The Patient History: An Evidence-Based Approach to Differential Diagnosis (Second Edition)

 

Book Metadata

• Full Title: The Patient History: An Evidence-Based Approach to Differential Diagnosis.

• Editors: Mark C. Henderson, MD, Lawrence M. Tierney, Jr., MD, and Gerald W. Smetana, MD.

• Authors: Contributed by multiple clinical experts across various specialties.

• Year of Publication: 2012.

• Edition: Second Edition.

• Total Number of Pages: 753 pages.

Copyright Summary

This work is a LANGE medical book published by The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc., with a copyright date of 2012. The eBook version is identified by ISBN 978-0-07-180420-2, while the corresponding print version carries ISBN 978-0-07-162494-7. The publisher provides a standard legal notice stating that medicine is an ever-changing science and disclaims responsibility for any errors or omissions in the text.

Preface Analysis

The authors' primary intent is to introduce clinicians to the "timeless art of history taking" as the fundamental gateway to clinical diagnosis. The book addresses a specific clinical gap: while modern imaging and diagnostic techniques have proliferated, the history remains the most effective tool for making a diagnosis in the majority of patients. 

Unlike traditional texts organized by disease, this resource is organized by symptoms, reflecting the actual presentation of patients in a clinical setting. The intended primary audience includes students of medicine, residents, and aspiring healthcare professionals seeking to master the integration of evidence-based principles with clinical history taking.

Chapter List

History and Physical Examination: Art and Science

Subtleties of Medical History Taking

Patient-Centered Interviewing

Clinician-Centered Interviewing

Evidence-Based Clinical Decision Making

Dizziness

Fatigue

Fever

Headache

Insomnia

Lymphadenopathy

Night Sweats

Muscle Weakness

Weight Gain

Weight Loss

Red Eye

Ear Pain

Hearing Loss

Tinnitus

Sore Throat

Inflammatory Dermatoses (Rashes)

Pruritus

Hair Loss

Cough

Dyspnea

Hemoptysis

Chest Pain

Palpitations

Syncope

Edema

Abdominal Pain

Constipation

Diarrhea

Dyspepsia

Dysphagia

Acute Gastrointestinal Bleeding

Jaundice

Nausea and Vomiting

Anorectal Pain

Dysuria

Hematuria

Flank Pain

Erectile Dysfunction

Urinary Incontinence

Scrotal Pain

Amenorrhea

Breast Complaints

Pelvic Pain

Vaginitis

Abnormal Vaginal Bleeding

Neck Pain

Shoulder Pain

Arm and Hand Pain

Low Back Pain

Buttock, Hip, and Thigh Pain

Knee and Calf Pain

Foot and Ankle Pain

Confusion

Memory Loss

Diplopia

Gait Abnormalities

Tremor

Anxiety

Depressed Mood

The Case Presentation

Why Read This? Clinical Value Proposition

For the practicing physician, The Patient History provides a highly practical, evidence-based framework for differential diagnosis. Each symptom-based chapter includes likelihood ratios (LRs) for specific historical findings, enabling clinicians to mathematically adjust the probability of a disease based on a patient’s answers.

The text also features diagnostic algorithms and "alarm symptoms" designed to help the doctor quickly identify life-threatening conditions. By focusing on "interviewing the chart" and using patient-centered techniques, this book equips clinicians with the tools to reach an accurate diagnosis efficiently without over-reliance on expensive imaging.

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