Medical advances have been occurring at breathtaking speed, with diagnostic and treatment options becoming available for conditions for which none previously existed. However, several aspects of health care remain the same. Patients continue to rely heavily on clinicians for help in understanding the burgeoning evidence in medical research and for providing optimal health care. Clinicians remain steadfast in their quest to meet the needs of their patients and to encourage innovation in meeting those needs. The focus on patient safety and quality of care remains a keystone of medical practice, and multidisciplinary care with a system-based approach is increasingly being adopted to manage chronic disorders. The associated demands and challenges mandate that physicians remain abreast of the latest developments in medicine. To assist physicians in this endeavor, the Department of Internal Medicine at Mayo Clinic provides continuing medical education updates and resources in a timely manner. This book, Mayo Clinic Internal Medicine Review, is designed to meet the needs of practicing clinicians and physicians-in-training by updating their knowledge of internal medicine and helping to prepare them for the internal medicine certification and maintenance of certification examinations administered by the American Board of Internal Medicine (ABIM).
The success of the earlier editions of this textbook is exemplified by the number of books published. The positive reaction to and the success enjoyed by the earlier editions prompted the Department of Internal Medicine to proceed with the publication of the eighth edition. Each chapter has been thoroughly updated, and a new chapter on hospital medicine has been added. The goal is to provide an update in internal medicine that is readable and easy to study.
This book is divided into chapters based on subspecialty topics and written by authors with expertise in the respective fields of medicine. Bulleted items highlight elements that are important concepts. The repetition of important points in the chapters reinforces the essential aspects of the topics and serves as an additional aid in review of the subjects. Multiple-choice questions appear at the end of each chapter; there are more than 350 multiple-choice questions in this edition. Correct answers and detailed explanations follow the questions.
I am grateful to all the individuals who contributed ideas and suggestions for improvement during the development of this book. I thank the esteemed authors of the previous editions for their input into this edition and for permitting the use of some of the materials from previous editions. I am indebted to all authors for their immense effort and contributions to this edition. I thank the staffs of the Section of Scientific Publications, Department of Medicine, and Division of Media Support Services at Mayo Clinic for their contributions to this edition. The support and cooperation of the publisher, Informa Healthcare, are also gratefully acknowledged.
I trust that the eighth edition of Mayo Clinic Internal Medicine Review will continue to update and advance the reader’s knowledge of internal medicine.