if the radial artery is difficult to cannulate there is no consensus among clinicians on how best to proceed. This article looks at the evidence for the different options.
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Clinical reasoning is an extensive and intricate field, dealing with the process of thinking and decision making in practice. Its study can be quite challenging because it is context and task dependent. ⋯ These include knowledge adequacy; ability to gather appropriate patient data; use of proper reasoning strategies to address specific clinical questions; and the ability to reflect and evaluate on decisions taken, together with the role of the wider practice community and the activity of professional socialisation. This article explores the characteristics of clinical reasoning and delves deeper into the various strategies that prove useful for learning.
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After initially emerging in late 2019, coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), caused by the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), has spread rapidly to cause a global pandemic. SARS-CoV-2 is a betacoronavirus that is closely related to severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus and Middle East respiratory syndrome coronavirus, all of which can cause severe lung injury, respiratory distress and cytokine storm. While mortality rates associated with SARS-CoV-2 are lower than those associated with severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus or Middle East respiratory syndrome coronavirus, it is more contagious and spreads more rapidly than these other viruses. This article summarises the epidemiology and potential options for treating COVID-19 to give a foundation for future studies of the diagnosis, treatment and prevention of this deadly disease.