Acute Medicine

A Symptom-Based Approach

Stephen Haydock, Duncan Whitehead, Zoë Fritz

• Publisher: Cambridge University Press
• Year: 2014
• Print ISBN:
  9781107633575
• eBook ISBN:
  9781316192061
• Topic: Medicine
• Subtopic: Anesthesiology & Pain Management

This practical book describes the basic science, clinical presentation and management of the 67 common acute medical presentations stipulated in the Royal College of Physicians syllabus for Core Medical Training and Acute Core Common Stem. • Case scenarios are included for each presentation, and guidance about management is offered in the context of national guidelines and important studies • Experienced clinicians describe their approach to common difficult problems and explain the answers to questions often asked on the ward round by successive generations of trainees • Chapters highlight key decisions that need to be made early, common misunderstandings, and risks • Detailed discussion provides an understanding of the rationale, allowing the reader to apply their knowledge to other situations • Guidance is provided on urgency of referral, safe ambulatory management, and when to seek specialist help. This is an essential resource that provides readers with the knowledge base to practise as a confident medical registrar.

Table of contents

• Cover
• Half-title
• Title page
• Copyright information
• Table of contents
• List of Contributors
• Preface
• Acknowledgements
• List of abbreviations
• Introduction: presentations to acute medicine
• 1 Abdominal mass/hepatosplenomegaly
• 2 Abdominal pain
• 3 Abdominal swelling and constipation
• 4 Abnormal sensation
• 5 Acute back pain
• 6 Acute kidney injury (AKI) and chronic kidney disease (CKD)
• 7 Aggressive/disturbed behaviour
• Addendum Pharmacology and therapeutics of sedative drugs
• 8 Alcohol and substance dependence
• 9 Anaphylaxis
• 10 Anxiety/panic disorder
• 11 Blackout/collapse
• 12 Breathlessness
• 13 Bruising and spontaneous bleeding
• 14 Cardiorespiratory arrest
• 15 Chest pain
• 16 Confusion/acute delirium
• 17 Cough
• 18 Dialysis
• 19 Diarrhoea
• 20 Dyspepsia
• 21 Dysuria
• 22 Falls
• 23 Fever
• 24 Fits and seizures
• 25 Genital discharge and genital ulceration
• 26 Haematemesis and melaena
• 27 Haematuria
• 28 Haemoptysis
• 29 Head injury
• 30 Headache
• 31 Hoarseness and stridor
• 32 Hypothermia
• 33 Immobility
• 34 Incidental findings
• 35 Involuntary movements
• 36 Jaundice
• 37 The swollen joint
• 38 Unilateral limb pain and swelling
• 39 Loin pain
• 40 Lymphadenopathy
• 41 Medical complications during acute illness and following surgical procedures
• 42 Medical problems in pregnancy
• 43 Memory loss (progressive)
• 44 Micturition difficulties
• 45 Neck pain
• 46 Palliative and end of life care
• 47 Palpitations
• 48 Physical symptoms in absence of organic disease
• 49 Poisoning
• 50 Polydipsia and polyuria
• 51 Polydipsia and polyuria
• 52 Pruritus
• 53 Rash
• 54 Rectal bleeding
• 55 Sepsis
• 56 The shocked patient
• 57 Skin and mouth ulcers
• 58 Speech disturbance
• 59 Suicidal ideation
• 60 Swallowing difficulties (dysphagia)
• 61 Syncope/collapse
• 62 The unconscious patient
• 63 Unsteadiness and balance disturbance
• 64 Visual disturbance
• 65 Vomiting and nausea
• 66 Weakness and paralysis
• 67 Weight loss
• Index