Introduction Abnormal uterine bleeding is a common presenting problem in general practice Accounts for about 4% of presentations to general practice 20% of women complain of heavy period bleeding – however about 50% of...
Barmah Forest Virus
Introduction Barmah Forest Virus causes an infection in humans, resulting in polyarthritis, fever, tiredness, lethargy and rash. It has been identified only in Australia, and is named after the location in Victoria where it...
Booking, Screening and Antenatal Care
Introduction Much of the follow-up of pregnant women is carried out in the community, by midwifes at primary health care centres. The risk of death from pregnancy in the UK is roughly 1 in...
Cardiomyopathy
Introduction Cardiomyopathy is a term used to describe a heart muscle disorder, without another obvious cardiac abnormality. The European Heart Journal describes it as a: myocardial disorder in which heart muscle is structurally and...
Carpal Tunnel Syndrome
Introduction Carpal tunnel syndrome is a relatively common disorder, which can be unilateral or bilateral, caused by compression of the media nerve at the level oft he wrist. Patients typically initially complain of parasthesia...
Chronic Kidney Disease (Chronic Renal Failure)
Introduction Chronic Kidney Disease – CKD (previously – chronic renal failure) involves a long-standing and often deteriorating reduction in renal function. It is irreversible and generally appears over a period of years. initially, CKD begins as only...
Complex Regional Pain Syndrome – CPRS
Introduction Complex regional pain syndrome (previously known as reflex sympathetic dystrophy (RSD) or Sudeck atrophy) is a poorly understood condition which typically affects the extremities (arms and legs), causing severe pain, disability and sometimes swelling. It most...
De Quervain tenosynovitis
Overview De Quervain’s tenosynovitis is an overuse injury of the wrist, affecting the dorsal extensor compartment (sometimes called compartment 1) tendons – extensor pollicis brevis and abductor pollicis longus. It causes pain on the dorsal surface of the wrist at the...
Disc Prolapse – Sciatica
Definitions Sciatica – this describes a characteristic pain felt in the lower back, buttocks and the posterior and lower leg. It results from compression of any of the 5 nerve roots that contribute to...
Dyslipidaemia
Introduction Dyslipidaemia (often interchangeably used with hyperlipidaemia) describes raised levels of cholesterol in the blood. This is significant because it is associated with increased risk of cardiovascular disease. The lipid hypothesis suggests (and is strongly...