15 CONSTIPATION General Discussion A complaint of constipation may mean very different things to different patients. A complaint of constipation may mean infrequent bowel movements, straining while stooling, incomplete evacuation,…

14 CHRONIC MENINGITIS General Discussion Meningitis can be divided based on time course, associated CSF profile, and underlying cause. Chronic meningitis is arbitrarily defined as meningitis that persists for 4…

11 CHEST PAIN General Discussion Chest pain is a very common complaint of patients presenting to the emergency room as well as to outpatient clinics. More than 50% of those…

6 ARTHRITIS AND ARTHRALGIA General Discussion Several different terms are often used to describe joint disorders resulting in joint pain. Arthralgia means joint pain. Arthritis implies the presence of an…

9 BLEEDING AND BRUISING General Discussion Abnormal bleeding or bruising may cause significant anxiety for the patient and may be a sign of a serious inherited or acquired disorder. A…

8 ATRIAL FIBRILLATION General Discussion Atrial fibrillation is the most common sustained arrhythmia treated by the physician. The incidence of atrial fibrillation increases with age and approximately doubles with each…

7 ASCITES General Discussion In the United States, approximately 80% of ascites is caused by cirrhosis while nonhepatic causes account for the remaining 20%. In patients with liver disease, portal…