Symptom to Diagnosis An Evidence Based Guide, Third Edition

by Scott D.C. Stern, Adam S. Cifu, Diane Altkorn

Overview

Learn the diagnostic process in internal medicine with this engaging, case-based approach

Symptom to Diagnosis teaches you an evidence-based, step-by-step process for evaluating, diagnosing, and treating patients based on their clinical complaints. By applying this process, you will be able to recognize specific diseases and prescribe the most effective therapy.

Each chapter addresses one common complaint and begins with a case and guidance on how to organize the differential diagnosis. As the case progresses, clinical reasoning is explained in detail. The differential diagnosis for that particular case is summarized in tables that highlight the clinical clues and important tests for the leading diagnostic hypothesis and alternative diagnostic hypotheses. As the chapter progresses, the pertinent diseases are reviewed. Just as in real life, the case unfolds in a stepwise fashion as tests are performed and diagnoses are confirmed or refuted.

The third edition is enhanced by the addition of five new chapters--Bleeding Disorders, Dysuria, Hematuria, Hypotension, and Sore Throat--as well as a greater emphasis on how to master the process of working from patient level data (signs, symptoms, and laboratory tests). All chapters incorporate the latest research resulting in new and refined approaches to common symptoms encountered in clinical medicine.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780071803458
Publisher:	McGraw Hill LLC
Publication date:	11/22/2014
Sold by:	Barnes & Noble
Format:	eBook
Pages:	592
File size:	55 MB
Note:	This product may take a few minutes to download.

About the Author

Scott D.C. Stern, MD, FACP
Associate Professor of Clinical Medicine
Co-Director, Junior Clerkship in Medicine
Department of Internal Medicine
University of Chicago
Pritzker School of Medicine
Chicago, IL

Diane Altkorn, MD
Department of Internal Medicine
University of Chicago
Pritzker School of Medicine
Chicago, IL

Adam Cifu, MD
Assistant Professor of Clinical Medicine
Department of Internal Medicine
University of Chicago
Pritzker School of Medicine
Chicago, IL

Table of Contents

1. The Diagnostic Process 2. Screening and Health Maintenance 3. Abdominal Pain 4. Acid-Base Abnormalities 5. Aids/HIV 6. Anemia 7. Back Pain 8. Bleeding disorders 9. Cancers, Common 10. Chest Pain 11. Cough, Fever, and Respiratory Infections 12. Delirium and Dementia 13. Diabetes 14. Diarrhea, Acute 15. Dizziness 16. Dyspnea 17. Dysuria 18. Edema 19. Fatigue 20. Gastrointestinal Bleeding 21. Headache 22. Hematuria 23. Hypercalcemia 24. Hypertension 25. Hyponatremia and Hypernatremia 26. Hypotension 27. Jaundice and Abnormal Liver Enzymes 28. Joint Pain 29. Renal Failure, Acute 30. Sore throat 31. Syncope 32. Unintentional Weight Loss 33. Weakness 34. Wheezing and Stridor

Editorial Reviews

Reviewer: Vincent F Carr, DO, MSA, FACC, FACP (Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences)
Description: This is the third edition of a book describing the diagnostic process. The previous edition was published in 2010.
Purpose: It is intended as a teaching tool on the process of developing a diagnosis through refining the differential.
Audience: The audience includes all students of medicine, regardless of discipline, as the focus is on the approach to patients rather than on individual diagnoses.
Features: The book begins by defining the diagnostic process through a number of steps for considering the differential, deciding what tests to perform, with a bit of probability theory, and interpreting the test results once obtained. The second chapter continues with the concept of what screening tests the student should emphasize, using the specific examples of colon cancer and cholesterol screenings. Subsequent chapters focus on the symptoms one might commonly encounter in the daily practice of medicine. Each chapter begins by looking at the chief complaint and constructing the differential diagnosis. There are a significant number of algorithms and tables to help add or remove items from the differential based upon further testing. The chapter then identifies "Leading Hypotheses" with thumbnail sketches of "Disease Highlights" and "Treatment Considerations" if a particular diagnosis is decided upon. The format, which emphasizes bullet points, helps the information stand out. There are a number of photographs that are representative of the diagnosis being described. This edition adds chapters on additional symptoms.
Assessment: This book offers much to students working through standardized patients in the academic environment and to residents just beginning their clinical rotations. Its strength is the simplicity of the presentations unencumbered by the details of physiology and pathophysiology that residents will eventually need to learn. As a starter book, this serves its purpose extremely well.

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