Beyond the Buzzwords: A Podcast for Medical Trainees: Recent Episodes
The One-Liner Team
First released 2021-2022. Hosted by Andrew Supron, former medical student at the Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine.
A review of B12 physiology and deficiency, including etiologies, clinical manifestations, workup, and replacement. Hosted by Andrew.
The show formerly known as Beyond the Buzzwords is back, with a new name, new look, and similar mission.
This episode discusses the rich history of serum sickness and how we can use this history to understand the mechanism, features, and treatment of the disease.
Part history lesson, part medical chalk-talk, this episode explores the origins of the alpha-gal syndrome and its clinical consequences.
Clostridioides difficile is a bacterium that produces a disease commonly known as "C-diff." In this episode, Andrew explains the risk factors and features of C. difficile infection, as well as the diagnostic pathways and treatment protocols advocated for in the most recent IDSA guidelines.
Hemochromatosis describes a state of iron overload, but it has many causes - both hereditary and not. In this episode, Andrew explains how this condition arises, and why iron overload is so dangerous to the human body.
One of the big six causes of chest pain to look out for, aortic dissections are truly scary. In this episode, Andrew explains how they arise and in whom, before discussing how they're diagnosed and managed.
The most common wide-complex tachycardia, VTach is a must-know for the IM Shelf Exam and wards. Come learn how to pick up this diagnosis on an EKG, and learn how the management of VTach changes based on patient presentation...oh, and some of the many side effects of amiodarone.
In this episode, Andrew describes the clinical features, workup, and management of the rare immunodeficiency syndrome, Wiskott-Aldrich.
Asthma exacerbations claim more than 3,000 lives in the US each year. In this episode, Andrew uses three clinical vignettes to discuss the management of acute severe asthma by its severity.
Asthma management is traditionally thought of as a series of steps. In this episode, Andrew approaches the topic from a traditional perspective, pointing out areas in which there is active debate. Topics covered include stratifying asthma by severity, therapeutic options for each stage, and side effect profiles of medications.
Part 1 of the series on asthma deals with the major etiologies of this condition, how they present, and how they are worked up. Listeners may want to check out the episode on PFTs if they haven't already - an understanding of basic PFT parameters will be assumed in this episode.
EoE may be a pathology of the upper GI tract, but it's an allergic condition at its core. In this episode, Andrew highlights the pathophysiology of this condition and how it relates to management.
Perhaps the most important valvular disease - and the most common in the developed world - aortic stenosis is a high-yield topic in the clinic and on the exam. In this episode, Andrew discusses what causes the disease, how it presents, and when to refer for surgery.
The most common congenital cause of CKD, ADPKD is an important diagnosis to be aware of in adults. Come learn about its many complications and emerging therapies for the treatment of ADPKD.
In this episode, Andrew discusses the clinical features (or lack thereof) of Paget disease, the second most common metabolic bone disorder in adults.
There are so many causes of angioedema to be aware of... Fortunately, they can all be attributed to one of two biochemicals. In this episode, Andrew explains the pathogenesis of angioedema and offers a framework for understanding this complex condition.
Learn about these strange, gastrin-producing tumors, and the many complications they can cause.
Closely related to TTP is the microangiopathic hemolytic anemia known as hemolytic uremic syndrome. While most common in children <5, HUS is a diagnosis that can be made at any age. In this episode, Andrew explains why it's so important to recognize and manage HUS appropriately.
TTP is a life-threatening, hematologic emergency that can be a challenge to recognize clinically. In this episode, Andrew discusses the pathophysiology and features of this condition, before diving into workup and, most importantly, management.
In this episode, Andrew discusses the unique clinical features of the most common primary cardiac neoplasm, the atrial myxoma.
An often-invoked diagnosis, but rare occurrence, pheochromocytomas have a unique clinical presentation and workup. In this BuzzBite, Andrew discusses their features, diagnosis, and management - from both a medical and surgical perspective.
More than half the time, erythema nodosum is only one piece of a larger puzzle. In this episode, Andrew runs through the presentation of EN and its pathophysiology. He focuses especially on the many conditions associated with EN, and the routine workup that is indicated for all patients who present with it.
Patients with HIV/AIDS have a multitude of reasons to develop diarrhea; in fact, it's one of the most debilitating symptoms of this condition. In this episode, Andrew sorts through the etiologies of infectious diarrhea affecting this population, with an emphasis on the CD4 count at which they present, diagnosis, and treatment.
Not sure how to interpret the results of an arthrocentesis you ordered? In this BuzzBite, Andrew walks through the four main classes of joint effusions and the hallmark lab patterns of each.
In this BuzzBite, Andrew shares his framework for thinking about the management of DKA, which you can imagine as a 3x3 grid.
Normally our bodies are paralyzed as we dream at night. But in patients with RBD, degeneration of these inhibitory circuits enables patients to act out their dreams - and this can have serious consequences.
In our first-ever BuzzBite, Andrew goes over the three-step approach to ordering potassium: selecting the route of administration, the formulation, and the dose.
You've performed thoracentesis on your patient's effusion - now what? In this episode, Andrew talks about interpreting pleural fluid studies, additional tests to order, and what etiologies these values point to. In a bit more depth, he also discusses the management of parapneumonic effusions (including empyema) and malignant effusions.
In part one of this series, Andrew explores the normal structure and functional of the pleura and how pleural fluid is made. Pleural effusions arise by two main mechanisms - pressure discrepancies or permeability changes - and Andrew discusses both extensively. Lastly, he runs through the general workup of a pleural effusion starting at its initial appearance on x-ray to determining whether it is a transudate or exudate.
Kids and adults should be offered pneumococcal vaccination routinely. But this is easier said than done. In this episode, Andrew discusses the two main pneumococcal vaccines, their mechanisms, and their schedules.
Another devastating complication of cirrhosis, hepatopulmonary syndrome is a truly fascinating condition. In this episode, Andrew discusses the hepatic and pulmonary physiology that underlies HPS, as well as the (very unique) workup for this condition. Hint: it involves bubbles!
Hepato...liver...renal...kidney...in one condition? Yep! Hepatorenal syndrome is a relatively common complication of cirrhosis in which kidney function declines. In this episode, Andrew talks about the complex mechanism by which HRS develops, how it's diagnosed, and how it's managed.
We often talk about anemia and its classification, but how about the less common polycythemia? Also called erythrocytosis, polycythemia is an elevation in hemoglobin or hematocrit levels due to any number of causes. Sometimes it's an appropriate response to a physiologic stress; sometimes it's a marker of underlying malignancy. How to tell these situations apart? Check out this episode on polycythemia for the full diagnostic algorithm!
Affecting 7% of all pregnancies, gestational diabetes is a condition every medical student should know how to manage. In this episode, Andrew dives into the classification of GDM, how we screen for it, and how we treat it.
The presence of protein in the urine, or proteinuria, can be a marker of severe kidney disease, or a benign and transient finding. How do you tell these dramatically different cases apart? In this episode, Andrew explains common definitions of proteinuria and albuminuria, and teaches how to categorize the presence of urine on a physiologic basis. He then discusses a commonly used algorithm to work up proteinuria systematically, noting important diagnoses that can be ruled out along the way.
Pulmonary function tests are used all the time in the inpatient and outpatient setting. They can help nail a new diagnosis of COPD, or track pulmonary function in children with cystic fibrosis. Newer tests can identify neuromuscular respiratory disease before symptoms present, and even help diagnose asthma in a toddler. In this episode, Andrew explains the common (and up-and-coming) PFTs, how they work, and how to interpret them.
In this episode, Andrew continues his discussion on hyponatremia by diving into the most common subtype: hypotonic hyponatremia. Categorizing hypotonic hyponatremia by volume status, Andrew explores the most common etiologies you'll encounter on the wards, including the syndrome of inappropriate antidiuresis (SIAD). The episode ends with a discussion of general management strategies in hyponatremia, including prevention of the life-threatening complication, osmotic demyelination syndrome.
Hyponatremia, the most common electrolyte abnormality in hospitalized patients, is also one of the most puzzling. There are dozens of common etiologies of hyponatremia, making it a condition for which having a diagnostic algorithm is crucial. In this episode, Andrew begins by defining hyponatremia and describing how it presents clinically. After explaining some normal physiology on osmolality and tonicity, he then jumps into the often-overlooked causes of hypertonic and isotonic hyponatremia, which are the first etiologies that should be ruled out before pursuing a larger workup.
The Aspergillus genus of fungi can cause a wide range of infections, depending primarily on the host's underlying health. In this episode, Andrew introduces three fictional patients all at risk for aspergillosis and describes the unique manifestation of disease in each. The major forms described include invasive aspergillosis, chronic pulmonary aspergillosis, and allergic bronchopulmonary aspergillosis - with discussion on their pathogenesis, presentation, workup, and management.
In this episode, Andrew offers his framework for understanding large bowel obstructions and dives into their most common etiologies, their workup, and their treatment. He covers not just the mechanical causes of obstruction, but also two important functional etiologies: Ogilvie's syndrome and toxic megacolon.
In this episode, we tackle a group of tachyarrhythmias known as paroxysmal supraventricular tachycardias, or pSVTs. This family includes atrioventricular nodal re-entry tachycardia (AVNRT) and atrioventricular reciprocating tachycardia (AVRT), and is related to the Wolff-Parkinson-White syndrome. Learn how these arrhythmias come about in the first place, then how to recognize them and ultimately treat them. There's more to pSVTs than the buzzwords; come hear for yourself!