Evidence-based approach in neurology practice and teaching

Abstract

While the rapid increase in the number, sophistication and cost of diagnostic and therapeutic technology offers novel approaches to manage patients' problems in Neurology, it also creates risk of overuse of technology for unproven indications. The ever-expanding information imposes unmanageable burden for individual neurophysicians to handle; and raises the need to separate the insignificant and unsound information from salient and crucial. Evidence-based approach consisting of four steps (ask, acquire, appraise and apply) provides the techniques and tools to efficiently access the relevant literature, critically evaluate its validity and importance, and apply judiciously to make sound clinical decisions. This article aims to provide introduction to evidence-based neurology, its goal and principles, outlines the steps necessary to practice it. As a strategy of clinical practice and teaching, the evidence-based approach contributes towards quality improvement in patient care and medical education, and helps in promoting research and scientific temper. The article also points to limitations and misconceptions about evidence-based neurology and summarizes what is new in the evidence-based approach.