Basicmedical Key

27 Palpitations Palpitations are defined here as sensations of a skipped heartbeat, an irregular heartbeat, a rapid or slow heartbeat, or increased awareness of the heartbeat. A patient’s awareness of…

34 Vision Problems and Other Common Eye Problems Patients may think that discomfort in the eyes or noticeable redness is serious. However, visual symptoms are always more serious than nonvisual…

31 Swelling of the Legs Swelling of one or both legs is a frequent presenting complaint. Common causes are systemic edema states, (heart failure, nephrotic syndrome, and cirrhosis) acute and…

32 Urethral Discharge and Dysuria About 2 million cases of urethritis (men and women) occur annually in the United States; more than 60% of these cases are nongonorrheal. Nongonococcal urethritis…

11 Dizziness/Lightheadedness and Vertigo Dizziness is the most common reason why patients older than 75 years visit their doctors. However, most patients who complain of dizziness do not have an…

9 Cough When evaluating patients with a cough, the physician should remember that: 1. Most healthy people seldom cough. 2. The main function of coughing is airway clearance. The complaint…

35 Voiding Disorders and Incontinence Voiding disorders and incontinence are common disorders of micturition that are presented to the physician. They occur more frequently in elderly persons; currently, about 15%…

21 Menstrual Pain Dysmenorrhea means painful menstruation. It may begin shortly before menstruation. Approximately 60% of postpubescent women experience dysmenorrhea; 10% of these women are incapacitated by pain for 1…

19 Insomnia Patients usually describe insomnia as poor quality or quantity of sleep despite adequate time for sleep, resulting in daytime fatigue, irritability, and decreased concentration. Of all the sleep…

22 Nausea and/or Vomiting Without Abdominal Pain Chronic nausea and vomiting are not uncommon in primary care practice. Approximately 3% of the population has reported nausea once a week, and…