Common Mistakes in Clinical Medicine is a concise, pocket-sized collection of commonly committed errors, ideal for day-to-day use by medical students. Divided into five chapters, this new edition introduces new topics, along with revised text. The first chapter on medical education focuses on problem solving and new ideas in undergraduate teaching topics. Chapters on diagnosis, investigation, management and bedside procedures clarify a range of topics. New additions include diagnosis of diabetes, care for the elderly, use of insulin, intramuscular injections, and cause of death certification. Common Mistakes in Clinical Medicine also provides guidance on prescribing medication, including a list of dialysable and non- dialysable drugs, making this an ideal resource for medical students and practising doctors. Key Points New edition of concise, pocket-sized guide to commonly made mistakes in clinical medicine Previous edition published 2006 (9788180617836) Includes guidance on prescription, with a list of dialysable and non-dialysable drugs

Table of Contents:
Contents 1. Medical Education 1 Basic Principles of Education 1; What to Know? 3; Patchy Knowledge 5; Syndromes and Signs 5; Books to Follow 6; Learning in the Age of Superspecialization 7; Value of Nonclinical Subjects 9; Recent and Old Knowledge 10; What to do and why to do? 11; Bedside Case Presentation 11; Maintenance of Records 12; Daily Note 13; Group Answer 14; Group Examination 14; Learning by Overhearing 15; Thesis 16; Appearing an Interview 16; Examinations and Failure 17; Duty in OPD, Indoor and Casualty 19; Teaching Hospital 20; Problem Solving and New Ideas 21; Undergraduate Teaching 22 2. Diagnosis 23 General Errors 23 Reaching at a Diagnosis 23; Going through the Treatment Papers at the Beginning 24; Taking History and Examining the Patient Repeatedly 25; One Track Mind 26; Inability to Use Common Sense 28; Assemble all the Points to Come to a Conclusion 31; Conversion Reactions 32 Errors in Analysis of Symptoms 32 The Chief Complaints 32; Uncommon Manifestations of Common Diseases/Common Manifestations of Uncommon Diseases 33; Inadequate Family History/Community History 35; Extramarital Sexual Contact 35; Sexual/ Genital Problem in Females 36; Missing Menstrual History/Obstetrics History 36; History of Rheumatic Fever 37; History of Animal Bite 38; Dry Cough 38; Noninfective Causes of Fever 38; True Convulsion and Pseudoconvulsion 39; Hemoptysis and Hematemesis 40; Bleeding Piles and Bacillary Dysentery 41; Evaluation of Chest Pain and Abdominal Pain 41 Prelims.indd 13 31-07-2015 11:50:41 xiv Common Mistakes in Clinical Medicine Errors in Elicitation of Signs 42 Comfort of the Patient 42; Privacy of the Patient 43; Examining a Patient under Treatment 43; Method of Examination 44; Doubtful Findings 45; Missing the Obvious 45; Jumping for a Conclusion 47; Blood Pressure Recording 47; Low Blood Pressure 51; Respiration 51; Bradycardia 53; Pulse Deficit 54; Irregularly Irregular Pulse 55; Regular Rhythm with Normal Heart Rate 55; Tachycardia 55; Temperature 56; Jugular Venous Pulse 58; Gag Reflex 59; Ninth and Tenth Cranial Nerve 60; Limitations of Sensory Examination 60; Romberg Test 61; Common Errors in Motor System Examination 61; All Paraplegia is not Due to Spinal Cord Disease 62; Interpretation of Vocal Resonance 63; Limitations of Physical Findings in a Respiratory Case 64; Red Urine 65; Cannon Wave and Cannon Sound 65; Inspecting Excreta in your Own Eye 66; Anemia and Hypoproteinemia 68; Mass in Left Iliac Fossa 69; Intestinal Obstruction 69; Examination of Genitalia 70; Per Rectal Examination 70; Looking for a Turning Point 71; Hurried Examination 72 3. Investigations 73 Investigating without Proper Planning 73; Prioritizing the Investigations 73; Timing of Investigation 75; Challenging a Report 76; Why we Get Wrong Reports? 81; Collection of Samples 83; A Report may be an Eye Opener 86; Limitations of Investigations 88; Giving Opinion on Investigations without Seeing the Patient 91; Persistence of Abnormal Report 92; Test of Choice 93; Urgent Evaluation of Certain Cases 94; Influence of Treatment on Investigations 95; Tests to Monitor Disease Course 96; Harmful Tests 98; Tests in Woman 98; Precautions before Testing 99; Common Mistakes in Ecg Interpretation 100; Diagnosis of Diabetes Mellitus 101 4. Management 102 Chloromycetin Therapy 102; Aminoglycoside Therapy 103; Restless Patient 103; Prevention of Bedsore 105; Prevention of Fecal Impaction 105; Prescription Prelims.indd 14 31-07-2015 11:50:41 Contents xv Over Phone 106; Prescribing without Seeing the Patient 107; Incomplete Prescription 107; Many Drugs in One Prescription 108; Prescribing in Pregnancy 109; Prescribing in Lactation 114; Drugs and Renal Failure 115; The Decision of not Treating an Illness 122; Poisoning 123; Intakes and Output 128; Putting Ryle’s Tube in a Patient of Tetanus 128; Issuing Discharge Certificate 129; Interdepartmental Referral 130; Dealing with Death 131; Brought Dead 137; Filling-up the Death Form 138; Left and Right 138; Hypoglycemia 139; Physical Verification of the Drugs 140; New Complaint while on Treatment 141; Adverse Drug Reactions 142; Control of Vomiting 144; Diarrhea with Dehydration 145; Food and Water in Arf 148; Treatment of Hypokalemia 149; Incurable Disease 149; Chronic Disease 150; Motivating to Complete Att 150; Pregnancy and Diseases 151; Drugs Changing the Color of Urine 152; Long-term Treatment 152; Drugs Worsening an Illness 153; Snakebite 154; Unknown Bite 156; Drug Interaction 156; Mode of Drug Administration 158; Benefit of Doubt 159; Ryle’s Tube in Corrosive Poisoning 160; Treatment Precedes Diagnosis 160; Care of Old People 161; Wrong Ideas about Insulin 162 5. Bedside Procedures 165 Administration of Intravenous Fluid 165; Blood Transfusion 169; Maintaining Asepsis 174; Administration of Local Anesthetics 175; Test for Bleeding Time and Clotting Time 175; Look for Patency 176; Keep the Patient under Observation 176; Lumbar Puncture 176; Feeding through Nasogastric Tube 179; Parenteral Alimentation 182; Pleural Aspiration 184; Peritoneal Aspiration 186; Pericardiocentesis 188; Aspiration of Amebic Liver Abscess 191; Catheterization of Bladder 192; Removal of the Catheter 194; Carotid Sinus Massage 196; Cardiac Massage 197; Intramuscular Injections 198; Medical Certificate of Cause of Death 202 Index 205 Prelims.indd 15 31-07-2015 11:50:41