The Patient History ─ An Evidence-Based Approach to Differential Diagnosis

A comprehensive evidence-based introduction to patient history-taking

NOW IN FULL COLOR

For medical students and other health professions students, an accurate differential diagnosis starts with The Patient History. The ideal companion to major textbooks on the physical examination, this trusted guide is widely acclaimed for its skill-building, and evidence based approach to the medical history.

Now in full color, The Patient History defines best practices for the patient interview, explaining how to effectively elicit information from the patient in order to generate an accurate differential diagnosis. The second edition features all-new chapters, case scenarios, and a wealth of diagnostic algorithms. Introductory chapters articulate the fundamental principles of medical interviewing. The book employs a rigorous evidenced-based approach, reviewing and highlighting relevant citations from the literature throughout each chapter.

Features

• Ideal for use in Year 1 and Year 2 medical school and other health professions courses, including Introduction to Physical Diagnosis and Introduction to Clinical Medicine
• NEW! Essential new chapters on red eye, pruritus, and hair loss
• NEW! Case scenarios to introduce each chapter and place history-taking principles in clinical context
• NEW! Self-assessment multiple choice Q&A conclude each chapter—an ideal review for students seeking to assess their retention of chapter material
• Expanded emphasis on evidence-based principles, including more information on likelihood ratios, number needed to treat (NNT), pre- and post-test probability, and evidence-based diagnosis
• Symptom-based chapters covering 59 common symptoms and clinical presentations
• Diagnostic approach section after each chapter featuring color algorithms and several multiple-choice questions
• Hundreds of practical, high-yield questions to guide the history, ranging from basic queries to those appropriate for more experienced clinicians
• Complete list of references in each chapter

Gerald Smetana MDAssociate Professor of Medicine
Harvard University School of Medicine

Lawrence Tierney, MD
Professor of Medicine
University of California-San Francisco School of Medicine