Common Medical Diagnoses: An Algorithmic Approach

By Patrice M. Healey, Edwin J. Jacobson, Edwin J. Jacobson MD, et al.

This revised and updated edition of this popular text offers comprehensive coverage of virtually every common complaint encountered in practice today - from fatigue and fever to muscle weakness and low back pain. Easy-to-reference, this text is organised by body system so that readers may simply reference a sign, symptom or abnormal laboratory finding by its area or origin and follow the algorithm to a logical diagnosis.

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0721677320
• ISBN13: 9780721677323
• Release Date: June 2000
• Publisher: Saunders
• Length: 235 Pages
• Weight: 1.14 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.4" x 7.9" x 9.8"

Customer Reviews

Exceptional at what it intends to do

This book isn't intended as a master diagnostic manual. You'll almost never get a definitive differential out of it, and most of the information is quite brief. It's supposed to be that way. It helps you look at a symptom and quickly get an idea of where to go, what to do next, and what the problem could be. It's essentially a quick start to sending you down the right path when working through cases. If you're involved in a PBL curriculum it's a great help when you have basically no idea what's going on.

Helpful reference

Common Medical Diagnosis is a wonderfully helpful book for members of the medical profession at any level. The clear well written algorithims lead to extensive lists of differential diagnosis allowing the reader to be presented with numerous options. Begining with common signs, symptoms or lab values, the reader is taken through various well annotated steps leading toward the possible diagnosis. Thies is the third edition of this book which has evolved with the times and remains as useful as when it was first published. A must for any medical bookshelf.

Review of Common Medical Diagnosis: An Algorithmic Approach

Common Medical Diagnoses: An Algorithmic Approach is a great reference book for physicians and medical students alike. The book is roughly 220 pages and has 11 categories of disorders with algorithms under each for either common symptoms or abnormal lab values. The algorithms are very easy to follow, uncluttered, and lead you to a list of differential diagnosis. At each branch of the algorithm reference numbers allow you to read commentary. Only the most common medical diagnoses are in the book, requiring you to search other material for any rare ailment. Also, unless a treatment aids in the differentiating process, the book does not give standard treatments.