Basicmedical Key

Hypertension is the most important risk factor for stroke and congestive heart failure (CHF), and an important contributor to the risk of myocardial infarction. The cardiovascular risk imposed by high…

Chronic alcoholism is associated with a high incidence of peripheral sensorimotor neuropathy; sensory changes usually predominate. Axonal degeneration, induced by alcohol or the alcohol metabolite acetaldehyde, or by nutritional deficiency,…

Obesity may be viewed as the direct consequence of traits evolved to avoid starvation. These traits affect appetite and energy expenditure ensuring adequate intake during periods of abundance and diminished…

The HPI is the key to the diagnosis, starting with the chief complaint. The clinical evaluation (history plus physical examination) guides the selection of tests, which are obtained to confirm…

Temperature in humans is controlled by the hypothalamus around a set point of about 37 °C (98.6 °F), by a complex series of mechanisms that permit the generation, conservation, and…