Main description:

A concise, practical guide to the diagnosis, treatment and management of common allergy and asthma conditions in primary care.

Allergy and asthma represent some of the most common chronic conditions presenting in primary care. Furthermore, up to 20% of patients with allergies struggle on a daily basis with the fear of anaphylactic shock or an asthma attack.

This book guides readers through the basic immunology and pathophysiology and then provides details on all aspects of the clinical assessment of allergic patients:

History-taking
Clinical examination
Investigations and imaging

A broad range of allergies is then presented with succinct clinical advice detailing the causes, diagnosis and treatment of each allergy in turn.

Asthma is covered separately using the latest asthma guidelines to describe the risk factors, stratification, and accurate diagnosis. This is followed by a concise presentation of asthma management and monitoring in primary care.

The book concludes with the pressing issue of childhood allergy, and highlights the investigations, assessment and treatments specific to allergy and asthma in children.

This is the ideal clinical text for GPs, medical students and nurse practitioners looking to manage common allergies and asthma, and for those looking for decision-making support when considering onward referral.

Contents:

Preface; Acknowledgements; Contributors; Dedications; Abbreviations; How to use this book
Chapter 1 Ask the allergist
Chapter 2 Clinical assessment of the allergic patient
Chapter 3 Clinical allergy
Chapter 4 Asthma: Background and clinical presentation
Chapter 5 Asthma: Management
Chapter 6 Management principles in allergy
Chapter 7 Organ-specific treatment
Chapter 8 Allergy in children
Index