Product Description

Life would be much simpler for GPs if patients presented with diagnoses. Unfortunately, they do not: they present with symptoms which are frequently vague, sometimes multiple and often obscure. Most clinical texts adopt a diagnosis rather than a symptom based approach. "Symptom Sorter" redressed the balance and quickly became a key book in primary care. This new edition is fully updated and expanded, and still offers the same concise and practical guidance. New topics include - anal itching, anal swelling, crying babies, eyelid problems, facial rashes and leg ulcers. It presents differentials, distinguishing features, possible investigations and key points, with tips and warnings, for over 100 symptoms commonly seen in primary care. All general practitioners, especially GP trainers, GP registrars, young principals, nurse practitioners and A&E nurses will find this book an invaluable ready reference.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #41958 in Books
• Published on: 2007-09-12
• Original language: English
• Number of items: 1
• Binding: Paperback
• 427 pages

Review
'This a book tailor made for clinical medicine in general practice. It will be useful not only to registrars but also experienced practitioners who will learn much from just browsing through the differential, possible investigations and of especially the red flags.' THE WRITER'Clearly laid out and straightforward.' UPDATE'A useful reference tool.' PRACTICE NURSE'Although this text is aimed primarily at GPs, it is also useful to nurse practitioners in primary care. The material is organised into alphabetically themed chapters, each with numerous sub-topics that refer to anatomical regions or body systems. There is also a very useful list of common abbreviations and a good index.' COMMUNITY PRACTITIONER'This book provides a comprehensive guide to most of the common symptoms that are encountered in primary care. This book will provide an easy reference guide for GPs, registrar GPs, nurse practitioners and undergraduate medical students.' CLIMB UPDATE'If you have this book in your room, and you consult it every day, my guess is that you will do at least one thing better every day, and, maybe many more. If that is not a recommedation for a book, then I don't know what is.' WORK BASED LEARNING IN PRIMARY CARE

About the Author
Respectively General Practitioner, Honorary Lecturer, Royal Free and UCL Medical School; Forensic Medical Examiner, freelance General Practitioner and Writer

Customer Reviews

Simple, informative, useful
This book delivers exactly what its title promises: an easy way to "sort" through most common symptoms in general practice. (Like "weight gain", "facial pain", "backache", "tremor") For each symptom, the most likely causes are described (with easy guidelines for differential diagnosis), followed by progressively unlikely causes. You then get a list of appropriate investigations and a series of "hints & tips" for practical management.
The usefulness of "Symptom Sorter" isn't limited to general practitioners, but extends to undergraduate medical students as well, providing a clear and informative view of symptoms and primary care. The only flaw I can detect is that the book chapters are named with non-medical, common usage terms (this could actually be a pro if the reader is not conversant in medicine).

v useful for students too
The book has an excellent format - for each presentation, it lists a differential diagnosis, divided into common, uncommon & rare conditions - unlike other books I have seen on differential diagnosis (eg Churchill pocketbook), which do not distinguish between common & rare conditions. (This will be particularly useful for medical students - we are always being told that 'common things are common' but don't have the practical experience to know which the common diseases are!)
Each presentation has a table of key clinical features to distinguish between the 5 commonest diagnoses.
The book also lists investigations in order of importance, & has hints & tips, plus 'red flags' indicating serious pathology. It is clearly written and not unduly long - it could comfortably be read in a couple of days.

Although aimed at GP's, I'm sure the book would prove immensely useful to clinical medical students, & I will be recommending it to other students at my medical school.

What a relief!
At last someone has written the book of my dreams! This book is aimed at those entering General Practice who have to jump from one area to another with each consultation. Patients don't present with diagnoses, they come with symptoms and I like having check lists to use when faced with the uncertainties that this presents. Whilst this book cannot provide definitive lists for every symptom it has been a great aide memoire especially for those 'wooly' ones that seem so common, such as giddyness. I am sure it will be well used over the next few years. It has a good layout and there is plenty of information which acts as food for thought. There is also plenty of space to make your own notes. The authors come across as people in the front line and I recommend this book to those who are starting out in the field of Primary Health Care.