<description>In this episode, Dr Heather Kennedy hears about a case that was challenging but rewarding for Dr Neil Watson, which he had presented at the recent RCPE Medical Trainees Conference. They discuss multi-system disease, and the challenge of connecting the dots between different symptoms and presentations, highlighting the importance of combining specialism and generalism.

Dr Neil Watson is a neurology registrar in NHS Lothian. His research background is in human prion disease, and he completed an MD with the University of Edinburgh in which he led an international study validating the current diagnostic criteria for sporadic Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease. 

Dr Heather Kennedy has completed IMT and is currently working as a locum in NHS Fife. She is a member of the Trainees and Members' Committee (T&amp;MC).

Recording Date: 31 March 2026

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https://www.rcpe.ac.uk/events

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https://www.rcpe.ac.uk/membership/join-college

Feedback: cme@rcpe.ac.uk

This podcast is from the Trainees &amp; Members' Committee (T&amp;MC) of the Royal College of Physicians of Edinburgh (RCPE).</description>

In this episode, Dr Heather Kennedy hears about a…

In this episode, Dr Heather Kennedy hears about a case that was challenging but rewarding for Dr Neil Watson, which he had presented at the recent RCPE Medical Trainees Conference. They discuss multi-system disease, and the challenge of connecting the dots between different symptoms and presentations, highlighting the importance of combining specialism and generalism.

Dr Neil Watson is a neurology registrar in NHS Lothian. His research background is in human prion disease, and he completed an MD with the University of Edinburgh in which he led an international study validating the current diagnostic criteria for sporadic Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease. 

Dr Heather Kennedy has completed IMT and is currently working as a locum in NHS Fife. She is a member of the Trainees and Members' Committee (T&MC).

Recording Date: 31 March 2026

-- Follow us --
https://www.instagram.com/rcpedintrainees

-- Upcoming RCPE events --
https://www.rcpe.ac.uk/events

-- Become an RCPE Member --
https://www.rcpe.ac.uk/membership/join-college

Feedback: cme@rcpe.ac.uk

This podcast is from the Trainees & Members' Committee (T&MC) of the Royal College of Physicians of Edinburgh (RCPE).

Cases that changed me - connecting the dots (8 Jun 2026)

<description>In this episode Dr Marilena Giannoudi discusses all things heart failure with Dr Sam McClure. They begin with how to diagnose and classify heart failure with reduced ejection fraction and heart failure with preserved ejection fraction before moving onto treatment and when to refer to the Heart Failure Team. 

Dr Sam McClure is a Consultant Interventional Cardiologist and Clinical Lead for Heart Failure in Sunderland. 

Dr Marilena Giannoudi is a cardiology registrar based in Leeds. She is Co-Chair of the Trainees and Members &amp; Committee, a Fellow of the Higher Education Academy, and is currently undertaking a PhD.

Recording Date: 30 March 2026

-- Useful Links --
ESC Guidelines for the diagnosis and treatment of acute and chronic heart failure (2023 Update) - https://www.escardio.org/guidelines/clinical-practice-guidelines/all-esc-practice-guidelines/focused-update-on-heart-failure-guidelines/

European Heart Journal, Volume 44, Issue 37, 1 October 2023, Pages 3627–3639 - https://academic.oup.com/eurheartj/article/44/37/3627/7246292?login=false

Chronic heart failure in adults: diagnosis and management (NICE Guideline) - https://www.nice.org.uk/guidance/ng106

H2FPEF Score for Heart Failure with Preserved Ejection Fraction - https://www.mdcalc.com/calc/10105/h2fpef-score-for-heart-failure-with-preserved-ejection-fraction

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https://www.instagram.com/rcpedintrainees

-- Upcoming RCPE events --
https://www.rcpe.ac.uk/events

-- Become an RCPE Member --
https://www.rcpe.ac.uk/membership/join-college

Feedback: cme@rcpe.ac.uk

This podcast is from the Trainees &amp; Members' Committee (T&amp;MC) of the Royal College of Physicians of Edinburgh (RCPE).</description>

In this episode Dr Marilena Giannoudi discusses a…

In this episode Dr Marilena Giannoudi discusses all things heart failure with Dr Sam McClure. They begin with how to diagnose and classify heart failure with reduced ejection fraction and heart failure with preserved ejection fraction before moving onto treatment and when to refer to the Heart Failure Team. 

Dr Sam McClure is a Consultant Interventional Cardiologist and Clinical Lead for Heart Failure in Sunderland. 

Dr Marilena Giannoudi is a cardiology registrar based in Leeds. She is Co-Chair of the Trainees and Members & Committee, a Fellow of the Higher Education Academy, and is currently undertaking a PhD.

Recording Date: 30 March 2026

-- Useful Links --
ESC Guidelines for the diagnosis and treatment of acute and chronic heart failure (2023 Update) - https://www.escardio.org/guidelines/clinical-practice-guidelines/all-esc-practice-guidelines/focused-update-on-heart-failure-guidelines/

European Heart Journal, Volume 44, Issue 37, 1 October 2023, Pages 3627–3639 - https://academic.oup.com/eurheartj/article/44/37/3627/7246292?login=false

Chronic heart failure in adults: diagnosis and management (NICE Guideline) - https://www.nice.org.uk/guidance/ng106

H2FPEF Score for Heart Failure with Preserved Ejection Fraction - https://www.mdcalc.com/calc/10105/h2fpef-score-for-heart-failure-with-preserved-ejection-fraction

-- Follow us --
https://www.instagram.com/rcpedintrainees

-- Upcoming RCPE events --
https://www.rcpe.ac.uk/events

-- Become an RCPE Member --
https://www.rcpe.ac.uk/membership/join-college

Feedback: cme@rcpe.ac.uk

This podcast is from the Trainees & Members' Committee (T&MC) of the Royal College of Physicians of Edinburgh (RCPE).

Practical Management of Heart Failure (25 May 2026)

<description>In this episode, Dr Angus Sinclair speaks with Dr Jonathan Malo about dyslipidaemias. They discuss the different types of dyslipidaemias, the treatments (including some new ones) and the types of cases that should be referred.  

Dr Jonathan Malo is a consultant chemical pathologist at the Department of Clinical Biochemistry in NHS Lothian. And is the clinical lead for the Lipid Clinic at the Royal Infirmary of Edinburgh. He currently chairs a Scottish network of lipid clinic specialists, and is involved in a Scottish government group tasked with improving CVD prevention.

Dr Angus Sinclair is an Internal Medical Trainee in the East of Scotland. He graduated from the University of Edinburgh in 2018 and since then has worked across Scotland and as a medical registrar in a rural district general hospital in New Zealand. He has been actively involved in undergraduate and postgraduate teaching, as well as in clinical governance and resident doctor leadership. 

Recording date: 20 March 2026

--Links-- 

Assessment of adverse effects attributed to statin therapy in product labels: a meta-analysis of double-blind randomised controlled trials, The Lancet, 2026; 407, 689-703.

Effect of statin therapy on muscle symptoms: an individual participant data meta-analysis of large-scale, randomised, double-blind trials, The Lancet, 2022; 400, 832-845.

N-of-1 Trial of a Statin, Placebo, or No Treatment to Assess Side Effects, NEJM, 2020;383:2182-2184. DOI: 10.1056/NEJMc2031173.

Statin treatment and muscle symptoms: series of randomised, placebo-controlled n-of-1 trials. BMJ, 2021;372:n135. https://doi.org/10.1136/bmj.n135 

SIGN 149: Risk estimation and the prevention of cardiovascular disease (2017) - https://www.sign.ac.uk/assets/qrg149.pdf 

NICE Guideline 238: Cardiovascular disease: risk assessment and reduction, including lipid modification (2023) - https://www.nice.org.uk/guidance/ng238/resources/cardiovascular-disease-risk-assessment-and-reduction-including-lipid-modification-pdf-66143902851781) 

AHA guideline - https://www.ahajournals.org/doi/10.1161/CIR.0000000000001423

ASSIGN/QRISK score calculators - https://www.heartuk.org.uk/educational-content/risk-calculators 

-- Follow us --
https://www.instagram.com/rcpedintrainees

-- Upcoming RCPE events --
https://www.rcpe.ac.uk/events

-- Become an RCPE Member --
https://www.rcpe.ac.uk/membership/join-college

Feedback: cme@rcpe.ac.uk

This podcast is from the Trainees &amp; Members' Committee (T&amp;MC) of the Royal College of Physicians of Edinburgh (RCPE).</description>

In this episode, Dr Angus Sinclair speaks with Dr…

In this episode, Dr Angus Sinclair speaks with Dr Jonathan Malo about dyslipidaemias. They discuss the different types of dyslipidaemias, the treatments (including some new ones) and the types of cases that should be referred.  

Dr Jonathan Malo is a consultant chemical pathologist at the Department of Clinical Biochemistry in NHS Lothian. And is the clinical lead for the Lipid Clinic at the Royal Infirmary of Edinburgh. He currently chairs a Scottish network of lipid clinic specialists, and is involved in a Scottish government group tasked with improving CVD prevention.

Dr Angus Sinclair is an Internal Medical Trainee in the East of Scotland. He graduated from the University of Edinburgh in 2018 and since then has worked across Scotland and as a medical registrar in a rural district general hospital in New Zealand. He has been actively involved in undergraduate and postgraduate teaching, as well as in clinical governance and resident doctor leadership. 

Recording date: 20 March 2026

--Links-- 

Assessment of adverse effects attributed to statin therapy in product labels: a meta-analysis of double-blind randomised controlled trials, The Lancet, 2026; 407, 689-703.

Effect of statin therapy on muscle symptoms: an individual participant data meta-analysis of large-scale, randomised, double-blind trials, The Lancet, 2022; 400, 832-845.

N-of-1 Trial of a Statin, Placebo, or No Treatment to Assess Side Effects, NEJM, 2020;383:2182-2184. DOI: 10.1056/NEJMc2031173.

Statin treatment and muscle symptoms: series of randomised, placebo-controlled n-of-1 trials. BMJ, 2021;372:n135. https://doi.org/10.1136/bmj.n135 

SIGN 149: Risk estimation and the prevention of cardiovascular disease (2017) - https://www.sign.ac.uk/assets/qrg149.pdf 

NICE Guideline 238: Cardiovascular disease: risk assessment and reduction, including lipid modification (2023) - https://www.nice.org.uk/guidance/ng238/resources/cardiovascular-disease-risk-assessment-and-reduction-including-lipid-modification-pdf-66143902851781) 

AHA guideline - https://www.ahajournals.org/doi/10.1161/CIR.0000000000001423

ASSIGN/QRISK score calculators - https://www.heartuk.org.uk/educational-content/risk-calculators 

-- Follow us --
https://www.instagram.com/rcpedintrainees

-- Upcoming RCPE events --
https://www.rcpe.ac.uk/events

-- Become an RCPE Member --
https://www.rcpe.ac.uk/membership/join-college

Feedback: cme@rcpe.ac.uk

This podcast is from the Trainees & Members' Committee (T&MC) of the Royal College of Physicians of Edinburgh (RCPE).

Dyslipidaemia (11 May 2026)

<description>In this episode, Dr Marilena Giannoudi talks with Rebecca Howard and Bruce Cruickshank from Guide Dogs UK, one of the UK's leading sight loss charities. They discuss some of the small acts and considerations that medical professionals can practice  to help their patients with sight loss. 

Rebecca Howard is a Sighted Guide Trainer with Guide Dogs UK.

Bruce Cruickshank is a volunteer with Guide Dogs UK and is a guide dog owner. 

Dr Marilena Giannoudi is a cardiology registrar based in Leeds. She is Co-Chair of the Trainees and Members &amp; Committee, a Fellow of the Higher Education Academy, and is currently undertaking a PhD.

Recording date: 9 March 2026

-- Links --

Guide Dogs UK - https://www.guidedogs.org.uk/

Guide line services - https://www.guidedogs.org.uk/contact-us/#guide-line-services-support-and-dog-related-queries

Sighted guide training - https://www.guidedogs.org.uk/how-you-can-help/sighted-guide-training/

-- Follow us --
https://www.instagram.com/rcpedintrainees

-- Upcoming RCPE events --
https://www.rcpe.ac.uk/events

-- Become an RCPE Member --
https://www.rcpe.ac.uk/membership/join-college

Feedback: cme@rcpe.ac.uk

This podcast is from the Trainees &amp; Members' Committee (T&amp;MC) of the Royal College of Physicians of Edinburgh (RCPE).</description>

In this episode, Dr Marilena Giannoudi talks with…

In this episode, Dr Marilena Giannoudi talks with Rebecca Howard and Bruce Cruickshank from Guide Dogs UK, one of the UK's leading sight loss charities. They discuss some of the small acts and considerations that medical professionals can practice  to help their patients with sight loss. 

Rebecca Howard is a Sighted Guide Trainer with Guide Dogs UK.

Bruce Cruickshank is a volunteer with Guide Dogs UK and is a guide dog owner. 

Dr Marilena Giannoudi is a cardiology registrar based in Leeds. She is Co-Chair of the Trainees and Members & Committee, a Fellow of the Higher Education Academy, and is currently undertaking a PhD.

Recording date: 9 March 2026

-- Links --

Guide Dogs UK - https://www.guidedogs.org.uk/

Guide line services - https://www.guidedogs.org.uk/contact-us/#guide-line-services-support-and-dog-related-queries

Sighted guide training - https://www.guidedogs.org.uk/how-you-can-help/sighted-guide-training/

-- Follow us --
https://www.instagram.com/rcpedintrainees

-- Upcoming RCPE events --
https://www.rcpe.ac.uk/events

-- Become an RCPE Member --
https://www.rcpe.ac.uk/membership/join-college

Feedback: cme@rcpe.ac.uk

This podcast is from the Trainees & Members' Committee (T&MC) of the Royal College of Physicians of Edinburgh (RCPE).

Supporting Patients with Sight Loss with Guide Dogs UK (27 April 2026)

<description>In this episode, Dr Marilena Giannoudi chats with Dr Heeraj Bulluck about preventive cardiology. They discuss the little habits that can make a big difference in preventing heart disease and the importance of taking care of yourself as a doctor as well as the patients you see. 

Dr Heeraj Bulluck is a UK-based interventional cardiologist with a keen academic interest. Alongside his clinical work, he recently developed an interest in cardiovascular prevention - helping individuals understand and act on risk long before disease develops. He is the author of Heart Reset 40, where he translates clinical insights into practical, sustainable changes for long-term heart health, particularly for busy professionals.

Dr Marilena Giannoudi is a cardiology registrar based in Leeds. She is Co-Chair of the Trainees and Members &amp; Committee, a Fellow of the Higher Education Academy, and is currently undertaking a PhD.

Recording date: 2 February 2026

--Links--
Heeraj Bulluck, Heart Reset 40 - https://www.amazon.co.uk/Heart-Reset-40-Cardiologists-Science-Backed-ebook/dp/B0G8N4YBPC

The Royal College of Physicians of Edinburgh (RCPE) has not quality checked Heart Reset 40 and is not endorsing this resource. A link is provided for reference only.

2025 Update on ESC/EAS Guidelines for management of dyslipidaemias - https://www.escardio.org/guidelines/clinical-practice-guidelines/all-esc-practice-guidelines/dyslipidaemias/

ESC Essential Resources for Preventive Cardiologists - https://www.escardio.org/topics/risk-factors-and-prevention/

-- Follow us --
https://www.instagram.com/rcpedintrainees

-- Upcoming RCPE events --
https://www.rcpe.ac.uk/events

-- Become an RCPE Member --
https://www.rcpe.ac.uk/membership/join-college

Feedback: cme@rcpe.ac.uk

This podcast is from the Trainees &amp; Members' Committee (T&amp;MC) of the Royal College of Physicians of Edinburgh (RCPE).</description>

In this episode, Dr Marilena Giannoudi chats with…

In this episode, Dr Marilena Giannoudi chats with Dr Heeraj Bulluck about preventive cardiology. They discuss the little habits that can make a big difference in preventing heart disease and the importance of taking care of yourself as a doctor as well as the patients you see. 

Dr Heeraj Bulluck is a UK-based interventional cardiologist with a keen academic interest. Alongside his clinical work, he recently developed an interest in cardiovascular prevention - helping individuals understand and act on risk long before disease develops. He is the author of Heart Reset 40, where he translates clinical insights into practical, sustainable changes for long-term heart health, particularly for busy professionals.

Dr Marilena Giannoudi is a cardiology registrar based in Leeds. She is Co-Chair of the Trainees and Members & Committee, a Fellow of the Higher Education Academy, and is currently undertaking a PhD.

Recording date: 2 February 2026

--Links--
Heeraj Bulluck, Heart Reset 40 - https://www.amazon.co.uk/Heart-Reset-40-Cardiologists-Science-Backed-ebook/dp/B0G8N4YBPC

The Royal College of Physicians of Edinburgh (RCPE) has not quality checked Heart Reset 40 and is not endorsing this resource. A link is provided for reference only.

2025 Update on ESC/EAS Guidelines for management of dyslipidaemias - https://www.escardio.org/guidelines/clinical-practice-guidelines/all-esc-practice-guidelines/dyslipidaemias/

ESC Essential Resources for Preventive Cardiologists - https://www.escardio.org/topics/risk-factors-and-prevention/

-- Follow us --
https://www.instagram.com/rcpedintrainees

-- Upcoming RCPE events --
https://www.rcpe.ac.uk/events

-- Become an RCPE Member --
https://www.rcpe.ac.uk/membership/join-college

Feedback: cme@rcpe.ac.uk

This podcast is from the Trainees & Members' Committee (T&MC) of the Royal College of Physicians of Edinburgh (RCPE).

Preventive Cardiology (13 Apr 2026)

RCPE's Podcast Series 'Clinical Conversations' by the Trainees & Members' Committee (T&MC) and 'COVID-19 Conversations'.

Royal College of Physicians of Edinburgh

Welcome to Clinical Conversations! This new podcast series is brought to you by the Trainees & Member’s Committee of the Royal College of Physicians Edinburgh. We aim to discuss a multitude of clinical topics ranging from interesting clinical cases and diagnostic conundrums to updates on clinical guidelines. These clinical podcasts will be relevant for doctors at any stage of training and we will also provide discussion on other related topics such as training, MRCP examinations and quality improvement. 
We hope you enjoy them and share them with colleagues. Feedback and suggested future topics are very welcome, please contact us via email at: cme@rcpe.ac.uk 

Dr Anda Bularga (Podcast lead) & Dr Ailsa Oswald (Vice Chair for Education),Trainee & Member’s Committee. 


Clinical Conversations

Details

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