Oxford Handbook of General Practice

The Oxford Handbook of General Practice offers hands-on advice to help with any day-to-day problems that might arise in general practice, and covers the entire breadth and depth of general practice in concise, quick-reference topics. It starts by exploring the definition of general practice, and moves on to practical advice on practice management, consulting with patients, social aspects of primary care, and prescribing and managing medicines. It gives practical advice on all clinical areas of general practice, including minor surgery, healthy living, chronic disease and elderly care, cardiology and vascular disease, respiratory medicine, endocrinology, gastrointestinal medicine, renal medicine and urology, musculoskeletal problems, neurology, dermatology, infectious disease, haematology and immunology, breast disease, gynaecology, sexual health and contraception, pregnancy, child health, ear, nose, and throat medicine, ophthalmology, mental health, cancer care, palliative care, and emergencies in general practice. It is written for general practitioners (GP), GPs in training, medical students, and allied health professionals working in the community.

Gastrointestinal medicine

This chapter in the Oxford Handbook of General Practice explores gastrointestinal medicine in general practice. It covers assessment of abdominal pain, vomiting and diarrhoea, gastroenteritis and food poisoning, constipation, and other abdominal symptoms and signs. It examines dyspepsia and Helicobacter pylori, oesophageal conditions, gastro-oesophageal reflux and gastritis, peptic ulceration, and gastro-oesophageal malignancy. It discusses hernias, appendicitis and small bowel disease, colorectal cancer, and other large bowel conditions. It describes anal and perianal conditions, patients with ostomies, malabsorption, faecal incontinence, coeliac disease, inflammatory bowel disease, and irritable bowel syndrome. It also explores jaundice and abnormal liver function, fatty liver disease, hepatitis, liver failure and portal hypertension, gallbladder disease, pancreatitis, and pancreatic tumours.

History and examination

This chapter discusses history and examination, including basic history and examination, recording your clerking, cardiovascular medicine, respiratory medicine, gastrointestinal medicine, neurological medicine, endocrine medicine, skin, oncological/haematological medicine, breast surgery, eye surgery, head and neck surgery, musculoskeletal surgery, urological surgery, the female reproductive system, obstetric medicine, psychiatric medicine, neonatal examination, and paediatrics.

Psychiatry in gastrointestinal medicine

This chapter discusses psychiatric conditions with gastrointestinal (GI) consequences (including eating disorders, depression, and side effects of psychiatric medications), and GI diseases with psychiatric symptoms (including hepatic encephalopathy, coeliac disease, Wilson’s disease, acute intermittent porphyria, functional GI disease, and inflammatory bowel disease).