Main description:

A practical manual on dealing with physical diseases that commonly affect psychiatric patients. As a psychiatrist, you may be the only medically qualified person caring for your patient. So what do you do when your patient with bipolar disorder also has poorly controlled asthma? Someone taking antipsychotic medication complains of chest pain - what action do you need to take? Your elderly patient with dementia shows signs of respiratory distress following a fall - do you manage this yourself, or arrange a transfer to the emergency department? People with a mental illness or intellectual disability are especially vulnerable to physical illness but may not have easy access to a primary care doctor. All psychiatrists must be able to deal with medical emergencies and minor injuries, interpret basic medical investigations and recognise where and when to get help from a general practitioner or another specialist. Essentials of Physical Health in Psychiatry addresses this need.

Contents:

Foreword Sue Bailey; Foreword Dinesh Bhugra; Preface; Section I. Improving Physical Health: 1. Meeting the physical health needs of people with mental disorders and disabilities; 2. Lifestyle and risks to physical health; 3. General practice in the UK; 4. The role of nurses; 5. The role of health professionals allied to medicine; 6. Tobacco smoking; 7. Obesity and weight management; 8. Physical activity; 9. Physical health standards and examination; 10. The neurological examination; 11. Medico-legal aspects of the treatment of patients with mental illness or learning disabilities; Section II. Medical Specialties: 12. Cardiovascular disease; 13. Respiratory disease; 14. Neurological disorders; 15. Endocrinology; 16. Diabetes; 17. Hepatology; 18. Blood-borne viruses; 19. Sexual health; 20. Contraception, pregnancy, the puerperium and breastfeeding; 21. Cancer; Section III. Psychiatric Specialties and Physical Health: 22. Alcohol; 23. Drug misuse; 24. Physical aspects of mental illness in children and adolescents; 25. Forensic psychiatric services; 26. General adult psychiatry; 27. Intellectual disabilities; 28. Liaison psychiatry; 29. Old age psychiatry; 30. Physical effects of eating disorders; Section IV. Medical Emergencies and Injuries: 31. Emergency medicine; 32. Minor injuries.