Essential medical facts every clinician should know : to prevent medical errors, pass board examinations, and provide informed patient care

__Essential Medical Facts__ presents selected literature-based information clinicians need to know to provide informed patient care and avoid medical misadventures. Facts that can help make us better and safer clinicians include knowing the usefulness of palmar crease pallor in detecting anemia (not reliable), antibiotics that can cause a false positive opiate urine drug screen (fluoroquinolones), and an occasional early clue to testicular cancer (gynecomastia). Of course, keeping up to date on current medical knowledge and being curious about the implications of published research conclusions not only help assure superior clinical performance; they also bolster the preparation for board examinations. Robert B. Taylor, MD is the author and editor of more than two dozen medical books and several hundred published articles, as well a veteran of both rural private practice and chairmanship of a medical school clinical department. __Essential Medical Facts__ is written for clinicians in all specialties, at all stages of professional life. It is a must have book for students, residents and practicing physicians, as well as nurse practitioners and physician assistants actively involved in clinical diagnosis and management of disease. " Essential Medical Facts presents selected literature-based information clinicians need to know to provide informed patient care and avoid medical misadventures. Facts that can help make us better and safer clinicians include knowing the usefulness of palmar crease pallor in detecting anemia (not reliable), antibiotics that can cause a false positive opiate urine drug screen (fluoroquinolones), and an occasional early clue to testicular cancer (gynecomastia). Of course, keeping up to date on current medical knowledge and being curious about the implications of published research conclusions not only help assure superior clinical performance, they also bolster the preparation for board examinations. Robert B. Taylor, MD is the author and editor of more than two dozen medical books and several hundred published articles, as well a veteran of both rural private practice and chairmanship of a medical school clinical department. Essential Medical Facts is written for clinicians in all specialties, at all stages of professional life. It is a ""must have"" book for students, residents and practicing physicians, as well as nurse practitioners and physician assistants actively involved in clinical diagnosis and management of disease." Front Matter....Pages i-xlvii Medical Facts, Errors, and This Book....Pages 1-5 Challenging Current Medical Misconceptions....Pages 7-27 Epidemiologic Realities and Gee-Whiz Facts....Pages 29-47 Disease Prevention and Screening....Pages 49-66 Risk Factors and Disease Correlates....Pages 67-86 Practical Clinical Pearls....Pages 87-109 Laboratory Testing, Electrocardiography and Imaging....Pages 111-131 Alarming Symptoms and Red Flag Findings....Pages 133-158 Therapeutic Insights....Pages 159-192 Idiosyncratic and Uncommon Drug Effects....Pages 193-214 Drug Interactions and Adventures in Polypharmacy....Pages 215-235 Alcohol, Nicotine and Caffeine....Pages 237-260 Unforeseen, Counterintuitive and Possibly Prophetic Findings....Pages 261-287 Some Timeless Truths About Medical Practice....Pages 289-304 Back Matter....Pages 305-324 This book presents selected literature-based information clinicians need to know to provide informed patient care and avoid medical misadventures. Facts that can help make us better and safer clinicians include knowing the usefulness of palmar crease pallor in detecting anemia (not reliable), antibiotics that can cause a false positive opiate urine drug screen (fluoroquinolones), and an occasional early clue to testicular cancer (gynecomastia). Of course, keeping up to date on current medical knowledge and being curious about the implications of published research conclusions not only help assure superior clinical performance; they also bolster the preparation for board examinations.-- Provided by publisher