Medicine (Core Systems) — UKMLA AKT

Acute coronary syndromes: STEMI vs NSTEMI, troponin and management

Acute Coronary Syndrome (ACS) is a high-yield topic for the AKT, and it's essentially an umbrella term for three conditions: STEMI, NSTEMI, and Unstable Angina. The main goal is to distinguish between

Atrial fibrillation: CHA2DS2-VASc score, rate vs rhythm control

Ah, Atrial Fibrillation (AF)—the classic "irregularly irregular" rhythm that's a staple for the UKMLA AKT. It's all about managing the risk of stroke while keeping the heart rate (or rhythm) under con

Heart failure: NYHA classification, BNP interpretation and stepwise treatment

Heart failure is a massive topic for the UKMLA AKT, so let's break this down into the three specific areas you asked about. It's all about identifying the severity, using the right markers for diagnos

Hypertension: NICE guidelines, investigation and drug treatment pathway

Hypertension is a massive topic for the AKT, and NICE (NG136) has a very specific "recipe" for how they want you to diagnose and manage it. It’s all about the steps—from that first high reading in the

Infective endocarditis: Duke criteria, blood cultures and empirical antibiotics

Infective Endocarditis (IE) is one of those high-stakes topics that shows up in almost every UKMLA AKT paper. It’s essentially a "perfect storm" where bacteria (usually from the mouth, skin, or gut) f

Acute kidney injury: KDIGO staging, causes and fluid management

Acute kidney injury (AKI) is a massive topic for the UKMLA AKT, and getting the KDIGO staging down is essential because it often dictates how aggressively we manage these patients on the wards. Here

Benign prostatic hyperplasia: IPSS, alpha blockers and surgical options

Benign Prostatic Hyperplasia (BPH) is a classic "bread and butter" topic for the UKMLA AKT. It's all about that balance between bothersome symptoms and choosing the right management step. Let's break

Chronic kidney disease: staging, complications and when to refer to nephrology

Chronic Kidney Disease (CKD) is a massive topic for the UKMLA AKT, and it's essentially defined as a reduction in kidney function (eGFR < 60) or evidence of kidney damage (like albuminuria) for at lea

Nephrotic vs nephritic syndrome: presentation, causes and investigation

This is one of those classic "bread and butter" topics for the AKT! It can be a bit of a headache at first, but once you nail the core differences in how they present, the rest falls into place. Thin

Urinary stones: types, CT KUB findings and management pathway

Ah, the dreaded kidney stone! Probably the closest a man can get to labor pains, or so they say. Since you're prepping for the UKMLA AKT, this is a classic "bread and butter" topic that you'll definit

Acute pancreatitis: Glasgow criteria, severity assessment and management

Acute pancreatitis is one of those topics that pops up constantly in the UKMLA AKT, and getting the severity assessment right is absolutely key for management. It's essentially an inflammatory "autodi

Coeliac disease: serology, biopsy findings and gluten-free diet management

Coeliac disease is a classic UKMLA AKT topic because it’s so common and the management is very specific. It’s essentially an autoimmune-mediated sensitivity to gluten that leads to chronic inflammatio

Crohn's disease vs ulcerative colitis: pathology, features and management comparison

Ah, the classic inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) showdown! This is a massive topic for the UKMLA AKT, and honestly, it's one of those areas where they love to test the subtle (and not-so-subtle) diffe

Irritable bowel syndrome: Rome IV criteria, red flags and NICE management

Ah, Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS)! It's a classic UKMLA topic because it's so common in primary care and requires a really structured approach to diagnosis and management. Since you're prepping for t

Liver cirrhosis: Child-Pugh score, complications and management

Ah, liver cirrhosis—the final common pathway of chronic liver insult. It's a massive topic for the UKMLA AKT, so let's break it down into manageable chunks, starting with how we actually grade the sev

Addison's disease vs Cushing's syndrome: clinical features and investigation

Ah, the classic adrenal tug-of-war! Addison's and Cushing's are basically polar opposites when it comes to cortisol levels—one is a "not enough" problem, and the other is a "way too much" problem. Si

Diabetic emergencies: DKA vs HHS — comparison, diagnosis and management

Managing diabetic emergencies is a bread-and-butter skill for any junior doctor, especially when you're on a busy medical take. While both Diabetic Ketoacidosis (DKA) and Hyperosmolar Hyperglycemic St

Insulin types and regimens: basal-bolus, mixed and sliding scale for UKMLA

Hey! Diving into the world of insulin for the UKMLA? It's a classic AKT topic. Understanding these regimens is basically a rite of passage for any final year student, especially since you'll be the on

Thyroid disorders: hypothyroidism vs hyperthyroidism, TFT interpretation and treatment

Thyroid disorders are a bread-and-butter topic for the UKMLA AKT, and getting a handle on Thyroid Function Test (TFT) interpretation is the absolute key to scoring well here. Think of the pituitary an

Type 2 diabetes: HbA1c targets, NICE treatment algorithm and complications

Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus (T2DM) is a massive topic for the UKMLA AKT, and NICE guidelines (NG28) are your absolute bible here. Let's break this down into the targets, the management steps, and the com

Anticoagulation: warfarin vs DOACs, INR management and reversal agents

Anticoagulation is a massive topic for the UKMLA AKT, especially since the shift towards DOACs as first-line therapy for many conditions like non-valvular Atrial Fibrillation (AF) and Venous Thromboem

Iron deficiency anaemia vs anaemia of chronic disease: blood film and iron studies

This is a classic UKMLA AKT favorite! Distinguishing between Iron Deficiency Anaemia (IDA) and Anaemia of Chronic Disease (ACD) is a bread-and-butter skill for any foundation doctor. On a **blood fil

Rheumatoid arthritis: diagnosis, DMARDs and biologic therapy

Rheumatoid Arthritis (RA) is a absolute staple for the UKMLA AKT. The key thing to remember for the exam is the "treat-to-target" strategy—we want to get patients into remission as fast as possible to

Sickle cell disease: crisis types, management and hydroxyurea

Sickle cell disease (SCD) is a massive topic for the UKMLA AKT. It’s essentially a story of what happens when a single amino acid substitution (glutamic acid to valine) turns flexible red blood cells

Systemic lupus erythematosus: diagnostic criteria, ANA and management

Ah, SLE—the ultimate "great imitator" in medicine! It's a classic for the UKMLA AKT because it can affect literally any organ system, making it a diagnostic challenge. Let me grab some high-yield less

Asthma: BTS/SIGN stepwise management, peak flow and action plans

Asthma management is a bread-and-butter topic for the UKMLA AKT, and the BTS/SIGN guidelines are the gold standard you'll need to know inside out. It's all about that stepwise approach—escalating care

COPD: GOLD classification, spirometry interpretation and inhaler stepwise therapy

COPD is a massive topic for the AKT, so getting these classifications and the management ladder down is essential! It’s all about matching the right treatment to the patient's symptoms and their risk

Lung cancer: types, staging, investigation pathway and treatment options

Lung cancer is a massive topic, but for the UKMLA AKT, it’s all about knowing the "red flags," the diagnostic pathway, and the key differences between the types. It’s one of those high-yield areas whe

Pneumothorax: primary vs secondary, tension pneumothorax and management

Ah, the classic "collapsed lung" scenario! Pneumothorax is a staple for the UKMLA AKT, and keeping the different types straight is key to getting those management questions right. To start us off, le

Pulmonary embolism: Wells score, CTPA findings and anticoagulation

Pulmonary embolism (PE) is a classic "can't miss" diagnosis for the AKT. It's all about risk stratification, knowing when to pull the trigger on imaging, and starting the right anticoagulation. Let's

Epilepsy: seizure classification, EEG and first-line antiepileptics

Epilepsy can feel like a massive topic to tackle, but breaking it down into classification, diagnostics, and management makes it much more manageable. Since you're prepping for the UKMLA AKT, focusing

Headache: migraine vs tension vs cluster — diagnosis and acute treatment

Headaches are a total bread-and-butter topic for the AKT, but keeping the "big three" straight can be tricky when you're under pressure. Let's start with a visual of where these usually hit, as the di

Multiple sclerosis: types, McDonald criteria, MRI findings and DMTs

Multiple Sclerosis (MS) is a classic "bread and butter" topic for the UKMLA AKT. It’s the most common cause of non-traumatic neurological disability in young adults, and the examiners love testing you

Parkinson's disease: diagnosis, levodopa treatment and motor complications

Parkinson's disease is a classic "bread and butter" topic for the UKMLA AKT. It’s all about recognizing that clinical triad of bradykinesia, tremor, and rigidity, and then navigating the long-term man

Stroke: FAST assessment, thrombolysis criteria and acute management pathway

Stroke is a massive topic for the UKMLA AKT, and getting the acute management right is absolutely high-yield. It's all about "time is brain," so let's break down the initial assessment and the pathway