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Books > Medicine > General issues > Health systems & services > General practice
Few diagnostic methods in Cardiology have heralded such revolutionary developments as the introduction of coronary arteriography. When, in the early 1960's, Dr. F. Mason Sones demonstrated that visualization of the coronary anatomy in living humans was not only feasible but sufficiently safe and reliable to be used as a clinical tool in the evaluation of patients with known or suspected ischemic heart disease, the thus far somewhat neglected area of coronary circulation became the focus of interest. Naturally, for a considerable period of time a great deal of emphasis was placed upon coronary anatomy. Simple relations between narrowing lesions, impediment to flow, and prognosis were assumed to exist. Spectacular results of surgical coronary revascularization seemed to confirm this concept. Gradually it has become evident that the pathophysiology of coronary artery disease is considerably more complex. Diagnostic methods were introduced to assess and quantify exercise-induced myocardial ischemia. At first, these tests were used mainly to achieve a more discriminative selection of candidates for coronary arteriography and the coronary arteriogram remained the gold standard. Currently, these techniques have evolved to the point where they provide valuable functional and metabolic information. They have become powerful independent tools in clinical investigations and evaluation of individual patients.
This book is written for medical students and house officers working on the wards, in the intensive care unit, and in the emergency room. It is intended for use by all whose work involves the daily evaluation and management of medical emergencies. The material is a compilation of information gained from our personal experiences in clinical practice, from participation in professional meet ings and conferences, and from searching the medical literature. The introductory chapters in Part I form a foundation that is devel oped in the subsequent parts where specific topics are discussed. When possible, we have simplified complex approaches to diagnosis and man agement by formulating algorithms and handy reference tables. Since this is a handbook and not a textbook, we have limited our discussion of pathogenesis and pathophysiology in order to concentrate on practical aspects and specific details that are useful in the diagnosis and management of pulmonary emergencies. Our aim is to alert young physicians to common pulmonary emergencies and guide them through their initial management."
The Fourth International Congress of Peritoneal Dialysis was held in Venice, Italy, June 29 to July 2, 1987. By this time peritoneal dialysis had emerged as a treatment for a substantial fraction of patients with end-stage renal disease and countless numbers of patients with acute renal failure. This treatment is now practiced worldwide and is the life-sustaining treatment for about 40,000 patients with chronic renal failure, representing 15 to 20% of dialysis therapy in about 1000 centers. It is not surprising, therefore, that the number of health professionals engaged in the investigation and the application of the treatment has also grown exponen tially. The First International Symposium on Peritoneal Dialysis, organized by Dr. A. Treviiio-Be cerra in Chapala, Mexico, in 1978, brought together a group of pioneers when continuous ambulatory peritoneal dialysis was in its infancy. In 1981, Dr. G. M. Gahl chaired the Second Symposium, in West Berlin, when the technique and professional interest were growing con siderably. By 1984, when Dr. 1. F. Winchester and I organized the Third Symposium, the pre sented papers exceeded 100 and there were about 1000 attendees. At that time, it was deemed appropriate to form a more organized group and the International Society for Peritoneal Dialy sis was founded. One of the first actions of the Society was to choose from among several applicants Dr."
As 'seasoned campaigners' we offer our readers more than 60 joint practice years of commonsense experience on children and their prob lems. Child care is a large and fascinating part of general family practice. More than any other discipline it is a mix of understanding the wide range of normal and abnormal development, of skilful diagnosis and treatment of treatable conditions, of long-term care for handicapped children, and of organizing and carrying out prevention. F or all this and more the physician has to rely on sound knowledge and understanding of the child, parents, family, social and community conditions, available services and the likely natural history of the condition - and to dispense all this with humanity, sense and sensi bility. We have divided the book logically into 6 sections: (I) Factual background. (2) Universal problems of behaviour and development. (3) Common clinical disorders, so frequent and yet often so dif ficult to manage. (4) Social, family and community factors that create and influ ence many problems of childhood. (5) How to use available services and resources with discrimina tion and sensitivity. (6) The importance of understanding and managing the whole child. We have no single group of readers in mind. We hope that our views will be appreciated, for example, by parents, nurses, health visitors, general practitioners, community physicians and paedia tricians - in fact all who care for children."
Starting in 1986, the European School of Oncology has expanded its activities in postgraduate teaching, which consisted mainly of traditional disease-orientated courses, by promoting new educational initiatives. One of these is the cloister seminars, short meetings intended for highly qualified oncologists and dealing with specific, controversial aspects of clinical practice and research. Another is the institution of permanent study groups, also called task forces, where a limited number of leading experts are invited to meet once a year with the aim of defining the state of the art and possibly reaching a consensus on developments and treatment in specific fields of oncology. This series of ESO Monographs was designed with the specific purpose of disseminating the results of the most interesting of the seminars and study groups, and providing concise and updated reviews of the subjects discussed. It wa& decided to keep the layout very simple in order to keep costs to a minimum and make the monographs available in the shortest possible time, thus overcoming a common problem in medical literature: that of the material being outdated even before publication.
The literature of medicine continues to expand at a remarkable pace. The number of papers and monographs published has increased dramatically in the past five years. Nowhere has this increase been as dramatic as in the field of acute and chronic hepatitis. Why then should there be still another book? Despite the sheer volume of words published, it is still difficult to find in anyone volume a compilation of all of the most significant work. Most mono graphs have considered either chronic or acute hepatitis, not both. Few works have addressed both the clinician and the basic scientist. This book addresses both of these audiences and considers both of these diseases. It was designed to provide an authoritative but concise assessment of our changing concepts of acute and chronic hepatitis. It covers what is currently known and, based on the most convincing research, believed about these diseases. To fulfill this ambitious goal, only authors with international reputations in their fields of expertise were invited to contribute. In the evolution of our current thoughts on the pathogenesis and manage ment of acute and chronic hepatitis, our ideas have changed several times. This book presents the facts as they are known today and, in areas where all the facts are not established, presents the well-founded opinions of those considered to be authorities. The authors present established and usually confirmed data and do not deal extensively with areas of speculation or unconfirmed material."
Respect for persons, beneficence, and justice are the principles that collectively form the ethical basis of human research . These three principles find expression in "Community-Based Participatory Research for Improved Mental Healthcare, " or CBPR a systematic approach for engaging specially-defined groups of people in a process of inquiry and social change. In the Community-Based Participatory Research, a panel of renowned authors provide a step-by-step approach for conducting CBPR, providing all the conceptual and methodological guidelines needed to implement this important and extremely fruitful research approach. As early career investigators use this mode of collaborative inquiry in the service of society, an exciting and entirely new capacity for ethically sound and more rigorous and consequential science can be built. An indispensable resource that will be of great interest to researchers from a wide array of disciplines, the "Community-Based Participatory Research for Improved Mental Healthcare" is a major addition to the literature and certain to become the gold standard reference in the field."
This book is addressed to all professionals concerned with the health care of children. It is, first and foremost, a teaching tool. It can be used for class discussion or case conferences with medical students or residents, nurses, and other staff in pediatrics or family medicine. It can also be used for self-teaching or continuing education by those already in practice. No one who reads this book is a beginner at moral reasoning. However, many may well be beginners at discussions that focus sharply on the ethical issues in medicine and introduce philosophical analysis. The goal is to clarify, conceptualize, and guide reasoning in order to come to conclusions that can be defended with good reasons. Case studies provide the most successful method of teaching medical ethics, posing the issues as they arise in real-life situations. The cases in this book are brief and rather skeletal in nature. This is partly to deflect the natural curiosity of those who are driven to seek more and more medical details, hoping thus to resolve the ethical issues or avoid them entirely. It also allows the reader to concentrate on one ethical issue at a time. In real life, of course, the hard questions arise often several at a time, embedded in a rich and complex medical and psychosocial background. As one must learn to walk before one can run, so it is wise to practice on cases where the key issue is highlighted.
Having the privilege of editing the English language version of this book I have found the detailed thought, explanation and step-by-step instruction that this book provides most refreshing and stimulating. There are few publications indeed that provide a completely reliable companion to bedside and out-patient instruction for the medical student - and even fewer that enhance the established physician's techniques. Medical skills in the art and science of patient examination are normally learnt experimentally - time, personal instruction and constant repetition are necessary for them to be acquired. Even then it must be admitted by many that there are some techniques that are never fully understood, properly learnt or correctly concluded - and these errors are liable to a lifetime's repetition. This volume with its excellent photographs and illustrations takes the reader clearly and incontrovertibly step-by-step through every detail of all the procedures necessary for the standard forms of examination of a patient. It is a companion for every student and doctor who wishes to learn fully and completely these necessary skills and to improve the ones they already have. Dr Alexander D. G. Gunn, Director, University Health Service, Reading, Berks, UK 1982 Preface to the Dutch edition The idea of writing this book coincided almost them a superficial acquaintance with five or six exactly with the establishment of a 'skills 'fashions' and proficiency in none of them.
This volume provides in a conveniently accessible package a comprehensive collection of accurate and timely information on the management of patients with diarrhea, both in pediatric age and in the adult. As medical knowledge has recently expanded in this area, this volume is full of new practical, clinically useful material for the busy clinician. Illustrations are emphasized to permit rapid acquisition of practical information that is not readily available in the major texts. Each chapter is concise, concentrating on "clinical pearls," and new advances in diagnostic and therapeutic technology. Each chapter discusses the relative costs of diagnostic and therapeutic options to permit financial considerations to be taken into account in the decision making process. Additional unique features include, summaries of key points, recommendations, and indications for requesting GI subspecialty consultation. Providing a comprehensive but practical overview of the issues surrounding the diarrheal diseases, this volume will prove of great value and utility to gastroenterologists, surgeons, internists, primary care physicians.
This book describes key knowledge concepts, skills and up-to-date algorithms pertaining to common emergencies that can take place in a pediatric office, including: seizures, anaphylaxis and shock, and diabetic ketoacidosis. The authors supported by peer review from top specialists in Pediatric Emergency Medicine at the Baylor College of Medicine offer the first comprehensive educational resource on pediatric office emergency preparedness devoted exclusively to the practicing primary care health care provider and his/her team. During emergencies, providers and their staff are called on to work efficiently as a "code-team" which is a source of considerable apprehension for many primary care pediatricians. This unique reference guide contains a wealth of information and resources in a compact and practical form. It presents the most important knowledge, skills, office resources and team interactions required by practitioners to successfully treat pediatric emergencies in the office.
Traditions are dangerous; doubly so in science. Traditions are unchanging; science is about change. This was the 4th International Colloquium on Carbohydrate Metabolism in Pregnancy and the Newborn to be held in Aberdeen, and by now the form is set. How much its content has changed is a matter of nice judgement and not under the control of the organizers. It is not within their power to bring news of revolution, if there has been no revolution. Certainly many of the speakers had kent faces from previous Aberdeen meetings, but so they would be at any meeting on diabetes anywhere in the world. The written proceedings of scientific conferences have purposes other than to record changes: sometimes they need to state a consensus. The 3rd Colloquium came to an agreement about the importance of prepregnancy recognition and control of abnormalities of carbohydrate metabolism. The 4th set out to examine what results it had achieved. Much of this book is taken up with follow-up studies of the applications of similar regimes in different parts of the world. Since the first Aberdeen meeting in 1973, progress in the manage ment of diabetic pregnancy has been slow and steady, but the change in the city and the society where the meetings took place has been fast.
The Sclera is the definitive text on the diagnosis and treatment of scleral diseases, with in-depth chapters on non-infectious scleritis, infectious sclertitis, non-inflammatory diseases of the sclera, and systemic implications of scleral disease. Basic physiology, anatomy, and biochemistry are addressed as well. Written for the ophthalmologist, the revised and updated new edition of The Sclera contains the most current information available on newer characterizations of the composition of the sclera, immune derangements of it, and success in medical and surgical treatment of the inflammatory diseases of the sclera.
The question facing anyone contemplating a book on low back pain is: Why write another book? It is certainly true that there are many books on this topic addressing a wide variety of audiences. Some books are all inclusive and scholarly in nature, others are personal descriptions of diagnostic and treat ment philosophies. This book is a combination of these two extremes. It represents our views on the low back problem, supported by scientific data. Most aspects on back pain presented in this book can be found in other texts. The organization of the material is unique, however. Our approach is to start by listening to and looking at the patient. It becomes apparent, then, that patients can be classified into one of the syn dromes described in chapters 4 through 13. We believe that this syndrome classification, which is quite simple to make clinically, will allow you to diagnose and treat your patients more effectively. To set the stage for the syndrome chapters the first three chapters of the book are generic to the remaining chapters. They reviewe the epidemiology, pathology, biomechan ics, etiologic theory, diagnostic methods, and treatment modalities applicable to the low back syndromes. They should be read before the syndrome chap ters. At the end of the book you will find four chapters that are specific to disease entities."
This volume contains papers presented at the First International Symposium on Mechanism and Treatment in Essential Hyperten sion, which was held on October 23 and 24, 1985 in Nagoya, Japan. The meeting was an official satellite symposium to the meeting of the Fifth International Symposium on Rats with Spon taneous Hypertension and Related Studies in Kyoto, October 20-22, 1985. The Nagoya symposium was made possible by offi cial grants from the city of Nagoya and Aichi Prefecture and the generous financial support of many companies. The aim of the symposium was to provide a forum for presen tation and discussion of recent advances in the area of essential hypertension, particularly with regard to calcium mechanisms in vasoconstriction and vasodilation in arterial vessels and the func tion of arterial smooth muscle. The role of calcium ions in the function of arterial smooth muscle has attracted a great deal of attention in the last two decades. The mode of action of calcium ions was revealed at the molecular level. The hypertension model of the spontaneously hypertensive rat has been widely utilized for research into the fundamental mechanisms of genetic hyperten sion, stroke, and cardiovascular disease as well as into therapeutic measures. New tools of calcium agonists and antagonists have become available to research into the mechanism, prevention, and treatment of essential hypertension at the molecular, subcellular, and cellular levels of arterial smooth muscle, at the organ level of arterial vessels, as well as at the total systemic level."
The "First International Conference on Traditional Chinese Medicine: Science, Regulation and Globalization" was held from August 30 to September 2, 2000 at the University of Maryland at College Park, Maryland. There were approximately 250 participants from the Peoples Republic of China, Taiwan, Hong Kong and the United States. This objective of this conference was to promote international collaboration for the modernization of Traditional Chinese herbal medicines (TCM) and their introduction into the global health care system. It was mainly sponsored by the Ministry of Science and Technology of the People's Republic of China and the NllI National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine (NCCAM). It was organized by Dr. William Tai, then director of the Institute of Global Chinese Affairs at the University of Maryland and Dr. Yuan Lin, president of Marco Polo Technologies, Bethesda, MD. This conference was conceived by Dr. Tai two years earlier recognizing that this was an appropriate time and also the unique location of the University of Maryland. Today, there is a growing recognition of the of alternative medicine in modem societies and the rapid loss of importance knowledge about traditional methods for the treatment of the multitude of human illnesses found throughout the world. TCM has been in common use in China for thousands of years; and many of its formulations are well defined.
The gratifYing response to the first edition of Tuberculosis has prompted this revision. There are many important changes incorporated into this edition, including the dramatic effect of AIDS on the incidence and clinical mani festations of mycobacterial infection, new developments in epidemiology and bacteriology, and thoroughly updated therapeutic recommendations and principles of prophylaxis. The chapters that deal with clinical manifestations of tuberculosis have also been updated and include important and clinically applicable information on manifestations of tuberculosis in both the normal and immunocomprom ised host. As with the first edition, it is hoped that this text will continue to represent a definitive resource for both the basic scientist and the clinician who deal with the prevention and treatment of mycobacterial infection. II Preface to the First Edition We have just witnessed the lOOth anniversary of Koch's discovery of the tubercle bacillus. This event did not end the centuries-long saga of tuber culosis, however; it was but one major step in the ongoing struggle to un derstand and combat this disease. Tuberculosis is very much with us today, and its clinical manifestations and principles of treatment must be understood by both the primary care physician and the specialist. This monograph covers all aspects of tuberculosis in a single volume. It is divided into three parts, covering, respectively, general considerations, clin ical manifestations, and atypical mycobacterial infection."
Designed to assist the physician in the application of computers in private medical practice, this comprehensive guide outlines where, why, and how this valuable tool can best be used. Integrating the mechanisms of computerization with the implications for health care, the authors draw on personal research and experience to describe models used effectively in the medical setting. Chapters cover administrative procedures, applications for marketing and quality assurance, and the link to an office-hospital application. Aslo included is information on software, hardware, database management, expert systems, artificial intelligence, and indications of future trends. This work will serve as an essential reference in meeting the ever-increasing medical information needs of the private practitioner.
Blastomycosis remains the most enigmatic of human mycotic infections. The enigmas encompass the natural habitat of the etiologic agent, extent of exposure and subclinical infections in endemic areas, distribution of en demic foci throughout the world, inconsistency of serologic evaluation of infected patients, and varying response of such patients to standard treat ment regimens. In spite of diligent investigations by many competent investigators, we still do not know the ecological niche inhabited by the etiologic agent. We have many tantalizing clues but no definite answers. Nor do we know the extent of the endemic areas in the world for this disease. Skin testing, so useful in defining the distribution of histoplasmosis and coccidioidomycosis, has been of no value in mapping endemic areas for blastomycosis. Even the serologic evaluation of known cases of the disease has been too erratic in results to be useful as a diagnostic or prognostic procedure. The enigmas of blastomycosis go straight to the disease itself. There is an extensive literature on the debate concerning the presence and extent of subclinical infections. Case report series demonstrate that such transient infections do occur but, unlike other mycoses, the extent to which this phe nomenon is common in the general population still cannot be assessed. Even the diagnosis of established disease is a major clinical problem.
The need for greater international collaboration is becoming increas. ingly clear. Practically every nation or people has, in addition to its own characteristics and history, its own medical tradition. Methods and ways of thinking that are successfully established in one place may not be accepted in another for some time. The medical tradition and training in different countries can take quite different forms. What would our present knowledge be - Without the creative, spontaneous ideas and contributions from the romance countries? - Without the opportunity of research, as it is practised on a large scale in the USA, where so many young Europeans took their first steps in experimental science? - Without the conscientious clinical work done in Central Europe and the valuable experience gained there? - Without, finally, the sober and critical scientific approach, as fostered in the cool heads of Northern Europe for generations? None of these qualities is sufficient without the others, but together they are a source of strength. Ultimately, we hope, through sensible con centration of efforts (while maintaining variety), to overcome the lack of an integrated approach in experimental science and to prevent repetition of painful mistakes. In this regard, the first two ESKA congresses have brought us great advances."
Computer technology has impacted the practice of medicine in dramatic ways. Imaging techniques provide noninvasive tools which alter the diagnostic process. Sophisticated monitoring equipment presents new levels of detail for both patient management and research. In most of these technology applications, the com puter is embedded in the device; its presence is transparent to the user. There is also a growing number of applications in which the health care provider directly interacts with a computer. In many cases, these applications are limited to administrative functions, e.g., office practice management, location of hospital patients, appointments, and scheduling. Nevertheless, there also are instances of patient care functions such as results reporting, decision support, surveillance, and reminders. This series, Computers and Medicine, will focus upon the direct use of infor mation systems as it relates to the medical community. After twenty-five years of experimentation and experience, there are many tested applications which can be implemented economically using the current generation of computers. More over, the falling cost of computers suggests that there will be even more extensive use in the near future. Yet there is a gap between current practice and the state-of the-art."
HRT and Osteoporosis is a response to the increasing awareness among both the medical profession and the general public that ovarian failure is an important cause of osteoporosis and that much of the bone loss after the menopause can be prevented by oestrogen treatment. There is now an urgent need on the part of women, their doctors and those responsible for public health policy for practical guidance on such questions as the safety and acceptability of long-term treatment with sex hormones, the economic costs and benefits of such treatment, and the role of specialists and GPs in promoting and monitoring hormone replacement therapy. All these issues and more are considered here. The book comprehensively reviews current knowledge of the subject and gives recommendations for clinical practice and future research.
The biology of solid tumor metastasis has been the subject of significant scientific and clinical interest for years and while experimental evidence reveals that metastasis is not solely a random event, very little is known about the biology of metastasis originating from prostate cancer. This is in spite of the fact that the majority of prostate cancer patients die with metastatic lesions to the bone. Progress in understanding this most important aspect of prostate cancer has been hampered by the lack of suitable animal models and an inability to accurately quantify bone metastases and their responses to therapy. Over the past decade, scientists in Japan and the United States have steadily advanced our understanding of the cellular, molecular and immunologic biology of primary and disseminated prostate cancer. It is this body of new information, combined with advances in imaging techniques and prostate cancer tumor markers, that prompted the need for an in-depth assessment of bone metastasis of prostate cancer. Accordingly, on December 12, 1990, a group of basic and clinical investigators from Japan and the United States convened in Gotenba, Japan, to hold the first conference devoted solely to the basic biology and clinical aspects of bone metastases originating from prostate cancer. The cross-fertilization of ideas that was fostered through in-depth discussion of technological advances among various basic and clinical disciplines not only further advanced our understanding of prostate metastases to the bone, but suggested approaches for precise quantitative assessment of these lesions and their treatment.
Within the field of general medicine, the last two decades have seen the curative procedures increasingly supplemented by func tions that can be summed up under the heading of "preventive health care." There is a close link between this development and the changing morbidity pattern. In highly developed countries the morbidity rate attributable to infectious diseases has been much reduced, while the various types of arteriosclerosis, some tumorous conditions, and so-called functional syndromes have attained massive incidence rates. Systematic epidemiologic studies have yielded the concept of risk factors, i. e., certain exogenous and endogenous factors whose elimination, ideally, would make it possible to avoid the manifestation of an illness or to ensure it did not become mani fest until later in life or in a milder form. The socioeconomic and sociomedical significance of these aspects is considerable, as can be seen from all the statistics on the reasons for incapacity and early retirement and on the relative contributions of different ill nesses to total mortality. Effective avoidance of illnesses by primary prophylaxis (elimi nation of the causes of disease) or early detection of the symp toms of disease (secondary prophylaxis) leading to early treat ment would be a particularly significant step forward, since in the case of most of the conditions mentioned above only pallia tive forms of treatment are available, and none that have any cu rative effect." |
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